Personal Alert and Safety System

Lab 4 – User Manual 1

RUNNING HEAD: LAB 4 – USER MANUAL

Personal Alert and Safety System

Lab 4 – User Manual

CS 411 Blue Team:

Dan Cox

Jon Szewczak

Brittany Dufort

Marcus Henry

Gordon Bland

Braden Gibson

Gene H. Price

April 27, 2011

Table of Contents

List of Tables 4

1. Introduction (Dan Cox) 5

2. Product Features (Dan Cox, Jon Szewczak) 6

3. Getting Started (Brittany Dufort) 7

3.1 Hardware Demonstration 7

3.2 Simulation Demonstration 8

4. Using the Prototype (Jon Szewczak) 9

4.1 Hardware Demonstration (Marcus Henry) 9

4.2 Simulation Demonstration (Jon Szewczak) 14

4.2.1 Simulation Driver Interfaces (Braden Gibson) 15

4.2.2 Dispatch User Interface (Brittany Dufort) 18

5. Troubleshooting (Gordon Bland) 21

5.1 Hardware Conditions 21

5.2 Software Conditions 22

6. Glossary (Group) 24

List of Figures

Figure 1. Major Functional Component Diagram for Prototype 6

Figure 2. Example of Importing Libraries 8

Figure 3. Desktop Shortcut 9

Figure 4. USB Connection to host PC 10

Figure 5. Serial Port Connection from PC to Arduino Microcontroller 10

Figure 6. Properly Connected Microcontroller and Transceiver. 11

Figure 7. Choosing an Arduino Sketch 12

Figure 8. Correctly Compiled Code 12

Figure 9. Result of Pressing the Upload Button 13

Figure 10. The Serial Monitor Display. 13

Figure 11. Displays the User Pushing Buttons on the Fob 14

Figure 12. Main Screen of Simulation Driver Interface 15

Figure 13. Example of Active Alert 16

Figure 14. An Alert Has Been Sent 17

Figure 15. Choosing Map Zones 18

Figure 16. Sending Alerts to the MCM 19

Figure 17. Initial View of DUI After Alerts are Sent 19

Figure 18. Selection of a Row in Active Alerts 20

Figure 19. DUI Immediately After Clear Alerts 20

List of Tables

Table 1. Hardware Troubleshooting 21

Table 2. Software Troubleshooting 22

1.  Introduction (Dan Cox)

The Personal Alert and Safety System (PASS) prototype attempts to demonstrate the major goals of the real world product: receive signals from fob devices, propagate said signals throughout a transceiver network and then process those signals into meaningful information for analysis by dispatch personnel. In the process of assigning priority to the major goals due to the time constraints of the project, one of the major goals was dropped from the prototype. Signal propagation was decided to be of the least priority and was thus removed from the prototype. However, the other two goals of receiving signals from fobs and processing said signals were incorporated into the construction. The prototype was divided into two different areas of development, hardware and software.

The mission of the hardware area of construction was to show that wireless signals from fob devices could be received and interpreted correctly. For this, four different hardware parts were used. As Figure 1 shows, a fob would send a signal, a transceiver would receive the signal and the Arduino board would process the signal. Finally, a personal computer would show the results of the processing in the form of displaying which user’s signal was received. This construction and signal processing was deemed to meet the goal set for the hardware area.

Software was used in the form of a simulation of the transceiver network. A point could be picked on a map, via a graphical user interface, to allow the approximation of a fob device starting a sending cycle at that physical location. Once another button within the graphical user interface was pressed, the fob message would be processed and then presented to an additional user interface representing the view the dispatch personnel would see. Thus, the goal of processing and providing an interface for analysis for dispatch personnel was also achieved.

Figure 1. Major Functional Component Diagram for Prototype

2.  Product Features (Dan Cox, Jon Szewczak)

As mentioned earlier, the PASS prototype will be divided in two separate demonstrations: Hardware and Software Simulation. Each demonstration has a set of unique features that are separate from the other. In the following sub sections each demonstration’s features will be listed.
Hardware

1.  Utilizes a five button fob to mimic different signals being received by the transceiver.

2.  Illustrates interception of wireless signals along the 2.4 GHz radio frequency.

3.  Demonstrates processing of received wireless signals.

4.  Demonstrates communication with a personal computer platform via USB ports.

Software Simulation

1.  Microsoft Windows Application utilizing the .NET Framework 3.5 libraries.

a.  It will utilize a multiple document interface to host two windows forms that will communicate with each other.

b.  A separate module will be marshaling all communication between the two forms.

2.  The application will allow a user to:

a.  Select from a list of up to five different simulated PASS users.

b.  Initiate an alarm from any of the users, from a selection of four different locations on the ODU campus.

c.  Show which simulated transceivers would pick up the alert signal.

d.  Calculate a probable location for the alert from the location of the transceivers that picked up the alert signal.

e.  Display the calculated alert location and PASS user information on the Display User Interface.

3.  Getting Started (Brittany Dufort)

The following section will discuss the steps involved in setting up the multiple environments needed to utilize the prototypes. Since the physical portion of the hardware demonstration can be performed anywhere that has enough table top room, this is not discussed. Instead, the necessary software installations are detailed.

3.1  Hardware Demonstration

To get started with the PASS hardware prototype, the Arduino Software Suite must be installed on the user’s personal computer. This software will allow a user to interact with the microcontroller. Installation instructions:

1.  Acquire necessary installation packages from www.arduino.cc/en/main/software for the appropriate operating system.

2.  Open the Ardiuno-0022 folder, and then double click Arduino.exe to launch. This will extract multiple files to the installation folder.

Next, it is important that the user has access to three unique microcontroller libraries. The SPI.h , MIRF.h, and Nordic NRF2401.h files allow the Arduino microcontroller to interact with the Nordic wireless transceiver and are therefore vital to the prototype and can be acquired from Arduino forums (www.arduino.cc/playground/interfacingwithhardware/nrf2401, www.arduino.cc/playground/spi, www.tinkerer.eu/avrlib/nrf24l01). As such, the user must choose the option Sketch followed by the Import a library option; they will then select the three files mentioned above. The aforementioned files are all open source files and are freely available on the internet.

Figure 2. Example of Importing Libraries

3.2  Simulation Demonstration

To get started with the PASS software prototype, there are two prerequisites needed. The computer running the demo must have SQL Server 2008 Express installed locally and it must have the necessary database structures fully configured. The user can download SQL Server Express 2008 from Microsoft’s website (http://www.microsoft.com/express/Database/). The database structures can be formed after a successful SQL Server Express installation using the provided database scripts.

Once all database functionality is initiated, the user is then ready to setup the simulation application. The PASS project team has developed an installation program that will install the application on the user’s computer. Once that has been done, the user will need to create a shortcut on the desktop. To launch the program, double click on the “PASS-Simulation” shortcut on the desktop.

Figure 3. Desktop Shortcut

4.  Using the Prototype (Jon Szewczak)

The following sections will detail out the procedures for setting up, initializing, and using the different components of each demonstration. The first section focuses on the hardware demonstration. The last section concentrates on the simulation demonstration. The simulation demonstration section is further broken down into it two main components: the Simulation Driver Interface and the Dispatch User Interface.

4.1  Hardware Demonstration (Marcus Henry)

The Hardware component of the PASS prototype is made up of four electrical components, a personal computer, Arduino microcontroller, Nordic fob transmitter, and the Nordic wireless transceiver unit. It is important to have all of these materials in order to use the PASS prototype at optimal levels.

In order for this to work the user must plug the USB serial cord into an USB port on the computer and into the serial port of the Arduino Microcontroller. After this physical connection is established, the user should open the Arduino Software Suite. Once the Arduino software suite is opened, the user will need to push the upload a sketch button in the program.

Figure 4. USB Connection to host PC

Figure 5. Serial Port Connection from PC to Arduino Microcontroller

The next important step is establishing a connection between the Arduino Microcontroller and the Nordic Transceiver. The first inputs to implement are to the power and ground pins. The Arduino microcontroller has a 3.5 volt power supply; this is what the transceiver needs to run. Hook a wire from this power supply to the transceiver hole marked VCC. The ground pin is connected from the ground supply on the Arduino board to the ground pin hole on the transceiver. The next step is to use the digital pins on the Arduino board and connect them to the transceiver.

1.  Using Digital Pin 7, connect a wire from this pin hole to the transceiver pin hole labeled CSN.

2.  Using Digital Pin 8, connect a wire from this pin hole to the transceiver pin hole labeled CE.

3.  Using Digital Pin 11, connect a wire from this pin hole to the transceiver pin hole labeled MOSI.

4.  Using Digital Pin 12, connect a wire from this pin hole to the transceiver pin hole labeled MISO.

5.  Using Digital Pin 13, connect a wire from this pin hole to the transceiver pin hole labeled SCK.

Figure 6. Properly Connected Microcontroller and Transceiver.

The next step is uploading a program to drive the transceiver via the microcontroller. As such, the next important phase is uploading a sketch that will enable the transceiver to detect the wireless signal from a transmitter. This code will come standard with the prototype and it uses the imported libraries from step 1. Use the File tab in the Arduino Software Suite and select Open. They should then choose sketch_mar27a, which will come with the prototype. For simplicity it is easy to store this file on the Desktop. Once this sketch is selected, then the user should select the command Sketch and then Verify/Compile. If this is correct and there are no errors, the user should then select the “Upload” button, this will put this program “on board” the Arduino Microcontroller and will run the source code.

(This Space Left Intentionally Blank)

Figure 9. Result of Pressing the Upload Button

The previous steps lead us to using the hardware prototype. After uploading the source code, select Serial Monitor button in the Arduino Software Suite Program. If everything is working correctly the user should see this screen.

Figure 10. The Serial Monitor Display.

This notifies the user that the transceiver is using frequency channel 2, and that the status bits are all correct if it displays rf_setup = 111.

Next the user should press any buttons on the Nordic Fob. The buttons correctly map 1 to 1, with what the transceiver receives. A press of the center button on the Nordic Fob will display text in the Serial Monitor Display as “Center”.

Figure 11. Displays the User Pushing Buttons on the Fob

4.2  Simulation Demonstration (Jon Szewczak)

The simulation demonstration application utilizes a very common application model known as the Multiple Document Interface. This model allows several windows to be hosted by a single parent window. The simulation demonstration application’s parent window hosts two child windows, the Simulation Driving Interface (SDI) and the Dispatch User Interface (DUI). The application is built around a virtual environment based on the Old Dominion University campus.

The SDI hosts all of the controls and manipulation functions that will allow the user to interact with the software. These functions and control are used to place alert signals and associate them with users within the virtual environment. From here the user also initiates the reporting of the alerts to the DUI.

The DUI’s sole function is to report the calculated location based on the transceivers that heard the alert in the SDI. It does this in two ways, via a table and also a graphical map. The DUI responds to actions that are sent through the hosting program from the SDI.

4.2.1  Simulation Driver Interfaces (Braden Gibson)

Once the program is up and running, the user will see the main screen for the SDI (Figure 12).

Figure 12. Main Screen of Simulation Driver Interface

Change Map View

After the program has been open and the SDI is displayed, the user can then select a different map to display on the screen. To switch between maps, follow the instructions below:

·  Step 1: Select the map you would like to choose from inside the “Map Area to Show”.

·  Step 2: Click on the corresponding bullet to display the map.

Choose User

The Selection of a user may be chosen at any given time and can be done so by following the directions below:

·  Step 1: Click the drop down menu “Choose User” to view a list of users.

·  Step 2: Select the user that the program will simulate.

Pick Alert Location

Once you have selected a map location between Zone 1 to Zone 5, you can the select a location on the map. To add the location to the map, follow these steps:

·  Step 1: Click on “Pick Alert Location”.

·  Step 2: Pick a point on the map and right click on the screen with the mouse.