Custom USB tyre pressure monitoring interface

**Robby BMW** · 03-25-2008, 04:01 PM

Originally Posted by DeltaBi

Robby,
I could not find where is described the TPMS Doctor learning procedure, could you please shade some lights on this subject?

Thanks,
Diego.-

[EDIT]
Do you refer by chance to the RRTMS Config Tool? Do the registration did with it works even with the Centrafuse plugin?
[/EDIT]

The TPMS Doctor doesn't include the learning procedure, but you can use the configuration tool provided with the RoadRunner plugin.
It works with any front end, because the learnig procedure is an internal proces to the PIC, independent from any external software.
Simply launch the application and perform the learning procedure, ignoring everything else that refers to the configuration of the plug-in for RoadRunner.

**DeltaBi** · 03-25-2008, 04:03 PM

Originally Posted by Robby BMW

The TPMS Doctor doesn't include the learning procedure, but you can use the configuration tool provided with the RoadRunner plugin.
It works with any front end, because the learnig procedure is an internal proces to the PIC, independent from any external software.
Simply launch the application and perform the learning procedure, ignoring everything else that refers to the configuration of the plug-in for RoadRunner.

Ok, I'll try it.

Thanks,
Diego.-

**Robby BMW** · 03-25-2008, 04:17 PM

Originally Posted by HiJackZX1

Is a power cable needed for people that decide just to use the USB board and reciever and not the LCD screen? I figured that the USB port is what supplied power.

If you don't like cables, you can use some alkaline batteries

I joke

The USB port provides the power supply to the receiver only if it is removed from the original display and installed on the TMS-USB board, but if it keeps inside the original display, a power cable is needed.

**HiJackZX1** · 03-25-2008, 04:59 PM

Originally Posted by Robby BMW

If you don't like cables, you can use some alkaline batteries

I joke

The USB port provides the power supply to the receiver only if it is removed from the original display and installed on the TMS-USB board, but if it keeps inside the original display, a power cable is needed.

HAHA, if I go the battery route, i will have to fill the whole cargo area with batteries...... Ok, i will most likely cut the 3rd eye board.... I have installed all components and there is no way i am adding more cabling.

**inh** · 03-26-2008, 01:43 AM

Just ordered the last TPMS from Viva that they had in stock.. Coupon code still works though =]

**DeltaBi** · 03-26-2008, 05:02 PM

Originally Posted by Robby BMW

The TPMS Doctor doesn't include the learning procedure, but you can use the configuration tool provided with the RoadRunner plugin.
It works with any front end, because the learnig procedure is an internal proces to the PIC, independent from any external software.
Simply launch the application and perform the learning procedure, ignoring everything else that refers to the configuration of the plug-in for RoadRunner.

Robby,

I've completed the learning procedure using the RRTMS config tool and now the sensors are correctly coupled with their respective colors. As you may know I was using the "garden" method to wake up the sensor because I still don't have them mounted in the car wheels (thanks Glitchinthesyst for the idea).
[Note for others that are in the same situation: I inserted each sensor in plastic container and put it under pressure while the other sensors were placed in a isolated metal box, just to be sure;I then fired the learning procedure on the software and at the same time lowered the pressure in the cointainer to let the sensor send its data and register it.]

After having registered all the sensors I've tested them putting them all togheter in the plastic container and then raising and lowering the pressure just to be sure everything was okay.
In this situation I've noticed that in some cases the data showed by the TPMS Doctor was not consistent. I mean that sometime the pressure values from the sensors where not equal (they were supposed to be equal because they were in the same container!): some of them remained for a long time at the old value, sometime it was only for 10 or 15 seconds, sometime for much more time (I could probably dare to say for ever, at least minutes!).

As you may understand this is pretty important as I would like to be notified of a pressure change as soon as it happens!

Do you believe that this problem is related to having all sensors at short distance (inside the container) and thus could their radio transmission be jammed by each other? Or could it be that the firmware on the PIC does not handle batch of changes all at the same time (in a real situation I suppose this is not common)...

Thanks for your comments.

Diego.-

**WuNgUn** · 03-26-2008, 06:17 PM

I powered up my TPMS to check the function...
Prior to it learning the sensors, does it read 'dead' on pressure, temp and battery? Specifically, the battery...I need to know (before going to the tire shop) that the batteries are okay in the sensors...
Can this only be accomplished after the learn function?
Thanks

Hey Delta...how'd you pressurize this 'container'? Would a large mouth Coke bottle work if I just applied pressure with my mouth over the opening?

**DeltaBi** · 03-26-2008, 06:44 PM

Originally Posted by WuNgUn

I powered up my TPMS to check the function...
Prior to it learning the sensors, does it read 'dead' on pressure, temp and battery? Specifically, the battery...I need to know (before going to the tire shop) that the batteries are okay in the sensors...
Can this only be accomplished after the learn function?
Thanks

Yes, as far as I know you have to "learn" the sensors before you can read any of the values.

Originally Posted by WuNgUn

Hey Delta...how'd you pressurize this 'container'? Would a large mouth Coke bottle work if I just applied pressure with my mouth over the opening?

I've used a garden hand sprayer with a wide filler mouth like this:

The mouth is big enough to insert the sensor.
I don't think the coke bottle will work because you would need to apply a fairly large amount of pressure.

**Robby BMW** · 03-27-2008, 09:18 AM

Originally Posted by DeltaBi

Robby,

I've completed the learning procedure using the RRTMS config tool and now the sensors are correctly coupled with their respective colors. As you may know I was using the "garden" method to wake up the sensor because I still don't have them mounted in the car wheels (thanks Glitchinthesyst for the idea).
[Note for others that are in the same situation: I inserted each sensor in plastic container and put it under pressure while the other sensors were placed in a isolated metal box, just to be sure;I then fired the learning procedure on the software and at the same time lowered the pressure in the cointainer to let the sensor send its data and register it.]

After having registered all the sensors I've tested them putting them all togheter in the plastic container and then raising and lowering the pressure just to be sure everything was okay.
In this situation I've noticed that in some cases the data showed by the TPMS Doctor was not consistent. I mean that sometime the pressure values from the sensors where not equal (they were supposed to be equal because they were in the same container!): some of them remained for a long time at the old value, sometime it was only for 10 or 15 seconds, sometime for much more time (I could probably dare to say for ever, at least minutes!).

As you may understand this is pretty important as I would like to be notified of a pressure change as soon as it happens!

Do you believe that this problem is related to having all sensors at short distance (inside the container) and thus could their radio transmission be jammed by each other? Or could it be that the firmware on the PIC does not handle batch of changes all at the same time (in a real situation I suppose this is not common)...

Thanks for your comments.

Diego.-

The problem is not due to the short distance of the sensors, but to the simultaneous transmission.
The PIC firmware analyzes any signal coming from the receiver, in the same way the original display does, but if there are more transmissions at the same time, the result is the sum of the various signals, then garbled data. It is a physical fact.

About the issue that you had during the learnig procedure with the Centrafuse plugin, there is a new update that should solve that problem. Take a look here: http://forums.fluxmedia.net/showthread.php?t=2356

**DeltaBi** · 03-27-2008, 09:25 AM

Originally Posted by Robby BMW

The problem is not due to the short distance of the sensors, but to the simultaneous transmission.
The PIC firmware analyzes any signal coming from the receiver, in the same way the original display does, but if there are more transmissions at the same time, the result is the sum of the various signals, then garbled data. It is a physical fact.

About the issue that you had during the learnig procedure with the Centrafuse plugin, there is a new update that should solve that problem. Take a look here: http://forums.fluxmedia.net/showthread.php?t=2356

So this is a design limitation, am I correct? Anyway I suppose it does not happen in the real world, unless you drive an F.1 car and have 4 mechanics working at the 4 wheels at the same time

About the Centrafuse plugin I've already noted and installed the new release by Wolfgang, thanks. It's a nice piece of software!

Bye,
Diego.-