OpenPicus WiFi Flyport "Front End" for the Arduino

Ever needed a quick easy to use and easy to program WiFi solution for the Arduino?

The grunt work has been eliminated with the field proven TCP/IP stack from vendor Microchip.
Also, they bought out Zero G the Wifi chip maker. (Asynclabs wifi interface chip)

Note: The Flyport digital inputs are 5 VDC tolerant and since the digital outputs only goes to 3.3 VDC then
there should be no problems using the digital inputs and outputs of the Flyport with the Arduino with no level conversion but
other inputs/outputs you would need level conversion.

http://www.openpicus.com/cms/

Think of the possibilities ... email client and the "out of the box" 4 DI / 4 DO Webserver ready to go online on the Web.
8) 8) 8)

Where do we get one? How much does it cost? Will it need a shield to hook to the arduino? Where can we get the shield and how much does it cost? Many people want to use their arduino wirelessly to monitor or control something, but the connection solutions often cost more than everything else in the project combined. Does this product help address this?

Where do we get one?

I provided the link above but I will help you out on this one. If you follow the link to the openPicus main page click under buy. I chose the www.eikonsite.it because the Italian creators of the OpenPicus Flyport works at this company. They based their OpenPicus Flyport design and IDE software on the "ease of use" of their other Italian brothers, which made the first Arduino.

Where can we get the shield and how much does it cost?

There is no shield. Please read the web site information. It has 5 DI, 5 DO, I2C, SPI and 4 analog 10 bit inputs.
You can use this standalone or attach an Arduino to it to process your user application.
Note: In the standalone mode you provide small "C" code for the I/O. They have examples on the website.

The cost is in Euros (no VAT tax should be charged for US citizens) I bought the Flyport module and the nest for 49 + 19 Euro ~ 68 Euro or about $115.00 USD (includes secure shipping).

but the connection solutions often cost more than everything else in the project combined.

You also found this catch22 out. The problem of having an Arduino to take care of the TCP/IP stack communications and also the user application at the same time will cause more problems then it is worth. The OpenPicus Italian design team used a RTOS, a PIC24, ZeroG Wifi and the field proven TCP/IP stack that is rock solid.
I have looked at Asynclabs, Netduino plus and the FEZ WiFi solutions and they all fell way short in having a rock solid design.

If you ever wanted to be an IT expert (information technologies expert) then this OpenPicus Flyport will lead you into that profession. You will have to know the PC router basics to even put the Flyport module online to the world wide web. Not to worry, I started out being an IT moron and the knowlege I have gained from the Flyport was in-measurable. You have to do a lot of reading even though the OpenPicus IDE does most of the work for you. Not knowing the difference between AdHoc (peer to peer) and infrastructure (wifi access point) network connections will stop you dead in your tracks.

May I suggest the following links (along with the OpenPicus website information) to get you up to IT speed.

www.en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Internet_Protocol_Suite

www.support.microsoft.com/kb/169790

www.powerdog.com/wepkey.cgi

www.wepkey.com/

www.dyndns.com/

www.radmin.com/products/ipscanner/

www.portforward.com/

www.chebucto.ns.ca/~rakerman/port-table.html

Please, before you buy thoroughly re-read the OpenPicus website information and download the free IDE and examine
the software. Also, look at their blogs and video.

http://www.openpicus.com/cms/

Since I made every mistake, being an IT moron, on my Flyport project, I can help you achieve your goals.
You could also take a IT person out to lunch or find a computer geek to help you.

IPv6 Support? That would set it apart...

I'm not sure I'd consider the Microchip TCP stack to be "rock solid." I'm pretty sure I've heard mixed reviews...

Picture of the WiFi Flyport Webserver on my Ipod Touch.


8) 8) 8)

Just started another OpenPicus Flyport Wifi project. Flyport Garage Door Controller Design Spec. and Features R1.

Using the OpenPicus Flyport to control a garage door takes some very careful thought and design.
It is not just the matter of hooking up one Flyport WiFi controller output to control the garage door!
There is a Ford commercial, on TV, that shows this guy trying to impress his friend on his new car.
He calls his wife, which is boarding an airplane, and ask her to do it again. She reaches for her
phone and activate the car's engine and its door locks. She did not even have password authentication
on her phone! I find this commercial funny because before I would allow someone to enter in my “man cave” or garage entrance by remote web server control they would have to pass some of most complex security software algorithms. Breaking into Fort Knox would be a lot easier!

My Flyport Garage Door Controller has the following features:

Any PC, iphone/ itouch can be used as another garage door remote from any where in the world!

The Flyport garage door controller allows:

Neighbors to gain entry to borrow tools and to steal beer from the frig.
UPS/Fed-ex personnel to deliver important heavy packages.
House re-entry if accidentally lock-out from the house.
Visiting relative(s) to enter the house while you are gone.

Precision temperature controlled RTC runs for eight years of un-attended operation. Has automatic DST times. (Daylight saving times pre-programmed) Projected clock error in 8 years is only +- 8 minutes! After eight years the lithium 3 v dc battery only needs changed and the time slightly adjusted.

Garage door controller automatically closes the garage door during the late or morning hours for security. (uses the precision RTC - user adjustable)

Garage door controller shows, on the web server, the garage door open/close counts for the day. (Resets at midnight) Used as a security spy.

Garage door controller PIR motion sensor also checks for humans in the garage. This status is also displayed on the webserver page.

Controller analog ambient light sensor also checks the garage door state and whether the lights are on in the garage.

Extremely high levels of security are designed into the Flyport software to to prevent unauthorized garage door access. User/password authentication, key press sequence access, pre-programmed time/hour enables, access failure timeouts prevents hackers, dweebs, geeks and cyber criminals to just give up or to go completely insane. (There are other security measures that I cannot mention but you get the point of having proper security)

Pending door closure indicators (LED and buzzer) flash and buzz to warn local family members, for safety ahead of time, that the garage door will be activating.

The OpenPicus Flyport WiFi garage door controller does not interfere with the main garage door system. Controller failure will not disturb any of the garage door system.

Controller has a local override switch, for safety, which disables the remote web server garage door activation. The web server will still display all data.

Controller web server displays all digital inputs, outputs, analog inputs, time/DOW/date on the web server page.

Special input "fully open" and "fully close" fail-safe limit switches indicate, on the web server at all times, the state of the garage door eg open, close, garage door in motion or traveling. Having only one limit switch does not cut it!

Diagnostic checks for limit switches, RTC and override switch add another layer of safety to the garage door controller. Any diagnostic fault failure will prevent remote garage door activation. All faults are displayed on the web server page for easy troubleshooting.

Additional safety controller algorithms prevent garage door activation until there is a "quiet period" after which a local garage door activation has occurred. This prevents door closure on family members that just arrived at home.
Note: As an additional safety, all new garage doors (in the USA) must have an object detection system installed. (Infrared eyes) This will prevent door closure on any person/object/animal near the garage door entrance. For 100% safety protection, install a TCP/IP camera in the garage.


Parts Needed:

OpenPicus Flyport
OpenFlyport Nest
http://www.openpicus.com/cms/
http://www.flyportamerica.com/flyportproducts.php
Enclosure for Flyport electronics
USB cable with +5 VDC wall adapter
PIR Motion sensor - with adjustable pulse width.
Ambient light sensor TEMT6000
Maxim-IC I2C DS3231 RTC with battery. Macetech's ChronoDot (DS3231) is off the shelf.
http://macetech.com/store/index.php?main_page=product_info&products_id=8&zenid=1f0515e33796293ee0d37f6baee12c1c
NC garage door close limit switch
http://www.smarthome.com/7455B/Garage-Door-Contacts-for-Open-or-Closed-Circuits-SM-226L-3-/p.aspx
NC garage door open rail "spring leaf" limit switch
SPDT controller override switch
Red LED for pending garage door activation - high flash or override switch on - low flash or diagnostic fault - low flash.
Relay and with transistor driver to pulse the garage door open/close.
Misc. wiring/solder.
8) 8) 8)

OpenPicus Flyport WiFi web server first half photo taken from ipod / itouch.

OpenPicus Flyport Wifi web server 2nd half photo taken of ipod / itouch


This OpenPicus Flyport Wifi garage door controller project --> testing is on going ...
8) 8) 8)

Great news... There is a USA distributor for the OpenPicus Wifi Flyport.

http://www.flyportamerica.com/flyportproducts.php

:grin:

BTW ... I have no financial interest or association with OpenPicus or Flyportamerica.

Prelimary Fritzing breadboard pic of the Flyport garage door controller without RTC

Flyport video - comedy

:grin:

Flyport Garage Door Controller Project Update.

I came to the stark conclusion that testing the Flyport Wifi Garage Door controller,
I would need to build a complete testing simulator to debug my software thoroughly before
ever attemping to wire up this controller to my garage door. I could have
ruin my garage door controller with all the testing that I performed in debugging
the software.

Picture of testing simulator below.

The next picture is the "reduced" Flyport Wifi Garage Door Controller wired onto
a perfboard. After thoroughly testing this perfboard controller, I will then
placed it into an enclosure and wired up to the garage door.

Notice, in the picture, I made use of small electronic modules, which I could not
duplicate for the same cost. These modules are very inexpensive, well built and
engineered. The PIR module has a adjustable pot for increasing the time delay for
PIR motion detection. The relay driver has even a indicator LED for relay activation.
I was more than willing to wait for the standard 10 day shipping time for these
inexpensive modules.

Link: http://www.seeedstudio.com/depot/electronic-brick-family-sensors-c-48_52.html

Hi ArduinoAndy,

Your project is great! You mentioned your post the flyport can work with arduino. I am now testing the flyport and need to send a command ,i.e text string to arduino. What interface should I use, I2C or UART? Do you have any example for the C code for flyport. Can we use the arduino library in the flyport?

Thanks

UART - The Flyport IDE has the Wifi events tab. Check out this tab for the Flyport app "Buttons and LEDs"
Its very simple eg UARTWrite(1,"Event: Connection Successful\r\n");

You really need to direct your questions on the OpenPicus forum.

Moved all the OpenPicus Flyport WiFi webserver components into a Polycase enclosure and with the help of a
glue gun, I was able to attach all the sensors to the front lid.

In attached picture left to right. Ambient Sharp "super sensitive" light sensor PCB (Modern Device)
embedded with liquid tape so I could clean the lens from the outside. Next is the garage door controller
annunciator (buzzer) used to sound a warning before garage door activation. The PIR, in the center,
has a built-in pot to adjust the duration detection of motion. (No, clumsy software driver needed). Next is
the controller status LED and last is the garage door controller override lockout switch which disables the
weberver garage door output.

This webserver garage door controller will have to work under extreme temperature variations from below
freezing to about 120 F. The built-in Macetech's RTC ChronoDot DS3231 should easily handle these temperature extremes.
The garage door controller has to be 100% reliable but any failure will not disturb the garage door system from functioning.

Real garage door testing on going ...

"No project is better than the sensors you attached to it!"


Garage Door Close Sensor (NC)

SECO-LARM SM-226L-3Q

http://www.smarthome.com/7455B/Garage-Door-Contacts-for-Open-or-Closed-Circuits-SM-226L-3-/p.aspx

REED SWITCH: Gold under-plating with DEACTIVATED
RHODIUM outer-plating. SECO-LARM contacts have a
unique RHODIUM plating which has gone through a special
oxygen treatment to DEACTIVATE the surface, thus
eliminate the absorption of organic impurities, polymer
growth during operation, and the possibility of contact
freezing.
CONTACT LIFETIME: 50 million cycles.
TEMPERATURE: -15oF to 160oF (-25oC to 70oC).

SWITCH HOUSING: Weatherproof die-cast aluminum
constructed for surface-mounting on garage floor; able to
withstand heavy vehicle pressure without damage. The
switch is safely enclosed in an epoxy compound. A 24"
flexible armored cable gives complete protection to the
switch wiring.

MAGNET: Extra-strength Alnico 5 magnet allows a
2-3/4" operating gap.


Garage Door Open Sensor (NC)

This is a "rail mounted" "leaf spring" industrial microswitch which is used in industry by manufacturers.

http://www.amazon.com/Micro-Switch-YA-2RL37-Normally-Actuator/dp/B000PGMT2Q

New project using the OpenPicus wifi Flyport webserver ... OpenPicus Flyport FlySpy "Fly Spy On The Wall"

Ever wanted to check at your home for the environmental conditions or for any activity?
Maybe you wanted to make sure everything is alright with your older relatives or parents?
The OpenPicus Flyport wifi webserver "FlySpy" can do this and more.

Features:

Monitors:
Ambient light detection
Ambient sound detection
PIR Motion (with long time delay)
Ambient Temperature
Ambient Humidity % RH
Ultra-Sonic distance 4 Meters max.
Time/Date/DayOfWeek

Optional:
Water leaks - water sensors will sound for ambient sound sensor.
Door / window opening/closing

Webserver page counters shows:

PIR motion counts + time/dow/date
Utra-sonic counts + time/dow/date
Ambient sound detection counts + time/dow/date

Note: All counters are webpage resetable

Webserver page shows:

Ambient light % Hi/low
Ambient sound Hi/low
Ambient Temperature F. Hi/low
Humidity % RH Hi/low

The Flyport FlySpy is embedded into a wall-mount white enclosure that acts like a "Fly Spy on the Wall"

Stay tuned for further project updates...

BTW ... check the Sensaphone or Grid Connect devices and you will see that the OpenPicus Flyport is the most cost effective way to go - by hundreds of dollars (USD)!
:grin: :grin: :grin:

OpenPicus just got better with their new IDE release 2.0
http://www.openpicus.com/cms/
8) 8) 8)

Great project! so funny the video of the garage door alarm! :-))

I'm also using Flyport and I'll try to post something about my project (easy automation in my house). I just wanted to let you know I just saw they made this useful board, Ecco come trasformare il tuo bonus gold in soldi veri: scopri come fare! , Arduino shields to Flyport socket, to use the wide range of Arduino shields. I bought one and I immedialty started to play with Flyport and Relay shield!