1-Wire, DS18B20... How do I search the bus?

The following addresses

2C:EF:4:1:8:0:
52:F9:39:1:8:0:
41:7F:39:1:8:0:
5D:F9:39:1:8:0:
CB:B:5:1:8:0:
7A:4D:5:1:8:0
7:48:5:1:8:0
FB:E8:38:1:8:0
41:7F:39:1:8:0

Furhter testing indicates 7A:4D:5:1:8:0 when added to the bus in certain combinations will cause a loop

Further: 7A.... causes problems but then so do other ones added after 6....

Hmm...?

I've just noticed something, these should be 32byte values (similar to a mac address on a network card) some of the values are being truncated if they are 0... ?

for instance 7A:4D:5:1:8:0 SHOULD be 7A:4D:50:10:80:00 or 7A:4D:05:01:08:00 ?

I checked the algorithm against your device addresses and it seems to be fine so I'm not sure what's causing your problem.

As for the 7A:4D:5:1:8:0, it should be 7A:4D:05:01:08:00. This is just a result of the Serial.Print function discarding the leading 0 for each byte. It's not a problem.

I don't know what else to do about your problem except for you to avoid using the search function and just address all the devices on the bus individually.

After many frustrating evenings, I finally fixed the problem on mine (7 sensors) by completely replacing the search method in OneWire.cpp with the reference search implementation at the bottom of the maxim page: Mixed-signal and digital signal processing ICs | Analog Devices.
It works fine now. I originally tried to reconcile the existing code with the flowchart on that page, but it was just too convoluted for me to follow.
It wasn't too hard to replace. I had to modify the reset_search() method to clear the appropriate variables (just like in the reference OWFirst() method) and add a line from the original search to copy the address from the ROM_NO array to the one that is passed in to the method.

Thanks. Maybe you can help with getting the playground page updated with the fixes you made? (I have fingers crossed)

I tried to update the playground, but was told I have "insufficient privileges". :-?

If anyone wants my updated OneWire library, it can be downloaded at http://www.depowell.com/Arduino/OneWireUpdatedSearch.zip. It should be a drop-in replacement for OneWire.cpp and OneWire.h.

Okay, I just put 7 sensors on a bus (one by one) and watched what it did. the 7th still made it loop.

This is using omnitronic's new library..

There must be somethign a lot more fundamental at fault here than simply recoding the search function. Is it possible that there is a hardware limitation?

My electronics and programing experience is very small. I can work with what other people have done and expand on it bit by bit. But I am not much use at the whole low level diagnostics stuff. ALl I can really do here is test what other people have done and say "not in my implimentation"

Yes indeed it seems to be hardware related. The only thing I can suggest is using a pull-up resistor in the range of 1.5 - 2 kOhm as opposed to the normal 4.7 kOhm.

I had the same looping problem with the search function. The looping seems to depend on the individual addresses for some reason, not on the number of sensors. Anyway, I rewrote the search algorithm.

I had my new version working successfully with up to 12 sensors, and I haven't seen it loop yet. This was with Arduino 11. For the record, I was using a 4K7 resistor.

Here is my code for the search routine:

//
// Perform a search. If this function returns a '1' then it has
// enumerated the next device and you may retrieve the ROM from the
// OneWire::address variable. If there are no devices, no further
// devices, or something horrible happens in the middle of the
// enumeration then a 0 is returned.  If a new device is found then
// its address is copied to newAddr.  Use OneWire::reset_search() to
// start over.
//
// searchJunction is the branch on the current address at which the
//    current search is to continue -
//    prior to this point the path follows the previous address
//    after this point, at each junction, 0 is selected
// lastJunction is the last unexplored junction on the present path.
//    the next search will continue from here
// 
uint8_t OneWire::search(uint8_t *newAddr)
{
  uint8_t i = 0;
  char lastJunction = -1;

  if ( searchExhausted) return 0;
  searchExhausted = 1; // the search is exhausted unless we find another junction

  if ( !reset()) return 0;
  write( 0xf0, 0);    // send search ROM

  for( i = 0; i < 64; i++) {
    uint8_t a = read_bit( );
    uint8_t nota = read_bit( );
    uint8_t ibyte = i/8;
    uint8_t ibit = 1<<(i&7);

    if ( a && nota) return 0;  // I don't think this should happen, this means nothing responded, but maybe if
    // something vanishes during the search it will come up.
    if ( !a && !nota) {                    // if at a junction, then
      if ( i < searchJunction) {           // if before search junction
        if ( address[ ibyte]&ibit)  a = 1; // follow previous address
        else a = 0;
      }
      else { 
        if ( i == searchJunction) a = 1;// at the search junction take the new branch.
        else a = 0;                     // past the search junction, on a new branch so select 0
      }
      if (!a) {             // if 0 is chosen
        lastJunction = i;   // set last junction
        searchExhausted = 0; // continue the search
      }
    }

    if (a) address[ibyte] |= ibit; // set address bit
    else address [ibyte] &= ~ibit;
    write_bit( a);
  } // end of address bit loop
  searchJunction = lastJunction;                    // set searchJunction for the next call to Search

  for ( i = 0; i < 8; i++) newAddr[i] = address[i]; // copy found address into output address
  return 1;  
}
#endif

And I put this in the header after Tom Pollard's note to clarify the version:

Modified to work with larger numbers of devices - avoids loop.
Tested in Arduino 11 alpha with 12 sensors.
26 Sept 2008 -- Robin James

If you are not sure how to update your library, do it this way:
first make a copy of your existing library, and put it in a safe place - i.e. not in "libraries". This is insurance!
Then in OneWire.cpp, delete the search routine and replace it with the one above. Also add the new header comment.
Filnally, delete the file OneWire.o. This will be regenerated when you restart Arduino.

I would have posted the full files here, but the size limitation does not permit this. A would have updated the library too, but I'm a newbie, and I'm clueless about how to go about it.

A couple of final comments:
As others have said, it is best to hard code the addresses instead of using the search routine every time. This is not as difficult as you may think.
Secondly, it is better and more robust to use more than one bus. This way, if something goes wrong you don't lose all of your sensors at once.
Would someone care to post some examples?

Couple of thoughts - Crunch, are you sure that you are rebuilding the OneWire object every time, and not just reusing the previous object file? Make sure you delete the OneWire.o file before clicking verify.

Also, I tried using a 47K resistor on mine, it wouldn't work at all like that. I've found that 1K is about right.

And finally, I found that periodic interrupts play havoc with the search function. If you are using a periodic ISR, try executing a noInterrupts() call just before calling the search to turn off interrupts, and then execute an interrupts() call afterwards to turn them back on.

After reading the advice above and seeing that OTHER people have been able to make this concept work, I figured it HAD to be something I was doing wrong rather than a coding error in the library. (I couldnt see how I would be the first person to find the error)

I got frustrated with this whole problem this morning and did the following:

  1. Re-Downloaded the latest Arduino engine
  2. Re-Downloaded the OneWire library
  3. Went to the original source example for the onewire library and used that
  4. Ripped out all the hook up wires on the proto-board and replaced them
  5. Replaced the resister. Double checked it to be a 4.7k resister.

NOW I have 8 DS18S20's on the bus and they are reading properly. So I dont know which of the above made it work but it just does now.

I am going to work out how to get more room on my prototyping board and get more sensors onto the bus. Hopefully it reads all 15 of them. Then I can start playing with the actual production sensors.
I appreciate the time you guys have done on this!.

I'm sure everyone has already thought of this, but it's worth double checking to make sure the Vdd pin of each chip is attached to ground if you are trying to run the DS18S20 parts in the parasitic power mode. As you're also no doubt aware, you can't run very many in that mode unless you pay careful attention to the data sheet specs and allow enough time for the chips to recharge after a lengthy session of running off their internal supply.

I have created a new version of OneWire which fixes long-standing bugs in the I/O code. Robin James's search function was merged, and I made several small optimizations, mostly to eliminate unnecessary RAM usage. After a few emails with the authors I could contact, I'm calling this version 2.0, to distinguish it from the many other buggy copies online.

http://www.pjrc.com/teensy/td_libs_OneWire.html

If you've used any prior versions of OneWire, even with Robin James's search function merged, you almost certainly experienced occasional CRC errors or devices not responding to the search, no matter how good your wiring and pullup resistor are. Version 2.0 fixes these long-standing problems.

Can you update the playground, please?

Can you update the playground, please?

Done.

Awesome! Thanks!

Paul,

Using the latest version of your 1wire library, I'm still experiencing strange behaviour. Having up to 4 sensors of type DS18B20 in one bus (non-parasite mode), everything works as expected.

Adding the 5th sensor of the same type, the "search" function either cannot see (enumerate) any of the sensor, or only some of them. I changed the test bed several times, to eliminate possibly faulty wirings, and yes - depending upon the current test environment the number of sensors seen by "search" varies. But in a specific test bed (wires remaining at the same place etc., simply playing around with the sensors itself) the behaviour of search is reproducable.

I tried some permutations of the sensors I have at hand (all of the same type DS18B20), but the overall behaviour remains the same. 1-4 sensors are fine, adding the 5th led to the erratic behaviour.

Any ideas? Or someone else out there with similar issues?

Thanks

Joe

What's the physical wiring of your sensors look like? There are some app-notes from Maxim/Dallas that discuss overall network topology and the limitations you'll run into with wire length, as well as some mitigation strategies. I don't have the app-note location handy, however. I ran into similar problems as you when wiring sensors up in my house and ended up having to run two separate networks. That may be the case for you, as well...

All sensors are still on a breadboard, but thanks for the hint. I had a quick look at the app note you were refering to (#148) at
Mixed-signal and digital signal processing ICs | Analog Devices)
but nothing for short range networks like the one I have on my breadboard.

It's no big deal for the application I have in mind: sensors will be ~2m away from the bus master, and I can even spend more arduino pins, to have more than one 1wire bus, and reduce the number of DS18B20 on one bus.

But I'd like to understand, why :wink:

Joe

One other person (who's local to me) reported a problem. I'm going to meet with him on Monday and try to learn more. It might be related.

If you could get the 64 bit ID numbers from your 5 chips and post them here, it would really help.

I really do want to get to the bottom of this. To be realistic, right now I'm working on finishing up a highly urgent project, so it might be a week or two until I can really focus on OneWire again. But I definitely will. Hopefully before then I can find a way to reproduce the problem here.

Paul,

Your dedication is much appreciated! (I've got a job myself during weekdays...)

:28:49:DA:3C:02:00:00:0B:
:28:05:C7:3C:02:00:00:93:
:28:53:E4:3C:02:00:00:B9:
:28:FF:D8:3C:02:00:00:3D:
:28:1B:E8:3C:02:00:00:4C:

Let me know how I can support you any further.

Joe