TBox-Radio. TBox-Radio User manual. 1. Appearance. The TBox-Radio receives impulses from Wireless Infra

Size: px

Start display at page:

Download "TBox-Radio. TBox-Radio User manual. 1. Appearance. The TBox-Radio receives impulses from Wireless Infra"

Berenice Byrd
5 years ago
Views:

1 TBox-Radio TBox-Radio 1. Appearance Radio antenna 2 x Photocells Jack Inputs Ext GPS antenna (TBox-4x only) 4 Group / ID LEDs Radio Config button 2 inputs LEDs Sync Jack RS232 Jack 2 manual input switches Mini USB GPS LED (TBox-4x) Power Status The TBox-Radio receives impulses from Wireless Infra Infra-Red Red Cells (WIRC) photocell via the internal radio receiver receiver.

2 2. Power ON/OFF The ON/OFF button switchhas 3 functions: 1) Indicates the charge level of the battery Press and hold the ON/OFF button (front left) The 4 group/id LEDs (1 4) will illuminate to indicate the battery charge status 4 LED s ON green: 100 % 3 LED s ON green: 75% 2 LED s ON green: 50% 1 LED ON green: 25% 1 LED ON red: < 10% (TBox-Radio will only power on with external power applied) 2) Switch ON / OFF the TBox a) Press briefly the ON/OFF button (0.5s 1.5s) until the battery status is indicated on the LED s 1 4 b) Release the ON/OFF button and repress it within 1 second, and hold down until the 4 channels LEDs are ON, and the audible beep signal is emitted c) To switch OFFTBox-Radio simply repeat steps a and b 3) Activates the Bluetooth fast advertising mode Led Status of Power LED Yellow ON Green ON Yellow blinking Green blinking Green blinking Red blinking TBox-Radio On/Off USB Battery OFF connected Battery Chargingg OFF connected 100% charged ON connected Battery Chargingg ON connected 100% Charged ON disconnected > 25% ON disconnected Low battery

3 3. Timing Inputs The TBox-Radio model offers2hardware inputs and 4wireless Radio-Inputs Manual Push Buttons (inputs 1 & 2) Jack-Mono photocell inputs (inputs1 & 2) Working contact without potential (short-circuit) Input via Radio (seee the description inchapter 1.4) Each press of the button, short-circuits on the Inputs or radio impulse are stored in the TBoxfacility allows the Radio memory, with associated date and time of impulse as CSV files. The user can configure a locking time using the TBox-Setup App. This blocking of undesired impulses corresponding to the channel configured. E.g. to ignore multiple inputs from dirt or snow dust. 4. Wireless Configuration The TBox-Radio is configured and linked to WIRC photocells using two Parameters: Group(frequency parameter) ID (photocell identification) NOTE: TBox-Radioand WIRC photocells must be configured with an identical Group setting 4.1 Group (Frequency parameter) EU / India We have the choice of selecting either from the 6 Group options below Group A, B, C, D: Wireless Transmission Distance: up to 2000m (clear line of sight) Each group uses ¼ of the full frequency band Min locking time of 200ms Group E, F: Wireless Transmission Distance: up to 5000m (clear line of sight) Each group uses the full frequency band Those groups limit the use of 2 WIRC only. Min locking time is longer: 500ms OFF: The radio transmission function is disabled. This mode is selected to save power when you prefer to connect TBox-Radio to photocells using a hard-wired solution rather than wireless.

4 4.2 Group (Frequency parameter) North America We have the choice of selecting either from the 8 Group options below Group A, B, C, D: Wireless Transmission Distance: up to 2000m (clear line of sight) Each group uses ¼ of the full frequency band Min locking time of 200ms Group E, F, G, H: Wireless Transmission Distance: up to 5000m (clear line of sight) Each group uses ¼ of the full frequency band Those groups limit the use of 2 WIRC only, Min locking time is longer: 500ms OFF: The radio transmission function is disabled. This mode is selected to save power when you prefer to connect TBox-Radio to photocells using a hard-wired solution rather than wireless. To configure your desired Group, press the Setup button The current Group selected is indicated by the (LED array A, B, C & D) Release and press the number of times you want to change the setting. Group A B C D E F G (*) H (*) OFF LED A LED B LED C GREEN GREEN GREEN GREEN GREEN GREEN GREEN GREEN GREEN YELLOW YELLOW YELLOW YELLOW YELLOW YELLOW YELLOW YELLOW YELLOW RED RED RED LED D GREEN YELLOW RED (*) only available for North America

5 4.3 ID (Photocell Identifier) Each impulse from a specific WIRC photocell, will be identified with the input number configured. TBox-Radio use a lookup table to link the photocell ID to a defined input (A to D). Thanks to the TBox-Setup App, where you can configure each specific Input value with a photocell ID. You can also manually change the Input attribution on the photocell itself provided a connection with the TBox-Radio is established (see chapter 2.4.3). NOTE: Each TBox-Radioo radio input (A to D) must be configured with a different photocell ID to avoid data conflict. 5. Radio Communication The TBox-Radio will indicate each time an impulse is receive by flashing the relevant LED and giving an audible beep representing the configured ID. TBox-Radio will also identify in the same method when any photocell is misaligned. The communication works with acknowledge (ACK) signal to improve reliability. In case of perturbations or poor radio link the WIRC will make a few attempts to transmit the impulse. The pulse will only be lost if all attempts fail. 6. Time delay and precision In case of a good radio communication with no interferences, the time delay from the IR beam detection to the generation of a time event by the TBox-Radio will vary from 10ms to 150ms depending of the selected Group. In case of interferences this delay might reach a few seconds. However, whatever the delay value, the TBox-Radio takes it into account and generate a corrected time event with a precision of 1ms.

6 7. Mini-USB The Mini-USB connector has various functions including: 8. RS232 External power supply and battery charging COM port emulation for RS232 communication and data transfer - Real time of day in optional protocol formats (FDS, Alge, Seiko & TAG Heuer) - Configure the TBox-Radio options and parameters (with the app TBox-Setup ) - COM communication is only possible when the TBox-Radio is turned ON 2GB USB Flash Drive - All impulses are stored in a.csv file on the drive. A new file is created every time the TBox-Radio is switched ON - User needs to maintain sufficient memory availability to ensure storage of data - The space required for a competition of 1000 times is approximately 40 Kbytes - Flash Drive access is only possible when the TBox-Radio is turned OFF Jack-Stereo connection 3.5mm. In conjunction with the TBox-Setup, the protocol output can be configured by the user. FDS, Alge&TAG Heuer Time of day protocol Serial printer Display Output (FDS Protocol& TAG Heuer) 1:TBox-Radio TXD 2:TBox-Radio RXD 3: GND

7 9. In/Out Synchro Jack-4pin connection 2.5mm. Allows to synchronize the TBox-Radio with other timing systems 1: TBox-Radio +3.3V 2: TBox-Radio Sync In 3: TBox-Radio Sync Out 4: GND TBox-Radio Sync In Internal resistor to Vcc:10 kohm Active state:tie to Gnd, Sink 0.3mA Inactive state: Leave disconnected TBox-Radio Sync Out: Min ext. resistor to Vcc:1kohm Max Vcc:5V Active state:tied to Gnd (1ms) Inactive state:open circuit 10. Synchronization There are four different methods to synchronize the TBox. After power up, all 3 inputs LEDs will flash yellow ifthetbox-radio is not synchronized. a) Sync at Zero. This is the default synchro method. Once the TBox-Radio is switched ON, the first impulse will sync the internal time at Zero b) GPS Sync Only possible with models includinggps(tbox-4x) To start the GPS Sync, ensure TBox-Radio is powered off, hold down the button Input 1 whilst powering ON the TBox The sync will commence once the TBox-Radio receives sufficient GPS data Once synchronized, the internal clock drift is constantly compensated by GPS signals (if GPS coverage is maintained) c) External. Not yet implemented.

8 d) Sync via App All synchro methods presented above can be controlled manually or automatically by our Timing Applications It is also possible to synchronize the TBox-Radio to a user definee time of day, using one of the 2 inputs The TBox-Radio is able to be synchronize at the IPad time 11. Bluetooth A Bluetooth connection can be established with compatible FDS timing or setup Apps. When not connected, a TBox-Radio advertise its presence continuously at a slow rate. Faster advertising rate can be momentary activated by a single and short presss of the power button. 12. How to update the TBox-Radio Firmware To update the firmware, it is very easy. No software is required. a) Copy and paste the.bin file to the FDS-TBOX USB SD-Memory card Note that you should have only ONE firmware file on the menu. If you want to save the previous.bin files, create a sub-directory on the SD-Memory b) Ensure that you have no file call UPDATLOG.txt on the SD-Memory. If so delete it c) Disconnect your TBox-Radid) Ensure that the TBox-Radio is OFF, then press and hold the ON/OFFF button. from your PC The 4 Inputs LED s will switch Yellow then Green to indicate that the firmware updated successfully at which point you can release the ON/OFF button. e) A file UPDATLOG.txt is created on the SD-Memory to confirm that the new firmware is installed. f) Once the operation completed, it is advised to remove the.bin file from the root directory of the TBox-Radio SD card.

9 13. Technical specifications Radio Power Frequency : Europe India North America Operating temperature: Precisiondiplayed Radio impulsion precision Time drift: External power input: Battery: Autonomy: Bluetooth module: Dimension: Weight: 100 mw MHz MHz MHz -20 C to 50 C 1/1 to 1/1000s 1ms 20 C; max 2.5ppm from -20 C to 70 C USB compatible (5V +/- 10% %) up to 1A LiPo 2200mAh 140 hours (GPS and Radio inactive) 70 hours (Radio active and GPS inactive) 45 hours (Radio and GPS active) BLE x80x31mm (without GPS) 124x86x31mm (with GPS) 180gr Copyright and Declaration This manual has been compiled with great care and the information it contains has been thoroughly verified. The text was correct at the time of printing;however, the content can change without notice. FDS accepts no liability for damage resulting directly or indirectly from faults, incompleteness or discrepancies between this manual and the product described. The sale of products, services of goods governed under this publication are covered by FDS s standard Terms and Conditions of Sales and this product publication is provided solely for informational purposes. This publication is to be used for the standard model of the product of the type given above. Trademarks: All hardware and software product names used in this document are likely to be registered trademarks and must be treated accordingly.

10 Contact : FDS-TIMING Sàrl Rue des Philosophe Yverdon-les-Bains Switzerland info@fdstimin.com

TBox-Radio & WIRC photocell User manual

TBox-Radio & WIRC photocell User manual Kit TBox-Radio & WIRC photocells 1. TBox-Radio 1.1 Appearance Radio antenna 2 x Photocells Jack Inputs Ext GPS antenna (TBox-4x only) 4 Group / ID LEDs Radio Config button 2 inputs LEDs Sync Jack RS232