RGBW as parking indicator

[Lauri 6]

As fibaro is advertising their ability to use RGBW with LED strips as parking sensor - one of our customer asked for this. So we decided to give it a try, and it is actually quite simple!

 

We had to use currently two separate RGBW but it works as it should. The last thing is to write some LUA to create different colours depending on car distance.

 

We used Ultrasonic sensor together with few other components but we will test another sensor soon - I think this can be done with sensor+RGBW+LED strip.

 

Small video clip also:

 

[alandee 79]

Nice one .. and  .. something that works as advertised !

My wife has been on me for an age to set this up after seeing the video .. mainly for our recently licensed kids to park 'her' car .. looks like I might have to tackle the project in the near future !

I'd thought of having the light turn off with the closing of the garage door too, then you have a neat dual purpose night light instead of using a sensor and led strip as we do now ..

 

Cheers,

al.

[m-joy 3]

Hello,

what is the name of the sensor? And how is it connected?

[stevenvd 51]

He Lauri,

 

Nice to see that this works. Would you be willing to share the schematics / components?

[Lauri 6]

Yes ofcourse, I will share it tomorrow - things are at my work

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[Guest witters]

Interested to see what you used and how it was connected. Thanks!

[dimae 16]

very interested too... Mainly to know how it can communicate with fibaro / LUA, because as I can see it is not binary only?

[Rait 6]

dimae, when you need to read analog input from 3rd party devices, just use the RGBW module for that. It has 4 separate inputs you can use. I believe that's what Lauri used for this project.

[j.nowacki 5]

dimae, when you need to read analog input from 3rd party devices, just use the RGBW module for that. It has 4 separate inputs you can use. I believe that's what Lauri used for this project.

 

Maybe, but not directly, since this sensor is ultrasonic one and it need some triggering signal that will enable it to measure distance, as well as a counter to detect time of response - probably some uC was involved .

[dimae 16]

dimae, when you need to read analog input from 3rd party devices, just use the RGBW module for that. It has 4 separate inputs you can use. I believe that's what Lauri used for this project.

 

 

Maybe, but not directly, since this sensor is ultrasonic one and it need some triggering signal that will enable it to measure distance, as well as a counter to detect time of response - probably some uC was involved .

 

Hello to all and thanks for your replies... I don't understand this kind of threads. Lauri surprised us with a great trick, but Lauri doesn't tell us how she did it!

Please Lauri, could you please explain it??

 

Many thanks!

[Lauri 6]

Hi, sorry for such delay - busy times

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The solution that worked for us was like this:

 

srf05 sensor - ultrasonic sensor

Arduino micro

Fibaro RGBW controller.

PWM to 0-10V signal converter for fibaro rgbw.

 

There is also available analog distance sensor 

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 which should work directly with 0-5V analog output but we didnt get it working yet.

[dw89 8]

Hi Lauri,

 

Please can you tell us make/model/where you got the follwing:

 

SRF05

PWM

 

What do you need the Arduino for?

 

Any help appreciated as I would like to do the same for my garage....wife always has a problem parking...even though it's 7m square

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KR, Dave

[dimae 16]

Hi, sorry for such delay - busy times

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The solution that worked for us was like this:

 

srf05 sensor - ultrasonic sensor

Arduino micro

Fibaro RGBW controller.

PWM to 0-10V signal converter for fibaro rgbw.

 

There is also available analog distance sensor 

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 which should work directly with 0-5V analog output but we didnt get it working yet.

Some months ago and we are still waiting for these... Today I have found your article on the website, now I have remembered it again. Why don't you explain this as many of us have been requested? 

 

I also have seen people asking on Facebook about your blog post...

 

Don't want to share it? Thanks 

[dw89 8]

£5 says he doesn't share

[Joacim 11]

The Arduino manages the ultrasonic sensor and puts out an pwm signal 0-5 volt depending on the distance. This you can find plenty of coding examples of if you Google it. But the rgbw doesn't read this signal well.

The converter makes the pwm-pulse into a 0-10V DC signal that the rgbw can read well. The closer the higher voltage.

Now all you need to do is the fibaro coding most likely of sort

If this voltage then this color

If that voltage then that color

and so on..

No I haven't tried but in principle it's quite straightforward. Although it will cost a bit if you want three or four directions.

After thought; Hmm may be cheeper but more programming if the arduino could manage all rgbw via some converter directly (I don't know if there is enough outputs on the arduino for this). Without the fibaro puck. And then perhaps if needed tell ethernet that the car is home.

Could I have that £5?

[dw89 8]

Still not a solution is it, still wouldn't have a clue how to do it, exactly what items to buy, where etc. That's what we're really interested in. If we had a full solution/tutorial I certainly will, maybe more lol!

[Joacim 11]

Oh but there is full tutorials and downloadable code on how to use the pwm output on arduino and how to use an ultrasonic device. Just combine those 2 and you're home.

How to use the rgbw as input and output there is also examples of on this forum. At most you have to Google like 3 times to get it working. I suspect you would have to Google just as many times if someone spent a day and made you a brief tutorial.

[speedy 64]

This is a fun project, forgotten about this function in the lili movie but I have time now to play around with it.

I'm testing a little simpler solution.

I have ordered this:

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Data sheet

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The sensor shifts voltage in th 10 to 80cm range (about 2 volts) and it's analog so this will work with just 1 rgbw module.

Will use this on input 1 and control color in LUA based on voltage shift.

Will post results if and when I get it working

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[Joacim 11]

Nice one. Do you know what resolution youll get from the rgbw?

[speedy 64]

Well it depends on the 1-10V capability of the RGBW. (Haven't tried it with 1-10V yet)

I will get about 2V change from the sensor, ex from 3V to 5V depending on distance. (10cm = 5V to 80cm = 3V typical)

The voltage curve is also logarithmic so i will make a custom code that changes accordingly.

 

My thought is that i will start with a change of 0.1V, that gives me 20 "steps" in color at a range of 70cm (80-10 detector range)

Writing this now makes me think that its to much at close range and a 0.2V change vill be sufficient from 30cm.

(Don't want to change color to often = faster operation)

This gives about 15 steps in 70cm range, so a change in color every 5cm (if the curve would be linear) but its close enough.

 

If its not enough range with 2V ill add an OP amp or something to make the 2V range change a 1-10V range.

But i will start with "stock" 2V and see where that ends up.