Re: Re: Hardware embedded BSC Mapper

[Kevin Hawkins <lists@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Hi Darren,

Thanks for the input - here's some comments

a) Yes you can do that already

b) Never thought anyone would want that but not difficult - what
would you use it for ?

c) That's a useful one

d) I do handle level mapping at the moment ie map 60% to 60% (or 60%
to 40% if inverted). Setting up ranges for mapping would be fairly
complex - again what would the application be for this ?

e) That's the bit in the 'logic engine' I mentioned. The problem
here is that a complete implementation rapidly becomes complex and it is
awkward to provide a nice configuration interface from such a small
device - there is no script language that a user would have access to.
I'm still thinking on this though.  Currently I do do this myself but my
logic is hardcoded into the C firmware.

Already I keep a state information table for any devices that
requires display via the web interface.  Anything that eats memory is a
problem so retaining text or displaytext values is problematic . Setting
up arrays with reserved space that store this per device is very
inefficient and I am still early days in my C familiarity. I am already
playing with ways of storing this text separately and only for the
length of data required.  One other possibility is that maybe I can do
away with storing them at all and issuing BSC.query commands as needed
to read current values. Holding state and level information can be done
very compactly. UDP and string buffers, Text and source addresses are
the memory guzzlers.

Kevin



darrenp_lock wrote:
>
> Kevin,
>
> at that price I would be very interested. Aware of the space
> limitations, if it could replace my current PC based solution it
> would have to support the following:
>
> a) Map 1 BSC Input to many BSC Outputs
> b) Mask BSC Input commands i.e. may only map On but not Off or only
> map Dim and Bright commands
> c) Timer function e.g. BSC Input On maps to BSC Output On followed
> by BSC Output Off after a period of time. (Note BSC Input Off is
> ignored if b above could be done)
> d) Level mapping e.g. if BSC Input Level greater than, equal to,
> less than then map to BSC Output Command/Level
> e) Conditional maps e.g. If BSC Input A is ON and BSC Input B is On
> then BSC Output A On (recognise that this would mean tracking device
> state)
>
> Food for thought?
>
> Rgds, Darren.
> --- In xap_automation@xxxxxxx
> <mailto:xap_automation%40yahoogroups.com>,
Kevin Hawkins <lists@...>
> wrote:
> >
> > I am looking at releasing an Ethernet connected embedded
> controller that
> > will allow 'mapping' of xAP BSC devices. For example an input or
> output
> > on BSC device A controls an output on BSC device B. An example
> > 'mapping' might be Netiom input to a C-Bus / X10 light perhaps.
> This
> > would mean xAP BSC devices can be interconnected 24/7 without any
> PC
> > and software being required.
> >
> > The device I'm guessing would hold over 50 such mappings and be
> > configurable via a web interface and maybe a xAP schema too. It
> would
> > support inverted mappings and wildcarded targets. I am hoping for
> a
> > target price around £50. (there will be no serial port on
this
> > device). I actually have this mostly running here already based
on
> > stripping the C-Bus code out of my existing C-Bus xAP gateway.
> The
> > to-do's are mainly configuration and web pages.
> >
> > Whilst refining this if anyone has any thoughts on other
> features /
> > ideas they might like to see included I would welcome
constructive
> > input. I have a few ideas based on my own xAP setup here but I am
> keen
> > to keep basic simplicity of function and required string storage
> as
> > small as possible as well as no additional hardware ports.
> Reliability
> > is a primary consideration. The devices' firmware will be field
> > upgradeable so I can add things later (and fix any gremlins).
> Initially
> > probably just mapping and web display/config will be provided.
> >
> > So fire away..... some thoughts so far on extra features...
> >
> > A BSC device display and control webpage for any BSC devices you
> may have
> > AJAX based realtime browser updates
> > xAP Intranet enabled
> > Configurable by xAP messages to report/add/remove mappings
> >
> >
> > ...and more ambitious...later updates... if space permits
> >
> > Time (clock) broadcasting
> > Groups and Scenes engine
> > Basic BSC scheduler functionality eg timed / periodic BSC cmd's
> > Logic functionality , if..then etc (complex & unlikely to be
> enough space)
> > .. transition to a xAP BSC controller/engine
> >
> > Kevin
> >
>
>