:?:
Hello all!
I am an older Computer Engineering student who is taking an embedded systems class. I know basic electronic theory but can figure just about anything out and have not yet built an electronic project with a micro controller. We have a team of four that are working on a "Smart Parking" system.
Basically, we would like to inexpensively detect open spaces in a parking garage and transmit the closest three or four locations (floor #, space #) wirelessly to a Bluetooth (maybe) cell phone inside the vehicle. We plan on using a micro controller like the Basic Stamp. Regardless of the complexity of the wireless, etc., I am doing a feasibility study on the parking space detection.
We need to do this inexpensively to mimic the real-life mass production of a system. We first thought about taking an image with a garage cam then processing it to see contrast of vehicles in spaces but that will not work. We decided the best route would be to apply an inexpensive sensor to each space.
We need to know exactly which spaces are open or occupied. What we came up with is a system of a photo-transistor that would emit LED light and a very sensitive sensor to detect the light. I was told we could purchase these for about $.50. Each "sensor" package would have a photo-transistor and a resisitor(s). There would be three wires laid out: 1 5Volt, 1 Ground, 1 Sensor. The sensors would be laid out in series. Each successive sensor would have an increase in resistors and if a vehicle was parked in the space, the photo-transistor would close the circuit from the 5 Volts to the sensor wire (through the resistor on board). So, the first sensor package would have a 2k resistor, the second a 4k, the third an 8k...The theory is that by using this scheme, the sensor wire could be read for the voltage drop back at the microprocessor and appropriate calculations could be made to determine exactly which spaces are available.
This is intended only as a simulation and I realize that the resistance would be too great after 8-10 "sensors". I would like to limit this to the number of sensors that would make this feasible. Also, this series of 8 sensors would simulate one side oa one floor of a garage. I would wire another series for the other side. Therefor, there would be two ports used per floor going into the microcontroller.
Does this theory sound feasible to you professionals or does anyone have a better suggestion (inexpensive) that this might be accomplished? I am not sure if the phototransister will effectively sense the presence of a vehicle(from below or at the front bumper). There is probably a much better way to do this but I am unsure hot to accomplish it within budget constraints.
I look forward to hearing your replies.
Hello all!
I am an older Computer Engineering student who is taking an embedded systems class. I know basic electronic theory but can figure just about anything out and have not yet built an electronic project with a micro controller. We have a team of four that are working on a "Smart Parking" system.
Basically, we would like to inexpensively detect open spaces in a parking garage and transmit the closest three or four locations (floor #, space #) wirelessly to a Bluetooth (maybe) cell phone inside the vehicle. We plan on using a micro controller like the Basic Stamp. Regardless of the complexity of the wireless, etc., I am doing a feasibility study on the parking space detection.
We need to do this inexpensively to mimic the real-life mass production of a system. We first thought about taking an image with a garage cam then processing it to see contrast of vehicles in spaces but that will not work. We decided the best route would be to apply an inexpensive sensor to each space.
We need to know exactly which spaces are open or occupied. What we came up with is a system of a photo-transistor that would emit LED light and a very sensitive sensor to detect the light. I was told we could purchase these for about $.50. Each "sensor" package would have a photo-transistor and a resisitor(s). There would be three wires laid out: 1 5Volt, 1 Ground, 1 Sensor. The sensors would be laid out in series. Each successive sensor would have an increase in resistors and if a vehicle was parked in the space, the photo-transistor would close the circuit from the 5 Volts to the sensor wire (through the resistor on board). So, the first sensor package would have a 2k resistor, the second a 4k, the third an 8k...The theory is that by using this scheme, the sensor wire could be read for the voltage drop back at the microprocessor and appropriate calculations could be made to determine exactly which spaces are available.
This is intended only as a simulation and I realize that the resistance would be too great after 8-10 "sensors". I would like to limit this to the number of sensors that would make this feasible. Also, this series of 8 sensors would simulate one side oa one floor of a garage. I would wire another series for the other side. Therefor, there would be two ports used per floor going into the microcontroller.
Does this theory sound feasible to you professionals or does anyone have a better suggestion (inexpensive) that this might be accomplished? I am not sure if the phototransister will effectively sense the presence of a vehicle(from below or at the front bumper). There is probably a much better way to do this but I am unsure hot to accomplish it within budget constraints.
I look forward to hearing your replies.
