Arexx WRL User guide

AREXX WIRELESS KITS

ARX-WRL

MANUAL: WRL-03

© AREXX - NETHERLANDS V0512

- 1 -

Inhaltsverzeichnis

1. Product description WIRELESS KITS 3

2. Warnings 4

3. Bluetooth 5

4. Android 7

5. Wireless Transceiver kit 10

6. PC Wireless communication 14

7. APC-220 16

8. The Bluetooth module 19

9. Android software aplication 22

10.1 APC-220 24

10.2 Bluetooth 24

11. Visual Basic 26

11.1 Software development 28

11.2 Eclipse 29

xx. APPENDIX 31

A. RP6v2 USB programmer circuit 32
B. RP6v2 USB Programmer PCB layout 33
C. Wireless PCB kit circuit 34
C. Wireless PCB layout 35
D. Bluetooth module 36

NOTICE!

AREXX and AREXX WIRELESS KIT is a trademarks of AREXX, The Netherlands and JAMA, Taiwan.
AREXX and JAMA are registered trademarks
All rights reserved.

Reprinting any of this instruction manual without our permission is prohibited.
The specifications, form, and contents of this product are subject to change without prior notice.
We are not liable for disadvantage or damage caused by improper use or assembly.

Technische help see forum:

WWW.AREXX.COM

Fabrikant:
AREXX Engineering
JAMA Oriental

© 2012 AREXX Holland und JAMA Taiwan
© 2012 Deutsche Übersetzung: AREXX - Die Niederlande

Europäischer Importeur:
AREXX Engineering
ZWOLLE Die Niederlande

WWW.ROBOTERNETZ.DE

- 2 -

1. PRODUCT DESCRIPTION WIRELESS

1.1. Introduction

The „Wireless“ transmission module from AREXX is an extension
set for the ASURO robot that is also suitable for other robot models
such as the AREXX Arduino (AAR) or the PRO-BOT from Conrad. The
„Wireless“ transmission module contains the circuits for standar­dized infrared communication so that you can continue to use the
ASURO USB-IR transceiver with the ASURO Flash software.

Moreover this extension module offers space for an APC220 or a
Bluetooth module. Both modules are bases on radio transmission.
The main advantage of radio transmission is the fact that ASURO
doesn’t need any visual contact with the control unit, the control
range is bigger and the robot is easier to control e.g. via an android
mobile phone.

The „Wireless“ transmission module is supplied fully mounted. Only
the contact pins need to be soldered. Almost all components are
pre-soldered so that you need no extra time for the soldering.
The challenge of the set lies in the programming of the control
software. Programming tutorials are available on the website. The
control can be done via a PC or an android mobile phone.
Visual Basic offers a programming environment for the transmission
application on the PC. The example application is user-adjustable.
You can connect to the Bluetooth module via a mobile phone so that
the system can send data both ways. This communication takes
place in an android environment that is quickly developing towards a
control system for mobile radio transmission. The ASURO extension
set, this manual and the available software offer you the opportunity
to get acquainted with Android.

Enjoy your extension set the its RF modules!

- 3 -

2.5.1 CAUTION

• Read this manual carefully in advance to fully understand

how to assemble this product.

• Children below 14 should can only assemble this product

with the help of adults.

• Be careful about tools. Especially be careful about sharp

tools such as nippers or cutter knife to prevent any injuries or
accidents.

• Never assemble the kit when a younger child is around. The

child might touch sharp tools or swallow parts and a vinyl bag.

• Be careful about sharp edges of parts.

• Do not mix old and new or recharchable and non rechargeble

batteries.

• Take out the batteries when you do not use the robot for more

than a week

- 4 -

2. Bluetooth

2.1 History

The Bluetooth technology was developed by the company Ericsson.
Bluetooth is an open standard for wireless transmission between
units over short distances. Just imagine mobile radio units with a
wireless headphone connection or data transfer between mobile ra­dio units or a GPS receiver that sends wirelessly data to a
telephone.

In 1994, Ericsson developped Bluetooth as a wireless way of com­munication between mobile radio units and other systems.
Jaap Haarsen who worked at that time for Ericsson, developed the
most important technical part. The name Bluetooth comes from the
king of the vikings Harald Bluetooth. Initially, Bluetooth was the
name of the project and as no better alternative had been found,
this name has been kept for the end product.
The communication system spreads very quickly and after a short
time, the biggest electronic companies come together to set up the
‘Bluetooth Special Interest Group’ (SIG).
A worldwide application needs to be made available worldwide.
Therefore a universally applicable frequency has been searched and

found in the 2,45GHz frequency range.

2.2 Technology

Bluetooth is a radio transmission of speech and data over short
distances. The selected communication structure is a point to multi­point link which means that one transmitter can transmit to several
receivers. As soon as two Bluetooth units start communicating, a
so-called „piconet“ is set up. Several pico networks make a scatter
network.

- 5 -

Within a pico network Bluetooth supports a maximum of 8 active

units whereas 127 units can operate a communication link that is
temporarily kept in a passive state (parked) (g. 1).

Fig. 1 : Scatternet

The energy consumption of Bluetooth is extremely low: 30 micro­amps in passive standby mode and 8 to 30 milli amps in active
state. This low consumption allows Bluetooth to be used also in
battery powered mobile units.

Bluetooth systems are divided in 3 different categories:

Category 1: Projects for long distances (up to 100m)
Category 2: For standard distances (up to 10m)
Category 3: For short distances (10cm to 1m)

- 6 -

3. Android

3.1 Background information

Android is an „open source“ platform for mobile units such as
Smartphones and Tablets that have been developed by the company

Android Inc.. In 2005, Android has been taken over by the company

Google.

The unveiling of the Android distribution in 2007 was announced
with the founding of the Open Handset Alliance, a consortium of 40

hardware, software, and telecommunication companies devoted to
advancing open standards for mobile devices .

Android is based on a Linux kernel and the Java program environ-

ment.The SDK development tool (Software Development Kit) allows

not only Google but also other developers to create applications.
They can subsequently offer these applications to the android
market. On this market, end users can search and install

applications. Here you can nd also all information about the

applications. The distribution of applications whether they are free of
charge or charged, is promoted. The developers are allowed to offer
these applications also outside the android market.

The applications are developed for a specic android version.

However they are retrocompatible. That means that an application
that has been developed for android 2.2 can also be run under 2.3.

The versions published so far are listed in the g. 2 table.

The number of users per version is indicated in g. 3 below

the table.

- 7 -

Ice Cream Android 4.0 19-10-2011
Honeycomb Android 3.2 15-07-2011
Honeycomb Android 3.1 10-05-2011
Honeycomb Android 3.0 02-02-2011
Gingerbread Android 2.3 06-12-2010
Froyo Android 2.2 20-10-2010
Eclair Android 2.0 26-05-2010

Donut Android 1.6 15-08-2009

Cupcake Android 1.5 30-04-2009
Erste Publikation Android 1.1 10-02-2009

Fig. 2 : Android-version

Fig. 3 : Users per Version ( State: 03-11-2011)

- 8 -

3.2 The Software Development Kit (SDK)

Google unveiled the SDK software so that users are able to write their
own applications for a smartphone, a tablet PC or both. The SDK con-

tains a collection of various helpful tools such as a debugger tool and
an emulator plus a series of example applications and tutorials on the
website.

Open following link to download the SDK:

http://developer.Android.com/sdk

On this page you will nd the installation les and extensive instructi­ons on how to install the SDK.

3.3 Eclipse

Eclipse is an open source framework of the Eclipse Foundation, a non-

prot association for software development environment. The most

popular application is the development environment for the Java pro­gramming language.

The SDK contains an Eclipse plug-in that enables a programmer to

easily start, compile, debug and emulate an android project.
The Eclipse programme is an open source software and can be down­loaded on following

http://www.eclipse.org/downloads/

3.4 Hello World

The „Hello World“ programming instructions explain how easy it is
to transfer the text „Hello World“ in an application to a terminal. The
instructions explain step by step how you have to start a project up to
the very last step, how you represent the „Hello World“ in the emula­tor.

The website of the tutorial is:

http://developer.Android.com/resources/tutorials/hello-world.html

- 9 -

4. The Wireless control set from AREXX

The „Wireless“ control set allows you to install an APC220 module
or a Bluetooth module on ASURO or other robots. Thus you can
communicate with the ASURO not only via Infrared but also via RF
frequencies. The advantage of the high frequencies is that transmitter
and receiver don’t need visual contact any more.

ASURO can communicate with the PC if an APC220 is installed on the

Wireless radio set. You will nd further information on this subject in

chapter ‘APC220’. The Bluetooth module allows you to communicate

with the PC and an android smartphone. You will nd further

information in chapter ‘Bluetooth Module’.

4.1 Specications

The AREXX „Wireless“ control set includes:

• IR-receiver or transmitter for the Flash transmission to ASURO

• Socket for the APC220 or Bluetooth RF module

• Switch for the IR or RF transmission

• Experience board to build an additional circuit

• Connection options for free gates of ASURO

Following gures show the layout of the PCB. The free

experimentation area for the additional circuit is clearly visible.
There will be even some space left below the APC220 because it is
installed in some distance to the PCB.

Please note!

Fig. 4 : Wireless extension kit

The switch on the PCB allows 2
positions: (1) Infrared connection
or (2) Bluetooth / APC220 commu­nication.

If you want to transfer the software
via Flash into ASURO or if you wish
to communicate via Infrared, this
switch must be set to ‘IR’.

If you want to communicate via
Bluetooth or APC220, the switch
must be set to the other position.

- 10 -

4.2 Installation on the ASURO robot

The installation of the „Wireless“ radio modules can be explained in 3
steps:

Step 1.

First of all the ASURO PCB must be prepared as follows for the instal­lation of the „Wireless“ radio module:

1. Unsolder the components at the locations marked in red and

remove them from the PCB (g. 9). Use a specic soldering iron or

special unsoldering tin to unsolder the components.

Caution:
Make sure not to damage the solder lugs because you
will need them later for the re-soldering.

Abb. 5 : Lötachen

B.2. Solder the supplied socket parts on these connection areas.

Install the 1x3 socket on the connectors featuring three adjacent
areas. The shape of the area is not important. Now you can solder
the remaining 1x2 sockets on the free connection areas

- 11 -