Janus Technologies

1
Janus Technologies

• A Wireless Gateway Device for the SolarMax Charge
  Controller

Team 9 Adam Ciapponi Matthew Giassa Dan
Hilbich Robert Szolomicki
2
Why Project Motivation

• Team member noticed room for improvement during
  his coop at Analytic System
• Set out to realize and implement these
  improvements

3
Team Structure

• Flat team structure was chosen
• Equal distribution of duties
• Each team member involved in every aspect of the
  project

4
System Overview

• Our system replaces an existing interface device
• System administrators control the SolarMax
  remotely

5
Current Implementation

• Direct physical connection to the SolarMax
• Features pushbuttons and an LCD

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Modified Version

• Accomplishes the same tasks as the original
• Adds wireless connectivity to the original design

7
High Level Design

• Several additions to original design
• Wireless data transfer
• Ethernet interface
• Scalable design

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LCD and Pushbuttons

• Larger LCD
• Displays output data by menus
• Doesnt display all data at once
• Communicates VIA I ²C

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I²C Communications
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Wireless Communication

• Separate wireless adapters for
• Each SolarMax unit
• The wireless gateway device

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RS232-to-Wireless Adapter

• Attaches to each SolarMax unit
• Connects the SolarMax to the wireless adapter
• Low-cost adapter board

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Internet Connectivity

• Device connects to the internet
• Has a built-in web server
• Controllable with a web browser

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Business Case

• Narrow market already exists
• Janus Technologies originally proposed the idea
  to Analytic Systems
• Further additions will increase its value

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Development Costs

• Overall development costs were around 700.00
• Gateway is most expensive piece
• SolarMax adapters are much cheaper

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Development Costs (2)

• Future implementation will be one gateway,
  multiple SolarMax adapters
• Would offset the cost considerably

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Competition

• Janus Technologies is the sole provider of this
  type of system at the present time
• No major competition in this market

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Timeline

• All major tasks were broken into three tiers of
  development
• Tier 1 Fundamental
• Tier 2 Functionally Relevant
• Tier 3 Optional / Nice to have
• Tier 1 completed
• Tier 2 near completion
• Still needs SD card functiionality
• Tier 3 80 complete
• Integration of ethernet board remains

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GANTT Chart
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Budget Considerations

• Equal contributions to parts purchases
• Analytic Systems is reimbursing the team

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Teamwork

• Waterfall design methodology used
• All tasks divided equally amongst team members

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Experience Gained

• Insight with different group dynamics
• Maintained regular communications
• Several protocols
• TCPIP
• I2C
• RS232

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Future Work

• Data logging functionality
• Integration of ethernet board
• USB connectivity

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Future Work 2

• Digital control of antenna power
• Reduce physical dimensions
• Reduce cost

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Sources of Information

• PIC24FJ64GA004 Family Data Sheet. 2009. Microchip
  Technologies. 20 Jan 2009 lthttp//ww1.microchip.co
  m/downloads/en/DeviceDoc/39881c.pdfgt
• ENC28J60. 2009. Microchip Product Catalog. 20 Jan
  2009. lthttp//www.microchip.com/wwwproducts/Device
  s.aspx?dDocNameen022889gt
• Ethernet Solutions Design Center. 2009. Microchip
  Design Resources. 6 Jan 2009. ltwww.microchip.com/s
  tellent/idcplg?IdcServiceSS_GET_PAGEnodeId1489gt
  
• Ian Lesnet. 2008. Web Server on a Business Card.
  Hack-A-Day. 4 Jan 2009. lthttp//www.hackaday.com/2
  008/09/18/web-server-on-a-business-card-part-1gt

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Acknowledgments

• Our professors and TAs for their feedback on
  our work
• Professor Leung for lending us evaluation boards
• Eugene Trandafir and his colleagues at Analytic
  Systems for the use of their SolarMax unit

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Low Level System Overview