Wireless Intellifeed

[Redkey]

hmmm....

I say again.... why use a RF or an optical signal to link the gun to the hopper? Both are fairly complex and require some modification to the gun.

Putting a circuit on the hopper that "hears" the gun fire is very simple, requires no gun modification, doesn't have the alignment issues an IR optical system could have, won't suffer from interference from a RC race track and can be moved from gun to gun without any problems.

The sensitivity of the microphone is controlled with a resistor. The duration of the signal to turn the hopper on is also controlled with a resistor, meaning the hopper can be set to run for anywhere from 0 to 10 seconds or more whenever you shoot the gun.

I realize it's not as glamorous as having a bluetooth enabled gun and hopper, but it sure is alot easier to do.

Besides, as I said before, I know nothing about electronics but was able to do this myself.

Sorry for repeating this post.

[teamfuya]

IR and RF

I've been working on a couple different versions of "iFeed" systems. One is based on warp feed use. It uses IR to send a beam to the warp and tell it what to do. The ir is fixed in the hole of the intelliframe (this is only a warp on left side version for now). The other version is a RF system. In which the rf sends a warp, revo or halo the go ahead. They both can take any switch interface and also have a selectable dwell time. The rf version has a 14 dip switch code so no one else on the field can screw with your system. Both the IR and RF systems have been engineered to run on a low amount of power and have timed power circuits. The timed power circuits only keep the board "hot" for a set time saving power. They both use a rechargeable battery system. Both circuit boards are designed to fit in side the grip of an intelliframe. Working on warp/revo boards to fit in side as well (no external "please hit me" parts) Also working on a High sensitivity board that does not use the conventional rocker switch but uses vibration. I've pushed the IR board to the back burner and pulled the RF forward. The RF has a lot of features that i'm trying to cram into a small space. I should have some working prototypes soon. I'll keep you all informed on progress.

[kutter]

Just on a side note about the IR, my mountain bike has a cordless IR computer on it. I do not think that alignment will be as much of problem as folks think since the beam, either intentionally or just because it does, spreads some. I suspect it is intentional for just that reason.

I confess I have no idea how much it will cost.

I am curious about this thread but subscribe more to the KISS principle. As sexy and kewl as it seems, it is another thing to go wrong at the worst possible moment, like that never happens.

[314159]

screw the 14 pin dip for the signal and the electronics that go with it.

the polar heart monotors do not have a unique id. they have a working distance of 3 feet. this is how a team of runners can be using them at the same time without interferance.

depending on what you want to do, this could easaly start to cost a lot of money.

most smaller transmitters have small filters, so if you are ever by a radio station, power line, anything that generates a powerful signal. you could have problems.

there is not much room to stick circuitry into a revolution except for the ball area. and not much room for it in the warp (about the size of a 9v). if you mount it on the outside, you will have to shield it from the impact of a paintball.

if you get some spray over you ir reciever or transmiter, then your out of luck.

whats wrong with a couple wires?

KISS (Keep It Simple Stupid) is what my electronics teacher used to say.

[Vegeta]

OK i have thought this over for an HOUR now. IR is just a bad idea. for one it requires a clear line of sight which will be hard. even if you mounted an the IR LED on the top of your mag body, if your hopper got twisted in game of during a paint relaod, your screwed. IR electronics are extremely simple though.. too bad.

RF is not that great of an idea either. too big and if you are next to a guy with the same intelliRF , you will be getting interference. And again its bulky... olny expensive transmiters are small and we dant want that. You COULD power the transmitter off 2 1.5 volt hearing aid / calculator batteries, but again, low amps (which isnt a big problem with RF) and short life. I think i could amke a board WITH 2 hearing aid batteries on it small enough to fit in the grip frame though. it is possible.. and its possible cheap if you do it right. If i only had the right equipment I could do it tonight.

Buildign in a microphone to detect the sound of you gun would have some bad consequenses. Yes, its simple, but unless you put in somehting to filter out all non-marker nopises it wont work that great. I yell ALOT in a game. I liek to intimidate the otehr team. and sometimes i have people shooting next to me. Yes, the hopper spinning unnessesarily wont cuase that many problems but I dont like it

THE FOURTH OPTION:

Of, this is a good one. We bouild a SMALL, simple circuit, that is powered by a RECHARGEABLE nicid battery like the one in your computer taht keeps your clock settigns while its off. They are small and make them the size of roughly two stacked hearing aid batteries. We make the circuit produce a HIGH PITCHED, several thousand megahert picth. Hook this to a small speakeer, like that from a in-ear-headphone set. This would pbe placed facing out the side of the grip NEAR THE SAFTEY, so your hand doesn't cover it. No you wont be able to hear the tone normally. Possible if you are really close to it, but it will eb so high pitched it should be out of human range. Now on the hopper we mount a small circuit with a mic. the mic picks up the tone, and runs it through a SIMPLE IC circuit that filters out all but the certain tone's mhz. this can be done easily. now when it hears this sound, it transmits a small voltages signal to a small relay, which turns on the hopper for hte time that the sound is on. NOW.. for interference between two or more of htese grip frames... you are prolly saying 'but what if that guy next to me has one too!' well// i say we control the tone of the sound with two sets of dip switches. all you have to do is make sure that the dip selector switched in your frame are the smae of that on your hopper....


hows that? I can still do the RF idea easy.. its actualyl pretty simple, I haev the tools for it, btu I dotn haev an intelliframe or a revvy to expiriment on. I have used RF applicatiojns like these on OTHER things though. Mainly making scramblers for radios and such but it all applies to something as simple as this.

[teamfuya]

IR Problem

One of the number one problems with IR besides line of sight is the sun light factor. Sunlight also contains Infrared light thus interfering with the receiver. This is the same problem that the older clear shell revos had and they had no way to block the incoming stray ir light from the sun. You can filter it but the distance is reduced. It also screws with the timing. You need something that can handle 15+ bps or (clicks per second)

Now with the security codes for rf. There two good reasons to have this. First, all the players on the field could have the same rf system running but all on different codes. All your neighbors have automatic garage doors but your controller doesn't open there's, same here. Second, you can have multiple guns with the rf system and only use the one hopper set to the same security code as your guns. This saves money and time because you don't have to match up crystals you just set the same code.

As of now i'm working on a rf system that has the capability of 4 triggers (switches) to control different things. There is only need for 1 trigger right now but the circuitry can handle more for future items. The size is my main design limitation, trying to make it as small as possible and run for as long as possible on certain batteries.

Like i said in an above post i should have some working prototypes soon that me and my team members will be testing.

[Aranarth]

IR Patents

On Wicked Air Sports Page:
Gatekeeper(sm) project scrapped due to WDP patent

Wicked Air Sportz has terminated the Gatekeeper(sm) project for the LCD Angel. This is due to WDP obtaining a patent for infrared communications with a marker having an LCD display. Wicked Air Sportz will not license this technology from WDP. Instead, we have changed our patent application to reflect WDP's granted patent, and will no longer support the WDP product line. We will have infrared as well as wireless communication protocols for other devices in the near future.
---
Wonder what other ir stuff is already patented. If this is a marketable thing, needs to be looked into. I think the way to go is rf though.
-AranarthX

[Conqueror]

What about vibration sensors? That's how Sandridge runs their wireless intellifeeds. It takes a bit of know-how (which I don't have) to keep it from picking up extraneous vibrations, but from what I've heard the Sandy W.I.F. works extremely well.

CQ

[Exodus]

go here for any parts that you need. they have some cool stuff if you just want to look. www.allelectronics.com

[ShooterJM]

vibration

[QUOTE]Originally posted by Conqueror
[B]What about vibration sensors? That's how Sandridge runs their wireless intellifeeds. It takes a bit of know-how (which I don't have) to keep it from picking up extraneous vibrations, but from what I've heard the Sandy W.I.F. works extremely well.

Yeah, I've tried it for awhile now. Pirated a few old car alarms for parts. Haven't gotten a viable product out of it. Either too many false reads or not enough sensitivity. Nothing's saying I did it right though.

[davej946]

Well, I have to say that I am astounded by the talk that my idea has generated, which is why it's so hard to tell everyone this...

I am officially abandoning this project. I came into some spendable cash, so I am buying a Warp. Problem Solved! Anyway, if someone can help me out with finishing this up, I will be happy to complete this, and post the plans, pictures, and what not on the RF version. Let me know.

Otherwise, to all those without, BUY A WARP!
(Tom smiles @ me while wearing his marketing hat)

Later ~

[Vegeta]

Even if something like its patented, AGD is the only ppl to have a patent on the Intelliframe and so they can modify it with whatever they need.

[Smiles2480]

Just thinking

Hey when I saw this it go me thinking. The transmiter from a keyless entry for a car is not to large and they use a lot of diffent frequences. Another thing is that most of them only work at a short range, at most 30 feet. who nows how much space is need for the reciver. I am hopping that it is not much. it could be one thing eather that can be intergrated into the board for the emag and a seperate new borad for the 12v rev. That is something that i would like to work on in getting it going. I wish I could barrow the keu fort he patten office to get a borad made to do that.

[Vegeta]

Good idea smiles. I'll work on that for a bit.

(I can see it now - the first wireless intellifram test.. during a game, on every trigger pull, everyone's doors lock / car alarms go off on all the cars in the parking lot.)

[The Mafia]

Alternate source for radio equipment

Try www.jameco.com as an alternate source for your RF reciever/transmitter. They have an incredible selection of every electronic component known to man. They're website kinda sucks though, so it's better to request that they mail you a catalog.