User's Manual

Tehama Wireless Design Group 11/14/2005

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TempSens User Guide

General Description

The TempSens system consists of three device types to remotely monitor temperature readings

and provide the data to a PC for formal presentation and reporting. Sensor devices will be

placed in all locations requiring local monitoring of temperature. The Sensors will transmit time

stamped temperature data to the single Base device in the system, which receives the data and

forwards it to the host PC via a USB interface. For sensors that are out of range from the base,

Repeater devices can be added in appropriate locations to relay the data between sensors and

the base.

The system will operate in the 865MHz (Europe/Asia) and 915Mhz (US) ISM bands using off the

shelf FSK RFIC radios. The system will operate over 60 narrow band frequency channels with

a baud rate of 4800bps, incorporating a bidirectional communication link with Acknowledge

(ACK) messages to ensure all data reaches the base. The sensors are battery operated,

bursting data packets at pre-programmed times then shutting down to conserve battery life,

estimated to exceed 2 years. The repeaters will be line powered, while the base unit will be

powered via line or USB interface used to communicate with the PC.

With an average sensor transmission rate of four per hour, a single Base can accommodate

many sensors. Through the use the ACK messages and local memory in both the sensors and

repeaters (to store transmitted data that has not been confirmed as received by the base via an

ACK message), the number of sensors supported can approach the theoretical maximum.

There is no limit to the number of repeaters, though an average installation may require 1

repeater for every 10-15 sensors.

Sensor

Base

Repeater

iMac

Repeater

Sensor

Sensor Sensor

Sensor

SensorSensorSensor

Sensor

Figure 1: Typical System

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Tehama Wireless Design Group 11/14/2005 TempSens User Guide General Description The TempSens system consists of three device types to remotely monitor temperature readings and provide the data to a PC for formal presentation and reporting. Sensor devices will be placed in all locations requiring local monitoring of temperature. The Sensors will transmit time stamped temperature data to the single Base device in the system, which receives the data and forwards it to the host PC via a USB interface.
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Tehama Wireless Design Group 11/14/2005 A system consists of two or three types of hardware, and two pieces of software: • • • • • PC Database Software Tehama Configuration Utility One Base Unit with USB cable A variable number of Sensors radios, each with 2 AA batteries A variable number of Repeater radios (optional, depending on size of installation) with external DC power supply Warning NOTE: THE MANUFACTURER IS NOT RESPONSIBLE FOR ANY RADIO OR TV INTERFERENCE CAUSED BY UNAUTHORIZED MODIFICATIONS TO
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Tehama Wireless Design Group 11/14/2005 Usage With the Configuration Utility running on the PC, the user will install batteries into the sensor to be configured and set the Power jumper (orange). This will cause the sensor to communicate to the base and provide the currently configured parameters along with the Sensor’s unique ID number. This information will be displayed in the Config Sensor tab of the Utility.