1 | INDI Robofocus Driver README.robofocus |
---|
2 | 2006-10-02, Markus Wildi |
---|
3 | |
---|
4 | |
---|
5 | 1) Development environment: |
---|
6 | |
---|
7 | I used INDI v 0.4 and kstars 1.2. on PIII 800 MHz running Linux 2.6.16.5-default. |
---|
8 | |
---|
9 | 2) Known bugs: |
---|
10 | |
---|
11 | There no bugs known. |
---|
12 | |
---|
13 | The RoboFocus micro controller does not check if a setting is out of the interval |
---|
14 | 0 ... ca. 65000. After a position is out of limits it does not respond to any |
---|
15 | command and must be turned off and on. |
---|
16 | |
---|
17 | 3) Feedback: markus.wildi_AT_datacomm_dot_ch |
---|
18 | |
---|
19 | 4) ToDo: |
---|
20 | |
---|
21 | Make it completely complying with the INDI standard properties. |
---|
22 | Add Temperature compensation. |
---|
23 | |
---|
24 | 5) Status: |
---|
25 | |
---|
26 | All commands listed in Appendix I of the RoboFocus manual are implemented. |
---|
27 | |
---|
28 | 6) Before you start: |
---|
29 | |
---|
30 | Read at first the RoboFocus manual at least chapter 3. Operation of RoboFocus |
---|
31 | including the description of the RoboFocus Control Program (RFCP) and Appendix I |
---|
32 | Software Commands. |
---|
33 | |
---|
34 | Directions are given as positive or negative numbers. |
---|
35 | |
---|
36 | 7) Recommended approach: |
---|
37 | |
---|
38 | Use the default settings for duty cycle, step delay and motor steps per tick |
---|
39 | (a tick is a counter increment by one). Set the back lash correction only to a |
---|
40 | non zero value in case you measured it. |
---|
41 | |
---|
42 | RoboFocus is a slow device and sometimes the position needs to be read out |
---|
43 | separately. That needs additional time. If the LED indicator became green again |
---|
44 | of given property the robofocus driver resumed normal operation regardless what |
---|
45 | happened before. |
---|
46 | |
---|
47 | |
---|
48 | 8) Features |
---|
49 | |
---|
50 | Robofocus driver provides the following features: absolute and relative movement, |
---|
51 | resetting the counter to a given position, maximum and minimum travel, |
---|
52 | backlash compensation, duty cycle, step delay, number of motor steps per |
---|
53 | counter increment (tick), the read out of the built in temperature sensor |
---|
54 | and the four output lines used to control the remote power modules (optional |
---|
55 | accessories). |
---|
56 | |
---|
57 | The settings of the RoboFocus device are polled and displayed in the corresponding |
---|
58 | fields. |
---|
59 | |
---|
60 | |
---|
61 | Connection tab |
---|
62 | |
---|
63 | Port: Set the name of the RS 232 port. The speed is fixed to 9600 baud. |
---|
64 | |
---|
65 | Power: set the four digital outputs (used for optional RoboFocus accessory) |
---|
66 | |
---|
67 | Temperature: read out of the built in temperature sensor (not a real useful |
---|
68 | device) |
---|
69 | |
---|
70 | Settings: the settings step delay and motor steps per tick determine how fast the |
---|
71 | stepper motor turns. The duty cycle is can be set to zero for a main mirror focuser |
---|
72 | setup and to a decent value for a rack and pinion focuser. Read the RoboFocus manual. |
---|
73 | |
---|
74 | Motion tab |
---|
75 | |
---|
76 | Extrema: the movement of the focuser and the position setting can be limited. |
---|
77 | |
---|
78 | Maximum travel: (to me the RoboFocus documentation is unclear.) |
---|
79 | |
---|
80 | Set register Position: set the counter to the value given in the input field. |
---|
81 | |
---|
82 | Set register Backlash: define the amount of ticks. If the back lash correction and |
---|
83 | the absolute or relative movement have opposite signs RoboFocus will move into the |
---|
84 | negative direction of the main movement at the end. |
---|
85 | |
---|
86 | Movement: set it currently to IGNORE (this is a ToDo) |
---|
87 | |
---|
88 | Position: shows the actual position. |
---|
89 | |
---|
90 | Speed, Timer: ignore them (this is a ToDo) |
---|
91 | |
---|
92 | Absolute goto: the focuser moves to the absolute position. |
---|
93 | Relative goto: the focuser moves the defined ticks (negative or positive). |
---|
94 | |
---|