steeman.be

This article describes my roadmap for developing a home automation system based on VSCP. While I generally try to avoid any Project Management in my hobby projects, this roadmap does keep me focussed on the ultimate goal of getting the system running, and to build basic functionality first and then the sugar coating.

Toolchain

Install and test toolchain - done

See:

Test Kurt’s boards

Test Kurt’s original Hasselt and HasseltO modules - done

But hit a bit of a snag because the MDF’s provided do not match the published firmware.

New node hardware - Mespelare

Develop a new node - done

See Mespelare VSCP module.

Adapt firmware for new node

Adapt the Hasselt firmware for the Mespelare module - done

See:

Module Description File

Finalize the MDF for the Mespelare board - done

See Building a custom MDF.

Proof-of-concept test

Perform a final proof-of-concept test for the Mespelare hardware, firmware and MDF - done

Production

Send off boards for production

Sent PCB Gerbers to Seeedstudio to get 30 boards produced - done

Order components

Made a bulk order at Farnell for components to populate all boards - done

Make PCB reflow oven

Make an oven to be able to solder all boards using the reflow process - done

See Solder reflow oven.

Build 25 nodes

Solder and test 25 nodes - done

DM & addressing strategy

Develop a strategy for assigning addresses & zones to boards, and sub-zones to actions, in a typical home automation scenario - done

Solve pagination issue

The current VSCP code and/or tools have an issue with reading from and/or writing to registers beyond page 0. For now I have managed to squeeze all my registers into page 0, but space is getting cramped so at some point I’ll need to fix this issue so I can use paginated registers.

See Issue writing paginated registers.

Upgrade VSCP firmware

Upgrade firmware to latest vscp_firmware version - done.

See Updating VSCP firmware.

Upgrade compiler to XC8

Migrate firmware to the Microchip XC8 compiler - done.

Develop “Pulse” action

Develop a new action to send a pulse to control pulse relays - done

See New action Pulse.

Install nodes in my house

Convert my house’s lighting system to use VSCP - done

User interface

Develop a graphical user interface that allows to monitor and control the home. Possibly based on UiMagician, Mr. Home or openHAB - done (temp HTML and JavaScript UI)

OpenHAB - to do

Upgrade firmware to ECAN

Upgrade firmware to ECAN - to do

Extended functionality

Develop extended functionality for the Mespelare board.

Read temperatures

Using DS18B20 OneWire temperature sensor - to do

Distance measurement

Interface a Ping))) sensor for reading distances. Intended to read water volume in my 2 rain water tanks - to do

Consumption measurements

Read the consumption of water, gas and electricity - to do

Input board

Develop an input board, possibly together with Kurt, to read the contacts in my windows and doors - in progress