USB Physical Hit Counter based on AVR

This is an USB Physical Hit Counter.This version requires one MCU to communicate between PC and 7-segments display driver.I decided using AVR and this is my first AVR project.The purpose of this project still same as previous version.Therefore,it used to count and display the total page hits on any website instead of using only general scripts such as PHP,Java,CGI etc.The host software no USB driver programming required.






The display I have used come from version 2 which it is MAX7219 and 7-segment x 8. MAX7219 requires only 3 I/O from MCU.ATtiny25 is the heart of this project.The firmware for this project written in AVR-GCC.This firmware modified from EasyLogger example which developed by Christian Starkjohann from Objective Development.Also,Christian Starkjohann developed an excellent USB firmware called AVR-USB which is a firmware-only implementation of a USB 1.1 compliant low-speed device for Atmel’s AVR microcontrollers.With this AVR-USB driver, it is easy to implement USB interface on AVR microcontroller project without dedicated USB hardware or no requires any USB to RS232 devices such as FT232.
From the circuit above this circuit requires at least 300mA,9-12V DC or AC external power supply for MAX7219 to avoid overloading on USB bus.The regulator(IC1) needs an appropriate heat sink.The IC3 use bus-powered.

GPS Based Vehicle Tracking and Security System Abstract

Global Positioning System, usually called GPS, is the only fully-functional satellite navigation system. A constellation of more than two dozen GPS satellites broadcasts precise timing signals by radio, allowing any GPS receiver (abbreviated to GPSr) to accurately determine its location (longitude, latitude, and altitude) in any weather, day or night, anywhere on Earth.

GPS has become a vital global utility, indispensable for modern navigation on land, sea, and air around the world, as well as an important tool for map-making and land surveying. GPS also provides an extremely precise time reference, required for telecommunications and some scientific research, including the study of earthquakes. GPS receivers can also gauge altitude and speed with a very high degree of accuracy.

The United States Department of Defense developed the system, officially named NAVSTAR GPS (Navigation Signal Timing and Ranging Global Positioning System), and launched the first experimental satellite in 1978. The satellite constellation is managed by the 50th Space Wing. Although the cost of maintaining the system is approximately US$400 million per year, including the replacement of aging satellites, GPS is available for free use in civilian applications as a public good.

A GPS reciever placed in a car can recieve signals from these satellites and will calculate the exact location of the car in terms of latitude and longitude. This data can be sent to a server that can monitor the location. A GSM modem can be integrated into this project for providing security and remote control. The current location of the car can be found out by sending an SMS. The car can also be disabled by sending an SMS.

Technologies:-

GSM/GPRS, Embedded Systems

GPS data logger

Abstract

A GPS data logger is a device that can store GPS location information of all the places where the device is taken. This device is very useful for offline tracking of vehicles assets, animals etc. This information can be later transferred to a PC of a plotting device to trace the path followed by the object under observation. The device is essentially a GPS module and a storage medium. The most suitable storage medium is a flash memory. A microcontroller will read GPS information from the GPS module and stores them onto the flash memory. A time stamp is also attached to every reading to complete the trace. Once the data is captured the data is usually transferred to a PC to plot on a map and analyze the data.

Thin air mouse glove

Abstract

A thin air mouse glove is a glove that can be used as a pointing device. The is no mouse pad or hard surface, the user wears the glove and waves his hand in thin air and the cursor on the screen moves. The device is basically an accelerometer which measures the acceleration in various directions. All the readings from the accelerometer are taken and the direction of motion is calculated.

This is transmitted to the PC or the host machine via an RF link of a bluetooth link. The PC uses that data to move its mouse cursor. This technology can eliminate costly touch screens which are usually misused by public. Accelerometer mouse can also be very useful in certain industries where touchscreen deployment is not possible.

Wireless Local positioning system

Abstract

A local positioning system is similar to a GPS system, but restricted to a specified area, usually a building or a campus. Normally local positioning systems are very accurate. Such positioning systems also use the triangulation method to locate a target. The aim of this project is to create wireless positioning system for a school campus and track various costly assets.

The idea is to use a RF positioning where the item under observation will send out a beacon signal periodically. This signal will be picked up by 3 or more strategically placed receivers. The signal strength is used to calculate the distance of the object from the receiver. Getting more than 3 distances and applying it to the distance formule can provide with the exact location of the target.

Talking Fingerprint access control

Abstract

A finger print access control is where the unique finger print of the user is used to recognize the user. Most finger print systems now have memory also also that no external memory interfacing is required. A talking finger print access control where the user interface will use speech out put to direct the user. This is a combination of 2 projects, the finger print access control project and the text to speech project.

The finger print access control project will pull up information from a database and cross check it with the print and then grants access or denies it. With the text to speech module attached to it and with a bit of coding, we can make the system talking. If someone with out access tries his finger, it will saw “You dont have access, sorry”. This is done by sending text info to the text to speech converter by the main microcontroller.

Rolling code security for remote controls

Remote controls can be hacked. Especially the ones that use RF with out any encoding schemes can be hacked very easily. Key less entry for cars, garage doors etc are the ones which are more venerable to attack. Attackers use custom made handsets which mimic the frequency of the original handset to get the attack done. Rolling code security mechanisms are used to protect wireless remotes from such attacks.
The idea is to use a synchronized code. The transmitter and receiver agrees on a particular code for the next transmission. If only that matches in the next transmission will it be accepted. After every successful transmission the code is changed by either the transmitter or the receiver and is then synchronized. In this method no other handset can communicate with the receiver with out knowing the code. The only draw back of this system is that only one handset can be used.