2009 International Conference on Advances in Computing, Control, and Telecommunication Technologies

GSM Network Based Z-axis Position Control System

S. Hemnath*, V. Sridevi** Department of Instrumentation and Control Engineering National Institute of Technology, Tiruchirappalli, India *hemnath.srikanth@gmail.com, **sridevi@nitt.edu steps for a resolution of 1.8) without using sensors. That is, they are open-loop stable to any step position, and consequently no feedback is needed to control them. Ultrasonic wave technique is a non-invasive method to measure the level of liquids and solids. Ultrasonic sensors generate high frequency sound waves and evaluate the echo which is received back by the sensors [3]. Sensors calculate the time interval between sending signal and receiving echo to determine the distance of an object. The measured level of the object can be controlled by the algorithm which was dumped in the microcontroller and the control action taken by the stepper motor. The popular communication technologies used today are SMS [4], WAP, MMS, GPRS, 3-G. Nokia provides a platform for wireless communication. The Nokia M2M platform includes hardware and software to implement wireless communication. M2M stands for machine-to-machine, mobileto-machine and machine-to-mobile. In recent years, the cost of access to public wireless data networks has been dropping while the capabilities of these networks continue to increase. Short Message Service of GSM [5] is a value-added communication service based on data packet switching provided by mobile communication company using GSM network besides of all sorts of telecommunication services and bearer services based on circuit-switching. GSM has some features such as two-way data transmission function, stable performance and can be interfaced with microcontroller via RS232 adaptor. GSM network provides a strong platform for remote data transmission and monitoring the communication between equipments and it is an important method of wireless remote monitoring system [6]. Embedded system has become an integral part of various industrial appliances, automobiles, smart buildings, telecommunications equipments and so on. They become more attractive due to the built-in feature such as the programmable memories, analogue to digital converter and programmable input/output timers [7],[8]. These built-in components can be used to host the embedded software algorithm that operates the device based on given requirements. Since the embedded system is dedicated to specific tasks, design engineers can optimize it, reducing the size and cost of the product, or increasing the reliability and performance. The main purpose of an embedded system is to provide control and feedback to other hardware devices that need to be controlled. The versatility and reliability of these techniques makes the design and implementation of z-axis positioning system easier, cost effective and time consuming process.

Abstract This paper presents the design of a GSM network based z-axis position controlling system for remote monitoring and control. Using this positioning system the height of an object can be controlled and monitored through SMS from any location where GSM network is available. The desired position of an object is sent to the GSM modem by the user through SMS. The embedded system in the positioning device has an algorithm which acquires the current position of the object, processes, transmits and stores it in the built-in Flash memory of microcontroller. Once the desired programmed trigger level of the signal is reached, the microcontroller downloads the current position of the object to the GSM modem. Then, GSM dials the pre-sorted mobile number/s and transmits the current position as a normal SMS to the user, thus making remote monitoring and control of positioning system is easier than the existing techniques. Keywords SMS, GSM, positioning, ultrasonic transducer, PIC18f4520, modem

I.

INTRODUCTION

Mechanical systems in industries which have structural flexibility such as heavy load handling robots, stacker cranes in automated warehouses, aerial ladder trucks, and overhead cranes are the examples of flexible positioning systems. Many industries require automatic or remote control of the position of these objects since it eliminates the need for the user to stay close to the object and also it enables the user to obtain the current position of the object through SMS. This paper presents a design of wireless control mechanism to control the position of an object in z-axis using serial communication between GSM network and the embedded system. Positioning systems have been traditionally implemented using DC motors due to the relative ease in controlling them and the system equations are linear. However, there are still disadvantages in using such motors for positioning systems. In particular, for high speed repetitive motion, the brushes are subject to excessive mechanical wear and consequently lead to a decrease in performance. Also, repetitive motion is the problem of overheating of the armature windings. Since the windings are on the rotor, the heat does not have a direct path to the outside environment, but instead must be dissipated through the stator. For the reasons just enumerated, positioning systems are now being implemented using stepper motors [1]. Stepper Motor is a digital version of the electric motor. It moves in discrete steps, rather than rotating continuously like a conventional motor [2]. This is a solution to high performance motion control applications. It provides high speed and high accuracy. Stepper motors were designed to provide precise positioning control within an integer number of steps (e.g., 200
978-0-7695-3915-7/09 $26.00 2009 IEEE DOI 10.1109/ACT.2009.222 775

II.

SYSTEM OVERVIEW

The complete system overview for GSM network based Zaxis position controlling system is shown in the Fig. 1. The system comprises of four distinct modules. Each of these modules performs a unique function. The first module senses the current position of the object. The next acquires the desired position via GSM network. The actuator is interfaced with the controller and the system by the third module. The control algorithm for actuation is generated by the fourth module.

The reference voltages VREF+ and VREF- can be same as power supply voltage +5V and ground. However the input voltage from the ultrasonic transducer to the A/D converter module ranges from 2.1V to 10V. Therefore, we need to scale the input voltage range to match the entire range of the

Figure 2. Dynamic response of ultrasonic transducer demonstrated. Figure 1. Block diagram of the complete z-axis position control system.

Design of GSM network based z-axis position control system is an integration of these four modules. III. SENSOR PACK AND SIGNAL CONDITIONING CIRCUIT

The sensor pack has a transducer with signal conditioning circuit to measure the position of the metal plate placed in a system. UP 1000 PVOR 24 IS is an ultrasonic voltage transducer that measures the level of the object using a noninvasive technique. Ultrasonic (US) sensor is chosen because they can sense any material, no correction factors have to be applied (as with inductive sensors, for example), color of the object is not a cause of concern and the surface of the scanned object has no influence on the measuring accuracy. They function in fog, dust, dirt or extreme lighting. US distance sensors measure the distance to the target with high linearity and is applicable over wide ranges. Sensor UP 1000 PVOR 24 IS is provided with an adjustable zero (zero shift 0 to 200 mm, for the prototype demonstrated, distance 200 mm = 0 volts) and adjustable slope (factor 1 to 5, for the prototype demonstrated distance 1000 mm = output voltage 10 volts) [9]. Altering the zero and the slope (span), however, also influences the switching point of the logic output and the hysteresis. This sensor allows the output voltage to be adapted to local conditions, within certain limits. Fig. 2 shows the dynamic response of the ultrasonic transducer, UP 1000 PVOR 24 IS for the prototype demonstrated. The output of ultrasonic transducer will provide 0.00V till 200mm, 3V for 300mm and 10V for 1000mm for the metal plate used in the prototype. There is a linear relationship between output voltage and the sensed distance. The signal conditioning circuit (SCC) is used to make the sensor output compatible with input voltage range of the microcontroller built-in analog-to-digital converter.

reference voltages of the A/D converter. A signal conditioning circuit is designed to provide the gain of 0.5. This will make the output swing between 1.05V to 5V and it is equivalent to 210mm to 1000mm. An ADC reference voltage is supplied to provide resolution of 0.9mm. Then the output of SCC is given to channel 0 of the ADC. IV. ACTUATOR MODEL

The actuator part of the system consists of a stepper motor and a driver board to run the motor. The motor chosen was a 12V bi-directional 4-phase unipolar permanent magnet stepper motor. Applying the correct electrical pulse sequence to the windings of the motor results in a 1.8 step angle rotation of the spindle (200 steps per revolution).The schematic diagram of the actuator part of the system is shown in Fig. 3. The metal plate in the system is positioned by four strings/chains which are fixed at its four terminals. The four strings/chains are grouped into one at the top of the system as shown in the Fig. 3. The shaft of motor is provided with a gear over which the common chain is placed firmly such that when the shaft of motor rotates in clockwise direction, the metal plate moves upwards and when the shaft rotates in anticlockwise direction, the metal plate moves downwards. The distance moved by the metal plate is depends on the circumference of the gear and the angle by which the shaft rotates. Let L be the circumference of the gear. If the shaft rotates 360 in clockwise direction, then the metal plate moves L metre upwards. If the shaft rotates 360 in anticlockwise direction, then the metal plate moves L metre downwards. The stepper motor is interfaced with microcontroller via a driver circuit. The pulse sequence generated by microcontroller will run the stepper motor sequentially in either direction. To rotate the shaft for 360 the microcontroller need to generate 200 pulses (steps). For 1 pulse the stepper motor shaft rotates 1.8

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metres upwards or

conditioning circuit and the desired position of the object from the GSM network are compared and the error value is generated. Error = (Desired position) (Actual position) The number of steps required for the stepper motor to overcome this error, N= If E>0, then the desired position is above the actual position. So the motor need to rotate in clockwise direction for N steps. If E<0, then the desired position is below the actual position. So the motor need to rotate in anticlockwise direction for N steps. The output pulse from the microcontroller makes the actuator to place the object in the desired position. As soon as the error equals to zero, the microcontroller sent the current position which is the desired position of the object to the GSM modem via serial interface. Now the user can again change the desired position. Microcontroller keeps tracking the input signal from the A/D converter module and the signal from GSM modem via serial interface and control the system to make the error zero. VII. CONCLUSION A prototype of GSM network based z-axis position controlling system has been designed for remote monitoring and control. The device gives more freedom for the technicians in industries to roam around the GSM network coverage area and to keep in touch with systems without being adjacent to the systems. This enables them to obtain accurate position on their mobile phones without the need to measure manually. The versatility of the ultrasonic transducer allows the system to position any type of object even glass material. REFERENCES
T. Kenjo, A. Sugawara, Stepping Motors and Their Microprocessor Controls, 2nd Edition, Oxford University Press, Oxford, 2003. [2] Douglas Jones's stepping motor tutorial, http://www.cs.uiowa.edu/~jones/step/types.html. [3] A. Devos, R. Cote, G. Caruyer and A. Lefevre, "A different way of performing picosecond ultrasonic measurements in thin transparent film based on laser-wavelength effects", ", Applied Physics Letters vol. 86,pp. 211903,2005. [4] C. Peersman, S. Cvetkovic, P. Griffiths (2000). The Global System for Mobile Communications Short Message Service. Personal Communications, vol. 7, no. 3, pp.15-23. [5] Jorg Eberspacher and Hans-Jorg Vogel, GSM Switching, Services and Protocols. John Wiley & Sons Ltd, England, 1998. [6] "GSM Draft 02.43: Digital Cellular Telecommunications System (Phase 2+), SoLSA, Service Description Stage I", ETSI, 1998. [7] Conrad J.M., Introducing Students to the Concept of Embedded Systems, Proceedings of the 2004 International Conference on Engineering Education, Gainesville, FL, October 2004. [8] Mysore, G.D., Conrad, J. M., Newberry, B., A Microcontroller-Based Bed-of-Nails Test Fixture to Program And Test Small Printed Circuit Boards Proceedings of the 2006 SoutheastCon, March 31 - April 2, 2006, pp. 104 107. [9] Ultrasonic Distance Sensors especially for use where other sensors have given up Sonarange, Ultrasonic transducer manual. [10] A.R. Al-Ali, M. Al-Rousan and M. Al-Shaikh, Embedded System Based Mobile Patient Monitoring Device. Proceedings of the 16th IEEE Symposium on Computer-Based Medical Systems (CBMS03), 2003. [11] (2006) The microchip website. Online. Available: http://www.microchip.com. [1]

Figure 3. Prototype of z-axis positioning system.

downwards depends on the direction the shaft rotates. V. GSM MODEM

The GSM system has been selected as the communication medium. The main reason to choose GSM system is the worldwide acceptance of the system. Since the GSM system is wireless, it provides an element of mobility. The system can be setup in area where wiring is impossible or for temporary/field usage. It offers high speed wireless communication. It is attached to the data adaptor RS232 and can be used as a standalone modem. Through the RS232, it can be connected to data terminal equipment such as a personal computer or a microcontroller. It supports five technologies for wireless data transfer, which can be used where GSM network is available. The GSM modem is used as short message server (SMS) device. It can send and receive messages containing 160 characters. It supports call forwarding, call transfer, multiparty calling and security options such as call barring. In this application, the GSM modem is interfaced with the PIC18F4520 microcontroller via RS232 adaptor [10]. The modem receives a message from a mobile phone as an SMS that contains the desired position where the object is to be placed. It will then transmit the information to the microcontroller via RS232 serial interface. This information is then stored in the built-in Flash memory of microcontroller. The microcontroller in-turn sends the information to the GSM modem after the object is positioned in the appropriate location by the control action of the stepper motor. This information is sent as reply through an SMS to the mobile phone. VI. EMBEDDED CONTROL ALGORITHM

PIC18F4520 is an 8-bit microcontroller that has built-in 13 channels A/D converter module with 10-bit resolution [11]. The built-in Flash memory is used to host the embedded software algorithm that takes care of the parameters acquisition, processing, transmitting and receiving. The RS232 is utilized for the GSM modem communication to upload and download messages that contain the position of the object in the system. The current position of the object from the signal
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