Pioneer 3TM, 2TM manual Expansion I/O, DOCKING/CHARGING System I/O, Digital Port Controls

ActivMedia Robotics Operating System

Expansion I/O

Four alternative A/D ports appear at the 40-position Expansion I/O connector of the H8S microcontroller.24 Use the ADSEL client command number 35 to select and subsequently have the A/D value from one of the alternative ports AN2-5appear in the standard SIP. The default port is AN0 (ADSEL argument value of zero), the A/D port also on the User I/O connector.

DOCKING/CHARGING SYSTEM I/O

The docking/charging system’s mechanism and associated charge-management circuitry on the robot may be controlled from the robot's H8-microcontroller and AROS servers.

Digital Port Controls

When set digital high (1), the "inhibit" port OD4 on pin 10 of the User I/O connector (see Appendix A) causes the charging mechanism to disengage and retract from the charging platform and inhibits its future deployment. The "deploy" port OD5 pin 12, when set high with port OD4 low, deploys the charging mechanism with full force to seat it onto the charging platform.25

At the fully deployed position, the mechanism is mechanically stabilized and requires much less force to maintain contact. If in positive contact with the charger base, the robot's onboard circuitry activates and thereafter maintains the actuated mechanism at that lower force as long as it receives power. To minimize heat and eventual damage to the actuator, the deploy line should be activated for only short periods; maximally for 10 seconds at a time.

Your client software may run the charging mechanism by individually activating/ deactivating the digital output ports, such as with the AROS COMdigout (#30) command. However, for best results, we recommend using the automated charging control commands and systems we provide with the latest AROS.

Docking/Charging Servers

To use AROS’ docking/charging system servers (version 1.7 or later), you must first enable the H8-microcontroller's automated charger servers through your robot's FLASH parameters. Use the AROScf configuration tool and set the Charger parameter value to 1 (0 to disable) and save the value.

Thereafter, for autonomous operation of the robot with the charging platform, establish a client-server connection between an ARIA- or similar client-enabled PC and the robot's controller. Use the AROS CHARGE command #68 with an integer argument of 1 to automatically halt robot motion and deploy the docking mechanism. The docking mechanism automatically retracts after five seconds if the robot does not engage with the docking platform, during which time the robot's drive system is unresponsive. So your client should wait at least that long before attempting to resume activity.

Although disengaged while recharging, AROS remembers if your robot's motors were engaged just before deploying the docking mechanism. This way, your robot may discontinue charging, retract the robot's charging mechanism, and go on its merry way automatically by having the client send any motion command that normally would cause the robot to drive away from its current position. However, if you purposely

24Many other ports also appear at that connector, but are not yet supported in AROS.

25These output ports and the charge-sensing User I/O-based digital input ports (see below) do not interfere with the Pioneer/PeopleBot Gripper.

50