MYLAPS CHIPX Identification and Timing System User Manual

MYLAPS BV Identification and Timing System

Contents

User Manual

1ContentsCHIPX DECODER INSTALLATION/OPERATION..........1.1 Installation of the decoder...................................1.2 Operating the decoder........................................ 1.2.1 Noise level................................................ 1.2.2 Signal Strength......................................... 1.2.3 Number of hits.......................................... 1.2.4 Firmware update.......................................1.3 Menu options explained...................................... 1.3.1 MENU: General......................................... 1.3.2 MENU: Net................................................ 1.3.3 MENU: Timing........................................... 1.3.4 MENU: Clock............................................. 1.3.5 MENU: Mylaps live..................................... AppendicesAPPENDIX A - FAQs.........................................................APPENDIX B - EC AND FCC REGULATIONS.........................APPENDIX C - TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS......................GUARANTEES & WARRANTIES........................................... FiguresFigure 1.1 System overview..............................................Figure 1.2 Connections of the decoder...............................Figure 1.3 Status display...................................................Figure 1.4 Decoder with status display...............................Figure 1.4 Menu...............................................................345555669101011111315161734678
23Contact InformationAMB i.t. Europe AMB i.t. AmericaAmsterdam AtlantaThe Netherlands USATel: +31 23 529 1893 Tel: +1 678 816 4000E-mail: E-mail: support-eur@amb-it.com support-us@amb-it.comAMB i.t. Asia AMB i.t. AustraliaTokyo SydneyJapan AustraliaTel: +81 352754600 Tel: +61 2 9546 2606Email: Email: support-asia@amb-it.com support-aus@amb-it.com www.amb-it.com All rights reservedCopyright © 2006 AMB i.t.This publication has been written with great care. However, the manufacturer cannot be held responsible, either for any errors occurring in this publication or for their consequences.This publication is to be used for the standard model of the product of the type given on the cover page.AMB i.t. Manual: ChipX Decoder/1.2
231: Decoder Installation/OperationFigure 1.1 System overview TransponderDetection loopPowerHeadphoneDecoderComputer
451.1 Installation of the decoderThe decoder is a precision instrument. Therefore please handle it with care and keep the decoder out of direct sunlight and avoid high humidity. Take special precautions in case of thunderstorms by disconnecting all cables (coax, Ethernet and mains) from the decoder. Nearby lightning strikes can damage the decoder when these cables are connected.Figure 1.2 Connections of the decoderHow to connecta) The detection loop: Connect the supplied 75 Ohm double-shielded coax cable to the decoder.b) The auxiliary port: This port can be used to connect a photocell, external start pulse or a sync pulse. For more information on how to connect these devices, contact your nearest AMB i.t. ofce.c) The serial port: This port can be used to connect the decoder with the computer with a RS232 cable.d) The network: Connect the network cable between the decoder and the network connection port of the computer.e) Power: Connect the 12 VDC adapter to the decoder and mains. Since a power interruption will result in a failure of the timing and scoring system, connecting the 12 VDC adapter to mains through a UPS (Uninterruptible Power Supply) is recommended. f) The headphone: Connect it on the front side of the decoder. A beep will sound for every passing transponder, which provides an easy check for proper operation of the decoder and the transponders on the track.a) b) c) d) e)
451.2 Operating the decoderThe decoder is not equipped with an on/off switch, therefore connecting the decoder to the mains will switch it on and will enable timing of transponder passings after approximately 15 seconds. With each detection of a transponder, a beep will sound in the headphone and received transponder information is shown on the decoder display. 1.2.1 Noise levelThe decoder determines the average background noise. The noise (and signal strength) has a range of 0 to 255 points. Noise level, as shown by the AMB i.t. timing software and also on the decoder screen, should best not exceed 40 points. If the noise level is higher, the received transponder signal strength should be 60 points above noise level to ensure proper functioning of the system. So if the transponder received signal strength is 120 points, the noise should not exceed 60 points.1.2.2 Signal strengthTransponder signal strength, as shown by the AMB i.t. timing software, should preferably be above 100 points and should at least be 60 points higher than the indicated background noise. The closer a transponder is to the track the higher the signal strength. A higher transponder signal strength gives a higher immunity against outside interference.1.2.3 Number of hitsThe number of hits, as shown by the AMB i.t. timing software, is an indication of the number of repeated transponder signal receipts during a passing. Hit-rate varies with the speed of a passing transponder. Slower passings yield higher hit counts. The minimum number of hits should not be below 10 points.
671.2.4 Firmware update Our products are in continuous evolution, for new functionalities and small changes you can check our website for a decoder rmware update. Please go to http://support.amb-it.com and follow the instructions. 1.3 Menu options explainedOn the front of the decoder, you will nd an informationdisplay, designed to show and change the decoder settings.The status screen will show the following information:- a: Decoder date/time, UTC when synchronized to GPS- b: Timeline name- c: Blinks when connecting to Mylaps Live, steady when connected to Mylaps Live- d: Background noise indication- e: Indication that hits are received, remains black when a transponder is being received by the loop.- f: Strength of last received transponder- g: Number of received GPS satelites- h: Blinks when GPS receiver attached, steady when decoder is locked to UTC time- i: Message lineFigure 1.3: Status display.By clicking on the Acknowledge button once, you will nd the IP address of the decoder. By clicking this button twice, you will nd the Ethernet Address/Serial number ( see 1.3.2.), by clicking it three times, it will show the version and type of the decoder, and by clicking it 4 times it will show the number of passings stored in the ash memory.
67Figure 1.4: Decoder with status display.By clicking on the Select and Acknowledge buttons you can choose which information you want to see on the display. Detailed information of the menu options will be given on the following pages. By clicking on the select button you will nd a main menu menu with different subjects :General Clear passingsTimelineBeepLoop triggerFirst contactProtocol RS232ContrastFactory defaultsFirmwareUSB Headphones Select button Acknowledge button
89Net AutomaticIP addressSubnet maskGatewayDNSTiming SportPhoto holdofffext. start holdoffSync holdoffClock DateTimeMylaps live ActiveActivation codeFigure 1.5: MenuYou can navigate between the menu items with the Select button and you can choose a menu with the Acknowledge button. Please note that you can go one step back by selecting << and clicking the Acknowledge button.Select button Acknowledge button
891.3.1 MENU: GeneralWithin the general menu you can choose/see:- Clear passings: clears the passings in the ash memory.- Timeline: description of the loop name.Occasionally needed for the timing software.- Beep: to choose the tone of the beep.- Loop trigger: optional for future developments.- First contact: when switched on the decoder will send a record without a time stamp a soon as the transponder is detected. This is intended to allow TV graphics applications to already display a name, while the passing time is not known yet (works with P3 protocol only).- Protocol RS232: This is used to select the protocol on the RS232 interface. There are 3 options:Enhanced: This protocol is here only for compatibility reasons. Not all features are available via this protocol.P3: If you are a software developer this is the preferred protocol to use. This protocol is also used for software like ‘Racewave’ and ‘Orbits’. Remote:Allows the host computer to select the protocol by using a command.- Contrast: contrast of the display.Here you can adjust the contrast settings.- Factory defaults: reset to the factory defaults.You can reset the settings of the decoder to the initial settings. - Firmware: software running inside the decoderWhen you update the rmware in your decoder, the decoder will retain the current version of the rmware. With the switch rmware option you are always able to revert back to the previous version.
10111.3.2 MENU: NetPlease leave the decoder in the automatic menu if you are not familiar with network basics.Within the Net menu you can choose/see:- Automatic: to automatically determine the IP address of the decoder.If your decoder is placed in a network and you select automatic “on” the decoder will rst try via the DHCP server (DHCP = Dynamic Host Conguration Protocol) to get an IP address which is in the range of the network. Please note that it can take around 60 sec. to obtain the settings via DHCP. If a DHCP server is not found, the decoder will use an IP address via APIPA (Automatic Private IP Addressing)- IP address: IP address of your decoderAn identier for a computer or device on a TCP/IP network. - Subnet mask: A mask used to determine what subnet an IP address belongs to.- Gateway: A node on a network that serves as an entrance to another network.- DNS: Short for Domain Name System (or Service or Server), an Internet service that translates domain names into IP addresses. Gateway and DNS are both used to set up the decoder for Mylaps live.1.3.3 MENU: TimingWithin the timing menu you can chooose/see: - Sports: There are many parameters which may inuence timing performance. With the sport setting the decoder uses some pre-dened parameters optimized for a certain type of sport / transponder placement.
1011Sport Loopwidth Transponder placementIce skating 50cm / 1.7ft Strap around ankleInline skating 60cm / 2ft Strap around ankleCycling 60cm / 2ft Vertically mounted to the bikeOther 60cm / 2ftNote : Use ‘other’ if there is no exact match for sport and transponder placement.- Photo holdoff, External start holdoff Sync holdoff This is the time in milliseconds the decoder will wait before accepting a new pulse via one of those inputs.1.3.4 MENU: ClockWithin the Clock menu you can see/change:- Date: date settingsHere you can change the date- Time: time settingsHere you can change the time of day 1.3.5 MENU: Mylaps liveMyLaps Live provides AMB transponder users and race fans with live race information from circuits that use AMB i.t. hardware around the world. It is your live global score board, bringing you up-to-date real time results whenever and wherever the action is.
1213Within the Mylaps live menu you can see/change:- Active: to put all passings directly on the live results website or not.- Activation code: a unique code which should be used for registering on MyLaps Practice website www.mylaps.com/practice. Please visit www.mylaps.com for more information about nding all your race results online.Note : For using mylaps live you need a functioning internet connection. Also the DNS server and gateway setting have to be correctly congured (see menu ‘network’).
1213Appendix A : FAQsA1: Transponder is not being detectedA few of the transponders are not being detected.If this is the case, the problem is most likely related to the individual transponder or the positioning of the transponder. - Check the mounting position of the transponder, for more information check your transponder manual.None of the transponders are being detected. If this is the case, the problem is most likely related to the detection loop, decoder, timing computer or cabling. Please take the following steps:- Check if a beep is heard in the headphone, or of the loop in the display changes to black during a transponder passing. If this is working, but nothing appears on the computer screen, check the cabling between the decoder and the computer.- Check the coax cable by measuring the resistance (with multimeter) between the centre pin and the outside of the BNC connector. The reading should be approximately 150 kOhm after 30 seconds. If not, the coax has to be replaced.- Check the loop wire by cutting the loop wires from the connection box and measuring the resistance between the loop wires in the track. The reading should be approximately 220 Ohm. If this is not the case, the loop has to be replaced. When (re)connecting the loopwires to the connection box please solder with proper connections (for more information please check your system installation manual).
1415A2: Noise levelWhat if my background noise is higher than 40 points?An increased background noise is an indication of a higher interference level picked up by the system. Every ve seconds a background noise measurement is performed by the decoder and sent to the computer. The noise level should be as low as possible, but as long as the received signal from the transponders is 60 points higher then the noise level detection will be reliable. If the noise level is higher than 70 there is most likely something wrong with the installation.Possible causes of high background noise levels:- When the detection loop is damaged, a uctuation in noise level will be noticeable, especially in wet conditions. If this is the case, please check the loop wire and coax for cuts or breakage.- Electrical equipment too close (<3 m) to the loop or coax cable.- Using a generator with a poor ground connection- Use of DC/AC converter for AC power.- Poor connections between the detection loop and the coax cable.- BNC connector incorrectly tted to the coax cable.- Poor ground connection of the AC power. If this is the case, ground the decoder by connecting the outside the BNC connectors on the decoder to a piece of metal (copper rod or tube) that goes into the ground. A3: Signal strengthWhat if the received signal strength is below 100 points?- If the signal strength is lower than 100 points, please check the position of the transponder.- If the signal strength is uctuating heavily in combination with high noise levels, check the quality of the loop installation and coax cables.
1415Appendix B: EC and FCC RegulationsCE information: This device complies with the EMC directive 89/336/EEC. A copy of the declaration of conformity can be obtained at:AMB i.t. BVZuiderhoutlaan 42012 PJ HaarlemThe NetherlandsFCC information:This equipment complies with part 15 of the FCC rules. Operation is subject to the following two conditions: (1) This equipment may not cause harmful interference, and (2) this equipment must accept any interference received, including interference that may cause undesired operation.
1617Appendix C: Technical SpecicationsDimensions 180 x 160 x 45 mm / 7 x 6.3 x 1.8 inchWeight 720 g / 1.6 lbDecoder Clock stability 0.5 ppmDecoder Timimg Resolution 0.001 sTime of day clock stability (decoder off) +/- 25 ppmTime of day clock stability (decoder on) +/- 0.5 ppmTime of day clock resolution 1 sec.Time of day clock synchronisationvia GPS receiver to UTC(AMB part nr. 00017)Max. track width max. 20 m / 66 ftOperating temperature range 0 - 50 C / 32 - 122 FHumidity range 10 % to 90 % relativeOperating voltage range 10 to 14.4 V, typical 12VPower consumption max. 600 mA @ 12V, typical 250 mAInterfaces RS232, 9600 baud, 8 bits, 1 stopbit 10/100 BaseTUSB ANetwork connection DHCP client, APIPA, Static IPAux. Power 5 VDC, max 150 mAAux. Output Opto coupled closing contact max 50 mA switchedAux. Inputs 3x Opto coupled 5-12 VDC / 5-15 mASpecications are subject to change without notice.
1617Guarantees & WarrantiesAMB i.t. guarantees that, for a period of twelve months from the date of dispatch, decoders manufactured or sold by AMB i.t. with defects caused by faulty materials and/or workmanship and/or design, will be repaired. If repair is not possible or economical for AMB i.t., AMB i.t. has the choice to refund the purchase price of these goods or to deliver new goods. AMB i.t.’s liability shall be strictly limited to replacing, repairing or issuing credits at its option for any goods returned within twelve months from the date of dispatch. AMB i.t. shall not be liable for incidental or consequential damages including, but not limited to costs of removal and reinstallation of goods, loss of goodwill, loss of prots or use. If the requirements set forth above and described below are not complied with, the AMB i.t. warranty/guarantee shall not apply and AMB i.t. shall be discharged from all liability arising from the supply of defective goods. EXCEPT AS EXPRESSLY PROVIDED IN THIS SECTION, AMB i.t. MAKES NO REPRESENTATIONS OR WARRANTIES OF ANY KIND, NATURE OR DESCRIPTION, EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING WITHOUT LIMITATION, ANY WARRANTY OR MERCHANTABILITY, FITNESS OF THE GOODS FOR ANY PARTICULAR PURPOSE, OR NONINFRINGEMENT, AND AMB i.t. HEREBY DISCLAIMS THE SAME.Remedies and damagesAMB i.t. shall not incur any liability under the above warranty unless:a) AMB i.t. is promptly notied in writing upon discovery by the customer that such goods do not conform to the warranty and the appropriate invoice number and date of purchase information is supplied;b) The alleged defective goods are returned to AMB i.t. carriage pre-paid;c) Examination by AMB i.t. of goods shall conrm the alleged defect exists and has not been caused by misuse, neglect, method of storage, faulty installation, handling, or by alteration or accident.

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