UNION COLLEGEUNION COLLEGEWEATHER STATIONWEATHER STATION

Brian KruppenbackerBrian KruppenbackerJeffrey D’AlessandroJeffrey D’Alessandro

Advisor: Professor TraverAdvisor: Professor Traver

GoalsGoals

• Design and implement a weather station Design and implement a weather station for the Union College campus communityfor the Union College campus community

• RecordRecordTemperatureTemperature Relative humidityRelative humidityBarometric pressureBarometric pressure PrecipitationPrecipitationUV indexUV index Wind speedWind speedWind directionWind direction

• CalculateCalculateWind chill & Dew pointWind chill & Dew point

• Display current and archived Display current and archived measurement data at weather.union.edumeasurement data at weather.union.edu

Performance CriteriaPerformance Criteria

• Measurements must have accuracy within Measurements must have accuracy within 5%5%

• The measurements must represent the The measurements must represent the current weather conditionscurrent weather conditions

• The computer must store the measurement The computer must store the measurement data for future referencedata for future reference

• The system must be able to run for a long The system must be able to run for a long period of time (years)period of time (years)

• The station must be low maintenanceThe station must be low maintenance

• Any malfunctions must be easy to fixAny malfunctions must be easy to fix

BehaviorBehavior• Sensor station located on roof of F.W. Sensor station located on roof of F.W.

Olin building will record measurementsOlin building will record measurements

• Sensor station sends data to a Sensor station sends data to a computercomputer

• Computer will perform the additional Computer will perform the additional calculations neededcalculations needed

• Computer will store all measurementsComputer will store all measurements

• Computer will generate webpage to Computer will generate webpage to display most recent measurementsdisplay most recent measurements

• Webpage will allow users to view Webpage will allow users to view archived measurement dataarchived measurement data

Sensor

Station

Hard Drive

Our DesignOur Design

Sensor Station

Structure

Communication

Server

Types of SensorsTypes of Sensors

DIGITALDIGITALBased on number of Based on number of

pulsespulses

PrecipitationPrecipitation

Wind SpeedWind Speed

ANALOGANALOGBased on voltageBased on voltage

TemperatureTemperature

Relative HumidityRelative Humidity

Barometric PressureBarometric Pressure

Ultra-VioletUltra-Violet

Wind DirectionWind Direction

Sensors: AnalogSensors: Analog

• 8051 Microcontroller Analog to Digital 8051 Microcontroller Analog to Digital ConverterConverter

• All sensor outputs were adjusted to fit All sensor outputs were adjusted to fit between the range of 0 and 2.5 volts through between the range of 0 and 2.5 volts through the use of voltage dividersthe use of voltage dividers

• The voltage division is then taken into account The voltage division is then taken into account when the measurements are calculatedwhen the measurements are calculated

Sensors: DigitalSensors: Digital

• 8051 Microcontroller Programmable Counter 8051 Microcontroller Programmable Counter ArrayArray

• Signal bounce is handled using both Signal bounce is handled using both software and hardware approachessoftware and hardware approaches

• Measurements are calculated based on the Measurements are calculated based on the number of pulses and the number of pulses number of pulses and the number of pulses within a time framewithin a time frame

• Pulses are counted using interruptsPulses are counted using interrupts

Sensor Station: Sensor Station: MicrocontrollerMicrocontroller

Start

Setup Precepitation and Wind Speed(Interrupts)

Get TemperatureGet Relative Humidity

Get Barometric PressureGet UV

Get Wind Direction

Check for ENQ

Turn off InterruptsSend Data

If sent correctly, reset Precip and Wind Speed CountersTurn Interrupts back on

ENQ

ENQ_____

StructureStructure

• Location:Location:

F.W. Olin BuildingF.W. Olin Building

• Power:Power:

120 volts from 120 volts from buildingbuilding

• Safety:Safety:

Grounded (lightning)Grounded (lightning)

Circuit BreakersCircuit Breakers

CommunicationCommunication

• The server will poll the microcontroller The server will poll the microcontroller for new data every 60 secondsfor new data every 60 seconds

• A communication protocol was createdA communication protocol was created

• Serial Communication via Ethernet Serial Communication via Ethernet using Quatech Serial Device Serverusing Quatech Serial Device Server

Communication: Serial Device Communication: Serial Device ServerServer

• Encapsulates serial data coming from the Encapsulates serial data coming from the microcontroller and sends it over microcontroller and sends it over EthernetEthernet

• Device software on server receives data Device software on server receives data and creates a virtual serial portand creates a virtual serial port

• Server uses virtual serial port as if it were Server uses virtual serial port as if it were an actual serial portan actual serial port

Communication: ProtocolsCommunication: Protocols

Start Emit ENQ

Emit ACK

Emit NAK

SYN

DATA

Checksum

GoodChecksum

Done

Bad Checksum

Checksum

DATA

SYN

TIMEOUTTIMEOUT

TIMEOUT

Server-side Protocol

ServerServer

• Polls the microcontroller for dataPolls the microcontroller for data

• CalculatesCalculates– Wind Chill and Dew PointWind Chill and Dew Point– Averages, Highs, Lows, and TotalsAverages, Highs, Lows, and Totals

• Store measurement dataStore measurement data

• Generate webpageGenerate webpage– Current Weather ConditionsCurrent Weather Conditions– Archived Weather Measurement DataArchived Weather Measurement Data

Server: Data Flow DiagramServer: Data Flow Diagram

Data AcquisitionCalculations

Current Weather

Measurements File/Database

Archived Weather

MeasurementsFile/Database

Archived Measurements Manager

Web Page Generator

Server: WebsiteServer: Website

• PHP is used to read PHP is used to read the current weather the current weather measurement data measurement data from a file and from a file and display the conditionsdisplay the conditions

• Archived data can Archived data can be viewed by be viewed by selecting the selecting the month, day, and/or month, day, and/or yearyear

ResultsResults

http://weather.union.eduhttp://weather.union.edu

• All of the sensors have accuracy within 5%All of the sensors have accuracy within 5%

• All measurements accurately depict the All measurements accurately depict the current weather conditions of the areacurrent weather conditions of the area

• The sensors purchased are low maintenanceThe sensors purchased are low maintenance

• Station repairs will be simple and explained Station repairs will be simple and explained in a manualin a manual

ConclusionConclusion

• System design and implementationSystem design and implementation

• How to handle signal bouncing using How to handle signal bouncing using both software and hardware approachesboth software and hardware approaches

• Serial CommunicationSerial Communication

• PHP and HTMLPHP and HTML

• Teamwork and time management skillsTeamwork and time management skills

What we learned:

Future WorkFuture Work

• Add additional sensors to the stationAdd additional sensors to the station

• Implement a database to store the current and Implement a database to store the current and archived measurement dataarchived measurement data

• Implement a data management program to Implement a data management program to compress and perform calculations on archived datacompress and perform calculations on archived data

• Adjust website to obtain the data from the databaseAdjust website to obtain the data from the database

• Build station structure and mount on top of F.W. Olin Build station structure and mount on top of F.W. Olin buildingbuilding

Thank YouThank You

• Professor TraverProfessor Traver

• Professor HedrickProfessor Hedrick

• Professor SpallholtzProfessor Spallholtz

• Professor AlmsteadProfessor Almstead

QuestionsQuestions