Rainfrog Inc.

Tag: Data Logging

  • Setting Up the BlueTherm Duo

    Setting Up the BlueTherm Duo

    The BlueTherm Duo has been discontinued by the manufacturer, and replaced with a similar, but improved Bluetooth LE device called ThermaQ Blue. Both devices are supported by Roastmaster.

    Setting Up a BlueTherm Duo for Data Logging

    1. Attach one or two K-style thermocouple(s) to the Bluetherm Duo.
    2. Turn the Bluetherm Duo device on, and pair it with your iOS device in the iOS Settings app.
    3. Navigate to the Probes list from Roastmaster’s Utilities window.
    4. If you have not already purchased the Data Logging option, tap “Data Logging Store” and enable Data Logging. Roastmaster will guide you through the purchase.
    5. Tap the + button to add a new Probe.
    6. Enter the appropriate port, either 1 or 2.
    7. If the Bluetherm Duo is paired with your iOS device, the Status field should display “Linked”, and report the current probe temperature.
    8. Tap “Save”.
    9. Repeat for the second probe if desired.
  • Setting Up Phidgets Legacy Lib21

    Setting Up Phidgets Legacy Lib21

    These are outdated instructions, and only apply to Roastmaster 10 and earlier, which uses Phidgets Lib21 software. If you are configuring Phidgets for Roastmaster 11 (October, 2017) or later, please see the instructions for Lib22 in Setting Up Phidgets

    Phidgets offer a versatile and scalable solution for monitoring and logging roast temperatures with Roastmaster’s Data Logging option. Roastmaster connects to one or more Phidget Temperature Sensors through your WiFi network via a network “host”.

    Please see How Do Phidgets Work? to become acquainted with how a network host is used to communicate with Roastmaster.

    To use Phidgets with Roastmaster, you’ll need…

    1. A Phidget Temperature Sensor and attached K or J thermocouple(s)
    2. A network host to send wireless readings (one of the following):
      • A full-size computer, e.g. Mac or PC desktop or laptop
      • Phidget SBC with USB WiFi adapter
      • Another brand of wireless DIY computer
    3. A wireless Ethernet network
    4. Roastmaster’s Data Logging entitlement (available as an in app purchase in the “Probes” section of Roastmaster’s Utilities screen)

    Configuring your Host

    Once you have procured the necessary parts, you need to configure your host with the Phidget Network Server software drivers that allow it to communicate with Roastmaster on your wireless network.

    Standard Computer Host, e.g. laptop, desktop

    1. Download and install the appropriate version of Driver Library 21
    2. Attach the Temperature Sensor to your computer via the supplied USB cable
    3. Launch the Preference Pane (Mac) or Control Panel (Windows)
    4. Assign an arbitrary Server ID, e.g. Danny’s Mac, My Phidget Host, etc.
    5. Turn the WebService on.

    SBC Host

    1. Download and install the appropriate version of Driver Library 21 to a standard computer. This software and the computer will be used only once to perform the initial configuration of the SBC.
    2. Attach the Temperature Sensor to your SBC via the supplied USB cable
    3. In the PhidgetSBC tab of the Phidgets Preference Pane (Mac) or Control Panel (Windows), double click the SBC to launch the web Administration Console.
    4. In the Administration Console, verify that Library 21 is installed on your SBC.
    5. Make the SBC a member of your network in one of two ways:
      • If you will network the SBC with an Ethernet cable…
        1. Attach one end of the cable to your router or switch, and the other to the SBC.
      • If you will network the SBC using the Phidget wireless adapter…
        1. Attach the wireless adapter to the SBC.
        2. In the Administration Console, navigate to Status > Wireless.
        3. Select your network in the detected networks, and enter the network password.
        4. To automatically join this network whenever the SBC is in range, verify that the “Remember this network” checkbox is checked. If so, the SBC/Temperature Sensor combination will become completely self-sufficient, automatically joining your network when it boots, and available for immediate use to Roastmaster.
        5. Click “Add This Network”.
    6. Navigate to the Phidgets > phidget21 Webservice pane.
    7. Verify that Phidget Webservice is enabled.
    8. Assign an arbitrary Server ID, e.g. Danny’s SBC, My Phidget Host, etc.
    9. Click “Start” to launch the Webservice if it is not already running.

    Define Probes in Roastmaster

    After configuring the network host, it’s time to define the probes you want to use in Roastmaster. This process is only performed once. After the probes are defined, they will be available for the life of the app on your device.

    If you have not yet purchased the Data Logging option, you can purchase it by navigating to Probes, and tapping “Probe Store” in the bottom toolbar.

    1. Navigate to “Probes” in Roastmaster.
    2. Tap “+” to create a new probe.
    3. Choose Phidgets Temperature Sensing.
    4. Locate the Serial number of the Temperature Sensor.
      • Standard Computer Host: Navigate to the “Phidgets” tab of the “Phidget Control Panel” application. The Serial # column will show the serial number of any attached Temperature Sensors
      • SBC Host: Navigate to the Phidgets > Status pane. The Serial Number column will show the serial number of any attached temperature sensors.
    5. Enter the Temperature Sensor Serial number in the “Serial” field of the probe definition.
    6. Choose the “Port” that your thermocouple will be attached to on the Temperature Sensor
    7. Choose the correct Alloy Type: K or J
    8. Name the probe
    9. Tap Save

    Verify Connection

    After entering a valid Serial Number and Port, Roastmaster should display a green “Linked” status, as well as the current temperature of the probe.

    If you see “Unlinked” displayed in red, and have followed all of these steps, it’s very likely that a firewall somewhere on your network (either on the host or the router itself) is blocking the Network Server traffic. Please visit Troubleshooting Phidgets for a list of common connection problems and possible solutions.

    Begin Using Your Probe!

    Once your probe definition has been created, and displays a linked status, all that’s left to do in the future is to link the probe to reading curves in roasts to report temperatures and log data.

    1. In “Roasts”, tap the “+” button to create a new roast.
    2. Tap the curve button, and choose “Create New Curve”
    3. Set the curve type to “Reading”
    4. Tap the “Bind To” field to bind the curve to your new probe definition.
    5. Save the curve

    In the roast console, you can select your curve by tapping the console graph. Roastmaster will display live temperature readings as they change on the probe. After you start the roast, Roastmaster will log these temperatures at the interval defined in the curve for the duration of the roast.

    Have a look at some of our screencasts, particularly those in the “Roasting with Roastmaster” series, for instructions on how to leverage curves and profiles with Data Logging to create effortless workflows with vital Reference Curves for targeting, and Data Curves for logging new data.

  • Getting Started With Data Logging

    Getting Started With Data Logging

    What will I need to get started?

    First, you’ll need to verify that your roaster has a thermocouple that can safely be used for external data logging. Factory installed thermocouples are usually integrated into the function or safety features of the machine itself. Since thermocouple leads are hard to be safely split or spliced without affecting the voltage, and consequently altering the probe reading, it is often necessary to add a separate thermocouple for data logging, or replace the factory probe with a dual-tip thermocouple of the same type.

    Obtain the Data Logging Hardware

    Since iOS does not yet truly support USB, you will need a wireless hardware solution for sending temperatures wirelessly to Roastmaster.

    See the list of supported hardware devices.

    Entitlement

    Next, you’ll need to purchase the Data Logging option in Roastmaster. Navigate to the Probes list of the Utilities screen to launch the Probe Store.

  • What is Data Logging?

    What is Data Logging?

    Freedom from Manual Data Entry

    Roastmaster gives you the freedom to create any number of Curves in a roast. Reading curves store temperatures, while Control curves store machine settings, such as air flow, gas pressure or heat. Curves are graphed in both the Roast Console and the Roast Analyzer.

    Without the Data Logging option and hardware, you must enter values manually during a roast by selecting the appropriate curve, then tapping the digital readout to enter a value. The value you enter will be recorded in the curve at the appropriate time in the roast.

    Hands-free Roasting

    The Data Logging option removes the burden of manual data entry for temperature Reading curves. With the appropriate hardware, you simply create Probe definitions in Roastmaster that link to physical thermocouples inserted in your roaster.

    Once these probes are defined, you simply link them to your Reading curves in a roast. When a Reading curve is bound to a Probe, the roasting console and analyzer will report the probe’s exact temperature in real time, and automatically record temperatures in the curve throughout the duration of the roast.

    In order to use data logging, you will need the following:

    • A roaster that can be safely modified to accept a thermocouple
    • One of the supported probe hardware configurations (see Supported Probes)
    • The Roastmaster Data Logging option

    Creating Reading Curves in a Roast

    1. In a new roast, tap the curve button near the roast gauge, and choose “Create New Curve”
    2. Set the curve type to “Reading”
    3. Tap the “Bind To” field, and choose the appropriate probe
    4. Tap save

    Back in the roast console, tap the graph to select the appropriate curve. Roastmaster will display its real-time temperature as it changes. Once the roast has begun, Roastmaster will store this temperature data to your curve for the duration of the roast.

    If you’re using multiple probes, you can tap the graph to toggle the selected curve to monitor different probe temperatures at different times in the roast, or launch the Roast Analyzer and enable the Roast HUD and Labels features to monitor the temps of all curves simultaneously.

    When the roast is complete, you can tap the actions button in the roast console toolbar, and choose “Create Profile from this Roast”. The curves you enable in “Reference Curves” will be saved with the new profile for targeting curves. The curves you enable in “Data Curves” will become curve templates that will spawn new, blank curves in each roast that uses this profile–already bound to your probe, and ready for logging new data.

  • Introducing the ThermoTooth 3000!

    Introducing the ThermoTooth 3000!

    Here it is – what I’ve affectionately dubbed the ThermoTooth 3000 – a fully wireless, dual channel, K style thermocouple prototype. She had her first successful Bluetooth session with my Mac tonight, and even with her limited code, she’s quite a smart gal! Over a simple wireless serial connection via terminal, I am able to select which thermocouple to monitor, and trigger individual Celsius or Fahrenheit readings, or both. No special drivers – just a Bluetooth serial connection.

    For the geeks like me, she’s built on an Arduino Uno prototyping controller board. Stacked on top of that is an XBee shield, providing the networking connectivity beyond the basic USB already present on the UNO. The XBee shield currently houses a Seeed Studio Bluetooth Bee, which provides the Bluetooth connection layer. The two K-style thermocouples connect to the Uno via two Max6675 chips, each providing cold-junction compensation and digital conversion of the thermocouple voltages for its independent channel. The sheer amount of electronics here is definitely overkill – I’m sure the cumulative brains of this could drive a car, but that’s how prototyping works.

    First off – it’s not meant for live production. I built it in the hopes I could pair it with an iOS device, and negotiate a wireless serial connection via Bluetooth. I know the device functions well, but the external connectivity of iOS itself still holds unknowns for me. The XBee shield offers the advantage of being able to swap a regular wireless network interface for the Bluetooth module in case the Bluetooth method is unsuccessful.

    Hopefully, a more permanent solution is on the way. I’ve been contacted by a manufacturer who is currently developing a Bluetooth thermocouple they plan to bring to market this fall. Naturally, this is great news for a lot of us looking for automated readings. They have not discussed the expected price, but the product itself sounds great! The manufacturer has agreed to sending me a prototype for evaluation once the release date gets closer, but in the mean time – I needed something to develop with now.

    This is why I built the TT3000. The majority of the code involved to implement thermocouple support will likely be designing the Roastmaster interfaces and its internal data structures, and setting up the communications framework to be used between roasting curves and wireless devices in general. The Bluetooth serial protocol has seemed quite easy to work with while prototyping the TT3000, so I’m hoping that this venture will be successful, and that adding support for the new product (as well as any others that may crop up), will be fairly easy to add ONCE I get support for wireless thermocouples in general built into Roastmaster.

    I’ll post back here with updates as development progresses. This isn’t at the absolute top of my development list – there are several feature requests/tweaks I want to finish up first, but I plan to be working on this until I find a workable solution.

    As always – if you have any input – please let me know.

    Cheers, Danny