How Do We Connect a Passive Infrared Sensor to a Computer via USB Port?

So, we are linking a sensor to a computer via USB, using a female USB connector and male USB wires. The sensors are connected to a circuit. A sensor has 3 pins, vcc, ground, output signal. I would need to combine all of these 3 signals, probably using a micro controller or an OR gate. The sensor is a Passive infrared sensor, with 2 jumper modes, to fire only once every X time while their is movement. and to fire constantly which there is movement. http://www.parallax.com/tabid/768/productid/83/default.aspx (Not actual project)If I would want the signals to be processed by the computer to output " I sense someone" when ever a sensor fires, what would I need to do? Questions to answer are: -How would the computer understand the signal from the usb? Using a device driver? or something else(please specify). -Based on a normal Passive infrared sensor, the high output signal is only around 3.3v and a gate needs a minimum of 3.5v to identify that it is high, what is your thoughts on this? -How can a program say in C language call the class of a driver that processes the input of the USB? -I read that the usb can burnout if you are careless about the energy you input on it, so what is this healthy energy( Vcc , Amps) range? ( and how do I achieve this?) There are 3 other persons in our group to build this project and we are like lost lambs at the moment . We are majoring in I.T. Thank you for your time.

Thesille,

Looking at the PIR part, that is not going to be able to communicate directly via USB. If you've looked into USB, it actually has this funky yet interesting way of communicating not by high or low but by when the two communication leads switch polarity. So, the input from the PIR will need to be directed somewhere else or translation before getting sent to the computer. Depending on your comfort level, it could be a basic microcontroller with USB capability (from Microchip, or Motorola, or Parallax, or wherever...) or one of the increasingly popular Arduino boards. Arduino's, I've heard, are extremely easy to setup and use and are programmed in a C like language. I recommend browsing through Sparkfun.com to see what would fit your needs.

The rest of your questions are not really applicable if you're properly processing the info before passing it to the computer. Also, if you are capable of using RS-232 instead of USB, the initial setup seems to be easier. Unless you're using a board designed for USB communication.

Hope this help! - Josh

Ready to use projects:

Small:
http://translate.googleusercontent.com/transl...ex.htm&usg=ALkJrhgx-W0Izn4mRW8S1DWVqNfar6NyiQ

Universal:
http://translate.google.com.ua/translate?sl=r...tf=1&u=http://msevm.com/2009/02/igorplug2.htm

HI THESILLE

If you go to this page here you will see a schematic plus pcb for the FTDI chip you can interface directly through this


Part one tells you how to make the printed circuit board

Part 2 tell you how to set up the PC for receiving on USB it includes all the files for you the drivers for you an uncomplicated method of how to and finally even a software that I wrote to show you how to test the unit by activating various control lines on the FTDI chip

I think this must have taken me about a week to do for some of you

Here is the link for you Just shows you just how many people even bother look at projects people have posted and spent time on so as to show some of you what you could be doing

I often wonder why we even try sometimes , You can understand why teachers are sick to death of spending hours and hours putting up lectures , doing their level best to provide decent material so you can learn for just these questions

The number of interesting articles people have written many of them there are and not one person has even bothered to share views , comment or even taken the time to even look apart form one ir two decent members of this forum

That’s what we mean by taking an initiative reading , and making some decisions doing some thinking god help us yourselves and why so many of us are infuriated with the attitudes that we get


http://www.eeweb.com/project/mark_harrington/usb-to-rs232-convertor

Just glancing at the front page of this site tonight low and behold there is an article on the latest PIC micro devices which incorporate USB on board modules

Also If you read up on other technologies you will see rasperry7 pi and further down the line this also incorporates what ?? Answer ...... Yes ....... Correct Ethernet port meaning

Vonderbar Correct.... End of meter man calling at houses flats etc

Said this would come did I not So there you go One java application if you want java.net packages One raspberry pi One Ethernet connection and One on board USB or serial interface ready to write software for but it wasn’t worth paying for college fees was it Transco ?? “Alias British Gas “ Just like the man landing on the moon hmmm ?? Always bloody last as usual

The country that never ever listens and does not invest when we say "Its round the corner best train some people up " That by the way doesn’t apply to the companies that do invest they’ve been let down terribly by who …. Correct Banks , Governments and Yes you guessed correctly there too certain US companies “Normal trade war “

http://www.eeweb.com/company-news/microchip/low-cost-usb-starter-kit/ On te front page no less

And theres your other link

http://issuu.com/eeweb/docs/pulse_volume_96/24?mode=window&proSidebarEnabled=true

"the input from the PIR will need to be directed somewhere else or translation before getting sent to the computer" - does this mean that we will not be needing USB connection anymore?

- if we will be using Arduino board/s do you have any idea what kind of Arduino we need? and how will the connection be from the board to the computer?

*thanks for your help

thanks Mark! We'll take that into consideration

Good you don’t know how I’m pleased to hear that!! Now perhaps we can start some co operation between companies so that we don’t have to put up with Prize berks or MP's pointing their fingers at the public when they are unemployed, with no training schemes etc perhaps we can also ask that companies start to provide schematics when we ask without all this carry on if that’s possible I know that’s extremely difficult for some of them particularly when we have this constant stupidity with regards obtaining the correct information parts etc before importing into the UK and elsewhere

But at least you’ve started to acknowledge this problem which is one step in the right direction Now perhaps we can also get them to pay on time when requested to do so then some of us can place investment instead of trying to deliberately put people out of business

Keeps the pressure up I’m busy collecting as much information as I can at the moment with a view to taking a few of them to court for loss of earnings amongst other factors before we wind up with a repetition of violence which we wouldn’t want to happen now would we hmmm and then I can pass that message on and request that we approach this amicably

When I need the USBUART bridge, my choice is CP2102:
http://www.silabs.com/Support%20Documents/TechnicalDocs/CP2102-9.pdf
Lower cost, small size, easy configurable.

It depends on your requirements. If you still need to send the info to the computer, then your microcontroller will need to transfer that over, whether it be via USB or RS-232. As some of the other gentlemen have noted, there are several ways this can be done.

As to the Arduino's, alas, I have no firsthand experience with them, but I do anticipate that there is at least one type that is specifically designed to easily communicate with a computer via USB. And the PIR is such a simple interface, that should not be a limiting factor in your choice of Arduino.

No problem, good luck!

All that I have used have usb communication and it is very easy to get going

Hello everyone!
I have already finished building the prototype of this project.
Major function of the project is a power saving electronic billboard which turns on when sensors are triggered and turns off the screen otherwise, this also handles record logs.
There are three PIR sensors, output signals are merged through an OR gate, then connected to an Arduino Board for serial processing. The ATMega328(a programmable microcontroller) which is embedded on the board handles the continuous firing of signals from the sensors. It then passes the signals, whether it be high or low, on a specified time interval(delay) to a PC connected via male-to-male USB connection.
I have coded an application software which will be able to handle serial communication, video call and play, and screen control using C# prog language. The program initially turns off the screen and will wait for a triggered event from the sensors. Upon trigger, the screen turns on and an advertisement will be played (with or without audio). The advertisement is set to play for 30seconds (usual advertisement time length). While playing, the program will not accept serial input from the sensors, meaning, whether the sensors detect motion or not, the program will finish the playing of that advertisement. After finishing the video, the program then checks if the sensors are triggered. If yes, play the next ad; else, turn off screen and wait for another trigger.

I have tested it with a watt meter on how much watts it consumes with that of an electronic billboard which continuously plays advertisements.
So.. all in all, this project is a success! thanks to all of you who gave us ideas on the methodology for this

God Bless

-Thesille

Read usb complete everything you want to know about usb
http://picvietnam.com/download/Tutorial/USB_Complete_3rdEdition.pdf