To facilitate the control of the controller, I programmed an interface that works on a computer hooked to Windows. The main window is at the top. I will explain all the functionalities of the program. Don’t worry, it’s very easy to use. This is the link of the installer (version 1.0.0.16).
First of all, the main display :
As you can see, there’s not much on the display when you run the program. We have access to the menus that I will explain later on.
We can choose the port to which the Bluetooth receiver will be connected.
The button ‘‘Connect’’ allows you to disconnect and reconnect the module to be accessed from another device; like a computer or an Android application.
The button ‘‘Clear text’’ allows you to remove the text on the display.
The textbox that the controller returns to the program.
The adjustment for the duration of the filtration.
The main button to start and stop the filtration.
The Air quality.
If you hover the mouse over the text ‘‘Air Quality’’, it will change to display the actual air quality. If you click on the text ‘‘Air Quality’’, a reading of the air quality will be taken every second. Click on it again and the readings will stop. It’s preferable not to leave the readings on; especially if you have a second filter in your shop because the return signal is the one that controls your second controller and it will not be functionning very well if it is receiving data all the time. The same thing happens in test mode; but only for the second module.
Then there’s the state of the connection; the green ‘‘Connected’’ button or the red ‘‘Disconnected’’ button.
And finally the verson of the ‘‘firmware’’ of the module.
The main display is minimalist. The rest of the adjustments are made with the menus. Here’s the first one : Parameters.
Â
The option to sychcronize the clock module with your computer’s clock. The only thing to do is to select the menu ‘‘Set Time’’ and your module changes to the same time as your computer’s.
To verify, simply select ‘‘Return time’’ and you will see the time of your clock module in the textbox. If you don’t have the clock module, the time will always be displayed as 00:00:00. The same choices are available for the date.
If you select ‘‘Actual version’’, the module will display the version number.
There’s also the state of the clock. As you can see here, I don’t have a clock module on my test board.
Next, the ‘‘Air Quality’’ menu. With the cursor, you can change the threshold of the air quality that will start the automatic filtration.
Here you can adjust the speed of the small fan that moves the air around the dust detector. Again, moving the cursor changes the speed.
The ‘‘Period of filtration’’ sets the default period of the filtration, if you have not installed a potentiometer and have chosen to use this default instead of the potentiometer adjustment.
The other parameter is the ‘‘Automatic Filtering Period’’. It’s the default period for the length of the filtration that starts at the time fixed by the other choice which is the next choice in the menu ‘‘Start Time of Automatic Filtration’’.
These adjustments will be ineffective if the controller doesn’t have a clock module.
The debug menu serves different purposes; but mainly to debug and adjust several commands that rarely need to be adjusted if not only once.
The first choice is the ‘‘Test Mode’’. In this mode, the user receives additional information that the controller sends to the display. In this mode, the second controller is not functional.
The number of ‘‘Seconds in a minute’’ is a cursor that you can adjust from 1 to 60. The default is set to 60. The only reason you want to change this value is if you want to test something and don’t want to wait a full minute to see the change in the system. For example, setting it to 2 seconds, means that there are 2 seconds in a minute. If you set an automatic filtration of 15 minutes, it will filter for 2 X 15 which means 30 seconds.
Then there’s the ‘‘Reset’’. If you select this menu, the program sends a command to the controller to Reset.
The function ‘‘Position of the Potentiometer’’ returns the value of the duration adjusted by the potentiometer in minutes.
The next choice is a checkbox to select your choice for the ‘‘Potentiometer Activation’’ to select the time duration. You can select between the RF remote or the default value in the parameters menu.
The ‘‘Dust Sensor Calibration’’. If you have a dust sensor, it must be calibrated. To calibrate it, you must clean it with air and put it in a place where the air is clean. You launch the ‘‘Dust Sensor Calibration’’. The sensor takes several readings and selects the lowest one as its zero reference.
The last choice in the menu is another checkbox that allows you to activate the verification of the RF receiver. I had to add this option because I had several problems with temporary interference. When an RF receiving problem happens, it is possible to deactivate the RF code verification directly in the controller.
The next menu is strictly for the updates of the controller. When I make a new update of the firmware, I upload it to my website. The controller’s program automatically verifies the version that is on my website and if the number of the version is higher than its own, you will have the choice to update it or not.
If you want to update it, a new display will open and will ask if you want the update in English or French.
If you are not interested and you don’t want to be bothered with automatic updates, the second line is for you. By checking this checkbox, no verification will be made when you launch the program. You will still have the number of the last version that you can compare with your own version which is displayed at the bottom on the right side of the display. With these two numbers, you will be allowed to make your choice of updates. You can update your version in English or French or the other available version that is saved in the flash memory of the microcontroller that controls the controller. Be aware that you will lose all the modifications that you made and the values will revert to the default settings.
You will also have the choice to make an update from the files that are in your computer. Of course, these files must come from my website.
 And finally, the ‘‘About’’ menu. It indicates the number of the version and the language selection. When you launch the program, a verification for an update is done, and, if an update is available on my website, the program will inform you immediately before starting the program.
I also have a version for an Android App. It’s simplified and has fewer options but it’s more practical to use in the workshop for the day-to-day operation.
