4.3.4. Data sampling Now that each of the relevant embedded communication protocols have been described and broken down, we will jump back to understanding how the microcontroller handles grabbing all of the required data from all of our sensors. As previously stated we have to receive data through analog, I2C, and SPI ports and has to worry about storing the data. The microcontroller is set up to iterate through a particular process to grab data from each sensor. It has been thoroughly discussed and thought out whether to strategically read sensors one before the other or just poll in any random order. Although there is no apparent benefit from doing one method over the other for a matter of timing, we decided to stick with sampling data from the sensors in a strict order because we still have to focus on consistently storing the data in the exact same order time after time to avoid misreading flight data later. The proposed data sampling process is shown in the following Table 6. Step Sensor #1 Sensor #2 Sensor #3 Sensor #4 1 Force #1 Force #2 Force #3 Force #4 2 Force #5 Force #6 Force #7 Force #8 3 Force #9 Force #10 Force #11 Force #12 4 Force #13 Force #14 Force #15 Force #16 5 Force #17 Force #18 Force #19 Force #20 6 Force #21 Force #22 Force #23 Force #24 7 Force #25 Force #26 Force #27 Force #28 8 Force #29 Force #30 - - Differential 9 Humidity Angle #1 Angle #2 Pressure Barometric 10 - - - Pressure 11 Temperature - - - 12 Gyroscope - - - 13 Accelerometer - - - Table : Data Retrieval Order The data shown in the table above shows the ideal approach to grabbing all of the data from the sensors. As stated under the analog data retrieval section, our microcontroller allows for simultaneous recordings of analog devices with all values output into 10 bits. Thanks to that feature, we are able to reduce the sampling process from 38 individual steps, into 13 short and simple measurements. Although measurements can be coupled, the conversions still have to be done sequentially, meaning sample time is saved, but processor time is still used one by one. Another important thing to notice is that another sample cannot be taken until all conversions have been complete to make the converter becomes available for use. Following equation for Microchip’s
4.3.4. Data sampling Now that each of the relevant embedded communication protocols have been described and broken down, we will jump back to understanding how the microcontroller handles grabbing all of the required data from all of our sensors. As previously stated we have to receive data through analog, I2C, and SPI ports and has to worry about storing the data. The microcontroller is set up to iterate through a particular process to grab data from each sensor. It has been thoroughly discussed and thought out whether to strategically read sensors one before the other or just poll in any random order. Although there is no apparent benefit from doing one method over the other for a matter of timing, we decided to stick with sampling data from the sensors in a strict order because we still have to focus on consistently storing the data in the exact same order time after time to avoid misreading flight data later. The proposed data sampling process is shown in the following Table 6. Step Sensor #1 Sensor #2 Sensor #3 Sensor #4 1 Force #1 Force #2 Force #3 Force #4 2 Force #5 Force #6 Force #7 Force #8 3 Force #9 Force #10 Force #11 Force #12 4 Force #13 Force #14 Force #15 Force #16 5 Force #17 Force #18 Force #19 Force #20 6 Force #21 Force #22 Force #23 Force #24 7 Force #25 Force #26 Force #27 Force #28 8 Force #29 Force #30 - - 9 Differential Pressure Humidity Angle #1 Angle #2 10 Barometric Pressure - - - 11 Temperature - - - 12 Gyroscope - - - 13 Accelerometer - - - Table : Data Retrieval Order The data shown in the table above shows the ideal approach to grabbing all of the data from the sensors. As stated under the analog data retrieval section, our microcontroller allows for simultaneous recordings of analog devices with all values output into 10 bits. Thanks to that feature, we are able to reduce the sampling process from 38 individual steps, into 13 short and simple measurements. Although measurements can be coupled, the conversions still have to be done sequentially, meaning sample time is saved, but processor time is still used one by one. Another important thing to notice is that another sample cannot be taken until all conversions have been complete to make the converter becomes available for use. Following Microchip’s equation for