Datasheet

User Interface

The user interface consists of four main parts: an electroluminescent display (ELD), a keypad, LED indicators, and a system reset switch. The proposed ELD is a Planar EL.320.240.36-HB unit, which is accompanied by a driver chip and an external 64-kilobyte RAM chip. There are no output lines from the EL display to any other subsystems. The display, in racing mode, will show engine RPM, acceleration time, and transmission engaged gear on one display screen. A twelve-digit keypad will provide input to the microcontroller to allow the user to enter the desired speed to which acceleration time will be computed. LED indicators will be implemented as an alternative to the full EL display unit and could be mounted on various locations on the car. This series of six LEDs will display which transmission gear is engaged. One possibility is to mount the LEDs in the driver's helmet, but the ultimate goal is to have a lightweight alternative to the ELD. The final part of the user interface is the system reset switch which will simply return the system to its default settings.

Numerical Specifications

The following are detailed specifications of the display unit:

Size (WxHxD): 5.83 x 4.12 x 0.8 [in]
Active Display Area: 4.53 x 3.40 [in] or 320 x 240 [pixels]
Operating Temperature: -40 to 185 [°F]
Shock: 100 [g], 6 [ms]
Vibration: 5 to 500 [Hz]
Operating Voltage: 8 to 18 [VDC]
Power Consumption: 2.0 [W] @ 60 [Hz]
Driver Chip: Epson SED1335 LCD Driver
Other Features: Anti-glare Conformal Coating


The proposed keypad unit has the following specifications:

Size (WxHxD): 2.99 x 3.74 x 0.1 [in]
Contact Bounce: below 10 [ms]
Operating Temperature: -22 to 140 [°F]
Actuation Force: 300 [g]


Demo Criteria

Verification of correct system operation in its final state will be demonstrated with the use of the SAE Formula Car. The display should show engine RPM as the car is accelerated, acceleration time of the car to a user defined speed, and gear engaged as the driver shifts. Prior to final implementation, test programs could be written to simulate the car's operation to observe system operation. Also, a function generator could be used to simulate the car's engine speed.