SerReg is a small home controller intended to turn your personal computer ( PC ) into a process control / data collection system. With the appropriate sensors SerReg can monitor physical variables such as pressure, temperature, light intensity, weight, movement etc, process the information and then use the result to control up to three physical devices such as motors, heaters, sirens, lights or other appliances around the home, office, laboratory or factory . You can program your appliances to operate automatically in conjunction with your weekly and daily schedule, manualy turn them on/off from your PC or use SerReg as a process ON/OFF controller to regulate some kind of physical variable ( process variable - PV ) to the desired value ( setpoint - SP ).
Main Window
The SerReg software includes two applications - Interface application and Analog Configuration Tool. The interface application is designed to provide a friendly and flexible interface to the controller. The main window of the interface application is shown below ( fig. 1 ). Analog Configuration Tool is a utility that helps to configurate the analog inputs. It will be described in detail later in Analog Configuration topic.
Overview of the main window controls:
Black display - the current analog value ( PV )
Red LED - the output relay is turned on
Green LED - the output relay is turned off
Combo box - the number of the comunication port ( RS232 ) COM 1 to 8
The name of the channel - user can change it from the configuration dialog
Yelloy LED - blinks when the microcontroller sends data
Start button - turns the output relay on
Stop button - turns the output relay off
Auto On Channel 1 ( 2, 3 ) - when checked, activates the automatic mode
Configuration button - opens the configuration dialog ( fig.3 )
When the main window is minimized, it goes to the tray bar.
Additional analog displays
Main Window
The SerReg software includes two applications - Interface application and Analog Configuration Tool. The interface application is designed to provide a friendly and flexible interface to the controller. The main window of the interface application is shown below ( fig. 1 ). Analog Configuration Tool is a utility that helps to configurate the analog inputs. It will be described in detail later in Analog Configuration topic.
Fig 1. Main Window
Overview of the main window controls:
Black display - the current analog value ( PV )
Red LED - the output relay is turned on
Green LED - the output relay is turned off
Combo box - the number of the comunication port ( RS232 ) COM 1 to 8
The name of the channel - user can change it from the configuration dialog
Yelloy LED - blinks when the microcontroller sends data
Start button - turns the output relay on
Stop button - turns the output relay off
Auto On Channel 1 ( 2, 3 ) - when checked, activates the automatic mode
Configuration button - opens the configuration dialog ( fig.3 )
Additional analog displays
fig.2 Alphanumeric Displays
The current analog value ( PV ) of every channel can be shown on the desktop as an alphanumeric display ( fig. 2 ).This is convenient when the main window is minimised.To enable this feature select Show Value On Desktop checkbox in the configuration dialog box ( fig. 3 ) of the corresponding channel.You can change the position of this dislplay on the desktop by clicking and holding the left mouse button ( the cursor will change to a cross-hair ).Also when you double-click it, a configuration dialog box is opened. This dialog box allows to adjust settings such as font typeface, font size or colors when the output relay is turn on or off.
