Bike Rack Availability Tracking System
Project Proposal
Jason Pao
Jason Wang
Samuel Luo
ECE 445
TA: Iain Brearton
September 16, 2015
Table of Contents
1.0 Introduction
1.1 Statement of Purpose
1.2 Objectives
1.2.1 Goals & Benefits
1.2.2 Functions & Features
2.0 Design
2.1 Block Diagram
2.2 Block Descriptions
2.2.1 Signaling
2.2.2 Processing
2.2.3 Execution
2.2.4 Power Supply
2.2.5 User Interface (UI)
3.0 Requirements and Verification
3.1 Requirements and Verification Table
3.2 Tolerance Analysis
4.0 Cost and Schedule
4.1 Cost Analysis
4.1.1 Labor
4.1.2 Parts
4.1.3 Grand Total
4.2 Schedule
1.0
Introduction
1.1
Statement of Purpose
Due to large number of bikers on our campus, we want to ease the difficulty of finding an open
spot to lock one’s bike. This project also has potential to expand outside of the campus since it
has the ability to impact bikers everywhere. As for its initial development, we will focus on the
bike racks around ECEB. This app is also how the users will lock and unlock their bikes. The
system will be in the form of a smart lock, similar to the design of the U-lock. The locks will be
an attachment to the bike racks. We also want to include a smartphone app that allows users to
check for availability. Overall, this will make finding parking for bikes more convenient for
bikers everywhere.
1.2
Objectives
1.2.1 Goals & Benefits:



More convenient way to find bike parking
Increased safety of bikes due to U-locks generally being a safer lock
Users do not have to own a lock
1.2.2 Functions & Features:




System includes software in form of app to allow easy access of information
Software will show where racks have availability
Bike lock can automatically lock/unlock with signal from phone through NFC chip
Mounts on bike racks as attachment
2.0
Design
2.1
Block Diagram
Black lines indicate signals, and red lines indicate power.
2.2
Block Descriptions
2.2.1 Signaling
The signaling module’s purpose is to allow a user’s key input to be received by the lock and
signal that the lock should be unlocked or locked. It will consist of two NFC chips, one that
receives the user’s input signal and another that alerts the lock to begin unlocking or locking
itself.
2.2.1.1 NFC Chip (Bar)
This chip will receive a user signal from a smart-phone NFC chip that will alert the lock
that it has been activated by a user.
2.2.1.2 NFC Chip (U)
This chip will receive a signal from the bar’s NFC chip and will tell the power source that
more power needs to be distributed into the lock for the execution module and activate the
microcontroller.
2.2.2 Processing
The processing module consists of the microcontroller, which receives signals from the NFC
Chip. After processing the signal and evaluating states of the other modules, it will allow the
power source to power the motor.
2.2.2.1 Microcontroller
The microcontroller will be programmed to interpret the NFC chip data and alert the
power source that it will need to distribute more power into the lock to activate the motor.
2.2.3 Execution
The execution module just consists of the motor and it will physically lock or unlock the lock.
2.2.3.1 Motor
The motor’s purpose is to rotate the mechanical portion of the lock, which will ultimately
lock the bike if it were previously unlocked and unlock the bike if it were previously locked.
This will receive power from the power source and is ultimately controlled by the
microcontroller.
2.2.4 Power Supply
The power supply module supplies power to the motor and microcontroller.
2.2.2.1 Power Source
The power source’s purpose is to power the lock and keep the power consumption of the
lock low so that it can sit on a bike rack permanently without needing to replace the battery very
often.
2.2.5 User Interface (UI)
The UI module’s purpose is to allow users to determine which bike racks are available. This will
consist of LEDs that show which racks are available as well as a software component that will
show the user which racks are available through a smart-phone application.
3.0
Requirements and Verification
3.1
Requirements and Verification Table
Part
NFC Chips
Requirement
a) Receive and transmit data that
is within 3in. +/- 0.2in. Receivers
should not receive data from
irrelevant sources, such as
neighboring locks.
Microcontrollers a) Output a low signal when there
is no information received from
the NFC chip. The signal should
be below 1V
b) Output a high signal when the
NFC chip is activated. The signal
should be above 10V
Power Source
3.2
a) Power supply must be able to
supply at least 10V +/- 0.5V with
a minimum of 1A +/- 0.25A.
Verification
a) Hold transmitting chip from both a
smartphone NFC chip and the bar NFC
chip within 3in +/- 0.2in of receiver.
Data should be properly transmitted and
received.
a) Program the microcontroller to output
a low signal. Place a digital multimeter
in parallel to the microcontroller output
to verify that the output voltage is less
than 1V.
b) Program the microcontroller to output
a high signal. Place a digital multimeter
in parallel to the microcontroller to
verify that the output voltage is greater
than 10V.
a) Place a digital multimeter in parallel
with the power source. Measure the
voltage across the power source. The
voltage must read 10V +/- 0.5V.
b) Place a digital multimeter in series
with the power source. Measure the
current difference from the power
source. The current must read 1A +/0.25A.
Tolerance Analysis
Critical Component: NFC Chip
The NFC chip is a very critical component and is essential to our system. The NFC chip must be
able to receive a signal from a smartphone but it must also be far enough apart from other locks
so that the locks don’t interfere with each other.
Bike racks at ECEB have spaces that are about 2 feet apart. NFC chips typically require a
distance of up to 3 inches to detect a signal. We want to place our NFC chip within 6 inches of
the bike rack so that at max range, a phone will be at most 9 inches away from a bike rack,
leaving a total of 24 inches – 9 inches = 15 inches away from the bike rack, ensuring that the
phone will not interfere with other bike locks.
4.0
Cost and Schedule
4.1
Cost Analysis
4.1.1 Labor
Name
Hourly
Rate
Jason Pao
Jason Wang
Samuel Luo
Total
$35.00
$35.00
$35.00
-
Total
Total =
Hours
Hourly Rate * 2.5 *
Invested Total Hours Invested
200
$17,500.00
200
$17,500.00
200
$17,500.00
$52,500.00
4.1.2 Parts
Item
Quantity Cost
Microcontroller
1
$25
NFC Chip
2
$5
Pack of 12V batteries
2
$10
Resistors
5
$2
Battery Housing
1
$5
26-Gauge Wire
1
$8
Physical Lock Material
1
$50
Pack of LEDs
2
$2
Motor
1
$20
Total
$127
4.1.3 Grand Total
Section
Total
Labor
$52,500.00
Parts
$127.00
Grand Total $52,627.00
4.2
Schedule
Week
9/14 – 9/20
9/21 – 9/27
9/28 – 10/4
10/5 – 10/11
10/12 – 10/18
10/19 – 10/25
10/26 – 11/1
11/2 – 11/8
11/9 – 11/15
11/16 – 11/22
11/23 – 11/29
11/30 – 12/6
12/7 – 12/10
Tasks
Finalize Proposal
Prepare mock design review
Research and design NFC chips
Research and select power sources
Research and select microcontroller
Finish Eagle Assignment
Prepare design review
Purchase parts and start implementation of NFC chip
Research and start frontend of smartphone app
Finish Laboratory Safety Training
Program microcontroller
Research backend and networking for phone app
Run test on power source
Start designing 3D printing of lock
Finish Soldering Assignment
Assemble power source for NFC chip
Finish assembling of NFC chip
Continue designing 3D printing of lock
Run test on microcontroller/lock interaction
Run test on NFC chip and microcontroller
Run test on NFC chip interactions
Run 3D printing of lock and create prototypes
Assemble power source for microcontroller
Finish frontend for phone app
Prepare mock presentation
Finish Individual Progress Reports
Finish backend and networking for phone app
Run tests on output of microcontroller
Prepare mock demonstration
Put together all components
Run tests for app and start testing final project
Ensure functionality of hardware and software
Fix any remaining issues and start presentation
Prepare presentation
Prepare demonstration
Prepare final paper
Finalize demonstration
Finalize presentation
Lab checkout and final paper
Jason W.
Jason P./Samuel
Samuel
Jason P.
Jason W.
Everyone
Jason W.
Samuel
Jason W./Jason P.
Everyone
Jason W./Jason P.
Samuel
Jason P.
Everyone
Jason W.
Samuel
Jason P.
Jason W.
Jason P.
Samuel
Jason P.
Jason W./Jason P.
Samuel
Everyone
Jason W./Jason P.
Samuel/Jason P.
Everyone
Jason W./Samuel
Jason P.
Jason W./Jason P.
Samuel
Jason W.
Samuel/Jason P.
Jason W.
Samuel/Jason P.
Jason W.
Samuel/Jason P.