playbook controlling a PLC?

**thegarageguy** · 07-26-2011, 09:45 AM

I have a project in mind that would use a playbook to control a PLC. The playbook mounted on the dash of a custom car would be the control center. No guages or switches visible only a playbook in the center of the dash and perhaps a separate small HD monitor for the speedometer and tachometer in front of the driver. The PLC would be the interface to the rest of the car. Pipe dream or possible?

**mjs416** · 07-26-2011, 09:53 AM

With coding and an interface it would totally be possible given the hardware of the playbook. Especially since the PB wouldnt be doing anything other than uploading and downloading. The work of PLC execution is done in the PLC.

**peter9477** · 07-26-2011, 09:53 AM

Totally possible. You'd like want to wait for USB OTG (host mode) support with some sort of serial drivers or an Ethernet interface, depending on what interfaces your PLC would support. When either of those will be available is still an open question, but I'm pretty sure they'd be ready well before you'd really have a need for them... this isn't a one-week project.

**lnichols** · 07-26-2011, 10:00 AM

Look at the Playbook QNX Cop car. They are somehow using a Bluetooth gateway of some sort in the vehicle to talk to a lot of electronics in the car. I've been toying with the idea of making a dash with a Playbook for my 1990 Electra Glide to modernize it. It would require some A/D converters and programming of the dash parts. QNX website also has some dash apps already written so go there too.

**Shao128** · 07-26-2011, 10:54 AM

Originally Posted by lnichols

Look at the Playbook QNX Cop car. They are somehow using a Bluetooth gateway of some sort in the vehicle to talk to a lot of electronics in the car. I've been toying with the idea of making a dash with a Playbook for my 1990 Electra Glide to modernize it. It would require some A/D converters and programming of the dash parts. QNX website also has some dash apps already written so go there too.

The way the cop car work is that it send a network command out which is pushed to a BlackBerry phone which then is connected via bluetooth to the control module in the trunk. So the PlayBook doesnt connect to the car directly.

To the OP, if you are serious about the project you might try getting in contact with Tim Neil (he works for RIM) and he's building this: Building the BatBerry He's doing integration to the car with the PlayBook.

Im not really comfortable posting any contact info for him publicly but you could try reaching him through the site.

**lnichols** · 07-26-2011, 12:36 PM

Originally Posted by Shao128

The way the cop car work is that it send a network command out which is pushed to a BlackBerry phone which then is connected via bluetooth to the control module in the trunk. So the PlayBook doesnt connect to the car directly.

Ok. Any reason you know of why the Playbook couldn't connect to the control module via bluetooth directly?

**blackjack93117** · 07-26-2011, 01:10 PM

Just so there's no mistake.... Programmable Logic Controller?

Would love to find a canned device with the PlayBook side driver app to make controlling stuff (not only cars) a piece of cake - please keep this updated.

**Shao128** · 07-26-2011, 01:41 PM

Originally Posted by lnichols

Ok. Any reason you know of why the Playbook couldn't connect to the control module via bluetooth directly?

RIM hasn't opened up any bluetooth APIs to developers so they did it that way instead. But it also gives them the ability to control the car from their phone as well.

**lnichols** · 07-26-2011, 01:55 PM

Originally Posted by Shao128

RIM hasn't opened up any bluetooth APIs to developers so they did it that way instead. But it also gives them the ability to control the car from their phone as well.

Ah ok. I was doing some searching and found this:

Roving Networks | Bluetooth Wireless | Products

Looks like a straighforward A/D converter that communicates with Bluetooth. Maybe once they open the API's I'll have to dust off cobwebs from when I graduated and see if I can make my idea work.

**peter9477** · 08-02-2011, 11:25 AM

Originally Posted by lnichols

Looks like a straighforward A/D converter that communicates with Bluetooth. Maybe once they open the API's I'll have to dust off cobwebs from when I graduated and see if I can make my idea work.

There are lots of products like A/D converters that can talk TCP (or other IP), so if you were willing to put a wifi access point in your car (or wherever this might be) you could definitely have the PB controlling and monitoring all kinds of stuff that way.