Marvelmind Robotics 4680038530654 Indoor Navigation System Super-Beacon v6.2 Instruction Manual

: June 6, 2024
: Marvelmind Robotics

Table of Contents

Marvelmind Robotics 4680038530654 Indoor Navigation System Super-Beacon
Executive summary
Super-Beacon
Setting up the system (NIA)
References
Read User Manual Online (PDF format)
Download This Manual (PDF format)

v6.2

Executive summary

Marvelmind Indoor Navigation System is an off-the-shelf indoor navigation system, designed to provide precise (±2cm) location data to autonomous robots, vehicles (AGV), and copters. It can also be used to track moving objects via mobile beacons attached to them. Other applications include, for example, forklifts, virtual reality (VR) systems, helmets for construction workers or miners, etc.
The navigation system consists of a network of stationary ultrasonic beacons interconnected via radio interface in a license-free band, one or more mobile beacons installed on objects to be tracked and a modem providing a gateway to the system from PC or other computers.
A mobile beacon’s location is calculated based on a propagation delay of ultrasonic pulses (Time-Of-Flight or TOF) between stationary and mobile beacons using a trilateration algorithm.
The system can build the map of stationary beacons automatically (For Non- Inverse Architecture). In simple cases, no additional manual data input or any manual distance measurements are required. This map formed once can be frozen and stored in the modem’s memory and the system becomes fully active within 7 to 10 seconds after the modem is powered.

Fig. 1: Example of starter set based on Super-beacons

Minimum configuration requirements (Non-Inverse Architecture) to ensure optimal performance of the Marvelmind Indoor Navigation System:

For 3D (X, Y, Z) tracking: an unobstructed line of sight (hearing) between a mobile beacon and 3 or more stationary beacons within 30 meters
For 2D (X, Y) tracking – an unobstructed line of sight (hearing) between a mobile beacon and 2 or more stationary beacons within 30 meters

Super-Beacon

The Super-Beacon is a dual-use beacon – it can both receive and transmit ultrasonic pulses. The Super-Beacon Beacon can be used in both the Non-Inverse Architecture (NIA) and the Inverse Architecture (IA): Architecture comparison. Supports license-free 915MHz ISM band (US/Japan).
Key features:

The Super-Beacon has a separate receiving part with a single wide-beam microphone and sharp DSP filters (like Mini-RX or Industrial-RX has). Thus, it is more sensitive, than Beacon HW v4.9, more resistant to external noise, and easier to setup, because you do not have to care about turning on and off ultrasonic sensors to optimize coverage vs. sensitivity
The Super-Beacon can receive any ultrasonic frequency from the bands: 19kHz, 25kHz, 31kHz, 37kHz, 45kHz. The filter can be simply selected in the Dashboard. At the same time, the ultrasonic frequency of Beacon HW v4.9 is HW-defined by ultrasonic sensors and can’t be changed
The Super-Beacon has several-times improved battery lifetime in TX mode as compared with Beacon HW v4.9
The Super-Beacon can work with regular Beacons HW v4.9 and Mini-RX and Industrial-RX in any combination as a part of a Starter Set or as a part of navigation systems. In all cases, beacons shall use the same radio band
Demo video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cIA2Gc5KaQI

Setting up the system (NIA)

Starter Set Super-NIA-3D

The steps below describe the very first time you set up of the system. Super- beacons and modem required.

Unpack the system. Look at a similar unpacking video of HW v4.9. The videos have certain differences but the basic are the same: https://youtu.be/sOce7B2_6Sk
Charge all the beacons using USB cable. Full charging takes about 1-2 hours
Turn the beacons on: Place DIP switches as shown on the picture below
Download SW Pack
Update all the beacons (HEX programming):
- Run the Dashboard and update the SW for all beacons and modem using Dashboard => Firmware => Choose the file => Program
- If you see the message “Not found modem connection to computer through USB” in the Dashboard or your PC does not recognize beacons/modem, it usually means that the STM32 driver is not installed. To install the driver, download it with link at top window in the Dashboard and run the installation file, then click on the link under and install the driver
  Ensure that:
- You are programming the modem’s SW to the modem and the beacon’s SW to the beacon
- You are using SW for Super-beacon, if you have Super-beacon; and you have the SW from the same SW pack, i. e., the Dashboard SW, modem SW, and beacon SW must be from the same SW pack. Don’t mix SW releases

If SW flashed SUCESSUFLY, MOVE DIRECTLY TO 4.1.10. If you have some problems with HEX programming, use DFU programming:
DFU programming or SW uploading is used when HEX SW uploading in the Dashboard cannot be used. For example, when you are updating from a very old SW version or when the SW includes major changes to the system and the only possible way to update the SW is via DFU programmin

After the DFU SW upgrade, future SW upgrades can be done in a regular manner via the Dashboard
To start programming, move the beacon’s DIP switch to the DFU programming mode, as described in the paragraph on DIP switch modes
Download the latest SW package, unzip it, and select the proper version of the SW for your HW and for your frequency variant. Remember that for DFU programming, you should use DFU SW (DfuSe), not Dashboard’s .hex file
Download DfuSe
Here you will find different versions of DfuSe. v3.0.4 or v3.0.5, whichever works the best for your Windows: DfuSe v3.0.4 or DfuSe v.3.0.

DFU Programming:

Put DIP switch into Power = ON, DFU = ON
Connect the beacon via USB to your PC
Run DfuSe
Press the RESET button on your beacon
In the upper left corner of the DfuSe program, you will see a device connected in the DFU mode
Choose the DFU driver (file) for the beacon
Click the UPGRADE button
After a couple of seconds, the DFU will be uploaded to the beacon. Make sure it takes 1–3 seconds and does not happen instantly. Otherwise, the SW has not been uploaded correctly. If the DFU appears to upload immediately, check the “Choose” button you used or change the version of DfuSe SW you selected
Move the DIP switch into Power = ON, DFU = OFF
Start the Dashboard and press the RESET button on the beacon
Check SW on the beacon afterwards
Everything should be OK with SW now. DFU programming is complete

Follow the same scenario for the modem:

Here is the link for the modem DFU programming. The steps are similar to those for beacon DFU programming
After uploading DFU driver by DfuSe short circuit pins as shown on the picture (for v5.1) and press Reset button
Modem will go to DFU mode. Press UPGRADE button in the DfuSe program
After a couple of seconds, the DFU will be uploaded to the modem. Make sure it takes 1-3 seconds and does not happen immediately. Otherwise, the SW has not been uploaded correctly. If the DFU appears to upload immediately, check the “Choose” button you used or change the version of DfuSe SW to a different one
Disconnect the short circuit
Start the Dashboard and press RESET button
If you experience difficulties in DFU programming, please try the following:
Use a different computer with a different version of Windows or another operating system
Install a different DfuSe version (whichever works best with your Windows)

If you have uploaded the latest firmware for all the boards, you can start to activate the system:

While the beacon or modem is connected to the Dashboard, click the DEFAULT button on the Dashboard to upload the default settings
4.1.11 Write down the beacon’s address for future use or change the address at your convenience as shown here
Press the RESET button on your beacons and modem after programming
After programming devices with the latest software, the modem and beacons are ready for use
Place the stationary beacons high on the walls vertically in a way that will provide optimal ultrasonic coverage. Write down the beacon’s height for future change in the settings. The help video on installation can be found here – https://youtu.be/WY0HkLzmjys
Connect the modem/router via USB to a Windows PC with the Dashboard installed
Run the Dashboard. In the left corner of the Dashboard, the modem should be shown as connected
Wake up all beacons by selecting them on the Dashboard panel
4.1.18 It may take up to 7-10 seconds for the beacons to wake up
Notice, that if the modem is not active and is not powered, the beacons will go into sleep mode automatically after 1 minute
The system may run the frequency search, if it is the very first time you are waking up the beacons. If this step does not work, disconnect the modem and connect that beacon again via USB. Press the DEFAULT button in the Dashboard and the Read All button to make sure that the radio settings are the default ones
Check that the radio settings on the modem and the radio settings on the beacon are the same
Now you can check RSSI, voltage, ultrasonic filter settings, etc. on the panel on the right corner of the Dashboard
Enter the height of stationary beacons. Choose beacon in the list and enter height value
Enter the height for mobile beacon if you use 2D mode
In the current version one modem supports 250 beacons (mobile + stationary combined). If you do not see some of your connected beacons on the map, you may need to scroll to find their addresses
Double click on the device both to put it into sleep mode and to wake it up
The map will form and zoom in automatically
If the map does not form well, check the table of distances in the left corner of the Dashboard. The cells must be colored in white; it means the distances between stationary beacons are measured correctly
If you see in the table some empty cells or marked yellow/red, it is an indication that distances between Some beacons are measured inconsistently or not measured at all. Try to re-position them because usually there is an obstruction of some sort in between the beacons. If you have any problems – check Table of distances chapter
Make a service zone, clicking on the map with Shift+Left Mouse Button. See the Submaps chapter for more details
Freeze the map by clicking the button. Stationary beacons will stop measuring relative distances and will be ready to measure the distance from the mobile beacon(s)
Turn on and wake up the mobile beacon following the same steps as with the stationary beacon. More details in our video: https://youtu.be/A4aRsjH2-_E
If you see on the devices’ panel in the Dashboard that the beacon is colored orange, it means there are some differences in some of the settings between beacons. For example, some sensors may be off or some ultrasonic or radio settings may be different. You can change the settings for sensors manually by clicking on the panel on the upper right corner of the Dashboard to change the cells from gray to green to turn on sensor. It is recommended that the default settings on all beacons and the modem are used if this is your first time using the system.
After you freeze the map of stationary beacons, wake up the mobile beacon. After it wakes up, it will be traceable within 5-7 seconds.
The system is now fully operational.
In the dashboard, you can upload a picture / map of your room. You can use a different picture for every floor. Go to Loading the floorplan (Help video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NHUnCtJIYXc)