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Project Opensource Icc - Hardware, Software


MrBean

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  • Member For: 17y 10m 22d
  • Location: Melbourne

Hello Guys,

Ok, firstly, I know Turbocorty is busy with something to eventually replace at least some of the HVAC/ICC functions via a propietary custom interface. So, good luck to him, and looking forward to any input Corts may want to provide, or ideas to share.

See TurboCorty's thread here

Ok, first things first - I expect this to take off slowly, but with more guys jumping onboard as it progresses. We will attempt to license this as open source GPL, meaning that anybody can take this ideas, improve, and market it as his own, but, you cannot prevent anyone else doing the same to your product too.

The aim with this is to develope something relatively low-cost, once complete, it can be rolled out as a complete product, and sold with very low profit margins - we will utilize the individual skills to develope this, and make it available to everyone so they could DYI if they so like - no protected firmwares, all sourcecodes, and schematics to be available publically.

Project Definition

ICC

This portion should be fairly simple, with minimum work/effort required.

1) Retain ICC housing to retrofit carputer components - I have all the hardware and software for this scoped, no need to worry about this.

2) Utilize carputer to handle telephone, satnav - Centrafuse frontend works very well, and for those who wants free FE, you can use RoadRunner or anything you prefer.

3) Soundsource can be the Carputer, so no need for a seperate radio - you can provide your own AMP.

HVAC

This is where most/all developement focus will be needed

1) We need to create a microcontroller, whether it be Atmel/PIC-based, to emulate the current ICC on the CAN-Bus network.

2) On igniton-on, module needs to be available to rest of car network to do required handshaking.

3) We need to decide to either do HVAC-controls via carputer interface, utilizing touchscreen and a frontend plugin, or seperate standalone interface, similar to what Turbocorty was considering.

4) We need to cater for both Manual HVAC- and Dualzone ICCs.

5) Wrt point 1, we need to integrate HVAC controls to the HIM into this controller, or simply code for WinXP to propagate correct commands via USB into the CANbus emulator/gateway.

6) We need all the request/reply codes for module->module handshaking, as well as control-codes to HIM (hvac control on airbox)

Miscellaneous

1) We need to cater for the buttons on the ICC, ie door-locks, traction-control on dualzone, door-lamp.

2) If we can find a good source we could go as far to injection-mold new ICC fascia, retaining stock airvents, and integrating a nice 15" transflective LCD in "portrait" mode. To do this, we need someone decently skilled in Autocad to draft as a new ICC fascia, retaining all existing mountingpoints, with new front only.

Additional Info

I would like your feedback on this, and if there's interest, we can start. This being "opensource", progress will depend on member-input.

We would need Coders for FrontEnd plugin, as well as Microcoders to do CAN-bus comms for the PIC/Atmel AVR.

Someone with "decent" contact at Ford so we can potentially inject-mold new Fascia - or at least being able to contact Ford's supplier....

I have disassebled my original Manual HVAC, and started tracing points and tracks on the PCBs - at this point it would be very simple to retain just the electronics of the original ICC, and the housing - removing the original CD-stacker mechanicals will allow enough space for a mini-itx or 3.5" carputer setup, so this idea is viable.

I will proceed to fit the carputer components to the ICC housing. Carputer is based upon Commell LV-677 motherboard, which have 2 mini-pci slots, in which I have fitted a mini-pci GPS and WiFi respectively. Nice, small, and very powerful based on Core 2 Duo Merom processor, 2 gigs ram etc. Can handle anything we throw at it.

Feedback appreciated.

Lets see if we can get this one going, guys. I will invite Luke Plaizier from FordMods over and see if he would share his vast knowledge and assist with this - would be great.

Br,

Beanie.

Edited by MrBean
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  • Member For: 15y 7m 14d
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I'd definitely be interested and input whatever knowledge I can share.

As for the facia being produced and remodeled and eventually perhaps taking on a production "sorta" line, I could have a word with my uncle, he works in the industry, and is pretty shmick with fabrication etc etc, and works in a plastics molding company.

To keep it even easier, I could take apart one, retain as many mounting points as standard so it slides back in like the stocker does, and using molding create resin/fibreglass facia's... It's as tough as nails the resin I can get my hands on (bowling balls are made out of it).

Beanie,

Will this system be touch screen? - I know I have encountered a lot of problems with Windows and certain touch screens, where it seems to freeze and you need a mouse to restart it so the touch screen works again... or it can take about 5 to 10 minutes for it to finally start to input again...

Would Linux be a better option for stability and the open source side? Drivers and everything else as you would know are readily available, same as finding programs to do what we would like from this system, and it is definitely not as resource hungry even again.

Does the ICC only control the inside stuff on the car? Such as the lights, heater, and satnav etc? I was scared to tamper with mine thinking it also took care of some engine management stuff too? - I have read in the forum when people have a problem with their ICC things in the tacho don't work...

Thanks Beanie,

And I'm definitely interested in this, sounds fantastic and a solution to everyones problems

Steve

Edited by glimmerman
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  • Member For: 17y 10m 22d
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lolol @ Grudgee and MS700 - one would swear we are redesigning the ICC.....oh wait, we are :)

@ Glimmerman: Would be good if you can chat to your Uncle - I have a good feeling intial costs to tool would be from $1k to $3k, but if we have a 10-20 unit run costs would be probably close $150 for a new fascia, looking dead-OEM. Fantastic. Wrt the touchscreen, if you use a good quality LCD, with 5-wire resistive touchpanel and USB controller, you should be good - I have never had issues with good quality touchscreens.

For the guys that's keen, I can even do a kit based on the components I will be using, it will do a very good job in this application. The plan is to retain all existing functionality, and maybe we can even at a later stage integrate the steering-controls via a FusionBrain into the carputer.

Anyway, I have completely stripped the spare manual ICC I had lying about. Good news, or semi-good news:

Mini-ITX motherboards are 17cmx17cm, and this case is wide enough, but short by 2mm's ....bloody hell. Well, we could probably get away with it, and I can do some checks, as I have a Commell LV-677 mini-itx board.

Better still, I also have a fully equipped 3.5" Commell LS-372, which is 14.6cmx10cm - more than ample space for this motherboard - and,don't mistake it's size - I have a 2gig Merom core 2 duo, 2gigs ram, 7200rpm drive on it, and it has one mini-pci slot with a WiFi card in it.

Pity about the GPS now, as I have to use USB or serial - this board even hads RS-232 and RS485 ports.....nice.....I will start fitting the LS-372 tonight, and post some pics hopefully tomorrow. a Quick observation - by utilizing the original ICC enclosure, we can even fit a Panasonic slimline slotload DVD drive, and connect to the carputer - a nice bonus - case will be big enough.

Their should be enough space for the small little circuit we need to talk to the CAN-Bus too, so, all-in-all, you won't know there's a carputer inside if you weren't told.

Jeesh, I am so looking forward to tackling this, and at least I can make a good start with fitting carputer - I always assumed that the ICC is going to be problematic to mod - well, at least from an aesthetics viewpoint, we are one up on a lot of other cars.

Will keep you posted.

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  • Member For: 15y 7m 14d
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  • Location: Penrith, NSW, OZtralia

OMGOMGOMGOMG *squeels like excited school girl* lol

Sounds fantastic Bean... so does this mean that we can throw out the big metal box in the back of the facia? The one that the factory cd drive is apart of? But retain all other functions on the centre console such as interior light, door locks etc? Or what does it mean will be gone?

Regards,

Steve

Edited by glimmerman
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  • Member For: 17y 10m 22d
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Hello Steve,

We would need to retain the buttons on the fascia, and this will be done via the CANbus micro.

We will also retain the big metal box behind the fascia.....but, the internals will be replaced by our carputer, and we will also internally mount a slimline slotload DVD drive - this means you can pop in a DVD through the std slot in the front, and watch whatever you like. So, in a way, we will be making best use of the existing real-estate - by getting rid of the radio buttons on the front, but retaining the HVAC's, should allow us to fit a nice 9.2" screen, and still keeping the center airvents too.....

Nice, hey?

Will fit the carputer in the metal box tomorrow, and see if I can also mount the DVD rom.

Check back later for pics.

Br,

Phillip

Edited by MrBean
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