BLOG.APPLIEDLOGICENG.COM

Another new patent

Kelly's Blog — Wed, 25 Jan 2012 03:52:40 GMT

I've just received notice that my sixth U.S. Patent has just been issued. It is U.S. Patent Number 8,099,187 and is entitled "Securely processing and tracking consumable supplies and consumable material".

This patent is based on some work I did back at HID Global, a company that specializes in credential management. Part of the work I did there revolved around the printing and encoding of plastic ID cards that included embedded RFID tags. One of the problems encountered by the users of these types of systems is the secure management of the credential during the process of printing and encoding. The team I was part of designed a software / hardware management system that provides complete security of the process by identifying the state of the credential being processed, the user executing the process, and the disposition of the final credential.

In addition to the technological innovation resulting in this patent, the system we designed solved a real-world problem for HID's customers.

Concert Window streams with ALE technology

Kelly's Blog — Thu, 17 Nov 2011 01:37:06 GMT

We've been collaborating with a company named Concert Window on a very interesting application that uses some of our camera control technology.

Concert Window is a live streaming concert network partnered with top-notch venues around the United States, including Club Passim in Boston, MA; (Le) Poisson Rouge in New York, NY; The Freight & Salvage Coffeehouse in Berkeley, CA; The Berklee Performance Center in Boston, MA; and more.

For music fans it's only $3 to watch each show or $8.99 for unlimited monthly access.

Dan Gurney, President of Concert Window, commented, "In an era of plummeting music sales and rampant digital piracy, we believe that the music industry must leverage the power of live concerts more than ever before. So, we help musicians and venues by streaming their performances, advertising their music and merchandise, and sharing two-thirds of subscription and pay-per-view proceeds with them".

Applied Logic is proud to support Concert Window on this exciting new venture.

More information is available at www.concertwindow.com.

Helping tell the story of the USS Essex

Kelly's Blog — Sun, 06 Nov 2011 22:51:59 GMT

I attended the annual Gales Of November conference in Duluth, MN yesterday, which is a day-long celebration of the maritime history of the North Shore area.

My friends Ann Merriman and Chris Olson of Maritime Heritage Minnesota gave a great talk on the USS Essex, which is wrecked just outside the Duluth harbor. The Essex is significant because it is Minnesota's only U.S. Naval shipwreck -- Chris and Ann have been working on documenting the wreck and recommending various ways to preserve it for the future.

We were happy to contribute many of the digital images that were shown in MHM's presentation. We were able to get on the wreck on a couple of different occasions, taking both still and video images that helped document the current state of the wreck for MHM's analysis.

MHM is a non-profit that could always use donations to continue their work. They have several different projects going on, including the Essex work, documenting steamboat shipwrecks in the upper Mississippi River, and investigating wrecks in Lake Minnetonka from the early 1900's. Take a look at their site and donate.

World's most complete LANC control software

Kelly's Blog — Tue, 30 Aug 2011 01:37:36 GMT

Applied Logic Engineering, Inc. has announced the world's most complete Sony LANC control software for the PC. When combined with one of ALE's LANC controller products, this software allows for the remote control and monitoring of Sony and Canon camcoders, recorders, and other LANC-compatible devices.

This program allows the user to control the following camera / recorder functions:

          * Zoom In (fast, med, slow)                                    * Play
             * Zoom Out (fast, med, slow)                                 * Record
             * Manual / Auto Focus                                             * Rewind
             * Focus In                                                                  * Fast Forward
             * Focus Out                                                                * Stop
             * Manual / Auto White Balance                              * Snapshot to tape/disk
             * Manual White Balance Set                                  * Snapshot to Memory Stick
             * Power Up from sleep mode                                * Video / Photo Mode
             * Power camera off                                                  * Display on/off
             * Picture Profile                                                        * Shutter
             * Gain                                                                         * Iris
             * White Balance Presets (A,B)                               * Menu on/off
             * Menu cursor (up,down,left,right)                         * Menu Select

The software runs on any PC equipped with Windows Vista or Windows 7.

For more information and to order, see http://www.appliedlogiceng.com/index_files/Page1047.htm.

Applied Logic announces new Zigbee adapter

Kelly's Blog — Thu, 07 Jul 2011 01:49:13 GMT

Applied Logic announced today that they have a new adapter that allows you to add 802.15.4 (Zigbee) compliant wireless communication to your PC. Zigbee is a wireless communication scheme that allows for the creation of local mesh networks for communication between PCs and/or other devices. As an example, you can add an adapter to a pair of PCs to create a wireless connection over serial communications.

Key features include:

Fully 802.15.4 compliant
Uses the Digi Xbee module
No external power required
4 LEDs indicating operation —
- Power
- Signal Strength
- Transmit Data
- Receive Data
Establishes a virtual COM port on the PC — no special software DLL required
Drivers available for Windows, Mac, and Linux
Includes USB cable

Check http://www.appliedlogiceng.com/index_files/Page1049.htm for more information and to order

Applied Logic announces LANC-controlled camera mount

Kelly's Blog — Thu, 10 Feb 2011 01:39:00 GMT

Applied Logic announced today that they have entered into a distribution agreement with Eagletron Inc. for their Power-Pod LANC camera mount system.

The PowerPod-LANC is a compact motorized base that pans and tilts a camcorder under your computer's control. In addition, the PowerPod-LANC includes technology to control optical zoom and focus via the LANC connector found on most Sony camcorders.

The PowerPod-LANC connects to your PC via a USB connection and provides a simple (but powerful) software application for camera movement and control.

With this product addition to our current offering, Applied Logic has become the most comprehensive supplier of Sony / Canon LANC control products for system designers and developers.

Check out http://www.appliedlogiceng.com/index_files/Page1175.htm for more information on this new product.

New LANC Control Software

Kelly's Blog — Tue, 07 Dec 2010 03:08:00 GMT

Applied Logic Engineering (www.appliedlogiceng.com) has just released a new version of our Sony / Canon LANC control software. This Windows application, when combined with one of our LANC controller boards, allows a user to remotely control the functionality of a camcorder and/or camera directly from a PC.

This new version (v2.2) adds the following capabilities:

    * Support for our new ALE710 / ALE711 controllers in addition to our ALE702 and ALE708 controllers
    * Automatic COM port finder -- detects the correct COM port that is connected to the controller board
    * Improved smooth continuous Zoom In / Zoom Out functions
    * New function button -- Video/Photo Mode

This new functionality is built on top of a full function camera and recorder feature set. You can get more details here -- http://www.appliedlogiceng.com/index_files/Page1389.htm.

NICTA's Automap project using ALE technology

Kelly's Blog — Fri, 26 Nov 2010 02:59:00 GMT

We've been in contact with NICTA in Australia on an interesting project. They have developed a low cost system for performing video surveys of roads and road assets that uses Applied Logic's USB to LANC adapters to control the cameras.

The system consists of 2 Sony handcam’s, one mounted on the front windscreen, and a second mounted on the rear windscreen. Via our LANC adaptors, they use a small computer running linux (which looks like a mobile phone) to control the cameras. The software on the phone controls when the camera are recording etc. via the LANC adaptor

NICTA's project is designed to aid in automatically constructing maps of road traffic assets (particularly signs) from digital video, which their customers use to construct and update the maps that go inside a TomTom or Navman GPS navigator. The volume of video available for processing was constrained by the cost of the survey grade capture vehicles and systems that they were previously using. By building a capture system out of consumer grade equipment, it will be much more economical to capture video.

This is a great application of our LANC controller technology.

New dual camera (3D) LANC controller announced

Kelly's Blog — Mon, 15 Nov 2010 02:12:00 GMT

Applied Logic has just announced a new embedded controller for Sony and Canon camcorders that can control up to two cameras simultaneously. One of the exciting uses for this type of product is its application in 3D (stereoscopic) recording where two cameras are used and both cameras must be synchronized for successful recording. This controller determines the necessary camera information regarding acceptable recording sync, which is displayed on the on-board LEDs for a visual indicator to the end user..

This controller works in two ways -- it has 9 on-board buttons that are preprogrammed to control the following camera functions simultaneously in both cameras:

    * Zoom In                            * Zoom Out
    * Focus Auto/Manual        * Focus In
    * Focus Out                        * Photo Capture
    * Record Start/Stop           * Power On
    * Power Off

In addition, this controller contains a USB connector which can be used to connect the board to a PC so that both cameras can optionally be controlled from a PC. Our ALE704 LANC Controller software has been expanded to provide dual camera control for this new controller.

This controller is available for single camera or dual camera control. Check out http://www.appliedlogiceng.com/index_files/Page567.htm for details and for ordering information.

Improve your Beta Testing

Kelly's Blog — Fri, 11 Jun 2010 02:03:00 GMT

I've written a new article discussing the concept of Beta Testing. It is available over on the Applied Logic web site (http://www.appliedlogiceng.com/index_files/Page1483.htm).

A lot of organizations that I have worked for in the past struggle with software beta testing. Everyone generally agrees that it is a good idea, but few companies really understand what it is, how to construct a successful test, and how to use the information obtained to have a positive impact on the product.

Give it a read and let me know what you think. Does it mesh with your experience?

Applied Logic announces new USB to Sony LANC adapter

Kelly's Blog — Mon, 17 May 2010 00:37:00 GMT

Applied Logic Engineering, Inc. (www.appliedlogiceng.com) has just announced a new interface adapter that can be used to connect a personal computer directly to your LANC-equipped Sony or Canon camcorder to remotely control all major camera and recorder functions remotely from your PC.

Our other LANC controller (ALE702 Sony Remote Controller) is a great choice for applications where there is a long distance (hundreds of feet) between the PC and the camera being controlled. However, most PCs these days do not have built-in serial ports, so either you would need to install a serial port in the PC or use a USB-to-serial port adapter, which makes things more complicated and more costly.

The new USB to LANC Interface Adaptor allows the user to simply plug into any USB port on the PC and connect directly to the camera to be controlled. No other hardware is required. In addition, no special software driver is needed on the PC (as long as you are using either Windows Vista or Windows 7) as the USB Interface Adapter is fully Plug-and-Play compatible and instantiates as a virtual Com port on the PC. This allows for easy software interfacing for all LANC commands through simple commands via the serial port. You can even use terminal emulation software to send LANC commands to the camera.

This interface adapter is based on Elm Electronics ELM 624 chip and is compatible with any software written for it. Our ALE704 SONY LANC Control software works with both of our LANC controller products, including this new interface controller.

You can get more information on the ALE708 USB to LANC Interface Adapter here -- http://www.appliedlogiceng.com/index_files/Page1485.htm.

Sony LANC Adaptor Cable Now Available

Kelly's Blog — Fri, 02 Apr 2010 02:09:00 GMT

Applied Logic has just added a new product to our current Sony LANC offering -- an adaptor cable that allows a user to convert the standard 2.5mm plug connector to the new Sony 10-pin D-shaped connector that is now available on new Sony camcorders.

Just plug your existing equipment cable into the 2.5mm plug socket and insert the other end into the camcorder's 10-pin A/V connector jack.

This cable allows LANC equipment (including our LANC Controller board) to be used with all new Sony equipment that has the 10-pin connector. This cable is also equipped with the necessary resistor on the 10-pin connector that activates LANC mode when plugged into the camera.

You can order this cable directly from http://www.appliedlogiceng.com/index_files/Page499.htm

New Sony LANC Remote Commander

Kelly's Blog — Wed, 25 Nov 2009 02:30:00 GMT

            Applied Logic LANC Controller                                                        Applied Logic Remote Commander

Applied Logic has just released a new embedded controller product -- the Applied Logic Remote Commander. Typically, our LANC Controller is connected to a PC and controlled by our LANC software package.  The Remote Controller can replace the PC/software -- when these two boards are connected together via a serial cable, the Remote Commander can deliver commands to the LANC Controller to remotely control the camera's functionality.

Commands are sent by pressing buttons on the Remote Commander. We pre-program this board with the following commands:

        * Zoom out, Zoom In, Focus Auto/Man, Focus In, Focus Out, Photo Capture
        * Stop, Rewind, FF, Play, Pause, Power Up

There are an additional 6 buttons that can be programmed for any other Sony LANC command.

Check it out at www.appliedlogiceng.com

Another ROV project

Kelly's Blog — Tue, 24 Nov 2009 03:04:00 GMT

We've been working with Patricia Terry, a ROV Technician with the Pacific States Marine Fisheries Commission/Department of Fish and Game on modifications to their underwater ROV -- similar to the project we helped NOAA with, the PSMFC is modifying their ROV to include a Sony Handycam HDR-XR500V camcoder on board the ROV. They are using our LANC controller board and associated software to control the operation of their camera via their topside operations. They want to use this setup to capture still photos while the ROV is operating underwater.

Our technology is a perfect fit for this application -- with our LANC Controller, we can control all camera and recorder functions remotely, either via our controller software that runs on a PC or via our new ALE706 remote commander, which sends commands to our LANC controller by the press of a button.

New patent issued

Kelly's Blog — Mon, 23 Nov 2009 00:59:00 GMT

I'm happy to announce that I've received notice that my fifth U.S. Patent has just been issued. It is U.S. Patent Number 7,620,815 and is entitled "Credential production using a secured consumable supply".

This patent is based on some work I did back at Fargo Electronics (which was acquired by HID Global) -- Fargo was a designer and developer of plastic ID card printers and we had a need to securely control how particular cards were to be issued at the end user's location. We used an RFID tag on the printable ribbon substrate that could be encoded during the production process with a unique ID code. This digital code would then be read by the end user's printer when the ribbon was inserted into the printer. The code on the ribbon cartridge would then need to match the same code that had been installed in the printer before the printing process would be enabled.

I'm proud to be part of the team that developed this technology for Fargo.

New Article - Avoiding Bad Embedded System Designs

Kelly's Blog — Sun, 22 Nov 2009 18:52:00 GMT

I've written a new article that has been posted on the Applied Logic web site.

Being involved in embedded system design for over 28 years, I've seen some common errors that inexperienced designers and developers frequently make when implementing their product designs. I've captured seven problems that seem to occur the most frequently. Give it a read and see if you agree.

The article can be found here -- http://www.appliedlogiceng.com/index_files/Page1094.htm

Agile software development in a staged gate environment

Kelly's Blog — Mon, 02 Nov 2009 00:48:00 GMT

While I've never been considered an Agile zealot (and I know a few), I do agree with the basic tenets of Agile software development. When I was first involved in developing software more than 25 years ago, the Waterfall (WF) Method was pretty much the only game in town. The WF Method requires that all requirements be defined prior to doing design, then the design must be completed before development can begin, development must complete before testing can begin, and so on to the end of the project. In hindsight, pretty much a horrible way to develop software effectively.

The advent of Agile methodologies stressed four basic ideas:

1) Individuals and interactions over processes and tools.
2) Working software over comprehensive documentation.
3) Customer collaboration over contract negotiation.
4) Responding to change over following a plan.

It's outside the scope of this blog to go into the details of an Agile project, but if you've done software development, you can probably appreciate the fact that these principles lead to more effective results as compared to Waterfall development.

In the last two organizations I've worked in, large multi-faceted projects that include hardware development, product marketing, manufacturing, as well as software development are typically managed using a Stage Gate (SG) process, which shares many similar characteristics to the old Waterfall process -- first, the project is scoped, then a business case is built, then development ensues, then testing, followed by deployment. Each stage ends with a "gate" review, where the deliverables from the stage are reviewed and approved.

So the dilemma is this -- how does the software development team conduct their development using Agile practice while conforming to the larger SG process being used to manage the overall project?

The answer is in properly integrating Agile practice in context with the various stages of the Stage Gate process. I have been successful in implementing such a practice with software teams working inside of larger cross functional projects and have had great success in delivering software products in this complex environment.

If your team is facing this challenge, give us a call at Applied Logic. We'd be happy to show you how our methods can work for you and deliver results within your Stage Gate environment.

NOAA ROV Part 2

Kelly's Blog — Fri, 30 Oct 2009 01:00:00 GMT

We've just heard from Michael Carter at NOAA's Cordell Bank facility in California. They've recently used our LANC controller board embedded in their underwater ROV. My previous blog post shows the ROV they are using.

The controller is used to manage a Canon HD camera in the ROV from the surface support ship. Our Windows LANC software was used to remotely control the camera functions in the ROV. The camera is used to record underwater images (both video and stills).

On this particular cruise, NOAA was removing marine debris from the bottom near Monterey. Michael was kind enough to send along a few photos:

When I asked Michael how our controller and software worked on their cruise -- his answer was "perfectly".

That's what we like to hear!

Applied Logic controller used in NOAA ROV

Kelly's Blog — Mon, 31 Aug 2009 01:36:00 GMT

We've been working with NOAA's Cordell Bank National Marine Sanctuary on some enhancements to their underwater Remotely Operated Vehicle (ROV). Essentially they are customizing their Deep Ocean Engineering's Phantom HD2+2 ROV with our SONY LANC controller and software to be able to collect video and video stills topside on a remote PC. Our controller is mounted inside the ROV to provide control of the camera's functions, such as zoom, focus, and recording/snapshot functions.

This is a great application for our controller product and related software and we're happy to have been able to help provide technology solutions in this exciting area!

Yes, Sony LANC is still around

Kelly's Blog — Thu, 09 Jul 2009 01:25:00 GMT

I've had a few people ask me why there is no Sony LANC jack on the newest Sony camcorders...well, it is there -- just in a different form.

For those of you that don't know, LANC is Sony's protocol for remote control of most camera and recorder functionality. On camcorders prior to 2008, Sony had a separate LANC jack on most cameras, using a 2.5mm jack.

All new Sony Camcorders now have a 10pin multi-AV remote terminal jack (A/V R) that looks like this --

In addition to the LANC functions, this jack also contains video and audio outputs.

Applied Logic (www.appliedlogiceng.com) does have adapter cables available to convert the old style 2.5mm jack to the newer style 10-pin multi-pin connector. Contact us for more details.