Posts

Updating inVIRONMENT

This blog post will cover the steps to update the software on our inVIRONMENT Vintage Air Gen-IV Interface Controller.

Before you get too far, 99.99% of our customers will never need to update inVIRONMENT in the field.  This blog post is intended to have this documented for the 0.01% of them that will.  The only reason why you’d need to update inVIRONMENT would be if you are converting a legacy system to a newer version.  In the overwhelming majority of cases, you can stop reading here.  You need to do nothing with the code on your inVIRONMENT unless explicitly directed by one of our technical support engineers.  

You also would not be updating inVIRONMENT without updating the MASTERCELL and other cells in your system.  This blog post is going to assume that you have already installed the software to run the inCODE programmer and you have followed the steps to set that up.

NOTE: DO NOT PLUG THE inCODE CONNECTOR INTO THE inVIRONMENT PROGRAMMING HEADER UNTIL AFTER YOU HAVE SET THE PROGRAMMING JUMPERS IN STEP 6.  DOING DO WILL DAMAGE THE inVIRONMENT PROCESSOR AND WILL VOID THE WARRANTY.  

Here are the steps.

  1. Save the inVIRONMENT HEX file to the desktop of your computer.  This would be in the email sent to you from Infinitybox technical support.
  2. Disconnect the battery.
  3. Remove all connectors from the inVIRONMENT module and take inVIRONMENT out of the car.
  4. Remove the 4 screws from the back of inVIRONMENT and take off the cover.
  5. Identify the Programming Header Connector and the Programming Jumpers.  This picture will show you where they are on the inVIRONMENT board.

    Picture of the Infinitybox inVIRONMENT Board Showing the Programming Header and Programming Jumpers

    Picture of the Infinitybox inVIRONMENT Board Showing the Programming Header and Programming Jumpers

  6. Move the two Programming Jumpers from the RUN position to the PROG position.  The PROG position puts the two jumpers on the pins closest to the Programming Header.  You can use a pair of needle-nose pliers or a pair of tweezers to remove these jumpers and move them to the PROG position.  FAILURE TO DO THIS STEP WILL DAMAGE THE inVIRONMENT PROCESSOR AND WILL VOID THE WARRANTY.  This picture will show you the jumpers in the PROG position.

    Picture of the Infinitybox inVIRONMENT Board Showing the Board Set for Programming

    Picture of the Infinitybox inVIRONMENT Board Showing the Board Set for Programming

  7. Plug the inCODE connector into the Programming Header on the inVIRONMENT board.
  8. Launch the inCODE Program PIC software.
  9. Click on the BROWSE button in the Program PIC software and select the HEX file that we emailed to you.  See the following picture for details.

    Picture of the inCODE Graphical User Interface

    Picture of the inCODE Graphical User Interface

  10. Click on the PROGRAM button.
  11. Wait for the green light on the inCODE programmer to stop blinking.  The last line of text in the Program PIC window should read “No Errors”.
  12. Unplug the inCODE connector from the Programming Header on the inVIRONMENT board.
  13. Move the Programming Jumpers back to the RUN position.  The RUN position puts the two jumpers on the pins furthest from the Programming Header.  This picture will show you the correct position.

    Picture of the Infinitybox inVIRONMENT Board Showing the Board Set for Run

    Picture of the Infinitybox inVIRONMENT Board Showing the Board Set for Run

  14. Replace the cover on the inVIRONMENT module and replace the 4 screws on the back.
  15. Reinstall the inVIRONMENT module in the car and plug in all of the connectors.
  16. Reconnect the battery.

If you have any questions about this process, please click on this link to contact our technical support team.

Updating inTOUCH NET with SKII Boards

All of the Infinitybox hardware can be updated in the field.  Some of these changes require our inCODE programmer.  Some can be done directly from a laptop.  Updating inTOUCH NET can be done directly from a laptop with Wi-Fi.

PLEASE NOTE: YOU WILL ONLY HAVE TO GO THROUGH THESE STEPS IF YOU ARE DIRECTED TO DO SO BY AN INFINITYBOX TECHNICAL SUPPORT REPRESENTATIVE!

There are two different versions of our inTOUCH NET.  As of January 2017, we moved to the SKII version of our board.  If you have an inTOUCH NET from before this date, see this blog post for the updating instructions.

You will receive an email from Infinitybox with the files that you need to load onto your inTOUCH NET.  Read through these steps carefully before proceeding.  Before starting, these steps must be done on a Windows PC or Laptop with Wi-Fi capability.

  1. You will receive an email from Infinitybox technical support with the updated files that are specific to your inTOUCH NET.  Download these files and save them to a convenient location on your computer.
  2. Disconnect inTOUCH NET from your Infinitybox system.
  3. Download http://www.microchip.com/mplabx-ide-windows-installer on your computer.
  4. After the download is complete, run the installer. When prompted, only install MPLAB IPE, uncheck the box for MPLAB X IDE.
  5. After MPLAB IPE is successfully installed, reboot your computer.
  6. After the computer is rebooted, plug the USB cable from inTOUCH NET into your computer. Let it load the drivers.  inTOUCH NET is getting its power from the USB connection for this process.
  7. Launch the MPLAB IPE software, which can found under Microchip/MPLAB X IDE in the start menu or use the MPLAB IPE shortcut on the desktop.
  8. In the Device drop down menu, select PIC32MX795F512L. Click on the Apply button.
  9. In the Tool drop down menu select PKOB SKDE if not selected already.
  10. Click on the Connect button.
  11. Click browse at the end of the source line and choose the file with the name that ends in .hex.  This would be the file that we emailed to you.
  12. Click program, the output window should indicate “Programing Complete” when finished.
  13. Close the MPLAB IPE software.
  14. Connect to the inTOUCH NET server using the Wi-Fi on your laptop.
  15. Use the SSID and password that came with your kit.
  16. Launch Google Chrome or Firefox. Internet Explorer will not work for this step.
  17. Navigate to 192.168.1.50/mpfsupload.
  18. Hit the browse button that appears on the screen. Select the file with the name that ends in .bin.
  19. Press the upload button. You will get a message on the screen that confirms that the website was loaded to inTOUCH NET.
  20. Unplug inTOUCH NET from the USB port on your computer.
  21. Connect inTOUCH NET to the Infinitybox system. Shut down all power and start up again. Wait 30 seconds for the server to initialize.
  22. Connect to the inTOUCH NET network with your smart device.
  23. Browse to 192.168.1.50.
  24. The initial password to get past security is 123 [ENTER].

Your system is now updated with your new code.

If you have any questions with these steps, give our team a call at (847) 232-1991 or email us at sales@infinitybox.com.  You can also contact our team directly by clicking this link.  

Updating inMOTION

One of the advantages of our Infinitybox system is that it can always be updated.  We have added a lot of new features and functions over the years.  The earliest systems that we sold can be updated to use these new features.  In some cases, these updates require a simple hardware change that we need to do here.  In the majority of these changes, it is a simple software update that can be done in your shop, garage or in the vehicle in the field.  Most of the changes are done to the MASTERCELL but in some cases, the POWERCELLs and inMOTION cells need to be updated.  This post is going to talk about updating inMOTION.

Before you get too far, 99.99% of our customers will never need to update inMOTION in the field.  This blog post is intended to have this documented for the 0.01% of them that will.  The only reason why you’d need to update inMOTION would be if we have created something custom for you in terms of the current levels for the express functions.  In the overwhelming majority of cases, you can stop reading here.  You need to do nothing with the code on your inMOTION unless explicitly directed by one of our technical support engineers.  

inMOTION is different from a POWERCELL in a few ways.  inMOTION uses special polarity reversing relays instead of MOSFETs.  Also, inMOTION monitors the current flowing to the loads that it is powering.  inMOTION is always comparing the actual current to a learned value.  If the actual current exceeds the learned value, it shuts the output off.  One of the last steps of setting up inMOTION is to train it.  This is detailed in the instruction manual for inMOTION.  When you update inMOTION, there are a few extra steps that you need to follow because of the current monitoring and the way inMOTION learns its current draw.

Our technical support team will let you know what cells in your system will need to be updated if we are changing the way your system operates.  If you are told to update inMOTION, we will email you a new file.  Please follow these steps when updating inMOTION.

  1. Power down the entire system.
  2. Disconnect CAN cable and output harnesses from the inMOTION cell (just leave the power connectors)
  3. Unlike the other cells, the inMOTION cell needs power to program it, so power up the 12V feed to the cell.
  4. Connect the programmer to the inMOTION cell and browse for the inMOTION file
  5. Click program and wait for programmer to finish.
  6. Once the programming is complete, remove the programmer and the blue LED on the inMOTION cell should be blinking quickly.  Stop here if the Blue LED is not flashing quickly.
  7. Remove power from the system and re-connect the CAN cable to the inMOTION (do not reconnect any motor loads yet)
  8. Power up the entire system, wait about 10 seconds
  9. Press and hold the train button (S11) on the inMOTION cell until the blue LED is on steady and then release.  This process nulls out the current sensors in the system.
  10. Wait for the inMOTION to cycle all of the relays.
  11. Leaving the power on, reconnect the motor loads to the cell.  The blue LED should be doing a double flash heartbeat.
  12. Position the motors to the middle of their travel using the manual buttons on the inMOTION cell.
  13. Press and hold the train button (S11) until the blue LED is on steady and then release.  The inMOTION will cycle all of the motors and learn the current profiles.
  14. The blue LED should have the regular heartbeat now and everything should be ready to go.

Click on this link to contact our technical support team with any questions about updating inMOTION.