Number Data Logger

[maxmog79]

Hi,

I am new to the world of Pi and want to start some interesting project.
The name of the project is "Number Data Logger" - NDL
The main characteristics of the project:
1. NDL has to be autonomous- means one battery (9v) for at least half year may be more
2. Once per three hour (adjustable) NDL make picture from the cam and recognize the number
3. The recognized number NDL will send to some Inet site (through the wifi or 3g)

The first questions are how about the autonomy (for example from the batteries 9v or else)?
As I understood in the Pi there is now RTC (real time clock) how to get the timer?
Better way to sending the data to the site (wifi or 3g) is there some lora 3g modems?

Please advise.

[SonOfAMotherlessGoat]

Hi, the Pi may not be the solution you're looking for. But if you allow for some expansion of your specs you may be able to get something workable.

Power will require way more than a single 9v every 6 months. Perhaps a solar charging system?

There is no RTC on the Pi, however there is an add-on board called the WittyPi that has RTC with sleep/wake capability. Perhaps you could construct a way to use that board and only power on the Pi to acquire/process/transmit and then go back to power-off state? That would definitely help your power budget issues.

As for transmission, do you know ahead of time that the location has WIFi? As for LoRa, looks like there is a solution for that and the Pi as well. https://www.cooking-hacks.com/documenta ... l-galileo/

[stderr]

The name of the project is "Number Data Logger" - NDL
1. NDL has to be autonomous- means one battery (9v) for at least half year may be more
2. Once per three hour (adjustable) NDL make picture from the cam and recognize the number
3. The recognized number NDL will send to some Inet site (through the wifi or 3g)

Obviously you can't run a pi on a 9volt battery, if you mean by that those little rectangle shaped ones that you'd use in smoke detectors and volt meters.. In any case, I just wonder what numbers you are taking pictures of and why.

[bensimmo]

You are looking at around 2000Ah @5V for a 6month setup
(that is probably more than needed and based on my A+ with Wi-Fi, GPS and SenseHat logging and a camera as the max usage) and 1000-1500Ah may be doable, but even standby or 'off' will need around 500Ah

First solve that problem (plug it in to mains if possible, the batteries I've seen are not cheap even from alibaba, remember to convert to 5V)

The rest shouldn't be too much of a problem, will just take some learning (and I don't know the solution)