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Serial Data Logger

Developed a solution to digitise report printing and storage, featuring serial data capture, cloud integration, custom firmware, and an intuitive web portal.

  • Tech: Firmware, Single-board Computer, Database, Portal, API
  • Time: 6 months
  • Languages: Python, HTML, CSS, JS, PHP, MySQL
  • Industry: IoT & Sensor Solutions

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The Brief

This project involved creating a solution to digitise the printing and storage of reports by seamlessly integrating with existing systems. The product captures serial data and uploads it to a cloud portal, where reports are generated for easy viewing and processing.

Key to the success of this project was the development of a custom data capture board, built by our partner GB Electronics, alongside robust firmware running on a single-board computer to ensure reliable data transmission. Additionally, we delivered an intuitive web portal, enabling customers to efficiently manage their machines, loggers, and daily reports.

Key Requirements:

  • Ensure data integrity, both online and offline.
  • Provide an option to back up 3 years worth of log data to a USB stick upon request.
  • Support connectivity via Ethernet, Wi-Fi, and WPS for flexible network options.
  • Interpret, parse and display log data from a variety of machine types on the portal.
  • Enable users to view and generate daily and weekly reports based on printed data, removing the need of paper copies.

Our Approach

Our approach involves using a single-board computer to capture serial data from the printer. The data is parsed to identify printouts or logs, which are then stored internally on the computer. If the network is unavailable, the data is stored for later export to the server or can be saved to a USB stick if inserted. When a network is available, the data is forwarded to the cloud portal for processing.

The firmware, developed in Python, interfaces with the hardware to handle data capture and storage. We chose the Raspberry Pi Compute Module 4 due to its compatibility and performance for this application. This setup ensures reliable operation, whether online or offline, with the option to manually transfer data via USB when necessary.

The cloud portal organises the logs by customer, machine, and calendar day of generation, allowing users to easily view and generate daily or weekly reports. Daily reports confirm machine usage, while weekly reports assist with organisational audits. This approach effectively digitises a process that was previously paper-based, improving efficiency and accuracy.

The Solution

Our solution began with the design and development of a custom PCB to interface with the client’s hardware. This board is responsible for capturing serial data from the client's printers and transmitting it to the data logger. We selected the Raspberry Pi 4 as the central processing unit for the data logging system due to its power and flexibility. Using Python, we implemented firmware on the Raspberry Pi to ensure reliable data capture, parsing, and storage. This allowed for seamless operation whether the device was connected to the network or running offline.

The front-end portal was designed with security and user experience in mind, providing customers with a secure, intuitive interface to view, modify, and access their logs. The portal ensures only authorised users can interact with the data, and it offers various tools for log management, including sorting by customer, machine, and date. This interface allows users to generate daily and weekly reports based on their logs, empowering them with greater control and insights into their operations.

To ensure efficient communication between the device and the portal, we developed a robust API and database. The API facilitates seamless data transfer from the Raspberry Pi to the portal, while the database stores vast amounts of log data efficiently. With this architecture, we can handle large volumes of data securely, ensuring scalability and reliability as the system grows. The integration of these components enables smooth communication, real-time data updates, and easy access to historical logs.