Request for blue blinky light to mean something while waiting for lock

[GoogleCodeExporter]

I would like to make a plea to the GPS protocol developers of ArduPilot and 
ArduPilot Mega. Please make the blue light mean something.

Since the beginning of the AP project, the blue light has had exactly two 
states. On = GPS Lock, Off = No GPS Lock. Any other blinking is purely 
fictional....aside from telling you the AP hasn't crashed or has no power.

Would you please, please, please, please, please make the light toggle on and 
off every time the AP gets a valid message without GPS lock? We all know it can 
take 5 minutes sometimes to get lock and if we're sitting there either looking 
at nothing or looking at a blinking light assuming it's actually talking... we 
may be wasting our time for GPS lock that is never coming.

It's very simply code and would go a long way towards helping troubleshooting, 
development and even debugging the code. The blink rate will indicate the Hz / 
2 if you're toggling. It will also show you when you're not calling the GPS 
update routine fast enough. It will give instant feedback to the user and the 
developer that the AP understands the language being spoken by the GPS 
(protocol selection and baud rate selection).

Original issue reported on code.google.com by paulbmather@gmail.com on 16 Oct 2010 at 3:39

Attachments:

• BlinkyNoFix.txt

[GoogleCodeExporter]

One other "gotcha" is the fact that I'm using the new_data bit which is reset 
every cycle when BINARY is enabled (ArduIMU). This means the blinky doesn't 
happen because the new_data bit is reset before the code above can run (4 
cycles later).

My proposition would be to add

"if (GPS.fix >= 1)" to the line before "GPS.new_data = 0;" in the binary output 
routine. Either that or create a new bit just for this function.

Additionally, there is no timer to clear the lock bit if the GPS diesor is 
unplugged after lock. 

Original comment by paulbmather@gmail.com on 16 Oct 2010 at 8:54

[GoogleCodeExporter]

Hi Paul,

We used to have that functionality, but moved away for various reasons.  I'll 
bring it up on the conference call this weekend.

Original comment by dewei...@gmail.com on 17 Oct 2010 at 2:45

• Changed state: Accepted

[GoogleCodeExporter]

Paul, we discussed last night and will move back to the "blink on message 
received" behavior.  However, it will not be the blue light, as the blue is not 
an accessible LED on the oilpan (or APM).  We will be using the red LED on the 
oilpan.

Original comment by dewei...@gmail.com on 18 Oct 2010 at 1:46

[GoogleCodeExporter]

Paul, please check R1286 (beta branch) and see that this acts as you want.

Thanks,
Doug

Original comment by dewei...@gmail.com on 20 Oct 2010 at 2:42

• Changed state: Fixed