Gate Counter Project

Overview

The Gate Counter project is designed to monitor vehicle traffic exiting a park using sensors and microcontroller technology. It uses an ESP32 microcontroller to:

• Detect vehicles using a magnetic sensor and beam sensor.
• Log and publish vehicle counts via MQTT.
• Save data to an SD card for persistence and analysis.
• Provide real-time statistics via an OLED display.
• Enable remote monitoring and updates using WiFi and Over-The-Air (OTA) updates.

This system is an essential tool for traffic control and capacity management in parks or similar facilities.

Features

Sensors and Detection

• Magnetic Sensor: Detects metallic objects.
• Beam Sensor: Confirms vehicle presence.
• Car Detection Logic: Uses a state machine for accurate detection.

Data Management

• Saves hourly, daily, and show-specific vehicle counts to an SD card.
• Provides recovery and persistence across reboots.
• Publishes data via MQTT to a remote server.

Networking

• Supports multiple WiFi networks using WiFiMulti.
• Publishes car counts, temperature, humidity, and other metrics via MQTT.
• Includes a web server for file operations and remote interactions.

Real-Time Display

• OLED display provides live updates on vehicle counts, temperature, and other metrics.

Environmental Monitoring

• Logs temperature and humidity data using a DHT22 sensor.

Timekeeping

• Synchronizes time using an RTC and NTP server.
• Automates actions such as resetting counts and saving summaries at specific times.

OTA Updates

• ElegantOTA integration allows for seamless firmware updates.

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Documentation

For more detailed information about specific components, see the following:

• MQTT Reset Topics: Detailed descriptions of MQTT reset topics and their payloads.
• Changelog: A history of updates, fixes, and new features in the Gate Counter project.

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Setup Instructions

1. Hardware Requirements:

   • ESP32 microcontroller (DOIT DevKit V1 recommended).
   • DHT22 sensor for temperature and humidity.
   • Magnetic and beam sensors for vehicle detection.
   • OLED display (128x64 resolution).
   • SD card and reader module.

2. Software Requirements:

   • Arduino IDE with necessary libraries:
     • ArduinoJson
     • PubSubClient
     • Adafruit_GFX and Adafruit_SSD1306
     • RTClib, NTPClient
     • DHT and DHT_U

3. Connections:

   • Connect sensors, SD card, and OLED display to the ESP32 as specified in the code comments.

4. Configuration:

   • Edit secrets.h to include WiFi credentials.
   • Adjust MQTT topics and server settings as needed.

5. Deployment:

   • Upload the firmware using Arduino IDE.
   • Monitor system logs via Serial Monitor for debugging.

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Future Enhancements

• Integrate a web-based dashboard for real-time monitoring.
• Add support for additional sensors and analytics.
• Improve power efficiency for extended deployments.

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For further assistance or to contribute to the project, please contact the developer: Greg Liebig
Email: gliebig@sheboyganlights.org