[Ovmsdev] my own to-do list... input welcome

[Lee Howard]

Hello Everyone,

I'm a new OVMS user, and I do appreciate OVMS very much.  It's been a 
nice few days using it.  I intend on getting involved in development... 
particularly with OpenChargeMap (OCM) integration, Chevy Volt 
integration, and various other features.  I've ordered a second OVMS 
module and antennae to install into another car (2005 Chrysler Sebring - 
yes, it's blasphemous, I know).

Here is my own to-do list, and I welcome all input and feedback 
regarding this before I start digging-in.  Please steer me clear of any 
pointless endeavours or give me a nod in the right direction where that 
may be useful.

1) I would like OVMS to be able to update OCM automatically with 
whatever charging information it can anywhere that the car charges. I 
would think that it could at least provide voltage and amperage. The 
user could turn this feature off-and-on via the handheld app or SMS, of 
course.

2) For the Volt the handheld app gives "estimated range" and "ideal 
range" (which are always the same) at a value much less than what the 
car advertises to the driver.  For example, the app says "12 miles" when 
the car says "24 miles".  At a full charge the app says "22 miles" and 
the car says "32 miles".  There seems to be some discrepancy, and I 
would like to fix that, and I think that "ideal" and "estimated" should 
be different.

3) For the Volt the app reports "Charging 236V 14A" on the slider 
graphic but "Standard 16A" on the battery graphic.  I would like to 
resolve this discrepancy.  (Or maybe just put the word "Max" after 
"Standard 16A".)

4) For the Volt the app slider to stop the charge (and then to restart 
the charge) does not work.  I would like to fix this.

5) For the Volt the app Control does not have anything under "Features" 
or "Parameters", and "Cellular Usage" does nothing.  I would like to fix 
this.

6) I would like the server to store all GPS data for the last 7 days and 
on the app to allow the user to flip-view through each day's travel path 
(based on the time zone for the geographical location of the GPS data).  
This way I can show-off my travels easily and check-up on where the car 
has been over the day without needing to constantly hover over the 
location view in the app.

7) I haven't tested the remote lock or the valet mode from the app, but 
I would like them to work if they do not... and I would also like to be 
able to start the climate controls from the app as I can do from the 
car's "clicker" remote (to warm or cool the car while it's connected to 
the charger).

8) I suspect that there is a plethora of information running around on 
the bus that is currently unused or not displayed in the app.  I would 
like to present as much of that information as can be reasonable to the 
user.

9) As I intend to use this on my evil Sebring as well as the Volt 
(mostly for GPS purposes), I will be interested to remedy any problems 
in doing that.

10) I suspect that updating the firmware via the PICKIT is going to get 
bothersome very fast.  I would like to see it be able to update firmware 
by downloading it from the data connection.

And this last one isn't on *my* to-do list, but I'll just throw this one 
out there as a pie-in-the-sky idea for anyone who may be interested in 
running with it...

11) It would be really cool if the OVMS module had a WiFi adapter in it 
and permitted "tethering" from other WiFi devices for data access.  In 
other words, it would be sweet if my iPad could get internet access via 
WiFi through the OVMS module's data service. Phones here often have 
tethering restricted/disabled on them by the service provider... so it's 
not always easy to tether via phones here... AND the OVMS antenna and 
signal reception is much better than the on the phones, anyway.

As a matter of feedback, I ended up provisioning the module using SMS 
from my own phone.  I tried to do it from the website, but that seemed 
to do nothing.

I found the basic installation and configuration documentation to be 
either hidden or lacking.  I would have appreciated a step-by-step 
written documentation on installing and configuring the OVMS module.  As 
it stood I ended up digging-out bits and pieces from the Weekend 
Workshop video, the Tesla Roadster installation/configuration 
documentation, forum posts, and I even dug into the code at github.  If 
nobody gets to this first then when I don't feel like such a newbie 
maybe I'll write-up that documentation, myself.

Thanks,

Lee.

-- 
*Lee Howard*
*Mainpine, Inc. Chief Technology Officer*
Tel: +1 866 363 6680 | Fax: +1 360 462 8160
lee.howard at mainpine.com | www.mainpine.com