infrared detector

Hello!! Well, Im going to try to keep it simple so just bear with me.

I have been meaning to design a robot. I haven't exactly gotten down to the specific details of the project but I know I want to keep it simple. So I decided to built sensor circuits separately to see how they perform. Ive already done a light dependent circuit and have moved on to the INFRARED detection circuits.

Basically I want to design a circuit that gets triggered by an infrared receiver. The receiver activates the astable configured 555 chip to flash an led at a certain duty cycle. The 555 timer circuit should stay triggered till the time the INFRARED receiver gets an INFRARED reading. Once the reciever stops getting a signal, the 555 circuit should get disabled.

This whole circuit is analogus to a proximity detector but I want to implement in the above mentioned way. I have already made the 555 timer circuit as it was quite easy to set up. Now I want to add to it, the infrared circuit. Please guide me to a resource that maybe I can read up on or present your own input. Attached is the schematic for the 555 timer.

Also, I have a feeling i might need a BJT between the IR circuit and the 555 circuit

On this site is a stellar tutorial on the 555 timer. I would recommend you visit this link.
http://www.allaboutcircuits.com/vol_6/chpt_8/1.html

Hello,

Bill_Marsden is our 555 expert, he made this thread:
LEDs, 555s, Flashers, and Light Chasers

There you will find a lot of information on leds and the 555.

I also see you have an other thread for this:
http://forum.allaboutcircuits.com/showthread.php?t=44779
Lets continue over there.

Bertus