Hi everyone, I have a homework but I don't know what it really want.
The goal is to design a traffic light controller. It wants us to first using software (c, c++, c#...etc) to design a traffic light controller. The spec of the traffic light controller is not specified. I have freedom to design it. And after software implementation. I have to implement in hardware(verilog, vhdl) also in the future.
In the software implementation. It asks us to first draw a block diagram of it. And shows how the signal or transitions flows between each block.



But I have no idea what is the "block diagram" looks like? It says that althogh we are using software to implement traffic light controller. We still need to think in hardware. And by first design the block diagram and shows clear the interface of each component. We can then define our input and output and interface, then we can start coding. My question is I have no idea what is that possible "block diagram" looks like? And also the input or output?

Because I have to implement it also in hardware. Can anyone help me figure out what it really wants? Or give me a simple example to clearify my thought?

THx in advance.

 

Any one could help?
Maybe I just make the problem more accurate.
The homework says we need to implement a traffic light controller both in SW and then in HW. It shows some steps to let me follow. It says if because the goal is thinking in Hardware. We need to first draw block diagram of traffic controller. Based on this block diagram draw the message flow between each block diagram. And define IO also input interface.

My question is that I have no idea such block diagram looks like. So I don't know how to design the IO. Any advise?

 

Be patient. Depending on your location, it might take some time for a reply.
I assure you, you will get a reply

 

Is it that you don't understand block diagrams? - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Functional_flow_block_diagram

The simplest case for a traffic light is timed operation.