Hi everyone!
I'm having a bit of trouble here and I'm wondering if anyone can help me.
I'm trying to design a circuit that is triggered by an object moving along a conveyor at a set point (via LDR/phototransistor etc.). When triggered, I want the circuit to light an LED steadily with a single repeated audible beep every 10 seconds or so. When it is triggered a second time I want that LED to turn off and a different LED to light steadily whilst the beep changes to 2 beeps at the same interval and stay in that state until reset by the operator, where it should start over. The objects being carried along the conveyor can vary quite a lot in size so I need to be sure each trigger only counts as one input, no matter how long time wise it's being triggered for (if that even makes sense).
Now, I think I've pretty much got the input side down, using an LDR and variable resistor connected to a comparator so I can set the sensitivity. I've built this on a prototyping board and got it working. Now I'm just stuck on the part that makes stuff happen! I've been looking into logic gates, flipflops, 555's and PIC's etc and I really don't know which way to take this. I'm not very knowledgeable in any of these even though I did use them all in college! (Bad memory!).
I guess what I'm trying to ask is what would be your recommendation as to which method to take? After messing about a bit making some circuits, I'm starting to think the PIC route might be the best idea. But I really wanted to make the circuit using separate components, more fun!.. Rather just using code (plus I would need to buy another PIC programmer, haha!).
Anyway, any input at all would be massively appreciated!
Thanks a lot!
I'm having a bit of trouble here and I'm wondering if anyone can help me.
I'm trying to design a circuit that is triggered by an object moving along a conveyor at a set point (via LDR/phototransistor etc.). When triggered, I want the circuit to light an LED steadily with a single repeated audible beep every 10 seconds or so. When it is triggered a second time I want that LED to turn off and a different LED to light steadily whilst the beep changes to 2 beeps at the same interval and stay in that state until reset by the operator, where it should start over. The objects being carried along the conveyor can vary quite a lot in size so I need to be sure each trigger only counts as one input, no matter how long time wise it's being triggered for (if that even makes sense).
Now, I think I've pretty much got the input side down, using an LDR and variable resistor connected to a comparator so I can set the sensitivity. I've built this on a prototyping board and got it working. Now I'm just stuck on the part that makes stuff happen! I've been looking into logic gates, flipflops, 555's and PIC's etc and I really don't know which way to take this. I'm not very knowledgeable in any of these even though I did use them all in college! (Bad memory!).
I guess what I'm trying to ask is what would be your recommendation as to which method to take? After messing about a bit making some circuits, I'm starting to think the PIC route might be the best idea. But I really wanted to make the circuit using separate components, more fun!.. Rather just using code (plus I would need to buy another PIC programmer, haha!).
Anyway, any input at all would be massively appreciated!
Thanks a lot!