Stopping the Counter when making a connection

Thread Starter

06awaism

Joined Feb 2, 2013
28
Hi, I am posting a video that contain all the necessary information and the current problem that I am facing. I have attached a picture that I recommend you should have a look at first. Here is brief summary of a final project that I would like and the link to my video:

http://tinypic.com/player.php?v=14azpub&s=6

Brief Summary of how my final project should be.
When the loop wire is removed from the rest stand, the counter starts counting automatically. The loop wire is guided through the shaped wire and if the loop wire touches the shaped wire, then the RED lights switch on and the buzzer stays on for a predetermined time.

Once this connection is made, the counter along with its tone generator(which beeps ever second) would pause(stop) showing the player the time taken from start to end.

But if the player has guided the loop wire along the shaped wire without touching it, would then have to touch the green wire. This will trigger the green lights with the buzzer(same function as before with the red lights) also stopping the counter schematic telling the player that he/she has successfully completed the game.

Thank You Very Much for taking your time out and reading/watching my thread.
 

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Potato Pudding

Joined Jun 11, 2010
688
You have put some thought into this project but your question is almost lost in the presentation.

What I understand is that you need to control the clock display so that it will;


  1. Start counting when your tester leaves the stand.
  2. Stop counting after a win or loss.
  3. Reset when the tester returns to the stand or a reset button is pressed.
This should be fairly easy if you look at the Data Sheet for the 4026b and work out what the CE or Clock Enable, Clock Inhibit; pin 2 of the IC can do.

You show the CE pins tied to ground in your schematic.

An SR latch, possibly using another 555 timer in the bistable mode will allow you to pull the CE pins low until a win or loss condition sets the latch output to high and freezes the count.
 

Thread Starter

06awaism

Joined Feb 2, 2013
28
You have put some thought into this project but your question is almost lost in the presentation.

What I understand is that you need to control the clock display so that it will;


  1. Start counting when your tester leaves the stand.
  2. Stop counting after a win or loss.
  3. Reset when the tester returns to the stand or a reset button is pressed.
This should be fairly easy if you look at the Data Sheet for the 4026b and work out what the CE or Clock Enable, Clock Inhibit; pin 2 of the IC can do.

You show the CE pins tied to ground in your schematic.

An SR latch, possibly using another 555 timer in the bistable mode will allow you to pull the CE pins low until a win or loss condition sets the latch output to high and freezes the count.
First of all, thank you for your reply. And I am very sorry as I have caused confusion. I should have made few things clear.

Once the player starts the game by pulling the loop wire away from the rest stand(disconnecting the connection as shown in the counter schematic), the counter starts counting which I have managed successfully. But my question is that whenever the player touches the loop wire with the shaped wire(displaying red lights) or touching the green home wire(displaying green lights), the counter should stop/pause. I have added a RESET function that resets but another question is that once the counter stops and lets say I reset it(now displaying 0-0), I want to bring back the loop wire and put it on the rest stand without having to start the counter again so that it is ready to play as soon as the loop wire is lifted off the rest stand for the next player.

I tried to re-phrase this question in simplest words but I am sorry if this has also caused confusion. Thank You!
 

elec_mech

Joined Nov 12, 2008
1,500
I'm with Potato Pudding - I still don't see what the questions are.

Please list out, step-by-step, what is you want to do then tell us where you are having problems. Potato Pudding has already done this and kept it simple:






  1. Start counting when your tester leaves the stand.
  2. Stop counting after a win or loss.
  3. Reset when the tester returns to the stand or a reset button is pressed.
Is this correct?

You said:

But my question is that whenever the player touches the loop wire with the shaped wire(displaying red lights) or touching the green home wire(displaying green lights), the counter should stop/pause.
So, is the question:

How can I have the counter stop whenever the loop touches the coil?

Next,

I have added a RESET function that resets but another question is that once the counter stops and lets say I reset it(now displaying 0-0), I want to bring back the loop wire and put it on the rest stand without having to start the counter again so that it is ready to play as soon as the loop wire is lifted off the rest stand for the next player.
So, is the question:

If I manually reset the counter to zero - regardless of the location of the loop - how do I ensure the counter starts when the loop is then lifted from the stand?

Looks like an interesting project.
 

Thread Starter

06awaism

Joined Feb 2, 2013
28
1) How can I have the counter stop whenever the loop touches the coil?

2) If I manually reset the counter to zero - regardless of the location of the loop - how do I ensure the counter starts when the loop is then lifted from the stand?
Yes sir, these are the questions. But I'll slightly expand on the two questions above.

1) How can I stop the counter whenever the loop wire touches the shaped wire (RED) OR the Green Wire?
(Please Note: When the counter is stopped, there should be no tone generated from the speaker in the counter schematic. So the speaker does not beep when the counter is stopped once the connection between the loop wire and RED or GREEN is made)

2) After when the loop wire touches either of these two wires(when the loop wire makes a connection between RED or Green, the connection is made once like a reset switch, just like how you would play a steady hand game in real life as you touch the shaped wire once), the counter is stopped(I don't know how it would stop which is the question 1). I can reset it manually which isn't a problem, but the question is, when I bring the loop wire back to place it on the rest stand, will it still display 0-0 and after another player lifts off the loop wire, will it start counting again?/

I am building these schematic right now as I need to take my project to the College tomorrow for my A-Levels Electronics coursework. So I am only stuck at these bits. Once, I get these sorted, I'll post another video of my final product when functioning.

I hope I haven't caused any confusions again. And if I have, then please say son. Thank You!
 

elec_mech

Joined Nov 12, 2008
1,500
I'm trying to follow your schematic, but I'm still at a loss as to how the coil works. That aside, it sounds like you want the counter to stop as soon as the loop touches the red or green coil. I assume you do not want the counter to start again until you reset it then?

If so, you need a latching circuit of sorts. The simplest thing I can think of in my limited experience is to use an SCR. This will act as a one-shot latch, so to speak. It appears you may be using some already in D2 and D6 if I'm understanding the schematic. Once tripped, it will stay latched until power is removed, but you can also tie it to a switch. Another option might be the use of a flip flop, but I'm not sure how to have it latch and stay that way. In either case, you want to either put the 555 into reset or disable the clock enable on the 4026, your choice. Be sure to use a pull-up or -down resistor so the 555 or 4026 work normally.

You can control the counter coming on or pausing for question 2 again by controlling the reset pin of the 555 or the clock enable pin of the 4026.

Sorry I can't be of much more help.
 

Potato Pudding

Joined Jun 11, 2010
688
So I did pick out your question and it was on my list.

You want to stop the counter after a win or a loss.

Did you look at using another 555 timer as a Bistable latch and connecting the output to the clock enables of the counters?

Clock enable will stop the counters when it goes high. Your schematic shows it tied to ground. You could also simply interrupt the clock signal.

You need to use some form of set reset latch, which is why I think you should look at the 555 as a Bistable. You have conditions where it sets and the outputs connected to the clock enable will stop the clocks. You might need the latch because you want the clocks to stay frozen after the loop touches the red or green wires. You reset the latch when you reset.
 
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