Long Clock Prototype

I can't believe that it has been exactly one year since I last posted on my 10000 Year Clock.

Well I finally got the low power LCD and put together a prototype of the clock. So progress is being made.




The LCD is a 40-pin 4-digit module 40LCD from Futurlec.

The LCD driver is MAXIM ICL7211A.
Here is the datasheet in pdf.

I have programmed the MSP430G2553 so that the display cycles through the following display sequence:

YYYY
MM/DD
weekday
HH:MM

The entire circuit is powered by a 1F/5.5V super cap. The solar panel shown was salvaged from inexpensive garden lights. In bright sunlight the output voltage is about 3.5V, just perfect for this project. It is connected to a 1N5817 Schottky diode and then to the super cap.

The average current draw is about 3μA. In testing, I found that the super cap can power the clock for about 10 days.

So now it is on to Stage 4 - synchronization with the sun. This is the tricky part. For now here is what I have.



I found a piezo buzzer, XL-450 that is just the perfect size. I took it apart and removed the internal components. Then I glued an IR photodiode, Honeywell SDP8276, to the inside bottom of the buzzer. On the retainer ring, I glued two thin brass shims to make a very narrow aperture.

The idea is to attempt to synchronize the clock to the midday sun. The algorithm is going to be challenging, to say the least.

For the moment, I am collecting test data using MATLAB and will later decide what is going to be my strategy.

Here are the challenges:

1) I need to ignore data from days that the sun doesn't shine.

2) I need to watch for false peaks, i.e. when there is cloud cover at the critical moments.

3) I do not have an ideal south facing window and hence I need to accommodate other locations.

4) What happens when someone moves the clock, even by the smallest amount?

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