Dancing Light 1v201l

DANCING LIGHT Here is a simple circuit which can be used for decoration purposes or as an indicator. Flashing or dancing speed of LEDs can be adjusted and various dancing patterns of lights can be formed. The circuit consists of two astable multivibrators. One multivibrator is formed by transistors T1 and T2 while the other astable multivibrator is formed by T3 and T4. Duty cycle of each multivibrator can be varied by changing RC time constant. This can be done through potentiometers VR1 and VR2 to produce different dancing pattern of LEDs. Total cost of this circuit is of the order of Rs 30 only. Potentiometers can be replaced by light dependent resistors so that dancing of LEDs will depend upon the surrounding light intensity. The colour LEDs may be arranged as shown in the Figure

Alternating Flasher -Designed by Naveen P N diagram

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This circuit uses three easily available 555 timer ICs. All three work as astable multivibrators. The first 555 has an on period and off period equal to 1 sec. This IC controls the on/ off periods of the other 2 555s which are used to flash two bulbs through the relay s. The flashing occurs at a rate of 4 flashes per second. The diodes are used to protect the 555 ICs from peaks. The relays should have an impedance greater than 50ohms i.e, they should not draw a current more than 200mA. The flashing sequence is as follows: The bulb(s) connected to the first relay flashes for about 1 sec at a rate of 4 flashes per second. Then the bulb(s) connected to the second relay flashes for 1 sec at a rate of 4 flashes per second. Then the cycle repeats. The flashing rates can be varied by changing the capacitors C3 and C5. A higher value gives a lower flashing rate.

Note that the values of C3 and C5 should be equal and should be less than that of C1. The value of C1 controls the change-over rate ( default 1sec). A higher value gives a lower changeover rate. If you use the normally open s of the relay, on bulb will be OFF while other is flashing,and vice versa. If normally closed s are used, one bulb will be ON while the other is flashing.

An ordinary automatic room power control circuit has only one light sensor. So when a person enters the room it gets one pulse and the lights come ‘on.’ When the person goes out it gets another pulse and the lights go ‘off.’ But what happens when two persons enter the room, one after the other? It gets two pulses and the lights remain in ‘off’ state. The circuit described here overcomes the above-mentioned problem. It has a small memory which enables it to automatically switch ‘on’ and switch ‘off’ the lights in a desired fashion. The circuit uses two LDRs which are placed one after another (separated by a distance of say half a metre) so that they may separately sense a person going into the room or coming out of the room. Outputs of the two LDR sensors, after processing, are used in conjunction with a bicolour LED in such a fashion that when a person gets into the room it emits green light and when a person goes out of the room it emits red light, and vice versa. These outputs are simultaneously applied to two counters. One of the counters will count as +1, +2, +3 etc when persons are getting into the room and the other will count as -1, -2, -3 etc when persons are getting out of the room. These counters make use of Johnson decade counter CD4017 ICs. The next stage comprises two logic ICs which can combine the outputs of the two counters and determine if there is any person still left in the room or not. Since in the circuit LDRs have been used, care should be taken to protect them from ambient light. If desired, one may use readily available IR sensor modules to replace the LDRs. The sensors are installed in such a way that when a person enters or leaves the room, he intercepts the light falling on them sequentially—one after the other. When a person enters the room, first he would obstruct the light falling on LDR1, followed by that falling on LDR2. When a person leaves the room it will be the other way round. In the normal case light keeps falling on both the LDRs, and as such their resistance is low (about 5 kilo-ohms). As a result, pin 2 of both timers (IC1 and IC2), which have been configured as monostable flip-flops, are held near the supply voltage (+9V). When the light falling on the LDRs is obstructed, their resistance becomes very high and pin 2 voltages drop to near ground potential, thereby triggering the flip-flops. Capacitors across pin 2 and ground have been added to avoid false triggering due to electrical noise. When a person enters the room, LDR1

is triggered first and it results in triggering of monostable IC1. The short output pulse immediately charges up capacitor C5, forward biasing transistor pair T1-T2. But at this instant the collectors of transistors T1 and T2 are in high impedance state as IC2 pin 3 is at low potential and diode D4 is not conducting. But when the same person es LDR2, IC2 monostable flip-flop is triggered. Its pin 3 goes high and this potential is coupled to transistor pair T1-T2 via diode D4. As a result transistor pair T1-T2 conducts because capacitor C5 retains the charge for some time as its discharge time is controlled by resistor R5 (and R7 to an extent). Thus green LED portion of bicolour LED is lit momentarily. The same output is also coupled to IC3 for which it acts as a clock. With entry of each person IC3 output (high state) keeps advancing. At this stage transistor pair T3T4 cannot conduct because output pin 3 of IC1 is no longer positive as its output pulse duration is quite short and hence transistor collectors are in high impedance state. When persons leave the room, LDR2 is triggered first followed by LDR1. Since the bottom half portion of circuit is identical to top half, this time with the departure of each person red portion of bi-colour LED is lit momentarily and output of IC4 advances in the same fashion as in case of IC3. The outputs of IC3 and those of IC4 (after inversion by inverter gates N1 through N4) are ANDed by AND gates (A1 through A4) are then wire ORed (using diodes D5 through D8). The net effect is that when persons are entering, the output of at least one of the AND gates is high, causing transistor T5 to conduct and energise relay RL1. The bulb connected to the supply via N/O of relay RL1 also lights up. When persons are leaving the room, and till all the persons who entered the room have left, the wired OR output continues to remain high, i.e. the bulb continues to remains ‘on,’ until all persons who entered the room have left. The maximum number of persons that this circuit can handle is limited to four since on receipt of fifth clock pulse the counters are reset. The capacity of the circuit can be easily extended for up to nine persons by removing the connection of pin 1 from reset pin (15) and utilising Q1 to Q9 outputs of CD4017 counters. Additional inverters, AND gates and diodes will, however, be required

Optical toggle switch using a single Chip

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Using dual flip-flop IC CD4027 employ a 555 based monostable circuit to supply input clock pulses. The circuit described here obviates this requirement. One of the two flipflops within IC CD4027 itself acts as square wave shaper

TV remote control Blocker -designed by Naveen P N

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Just point this small device at the TV and the remote gets jammed . The circuit is self explanatory . 555 is wired as an astable multivibrator for a frequency of nearly 38 kHz. This is the frequency at which most of the modern TVs receive the IR beam . The transistor acts as a current source supplying roughly 25mA to the infra red LEDs. To increase the

range of the circuit simply decrease the value of the 180 ohm resistor to not less than 100 ohm. It is required to adjust the 10K potentiometer while pointing the device at your TV to block the IR rays from the remote. This can be done by trial and error until the remote no longer responds.

You can play this game alone or with your friends. The circuit comprises a timer IC, two decade counters and a display driver along with a 7-segment display. The game is simple. As stated above, it is a scoring game and the competitor who scores 100 points rapidly (in short steps) is the winner. For scoring, one has the option of pressing either switch S2 or S3. Switch S2, when pressed, makes the counter count in the forward direction, while switch S3 helps to count downwards. Before starting a fresh game, and for that matter even a fresh move, you must press switch S1 to reset the circuit. Thereafter, press any of the two switches, i.e. S2 or S3. On pressing switch S2 or S3, the counter’s BCD outputs change very rapidly and when you release the switch, the last number remains latched at the output of IC2. The latched BCD number is input to BCD to 7segment decoder/driver IC3 which drives a common-anode display DIS1. However, you can read this number only when you press switch S4. The sequence of operations for playing the game between, say two players ‘X’ and ‘Y’, is summarised below: 1. Player ‘X’ starts by momentary pressing of reset switch S1 followed by pressing and releasing of either switch S2 or S3. Thereafter he presses switch S4 to read the display (score) and notes down this number (say X1) manually. 2. Player ‘Y’ also starts by momentary pressing of switch S1 followed by pressing of switch S2 or S3 and then notes down his score (say Y1), after pressing switch S4, exactly in the same fashion as done by the first player. 3. Player ‘X’ again presses switch S1 and repeats the steps shown in step 1 above and notes down his new score (say, X2). He adds up this score to his previous score. The same procedure is repeated by player ‘Y’ in his turn. 4. The game carries on until the score attained by one of the two players totals up to or exceeds 100, to be declared as the winner. Several players can participate in this game, with each getting a chance to score during his own turn. The assembly can be done using a multipurpose board. Fix the display (LEDs and 7-segment display) on top of the cabinet along with the three switches. The supply voltage for the circuit is 5V

Clap Activated Remote

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An infra-red or wireless remote control has the disadvantage that the small, handy, remote transmitter is often misplaced. The sound operated switch has the advantage that the transmitter is always with you. This project offers a way to control up to four latching switches with two claps of your hand. These switches may be used to control lights or fans – or anything else that does not produce too loud a sound. To prevent an occasional loud sound from causing malfunction, the circuit is normally quiescent. The first clap takes it out of standby state and starts a scan of eight -mounted LEDs. Each of the four switches are accompanied with two LEDs – one for indicating the ‘on’ and the other for indicating the ‘off’ state. A second clap, while the appropriate LED is lit, activates that function. For example, if you clap while LED10 used in conjunction with Lamp 1 is lit then the lamp turns on. (If it is already on, nothing happens and it remains on.) A condenser microphone, as used in tape recorders, is used here to pick up the sound of the claps. The signal is then amplified and shaped into a pulse by three inverters (N1 through N3) contained in CMOS hex inverter IC CD4069. A clock generator built from two of the inverter gates (N5 and N6) supplies clock pulses to a decade counter CD4017 (IC2). Eight outputs of this IC drive LEDs (1 through 8). These outputs also go to the J and K inputs of four flip-flops in two type CD4027 ICs (IC3 and IC4). The clock inputs of these flip-flops are connected to the pulse shaped sound signal (available at the output of gate N3). Additional circuitry around the CD4017 counter ensures that it is in the reset state, after reaching count 9, and that the reset is removed when a sound signal is received. Outputs of the four flip-flops are buffered by transistors and fed via LEDs to the gates of four triacs. These triacs switch the mains supply to four loads, usually lamps. If small lamps are to be controlled, these may be directly driven by the transistors. If this circuit is to be active, i.e. scanning all the time, some components around CD4017 IC could be omitted and some connections changed. But then it would no longer be immune to an occasional, spurious loud sound. The condenser microphone usually available in the market has two terminals. It has to be supplied with power for it to function. Any interference on this supply line will be ed on to the output. So the supply for the microphone is smoothed by resistor-capacitor combination of R2, C1 and fed to it via resistor R1. CD4069, a hex unbuffered inverter, contains six similar inverters. When the output and input of such an inverter is bridged by a resistor, it functions as an inverting amplifier. Capacitor C2 couples the signal developed by the microphone to N1 inverter in this IC, which is configured as an amplifier. The output of gate N1 is directly connected to the input of next gate N2. Capacitor C3 couples the output of this inverter to N3 inverter, which is connected as an adjustable level comparator. Inverter N4 is connected as an LED (9) driver to help in setting the sensitivity. Preset VR1 supplies a variable bias to U3. If the wiper of VR1 is set towards the negative supply end, the circuit becomes relatively insensitive (i.e. requires a thunderous clap to operate). As the wiper is turned towards resistor R4, the circuit becomes progressively more sensitive. The sound signal supplied by gate N2 is added to the voltage set by preset VR1 and applied to the input of gate N3. When this voltage crosses half supply voltage, the output of gate N3 goes low. This output is normally high since the input is held low by adjustment of preset VR1. This

output is used for two things: First, it releases the reset state of IC2 via diode D1. Second, it feeds the clock inputs to the four flip-flops contained in IC3 and IC4. In the quiescent state, IC2 is reset and its ‘Q0’ output is high. Capacitor C4 is charged positively and it holds this charge due to the connection from R5 to this output (Q0). IC2 is a decade counter with fully decoded outputs. It has ten outputs labelled Q0 to Q9 which go successively high, one at a time, when the clock in put is fed with pulses. IC3 and IC4 are dual JK flip-flops. In this circuit they store (latch) the state of the four switches and control the output through transistors and triacs. At the first clap, the output of gate N3 goes low. Diode D1 is forward biased and it conducts, discharging capacitor C4. The reset input of IC2 goes low, releasing its reset state. All the J and K inputs of the four flip-flops are low and so these do not change state, even though their clock inputs receive pulses. When the reset input of IC2 is low, each clock pulse causes IC2 to advance by one count and its outputs go high successively, lighting up the corresponding LEDs and pulling high the J and K inputs of the four flipflops, one after the other. Resistor R8 limits the current through LEDs 1 through 8 to about 2 mA. Larger current might cause malfunction due to the outputs of IC2 being pulled down below the logic 1 state input voltage. If a second clap is detected while the J input of a particular flip-flop is high, its Q output will go high, regardless of what state it was in previously. Similarly, if its K input was high, the output will go low. (If both J and K are high, the output will change state at each clock pulse.) Thus although all flip-flops receive the clap signal at their clock inputs, only the one selected by the active output of IC2 will change state. Resistor R9 and capacitor C6 ensure that the flip-flops start in the off state when power to the circuit is switched on, by providing a positive power-on-reset pulse to the reset input pins when power is applied. The preset input pins are not used and are therefore connected directly to ground. When, after eight clock pulses, output Q8 of IC2 becomes high, diode D2 conducts, charging capacitor C4, thereby resetting IC2 and making its Q0 output high. And there it stays, awaiting the next clap. The four Q outputs of IC3 and IC4 are buffered by npn transistors, fed through current limiting resistors and LEDs (to indicate the on/off state of the loads) to the gates of four triacs. Four lamps operating on the mains may thus be controlled. For demonstrations, it might be better to drive small lamps (drawing less than 100 mA at 12V) directly from the emitters of the transistors. In this case the triacs, LEDs and their associated current limiting resistors may be omitted. It has to be noted that one side of the mains has to be connected to the negative supply line of this circuit when mains loads are to be controlled. This necessitates safe construction of the circuit such that no part of it is liable to be touched. The advantage is that it may be mounted out of reach of curious hands since it does not need to be handled during normal operation. It is advisable to start with the low voltage version and then mains operation, once you are sure everything else is working satisfactorily. CMOS ICs are used in this circuit for implementing the amplifying and logic functions. Use of a dedicated supply is recommended because the integrated circuits will be damaged if the supply voltage is too high, or is of wrong polarity. An external power supply may get connected up the wrong way around, or be inadvertently set to too high a voltage. Therefore it is a good idea to start by constructing the power supply section and then add the other components of the circuit. If the clock is working, you may turn your attention to the amplifier. LED9 should be off, and should flash when the terminals of capacitor C2 are touched with a wet finger (the classic wet finger test). Preset VR1 may need to be adjusted until LED9 just turns off. The output of gate N2 will be at about half the supply voltage. The output of gate N3 would normally be high. The voltage at the input of gate N3 should vary when preset VR1 is varied. High-efficiency LEDs should preferably be used in this circuit. The microphone has two terminals, one of which is connected to its body. This terminal has to be connected to circuit ground, and the other to the junction of resistor R2 and capacitor C2. These wires are preferably kept short (one or two centimetres) to avoid noise pickup. With the microphone connected, a loud sound (a clap) should result in LED9 blinking. Adjust preset VR1 so that LED9 stays off on the loudest of background noises but starts glowing when you clap. If the clap-to-start feature is not required, it may be disabled by omitting components D1, D2, R5, C4 and connecting a wire link in place of diode D2. Then IC2 will be alive and kicking all the time.

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Light-sensitive Alarm Project A kit for this project is available from RSH Electronics. PDF version of this page The circuit detects a sudden shadow falling on the light-sensor and sounds the bleeper when this happens. The circuit will not respond to gradual changes in brightness to avoid false alarms. The bleeper sounds for only a short time to prevent the battery running flat. Normal lighting can be used, but the circuit will work best if a beam of light is arranged to fall on the light-sensor. Breaking this beam will then cause the bleeper to sound. The light sensor is an LDR (light-dependant resistor), this has a low resistance in bright light and a high resistance in dim light. • •

The light-sensitivity of the circuit can be adjusted by varying the 100k preset. The length of bleep can be varied from 0.5 to 10 seconds using the 1M preset.

Using the 7555 low-power timer ensures that the circuit draws very little current (about 0.5mA) except for the short times when the bleeper is sounding (this uses about 7mA). If the circuit is switched on continuously an alkaline PP3 9V battery should last about a month, but for longer life (about 6 months) you can use a pack of 6 AA alkaline batteries. This project uses an edge-triggered 555 monostable circuit.

Parts Required • • • • • • • • • • •

resistors: 10k, 47k, 1M ×3 presets: 100k, 1M capacitors: 0.01µF, 0.1µF, 10µF 25V radial transistor: BC108 (or equivalent) 7555 low-power timer IC 8-pin DIL socket for IC LDR (light-dependant resistor) type ORP12 bleeper 9-12V on/off switch battery clip for 9V PP3 stripboard 12 rows × 25 holes

Stripboard Layout

Circuit diagram

A kit for this project is available from RSH Electronics. If you are new to electronics buying a kit is a good way to be sure you have the correct parts for the project. Return to Projects page

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