DIGITAL TIMER

Introduction

There have been times where you would like to control a simple task but could not, mostly because you are far from the control or the time is not right and you need to wait. Time in simple terms defines our life style. Sometimes when you are late you got to hurry to be punctual and sometimes when you are early, you need to wait for the right time to do something. Well everyone knows it is difficult to control time. What we (Hammed and I) have is a DT (Digital Timer). It is an embedded system which on a specified time, an electronic device attached to it would either be switched on or off. It can control up to three devices but with future modifications, possibly control the number you desire.

History

The idea to create an already existing invention was mostly to LEARN. The Idea came up in order to be able to compete on the Science Festival in Sultan Qaboos University. Unluckily we won nothing.

Components

The components used to make this device working are

• Relays
• A transformer
• Micro controller
• LCD Screen

In order to make the device, the following knowledge was required

• electronics
• embedded systems
• programming in assembly or Basic

How to use the Device

First of all, there is a wire which needs to be plugged into an electric source to power the device. After choosing the electronic devices which you wish to control- let’s take an example f a bulb, air condition and a washing machine. Connect the live wire to the three sockets of the device below. Next Power the Device by using the Switch on the left of the diagram below.

Setting the time to function

• After the device is powered up, a green light (Marker) will indicate that the Device is working
• The LCD will display a screen for the first time asking the user to enter the current time
• Using the purple control buttons, you can set the current time by moving on every digit and incrementing it by the upper button or decrementing it by the lower button.
• When the time is set, The LCD displays will display the time
• The Black device controllers actually are linked to three different devices, By pressing the first one, a prompt message on the screen will ask for the device 1 Start time, which would be a bulb as an example. After entering the time using the purple buttons, another prompt will ask for the stop time and as before you need to enter a time where the bulb needs to go off usually in the morning
• The three Blue manual control act as a normal switch which you can on and off instantly the device
• The three red Buttons act as the device indicators as if the bulbs turns on, the first red light from the left will glow and when it goes off, if will switch off. The other two red buttons are for the other two devices.

Advantages

• Centralization- Can control the whole building’s electronic appliance using a single device
• Can be set to a specified time to do simple operation such as, on the air conditioner, bulb, heater and many others electrical appliances.
• Can be easily connected to a simple socket, which means no new connections are needed (no breaking of walls).
• Easy to manipulate
• Promising further improvements
• All actions are reversible(if u don’t like the device you can return your old socket and it is manual again)
• Reliable
• Small

By further improvements I mean with some modification, the device can control the amount of light to emit, control more than three devices and do much more. I am sure you guys reading this would probably have more simple application which could be applied to the DT.

A lot of guys what they had to say was that the device is in the market already. Well, Technology is increasingly becoming vast and more and more inventions are being created by the second. The need to get a new idea rarely remains a solution but this does not mean we have to give up, I believe doing what has been done is a learning activity and a possible improvement. We all need to take a first step towards success.

Project Team:

Hameed Al-Bulushi

Saud Al-Zakwani

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