Programmable IR LED Flasher Circuit -- How to Build?

[Homer J Simpson]

He does have a point. If you don't want to be helpful, why not just
ignore him?

He MIGHT have had a clue. Clearly he doesn't.

 

[Michael A. Terrell]

A taste of reality? Ha! I live in a much more real world than you
johnny boy. I don't have to be an arrogant prick just to boost my self
esteem. Come with that type of attitude to my side of the fence and
see if you don't just get bitch slapped into the middle of next week.
(And before you go crying and say that I threatened you, I didn't. I
somehow picture you as that type of guy -- sit behind your computer
terminal and brag about yourself, but wither like a pansy when the real
world smacks you down).

Anyway Johnny, run along and play with your toys. I've grown tired of
this juvenile little game and probably shouldn't have entertained you
this long. You probably have some sort of weird fetish and get off
when people exchange things like this. I want no part of your perverse
little world.

Whine, whine, whine! This thread belongs on
which was created for people who don't have
any clue as to what they are doing.


--
Service to my country? Been there, Done that, and I've got my DD214 to
prove it.
Member of DAV #85.

Michael A. Terrell
Central Florida

 

[[email protected]]

Your flasher dingus is very likely based on a simple low-end
microcontroller. There are several ways in which it might work. One
way might be ...

Now that's helpful. At least I now know what it's based on and can now
research and read about the device to decide whether I want to mess
with it or not. Sounds interesting, so it's definitely worth looking
at.

These devices are quite easy to use once one has learned how to use
them. It is not difficult to learn ...

Thanks for the help.

 

[[email protected]]

Whine, whine, whine!

{yawn}

This thread belongs on

which was created for people who don't have
any clue as to what they are doing.

Wow! You too? How smart you are! You win the prize. It's a steaming
hot cup of SHUT THE **** UP. Congrats.

 

[[email protected]]

Service to my country? Been there, Done that, and I've got my DD214 to
prove it.
Member of DAV #85.

Michael A. Terrell
Central Florida

Nice quote... the military is full of mediocre troopers. I bet you
were one of them.

 

[John Fields]

A taste of reality? Ha! I live in a much more real world than you
johnny boy. I don't have to be an arrogant prick just to boost my self
esteem.

---
No, all you have to do is be a thief and think smugly about how you
managed to rip off someone else's design by enlisting the help of
well-meaning strangers.
---

Come with that type of attitude to my side of the fence and
see if you don't just get bitch slapped into the middle of next week.
(And before you go crying and say that I threatened you, I didn't. I
somehow picture you as that type of guy -- sit behind your computer
terminal and brag about yourself, but wither like a pansy when the real
world smacks you down).

---
This _is_ the real world, ya goddam pussy, and _you're_ the one
backing off and trying to cover your ass by spouting all that legal
sleaze.
---

Anyway Johnny, run along and play with your toys. I've grown tired of
this juvenile little game and probably shouldn't have entertained you
this long.

---
Translation:

OMIGOD!, what have I gotten myself into???
---

You probably have some sort of weird fetish and get off
when people exchange things like this. I want no part of your perverse
little world.

---
And yet you feel compelled to enter into my "perverse little world"
in order to tell me that you want no part of it?

Don't you think that just ignoring me would have been better?

I do, but you obviously disagree, since you felt compelled to issue
your pejorative epithets as parting shots, which makes me think
you're a victim of the "last word" syndrome. Care to reply?

 

[[email protected]]

Doesn't really matter. I was just going off of the design of the one
I've used.


It's a programmable blinking pattern. I guess sequence was the wrong
word. Whatever you tap out on the leads is repeated (about a 5-second
period that repeats). You can actually see it from quite a ways off.
The one that I've used (Phoenix Beacon) has 3 LEDs in it. When you're
looking through night vision devices, you can see it.


It's for assembling on a drop zone at night. When you have multiple
units in the area and it's dark, a pattern of flashing is very useful.
OK, cadence too. For example, it's long-long-short for one unit.
Short-short-short for another. So by pattern, I mean long and short
bursts.



Isn't a shift register just flip flops strung together? Or would it be
better to use them individually? I was just assuming shift register.
It's been years since I've done anything like this.

First of all, it is often hard to build "one of" and make it for less
than a commercial unit. Even metal boxes are $10 these days. So I would
build it only if the item were superior, or you want to learn. I
generally build things that can't be bought.

Now how many patterns do you really need? Lets say the pattern lasted 4
seconds. In any one second period of that 4 seconds, the led could be
one or off. So enumate the possibilities, with each digit below
representing one second period:
0000
0001
0010
0011
....
1111
For example, 0010 would be two seconds off, one second on, then one
second off.

So there are 16 unique cadences. One solution would be to build a state
machine that counts as follows:
1000
0100
0010
0001

Now each digit here would be followed by a switch that would enable the
LED. You could do this with a shift register, but the problem is to
make sure you only get one "one" in the register. A counter followed by
a one of N decoder would work. You could also get 4 D FFs and make a
state machine

Present| next
0001|1000
0010|0001
0100|0010
1000|0100
all other states are "don't care"

Plug these into a k-map and reduce the logic.

Some of

The device has to be "field programmable". You short the two leads and
it starts a 5-second time period. Whatever you tap goes into "memory"
and then that pattern repeats indefinitely (or until the battery dies).

That is much harder to do and would probably require a microprocessor.

AAs would be ok. What's a boost converter?

A boost converter takes the AA cell voltage, say between 2 and 3V, and
boosts it to a voltage where logic would work. In the case of this
design, you may be able to run the logic from 2 AA cells if it is CMOS,
since the speed is very slow. However, the LEDs need more than 2V to
turn on. Maybe 3 AA cells would do the job, but it doesn't give you
much head room to regulate the current in the leds. If the LEDs are in
series, you need considerable voltage, though plenty of companies make
chips for LED flashlight that could be used.

 

[[email protected]]

Mainly just learning. I was looking for some ideas on how to implement
it relatively easy. Yeah, I could spend days and weeks studying, but
beyond this project, I'm not sure I'd do much more.


One or two. I have a big budget, so I could just buy them, but it
would be a nice to make a few for the learning experience and as a nice
conversation piece.

I really suggest you look at my other post and do the k-map. Actually,
that is Karnaugh. You would be amazed at the number of EE grads than
can't design simple logic with a k-map. This would be a good learning
experience.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Karnaugh_map
I eyeballed this page, and it looks reasonable. [You can never tell
with wiki though...]

I interviewed MIT grads that don't know the insides of a CMOS logic
gate as well as not being able to do K-maps. There are sophisticated
silicon compiler schemes using VHDL, but geez, in mixed-mode designs,
you have to be able to design simple logic.

 

[John Fields]

He does have a point. If you don't want to be helpful, why not just
ignore him?

---
From his more recent posts, where he's stated that he has a big
budget to devote to this project, and also from his earlier posts
where the tone was one of some urgency, it seemed to me that he was
trying to get some free design (without disclosing that that's what
he was looking for) in order to either compete with or usurp what's
already out there.

In my book, that's cheating.

 

[Michael A. Terrell]

Nice quote... the military is full of mediocre troopers. I bet you
were one of them.

I was an engineer, and received a commendation for my work. I bet
you were a WAC.


--
Service to my country? Been there, Done that, and I've got my DD214 to
prove it.
Member of DAV #85.

Michael A. Terrell
Central Florida

 

[Michael A. Terrell]

{yawn}

This thread belongs on

Wow! You too? How smart you are! You win the prize. It's a steaming
hot cup of SHUT THE **** UP. Congrats.

Wow! thanks, but I don't want to take your lunch from you, just to
pour it over your head. One thing is for sure, you wouldn't even make
Booby prize.


Why is it all the foul mouthed morons post with a Gmail account?


--
Service to my country? Been there, Done that, and I've got my DD214 to
prove it.
Member of DAV #85.

Michael A. Terrell
Central Florida

 

[Donald]

Mainly just learning. I was looking for some ideas on how to implement
it relatively easy. Yeah, I could spend days and weeks studying, but
beyond this project, I'm not sure I'd do much more.




One or two. I have a big budget, so I could just buy them, but it
would be a nice to make a few for the learning experience and as a nice
conversation piece.

Hello kpkilburn,

This link:

http://www.ownthenight.com/html/Products/Illuminators/illphoenix.html

has an interesting product.

I work with microprocessors everyday.

I see in the Picture on the link, that the device uses a 2 Microchip
8-pin chips.

I have used just about every 8-bit single chip processor ever created.

So I have lots of chips laying around. I do have 8-pin Microchip and
8-pin Atmel, Motorola, and TI devices around.

With what I have read, there is enough information available for someone
like me to develop.

I will not assume what talents you have to bring to a project like this.

If you are a web programmer, I will give you credit that you understand
compilers and editors.

But what is your experience in working with microprocessor hardware.
Timers, I/O ports, Flash programmers ,etc.

As a learning experience you will have a load of fun developing this
type of project.

I will not start a religous war about what processor to chose.

Any one of them will do the job.

Please let us (me at least) know how you are doing.

What ever you decide to chose, post again if you would like some help.

again Good Luck

donald

 

[Paul Hovnanian P.E.]

What?

Who?

 

[Paul Hovnanian P.E.]

I thought it was called a PIC, but I went back and looked and see that
PIC is the trademarked name for the microcontroller.

I guess I have some reading to do. I never really thought to do
something like this. I had assumed that the beacon was simply built
with "simple" logic parts (gates, counters, shift registers).

A microcontroller provides the equivalent of these components in
software. Since parts count is the major factor in a product's cost, its
cheaper to do it in s/w.

 

[Don Foreman]

---
From his more recent posts, where he's stated that he has a big
budget to devote to this project, and also from his earlier posts
where the tone was one of some urgency, it seemed to me that he was
trying to get some free design (without disclosing that that's what
he was looking for) in order to either compete with or usurp what's
already out there.

In my book, that's cheating.

Mine too. I'd missed the earlier posts. Big budget = project is
important to someone = do if able, if not able then retain skilled
professional.

 

[[email protected]]

First of all, it is often hard to build "one of" and make it for less
than a commercial unit. Even metal boxes are $10 these days. So I would
build it only if the item were superior, or you want to learn.
Learning.


I generally build things that can't be bought.

Now how many patterns do you really need? Lets say the pattern lasted 4
seconds. In any one second period of that 4 seconds, the led could be
one or off. So enumate the possibilities, with each digit below
representing one second period:
0000
0001
0010
0011

..
..
..
It's a field programmable unit, but this is a good approach and would
probably accomplish the same thing. For practicality, this works.

I'm pretty familiar with K-maps, so maybe that's the way to go. I just
wanted to know how it worked -- if it's a microcontroller, then fine.
I just really wanted to know what was inside of it. It's like having
the schematics for an Atari 2600 or TRS-80. I'll never build one and
try to sell it as my own, but it's very interesting to look at them and
see what made them work.

I like your idea of just making different patterns. I wouldn't need
more than 7 or so assuming it would be used by 7 different units.

Thanks.

 

[[email protected]]

I really suggest you look at my other post and do the k-map. Actually,
that is Karnaugh. You would be amazed at the number of EE grads than
can't design simple logic with a k-map.

I'm familiar with K-maps, so I'll go back and look at that.

I interviewed MIT grads that don't know the insides of a CMOS logic
gate as well as not being able to do K-maps. There are sophisticated
silicon compiler schemes using VHDL, but geez, in mixed-mode designs,
you have to be able to design simple logic.

My preference.

 

[Jim Thompson]

On 10 Sep 2006 17:46:19 -0700, [email protected] wrote:

[snip]

I interviewed MIT grads that don't know the insides of a CMOS logic
gate as well as not being able to do K-maps. There are sophisticated
silicon compiler schemes using VHDL, but geez, in mixed-mode designs,
you have to be able to design simple logic.

This MIT grad knows both ;-)

...Jim Thompson

 

[John Fields]

---
From his more recent posts, where he's stated that he has a big
budget to devote to this project, and also from his earlier posts
where the tone was one of some urgency, it seemed to me that he was
trying to get some free design (without disclosing that that's what
he was looking for) in order to either compete with or usurp what's
already out there.

In my book, that's cheating.

---
Here's the reply I got, via private email (after the asshole wrote
"I want no part of your perverse little world."):


<<BEGIN QUOTE>>
I see now why you were such a smartass. You were afraid. You were
so concerned that someone was "cheating" and was going to get
something free from you that you completely missed the point and ran
your mouth. FYI, it's nothing more than a personal project with the
added benefits of:

1) saving a trivial amount of money though that's not really an
issue for me since I control millions

2) training my guys on soldering and assembly tasks, plus giving
them something fun to build

3) just knowing how the damned thing works

I'm not in the industry and quite frankly couldn't care less about
competing or usurping what's already out there. I don't have a
budget dedicated to paying arrogant engineers to design stuff. I
simply purchase what I need to do my mission.

Next time, before you start running your mouth, get a clue. You're
not the smartest guy in the world and when someone asks something,
it's usually exactly what it was intended to be -- a simple question
with no hidden agenda like you suspect!

I have no tolerance for people like you -- people who think that
they're somehow above everyone else just because they get paid "big
bucks" or because they're adept in their field. Here's a dose of
reality for ya -- you're replaceable, so get off your high horse and
act like a f***ing human being for once in your life.
<<END QUOTE>>




I don't like dealing with these loons in private, so I'll reply here
in the open:

First, loon, If you ever email me again without my permission I
_will_ make it my business to inform your CO that I consider your
unwelcome emails an invasion of my privacy. Also, I'm sure that
using Government resources for personal business is frowned on by
the military.

This _is_ where you're posting from, isn't it?:

OrgName: 1112th Signal Battalion
OrgID: 1SB
Address: Directorate of Information Management
Address: ASQNA-BRG-RI
Address: Building 1-1434
City: Fort Bragg
StateProv: NC
PostalCode: 28307-5000
Country: US

NetRange: 147.239.0.0 - 147.239.255.255
CIDR: 147.239.0.0/16
NetName: BRAGG-GW2
NetHandle: NET-147-239-0-0-1
Parent: NET-147-0-0-0-0
NetType: Direct Assignment
NameServer: NS01.ARMY.MIL
NameServer: NS02.ARMY.MIL
NameServer: NS03.ARMY.MIL
Comment:
RegDate: 1991-07-24
Updated: 2005-10-11

RTechHandle: DES90-ARIN
RTechName: Stetter, Dennis E.
RTechPhone: +1-732-532-2701
RTechEmail: [email protected]

OrgTechHandle: BS260-ARIN
OrgTechName: Starnes, William
OrgTechPhone: +1-910-396-4223
OrgTechEmail: [email protected]

# ARIN WHOIS database, last updated 2006-09-10 19:55



As far as giving something away for free goes, on these groups over
the years I've given away probably thousands of designs including
schematics, bills of material, software programs, mathematical
solutions and God knows what all else, so If you'd have checked my
posting history first, instead of running _your_ mouth you could
have saved yourself the embarrassment of getting busted for talking
out of your ass.

Initially you said that what you were looking for was to find out
how the things worked, but now it's about saving a trivial amount of
money, training your guys up, finding out how the things work, and
(as I recall from an earlier post) building 7 units because that's
all you need for your mission.

Something sure has changed from the pleas for help from an innocent
seeker of knowledge with no hidden agenda...

Also, if what you wrote above: "I simply purchase what I need to do
my mission." is true, then why don't you just do it? The amount of
money you're gonna cost the taxpayers by fucking around trying to
build the things is going to be a _lot_ more than if you just bought
them outright. What are they, like $80 a pop or something? That's
not even $600. Down in the noise, I'd think, for someone who
"controls millions",LOL!

As for the rest of your whining, blow me.

 

[[email protected]]

.
.
.
It's a field programmable unit, but this is a good approach and would
probably accomplish the same thing. For practicality, this works.

I'm pretty familiar with K-maps, so maybe that's the way to go. I just
wanted to know how it worked -- if it's a microcontroller, then fine.
I just really wanted to know what was inside of it. It's like having
the schematics for an Atari 2600 or TRS-80. I'll never build one and
try to sell it as my own, but it's very interesting to look at them and
see what made them work.

I like your idea of just making different patterns. I wouldn't need
more than 7 or so assuming it would be used by 7 different units.

Thanks.

I have no idea what your background is, but I just cringe when every
solution to a problem is a microcontroller. As a mixed-mode chip
designer, it is required to know how to build simple logic. I just
wonder where the next generation will come if everyone throws a uP at
the problem.

There was a situation where two different groups had projects that
required multi-master SMB interfaces. One was designed with VHDL and
some sort of compiler, while the other was hand crafted by me. I ended
up designing a very crude uP with about 6 instructions. It was all
designed by hand using K-maps. When the dust settled, my design was 16
times smaller. [FF in that design required extra inputs for testing,
which put it at a disadvantage. Still, the design was bloated.] Some
mixed-mode chips would never get off the ground if every one needed a
PIC on-board.

You won't regret designing the logic yourself. You can use dip switches
to set the code. (quite cheap). Note that if you feed a counter
directly to a decoder, it will probably glitch. For your application
(human vision), this is no problem. I haven't designed with off the
shelf logic in year, but if the decoder has an enable line, you may be
able to do the design so that the LEDS are not enabled while the
counter is switching. I wouldn't throw much logic at this problem, but
if it can be done with a bit of gate delay (inverter strings to the
enable pin), it might make viewing the design on a scope or logic
analyser (debugging) more pleasant.

One level of sophistication higher would be to bag the funny visual
codes and pick a different frequency for each user. Then design a
circuit to detect this frequency. Night vision is pretty slow, so I
would see what speed it could handle first.