Basic button/timer/light reminder project

[GarageGuy]

Been a while since I've done anything with circuits, 555 timers, etc.

1) In the simplest sense, I would have X switches and X indicator lights, but when I press any given button for that light, I would want all the other lights to turn off.

2) An upgrade to the above is to just have one button somehow sequentially loop through the lights with every button press.

3) Another upgrade would be that with each reset of a light, I have a timer that after some period of time, the light slowly starts flashing and as more time passes, the light starts flashing faster to some max flash rate.

What types of circuits would I use for the above various ideas? I've seen some simple high/low circuits for controlling two outputs, but I need more than 2. Ideally I'd have one timer circuit that with each press of a single (or per light) button would reset the timer and sequentially move to the next output latching on only that one specific relay, gate, or whatever the right term is for that output.

Thanks!

 

[cowboybob]

Welcome, GarageGuy!

I'm assuming a lack of response to your query is due to this idea having been proposed before and no real solution having been found.

The big problem is your desire to do this with analogs. With an MCU, no problem but with analogs, a problem, at least in my book.

I, also, am curious to see a response but in the mean time I'm going to try some ideas on the SIM.

If no one else comes up with an answer I'll post my efforts.

 

[Mike odom]

1) can be done with f/f's... each switch resets all the other lights, but sets the f/f for its light.
2) add a sequencer for which f/f the switch sets, resetting all others.
3) add a timer for each f/f, with the sequencer resetting both the timer and the f/f for the light. When the timer times out, the f/f is set to turn the light back on in flash mode. A secondary timer, or an integrator input into a '555 to control the flash rate over time.

All the above modes can be done with logic chips/gates/timers... but like the cowboy says, a micro would make it much easier (and easier to change).

 

[GarageGuy]

Thanks for the replies! I had read up on flipflip circuits and thought maybe building a tree like pattern out of them would help give me multiple outputs. I figured I could have just one timer circuit that outputs through whatever relay the flipflop circuit has activated.

I've never done micro, mcu?, before. So what's a good site or something to get me started on that? I assume there are tons of dedicated micros out there, which one would be best for this purpose?

I've come across things like the 74HC574 and 74HC154. Also the 4017B counter. Are these considered MCUs?

Does the 'SIM' in the first reply mean there are online simulators to help me design this circuit using any of the above?

Thanks again!

 

[Mike odom]

The three chips you mentioned are not microcontrollers. They are logic chips.
the '574 is an octal D flipflop, but there are no set/reset inputs.
the '154 is a hex (16 to 1) demultiplexer (what they call a 4 to 16 because it has 4 address bits to give a low on 1 of 16 outputs).
The 4017 is a counter/decoder that gives a high on 1 of 10 outputs, based on the internal counter state.

 

[cowboybob]

...I've come across things like the 74HC574 and 74HC154. Also the 4017B counter. Are these considered MCUs?

No, just individual logic ICs. And, as Mike pointed out, you could develope your idea with just the ICs.

...Does the 'SIM' in the first reply mean there are online simulators to help me design this circuit using any of the above?...

Yes. You can download a free version of LTSpice from:

https://www.linear.com/designtools/software/

It does have a learning curve but it's not a steep one. There are a lot of members here on ETO who are very familiar with LTSpice and its uses who are more than willing to help.