project overview and constraints
In this project, we were tasked to build a circuit that would detect a copy jam in a machine. Each checkpoint is made up of two components: a phototransistor and a lamp. When a paper breaks the beam of light, the output is a one (1). When the beam of light is not broken, the output is a zero (0). Normally, a paper will not break the light of two adjacent beams. If a paper does, than there is a copy jam. If/when a paper jam occurs, an LED and a buzzer will go off. The buzzer will only stop when a reset button is pressed. The LED light, however, will go off as soon as the jam has been fixed.
truth table, midterms, un-simplified expression, Boolean Algebra, k-map, and simplified expression
circuits
In order to build my circuit, I need 3 switches, 2 AND gates, 1 OR gate, a flip-flop, and wires.
I need resistors because they allow power to cycle back when the circuit does not detect anything. The purpose of the combinational logic circuit is to allow two inputs to cause a response, meaning, that when the beam of light is broken between two adjacent components, the circuit will trigger a response. Flip flops are used to carry out a signal based on the clock and data-in. In this case, a flip flop is used to turn on the buzzer when two adjacent light beams are blocked and to turn off the buzzer when the reset button is pressed. The buzzer, not the LED light, continues to sound because it is connected to the flip flop. The buzzer must wait for the clear signal on the flip-flop to be activated so that it can stop buzzing. Other idea that I found relevant was that the LED could not be connected to the flip-flop otherwise the circuit may have gotten "confused".
conclusion
This project greatly differed from our past projects. This project required the use of many different components, such as the voltage enhancer. It also, I feel, required more critical thinking because it was more of a real life situation. I also learned many things from this project. For example, when we started to construct the circuit on the breadboard, we had to make sure that the buzzer wires we wired to the correct spots. Their orientation mattered. Also, I learned to looked at the project in simpler terms. When we first began the project, I tried to think about it in a complex manner, but I did not need to. I also learned to persevere through all projects in the future.