I got a request for a project on demand, and I agreed, because I can also use this device for something else 🙂 A few weeks ago, “someone” asked me to build a stairs-light-controller. He wanted to put 10 bright LEDs into the side of his stairs, and wanted the LEDs to go on/off automatically, when you go up/down the stairs. (and also taken into account if there is enough light in the room or not …)
About the request:
- He wanted the LEDs to turn on, one by one, in the upper direction, when he walks up the stairs.
- When he walks down the stairs, the LEDs need to be turned on, one by one, in downwards direction.
- Sensor on top and bottom of the stairs, are my already designed, laser-beam cross detectors.
- When there is enough light in the room, the LEDs do not need to be turned on, only if it’s dark enough.
- When you go upstairs (or downstairs), and you change your mind, the LEDs go off about 2 minutes after this, starting in the middle.
Because I think other people are also interested in this controller, I made everything configurable. I created a small board, which I can put onto the main controller, to do some programming. A small 2×16 chars LCD and some pushbuttons makes life easier 🙂
When you put the programming board onto the main controller, a menu appears on the small LCD, the following parameters can be changed by the pushbuttons:
- number of outputs to use (min = 2 – max = 12, but if you have a small stair, I can imagine that you have enough with 6 outputs)
- time between LEDs to go on/off, in milliseconds. (min = 1 msec – max = 2 sec) the LEDs turn on/off smoothly/slowely, taking up the whole time between 2 LEDs.
- time-out value (to automatically turn off the LEDs – min = 1 sec – max = 240 sec)
As you can see, this is a highly configurable module 🙂 Please contact me for more info, or if you want me to build one.
Click here if you want to download the PCB design / firmware for the Stairs-light-controller
Click here if you want to download the PCB design for the laser sensor
Hi Kris
can you please tell me witch chip did you use AT90S2313 OR ATiny2313??
because in schematic you use AT90 and in Bascom file you use ATiny 2313 library.
Thanks
Dario
Hello Dario,
I use the Attiny2313.
But it should also work with the AT90S2313, actually, the AT90S2313 is the previous version of the ATTiny2313 🙂
Good luck with the project,
Kris
Hi Kris
I’ve finished your project board and i have some question
1. can lcd board stay on or i need it only to program parameters?
2. what is the value for i2c terminator if i need to take out the lcd?
3. i am not using daylight sensor do i need pull up ressistor (what value) or pulldown since my board is not working without this sensor ?
Thank you very much
Dario
Hi Dario,
1. You need to remove the LCD, and put a 4-pins header in the connector where the LCD normally fits in, otherwise “normal operation” is not possible.
2. To make this terminator, the 2 pins located mostly to the border of the PCB, need to be shorted. Between these 2 pins and the pin most inner of the PCB, you need to solder a 4K7 resistor.
3. After checking the PCB, I noticed that you may NOT use a simple piece of wire to make the bridge for bypassing the light-sensor !
To bypass the light-sensor, you need to bridge pin 1 and pin 3 of the most upper-left 3-pins connector, also with a 4K7 resistor. (leaving pin 2 unconnected !)
This should do the trick, good luck 🙂
In case of problems, please don’t hesitate to contact me.
best regards,
Kris