Learning Logic Circuits

[CraigB]

I've been tasked with building a simple device that would be called a win picker. Basically it's two switches, the first of which is tripped lights an LED bulb in it's lane. The second switch needs to not light the bulb in it's own lane. Picking the first switch tripped as the winner. The circuit I have created does this, but I lack a way to set a timer to say 15 seconds so the whole thing would reset on it's own. I'm working on that now, but only in the research phase.

Keep in mind I know basically nothing about this, so it's a learning experience for me. I'm not asking anyone to build it for me (I plan to market it in the future), just looking for input.

Anyway, this is what I came up with: https://simulator.io/board/TeoGDWgjPx/1

 

[Matt2000]

That's a nice site, never seen that before. Nice design too, although I also don't claim to know very much about this kind of circuit either.

From my limited knowledge I believe capacitors usually get employed for this kind of thing, charging or discharging a set value capacitor to create a time delay. I don't know how this fits into a logic circuit though as I'm thinking in traditional circuits.

Edit: Apparently capacitors don't work in logic circuits. Told you I don't know much either. :lol:

 

[CraigB]

Perhaps I'm trying to make this too complicated and should just design it around existing hardware.

 

[Matt2000]

These days you could probably get a used/cheap/knockoff Arduino or microcontroller and write the code in half the time it would take to work out the logic circuit. With the little I know about the subject I think it would only take a small number of lines of code, basically monitoring the input pins, setting the output if it receives a signal and then waiting 15 seconds to reset. It would probably need to monitor each input independently, but 2 inputs and 2 outputs is easy even on the smallest off-the-shelf boards like the tiny PICO.

 

[CraigB]

I had considered something like that. Just need it to be bulletproof.

 

[GRtak]

Do racers carry guns in the car? Some people just take things far too seriously!

 

[93Flareside]

Here I went to PLC ladder logic and then realized that's way overkill for what you're looking for.

Wonder if Tim Hunkin who's made weird and odd prop machines has any information about doing something like that... he made a ''mind reader" coin operated thing years ago.

 

[CraigB]

Do racers carry guns in the car? Some people just take things far too seriously!

Yeah, I'm sure they do. Especially the no prep guys I have the idea to sell to...

Here I went to PLC ladder logic and then realized that's way overkill for what you're looking for.

Wonder if Tim Hunkin who's made weird and odd prop machines has any information about doing something like that... he made a ''mind reader" coin operated thing years ago.

I'd like to make it look complicated enough that they won't try to fix it themselves if something goes wrong. Like leaving it plugged in when a thunderstorm rolls through.

 

[Matt2000]

I'd like to make it look complicated enough that they won't try to fix it themselves if something goes wrong. Like leaving it plugged in when a thunderstorm rolls through.

It's possible to do it with transistors, capacitors and resistors but I suspect that's basic enough that they would try to fix it. If you get something like a cheap Arduino you can have spares ready to program and swap straight out and it's all self-contained so there's nothing to 'fix'.

 

[93Flareside]

What you need is a cam timer.

 

[CrzRsn]

This site is really neat! I just with they had lesson style tutorials ontop of examples.

 

[CraigB]

I just did a little research and trial and error to get what I wanted.