Circuit Cellar Ink 203
June 2007

Table of Contents

4


CJ Abate

HTML Task Manager

Projects, Projects, and More Projects

8


John Gorsky

New Product News

  • MAX13487E and MAX13488E half-duplex, RS-485 transceivers from Maxim Integrated Products, Inc.
  • ESW series rugged industrial Ethernet switches from CyberResearch, Inc.
  • Beagle USB 480 USB 2.0 high-speed protocol analyzer from Total Phase
  • XTR111 precision voltage-to-current converter/transmitter from Texas Instruments, Inc.
  • XE0402LCC telephone interface (DAA) module from Xecom, Inc.
  • UEIModbus Cube compact, rugged, Ethernet-based data acquisition and control interface from United Electronic Industries
  • 78K0/Lx3 line of 8-bit all flash microcontrollers from NEC Electronics Corp.
  • KeyLink III and SlimLink III serial flash reader/writers from Datakey Electronics, Inc.
  • CableAVR-SD stand-alone in-system Atmel AVR programmer from Priio
  • Primer Pack/IP wireless sensor network kit from Arch Rock Corp.
  • PS-1 benchtop power supply with rechargeable batteries from R&R Technologies, Inc.
  • StackableUSB modules from Micro/sys, Inc.

16


Dhananjay Gadre
Anurag Chugh
Parag Shah
Sneha Lele

Network of Keypads

This integrated voting system includes several keypads that feature an ATmega8, a MAX485, a few LEDs, and push buttons.The keypads communicate over the RS-485 bus.A Java application runs on a PC that generates a bar graph similar to the one seen on TV game shows.

Download: Gadre-203.zip

24


Naubert Aparicio

Video-Based Motion Sensor

A mixed-signal design and a lot of creativity helped Naubert build a handy video-based motion sensor. With just an analog front end and an Atmel ATmega88, this system is able to detect movement in real time.

Download: Aparicio-203.zip

32


Peter Gibbs
Ramon Sargeant

Dew Point Monitor

Peter and Ramon built an accurate dew point monitoring system. The system cools a mirror and records the temperature the moment moisture forms on it.

38


Aleksander Borysiuk

Slave Flash Trigger

Aleksander wanted a more powerful camera flash that could reach longer distances and reduce red eye. He built his ATtiny13-based external slave flash trigger to do that and more.

Download: Borysiuk-203.zip

46


Alun Hunt

USB-Controlled Pulse Generator

With a field-programmable gate array and a low-cost PC, Alun designed a system for USB-interfaced test equipment. The pulse generator doesn't require much external circuitry. All the hard work is done inside the FPGA.

Download: Hunt-203.zip

58


Victor Kremin
Valeriy Kyrynyuk

LIN-Based Ultrasound Parking Assistant

This simple system takes the guesswork out of parking in crowded cities. Ultrasonic sensors detect possible obstacles. When an object gets too close, an alarm is activated. If you can't see what's in your way, an OLED indicates its location relative to your vehicle.

Download: Kremin-203.zip ApplNotesUltrasonicS4Corner&BackSonar-1.pdf.zip

67


Fred Eady

Power Supply Design

A PID-Based SMPS

Fred reminisces about his first attempt to build a switching power supply. Learn from his experience as he shows you an SMPS development board that will help you learn about and develop power supplies.

Above the Ground Plane

71


Ed Nisley

Practical Photomicrography

This month, Ed digresses from analog and RF topics to describe techniques for taking good pictures of small objects. The next time you modify a part, take a few pictures to improve your memory, your reports, and your documentation.

Download: Nisley-203.zip

From the Bench

75


Jeff Bachiochi

Gearing Up to Go the Distance

Slotted Optical Switches

This is not your father's odometer. With some modifications, including slotted optical switches, Jeff's odometer measures the speed and distance traveled on his electric bicycle. The information is displayed on an LED.

Download: Bachiochi-203.zip

Silicon Update

80


Tom Cantrell

Rock 'Em, Clock 'Em

Electronics have marched to the beat of quartz crystals for almost 100 years, but times they are a changin'. This month Tom takes a look at technologies that change the way crystals are used, replace them, or even eliminate the need for a clock altogether.

93

Crossword Puzzle

94

Advertiser's Index / July Preview

96


Steve Ciarcia

HTML Priority Interrupt

Technical Merit

FTP Directory for INK 203
Follow this link to order a copy of INK 203

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