Microcontroller and Software for Timed Pulse Outputs Based on Pin Inputs and Delays

Very new to this.

Don't know what software / hardware i need to make the following happen can you advise.

I wish to purchase the software and hardware to make this work once i know how to
make it happen can you help start me off?

Basic outline of requirements

Pin A Input 1 Chip sequence On or Off
Pin B Input 2 High pulse (zero cross over)
Pin C Output 1 Pulse - High /Low
Pin D Output 2 If time delay = 8 mS then output High
Pin E Output 3 If time delay = 5 mS then output High
Pin F Output 4 If time delay = 0 mS then output High

If Pin A is “High” then sequence starts
If Pin A is “Low” sequence stops / resets

If Pin A is “High” and Pin B receives a pulse (high) then after 9 mS a single “high pulse” is sent to Pin C (long enough to pulse an opto-isolator)

This repeats every time there is a “High pulse” on Pin B. This cycle continues for 10 seconds. This could happen “once” or up to 100 times a second

After 10 seconds the time delay is reduced to 8 mS delay, then
After 10 seconds the time delay is reduced to 7 mS delay, then
After 10 seconds the time delay is reduced to 6 mS delay
ETC

This cycle continues down to “no delay” Therefore Pulse on B = Pulse on C
At any time Pin A goes “Low” then the output to pin C stops immediately and the sequence starts all over again from the beginning once Pin A goes High again.

I wish to produce a chip that i can insert into another circuit

Thanks in advance for your help

Hi Andrew,
It would help us to better understand your requirements (and make life much more interesting for us) if you told us what the system is supposed to do ?

Also, is this a hobby project, or are you developing a circuit for a commercial application ?
This will help determine whether you want to buy the chips and program them yourself, or buy them pre-programmed as Colin suggests.

There are other (easier) possibilities besides a "raw" microcontroller (like the PIC or Atmel AVR):

*PICAXE*
--a PIC pre-programmed with a boot loader and a basic interpreter, It can also be progremmed with a graphical "flowchart language" -- very easy to use -- but there's a performance hit, for all of that ease):
* www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss_1?url=search-alias=aps&field-keywords=picaxe
* www.picaxe.com/
* www.robotshop.com/ca/fr/microcontroleurs-picaxe.html
* www.mcmelectronics.com/product/TREV-MCP010&scode=GS401

*Arduino:*
--More sophisticated development system, but still fairly easy to use. This is the whole enchilada, whereas the PICAXE requires support (unless you buy a PICAXE Project Board).
* www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss_1?url=search-alias=aps&field-keywords=arduino
* www.sparkfun.com/categories/103?page=all
* www.adafruit.com/category/17
* http://electronics.mcmelectronics.com/search?p=Q&ts=custom&w=arduino&pw=arudino
* www.seeedstudio.com/depot/arduino-t-1.html?ref=top

Sparkfun has a lot of great tutorials and other great resources, as does Adafruit and SeeedStudio, and there are plenty of books -- especially for the Arduino.

True, I 'm unlikely to use a PICAXE in one of my designs, but for someone who has little experience and wants a personal "one-off", it might just fit the bill -- and what the heck, silicon is cheap, so big deal if most of it is filled with "hand-holding" infrastructure. If it gets the job done, then there is value. Besides, I took a look at the current literature and it claims to have improved upon the "15 lines of code" limitation. From the website:

_Our most popular chip just got better. 8x larger program memory, 2x more RAM_

The Programming by Flow Chart feature seems to make the whole Microcontroller world more accessible to the hobbyist and occasional dabbler. That's what the PICAXE excels at.

And, there you go again, Colin, with that dark attitude. No need to be so unpleasant. It's unprofessional.

Thanks for the comments so far.

Okay i am a total novice, if there was a sub level of novice i would be there.

I wish to learn how to program pic chips.. (for a hobby) looking eventually to make a two axis turn table (solar tracking). I know i can buy one but that's not the object of this exercise

but firstly i need to understand the basic commands

So i thought of a potential circuit that i have no real use for.. I have been on You tube and looked at examples and thought what do i need to do to make this work.

so a simple on / off signal,

a simple input pulse (cross zero of an Ac wave form) I don't have a signal generator and my finger is not that fast to press a button.

and a changing output with time (something i haven't found on You tube)

What i need to know is what hardware would i need and software to get me started.

and maybe a hint on how to program the loops..... against time

I'm referring to the manner of your delivery, not the content, when I say "Unprofessional".

As Colin intimated, this is a large subject, and the only way you are going to get there, is to jump in and "play" -- make some smoke [i.e. send some smoke signals to the Gods of success ;]. In other words, you need to jump in and probably fail it bit, flounder a bit, and ask a lot of questions. Colin is pretty confident that his tutorials over at Talking Electronics will eliminate the usual struggles. Maybe so. At the least, following one or more tutorials, will make the journey less perilous. Like Gandalf said to Bilbo and the Dwarfs, as they were entering Mirkwood, "Stay on the path, for if you stray, you will never find your way back!"

Well, it isn't as bleak as all that, but following the path of a good tutorial will get you there with fewer mishaps -- but, then, if you're like me, you will stray from the path, frequently, get yourself into lots of trouble, and learn far more -- if you survive [OK, that's, probably, overly dramatic, too ;]

As a user of the Picaxe, I regard it as an extemely useful microcontroller chip, because I can program it in BASIC, which means a lot of the programming work is done for me, and I can focus on what I want done.

It comes in ICs from 8 to 40 pins depending on how many inputs and outputs you want. It has quite sufficient memory for the vast majority of tasks for the electronics beginner and hobbyist. All the software is free, you only need to buy the programming cable and a breadboard and a handful of components and you will soon be up and running.

Primary sources for Picaxe chips and info: In the UK:
Information: rev-ed.co.uk
Supplier: techsupplies.co.uk (= shop for rev-ed)
Technical Support Forum: www.picaxeforum.co.uk
In the US: http://www.phanderson.com/picaxe/ Supplies both the chips and helpful information.
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www.picaxeforum.co.uk Technical Support Forum: If you have a question about any aspect of the PICAXE system please post a question on the support forum at this website.
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To obtain an understanding of electronics, the following sites offer free courses of instruction and advice for beginners. Have look at a few, and discover which one(s) suit your approach. Start with simple projects and work your way up.
Many sites have a user forum for asking questions on any technical aspect.
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http://www.allaboutcircuits.com - a series of online textbooks covering electricity and electronics

www.learnabout-electronics.org/index.php - Descriptions of components and principles, good diagrams, animations, & fault-finding techniques

http://www.satcure-focus.com/hobby/index.htm - Useful range of ideas tutorials circuits links etc

http://electronics-for-beginners.com/links.php

http://www.hobby-hour.com/electronics/ - Teaching from basic principles, resistor code calculators, projects

http://www.radio-electronics.com - useful information and tutorials

http://www.electronics-tutorials.ws/index.html - plus calculators & tools