Easy Countdown With Buzzer

Made by electrouser809 / Clocks

About the project

How to make an easy and adaptable countdown.

Project info

Difficulty: Easy

Platforms: Arduino, SparkFun

Estimated time: 2 hours

License: GNU General Public License, version 3 or later (GPL3+)

Items used in this project

Hardware components

	MINI 7-SEGMENT COMMON CATHODE	x 1
	Resistor Network - 10K Ohm (6-pin bussed)	x 5
	Resistor Network - 10K Ohm (6-pin bussed)	x 7
	Momentary Pushbutton Switch - 12mm Square	x 3
	RedBot Buzzer Buzzer	x 1
	Transistor NPN (2N3904)	x 2
	Genuino Uno Rev3	x 1
	Tiny Breadboard	x 1

View all

Story

Countdown Timer.

This project consists in an easy countdown with three buttons and a buzzer. I wanted to do this because often I need a countdown for different things, so I ask myself: "Why don't I build one?"

In this project there are three buttons:

The first button sets the time.

The second button starts up the countdown.

The third button reset the time.

Technique of the Multiplexer.

I use the technique of the Multiplexer to display the numbers. The two displays are connected by connecting together the segments identified by the same letter. The correct view of the digit is available by activating one at a time the display. The command on each display saturates the transistor so turns on the display.

The user doesn't see one display at time but the whole digit. This is possible because the human eye fix what he sees for 25 ms, but all the cycle lasts less than 25 ms, so the two images are fix in the retina.

Unsigned long

I have used an unsigned long variable for not having 'overflowing' problems. This variable doesn't contains negative numbers and goes from 0 to 4,294,967,295.

With an 'int' variable, I would had only 32 seconds before overflowing. But with an unsigned long the problem is solved.

int

 -32,768 to 32,767
32,767 * 1ms → 32 seconds

unsigned long

4,294,967,295 * 1ms→ 4,294,967 seconds →71,582 minutes → 1,193 hours → 49 days.

Then, 49 days must pass before overflowing.

caption (optional)

Schematics, diagrams and documents

layout.jpg

connection diagram

CAD, enclosures and custom parts

Countdown

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Code

Countdown

/*Countdown with buzzer*/

#define button 10     //button Pin
#define buz 11        //buzzer Pin
#define pin_tens 13   //tens   Pin, this pin control the tens
#define pin_unit 12   //unit   Pin, this pin control the unit
#define start 9       //start  Pin
#define reset A0      //reset Pin

//Variables
int timee = 0;
int unit = 0, tens = 0;
unsigned long time_countdown = 0;

//display segment
int a = 2; //pin 7 of the display 
int b = 3; //pin 6
int c = 4; //pin 4
int d = 5; //pin 2
int e = 6; //pin 1
int f = 7; //pin 9
int g = 8; //pin 10

void setup() {
  pinMode(button, INPUT);
  pinMode(reset, INPUT);
  pinMode(start, INPUT);
  pinMode(buz, OUTPUT);
  pinMode(a, OUTPUT);
  pinMode(b, OUTPUT);
  pinMode(c, OUTPUT);
  pinMode(d, OUTPUT);
  pinMode(e, OUTPUT);
  pinMode(f, OUTPUT);
  pinMode(g, OUTPUT);
}

//This function display the number with a combination of segments for each number 
void print_number(int n) {
  switch (n) {
    case 0: //number zero
      digitalWrite(a, HIGH);
      digitalWrite(b, HIGH);
      digitalWrite(c, HIGH);
      digitalWrite(d, HIGH);
      digitalWrite(e, HIGH);
      digitalWrite(f, HIGH);
      digitalWrite(g, LOW);
      break;
    case 1: //number one
      digitalWrite(a, LOW);
      digitalWrite(b, HIGH);
      digitalWrite(c, HIGH);
      digitalWrite(d, LOW);
      digitalWrite(e, LOW);
      digitalWrite(f, LOW);
      digitalWrite(g, LOW);
      break;
    case 2: //number two
      digitalWrite(a, HIGH);
      digitalWrite(b, HIGH);
      digitalWrite(c, LOW);
      digitalWrite(d, HIGH);
      digitalWrite(e, HIGH);
      digitalWrite(f, LOW);
      digitalWrite(g, HIGH);
      break;
    case 3: //number three
      digitalWrite(a, HIGH);
      digitalWrite(b, HIGH);
      digitalWrite(c, HIGH);
      digitalWrite(d, HIGH);
      digitalWrite(e, LOW);
      digitalWrite(f, LOW);
      digitalWrite(g, HIGH);
      break;
    case 4: //number four
      digitalWrite(a, LOW);
      digitalWrite(b, HIGH);
      digitalWrite(c, HIGH);
      digitalWrite(d, LOW);
      digitalWrite(e, LOW);
      digitalWrite(f, HIGH);
      digitalWrite(g, HIGH);
      break;
    case 5: //number five
      digitalWrite(a, HIGH);
      digitalWrite(b, LOW);
      digitalWrite(c, HIGH);
      digitalWrite(d, HIGH);
      digitalWrite(e, LOW);
      digitalWrite(f, HIGH);
      digitalWrite(g, HIGH);
      break;
    case 6: //number six
      digitalWrite(a, HIGH);
      digitalWrite(b, LOW);
      digitalWrite(c, HIGH);
      digitalWrite(d, HIGH);
      digitalWrite(e, HIGH);
      digitalWrite(f, HIGH);
      digitalWrite(g, HIGH);
      break;
    case 7: //number seven
      digitalWrite(a, HIGH);
      digitalWrite(b, HIGH);
      digitalWrite(c, HIGH);
      digitalWrite(d, LOW);
      digitalWrite(e, LOW);
      digitalWrite(f, LOW);
      digitalWrite(g, LOW);
      break;
    case 8: //number eight
      digitalWrite(a, HIGH);
      digitalWrite(b, HIGH);
      digitalWrite(c, HIGH);
      digitalWrite(d, HIGH);
      digitalWrite(e, HIGH);
      digitalWrite(f, HIGH);
      digitalWrite(g, HIGH);
      break;
    case 9: //number nine
      digitalWrite(a, HIGH);
      digitalWrite(b, HIGH);
      digitalWrite(c, HIGH);
      digitalWrite(d, LOW);
      digitalWrite(e, LOW);
      digitalWrite(f, HIGH);
      digitalWrite(g, HIGH);
      break;
  }
}

void loop() {
  if(digitalRead(reset) == LOW){ //If you push the zero button, you reset the time
    delay(10);
    timee = 0;
  }
  if (digitalRead(button) == LOW) { //If you push the first botton the time rises up
    timee = timee + 1;
    if (timee == 100) timee = 0;    //time max = 99, if time == 100 -> time becomes 0
    delay(150);
  }
  //separation between unit and tens
  tens = timee / 10;
  unit = timee - (tens * 10);
  
  digitalWrite(pin_tens, HIGH); //active the tens display 
  digitalWrite(pin_unit, LOW); //disable the unit display
  if (tens != 0) {  //If tenses are == zero the tenses'display stay off
    print_number(tens);   //Display the tens
  }
  else digitalWrite(pin_tens, LOW); 
  delay(1);
  digitalWrite(pin_tens, LOW);
  digitalWrite(pin_unit, LOW);
  delay(2);
  digitalWrite(pin_tens, LOW);
  digitalWrite(pin_unit, HIGH);
  print_number(unit);     //Display the unit
  delay(1);
  digitalWrite(pin_tens, LOW);
  digitalWrite(pin_unit, LOW);
  delay(2);

  if (digitalRead(start) == LOW) { //If the start button is pressed the time go down
    time_countdown = millis(); 
    while (timee > 0) {
      tens = timee / 10;
      unit = timee - (tens * 10);
      digitalWrite(pin_tens, HIGH);
      digitalWrite(pin_unit, LOW);
      if (tens != 0) { 
        print_number(tens);   //Display the tens
      }
      else digitalWrite(pin_tens, LOW);
      delay(1);
      digitalWrite(pin_tens, LOW);
      digitalWrite(pin_unit, LOW);
      delay(2);
      digitalWrite(pin_tens, LOW);
      digitalWrite(pin_unit, HIGH);
      print_number(unit);   //Display the unit
      delay(1);
      digitalWrite(pin_tens, LOW);
      digitalWrite(pin_unit, LOW);
      delay(2);
      if (millis() - time_countdown >= 998) { //The while loop ends when 'timee' become zero
        timee = timee - 1;
        time_countdown = millis();
      }
      if (timee == 0) { //if time arrive to zero the buzzer play and display zero
        int i;
        digitalWrite(a, HIGH);
        digitalWrite(b, HIGH);
        digitalWrite(c, HIGH);
        digitalWrite(d, HIGH);
        digitalWrite(e, HIGH);
        digitalWrite(f, HIGH);
        digitalWrite(g, LOW);
        digitalWrite(pin_unit, HIGH);
        for (i = 0; i < 10; i++) {
          analogWrite(buz, 240);
          delay(100);
          digitalWrite(buz, LOW);
          delay(100);
        }
        digitalWrite(a, LOW);
        digitalWrite(b, LOW);
        digitalWrite(c, LOW);
        digitalWrite(d, LOW);
        digitalWrite(e, LOW);
        digitalWrite(f, LOW);
        digitalWrite(g, LOW);
      }
    }

  }
}

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Easy Countdown With Buzzer

About the project

Project info

Items used in this project

Hardware components

Story

Countdown Timer.

Technique of the Multiplexer.

Unsigned long

Schematics, diagrams and documents

layout.jpg

connection diagram

CAD, enclosures and custom parts

Countdown

Code

Countdown

Credits

electrouser809

Leave your feedback...

Shop

Project Hub

Video

Blog

Shop home

3D printing

Single Board Computers

Development kits

Sensors

Internet of things

Robotics

Accessories

Product of the Week

Electromaker Educator

The Electromaker Show

The Electromaker Podcast

Easy Countdown With Buzzer

About the project

Project info

Items used in this project

Hardware components

Story

Countdown Timer.

Technique of the Multiplexer.

Unsigned long

Schematics, diagrams and documents

layout.jpg

connection diagram

CAD, enclosures and custom parts

Countdown

Code

Countdown

Credits

electrouser809

Leave your feedback...

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