MBEYA UNIVERSITY OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY (MUST)

DEPARTMENT OF COMPUTER ENGINEERING

NTA LEVEL 6

PROJECT REPORT
PROJECT

TITLEDESIGN

OF
ALERT SYSTEM

TRAFFIC

CONGESTION

PROJECT TYPEPROBLEM SOLVING

PREPARED BY
ABBAS
MUSA2
01011001)
MICHAEL SELEMAN201011060)

SUPERVISOR:MR.A.S.SIKORO

DECLARATION
I ABBAS MUSA and MICHAEL SELEMAN students of Mbeya University of science and
technology with registration numbers 201011001 and 201011060 respectively, study ordinary
diploma in computer engineering. We declare to the best of our knowledge that, this project is ours
and has not been copied anywhere else.

SUPERVISOR
MR.A.S.SIKORO

ii

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

iii

LIST OF TABLES
Table 1: Interview questions ................................................................................................................. 13
Table 2: Power supply components ...................................................................................................... 14
Table 3: LCD Screen ............................................................................................................................. 15
Table 4: List of Capacitors .................................................................................................................... 16
Table 5: Voltage Regulators .................................................................................................................. 17
Table 6: LCD outputs ............................................................................................................................ 17
Table 7: Values of diodes ...................................................................................................................... 21
Table 8:Values of capacitors ................................................................................................................. 21
Table 9:Values of voltage regurators .................................................................................................... 22

iv

LIST OF FIGURES
Figure 1: Block diagram of existing system ............................................................................................ 4
Figure 2: Block diagram of designed system .......................................................................................... 6
Figure 3: Microcontroller circuit ........................................................................................................... 18
Figure 4 :Power supply circuit .............................................................................................................. 18
Figure 5: Sensor circuit ......................................................................................................................... 18
Figure 6:Display circuit ......................................................................................................................... 19

LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS

ABSTRACT

vi

Table of Contents
PROJECT TITLE .....................................................................................................................................i
DECLARATION ................................................................................................................................... ii
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT .................................................................................................................... iii
LIST OF FIGURES ................................................................................................................................. v
vii

LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS ................................................................................................................vi

ABSTRACT ...........................................................................................................................................vi
CHAPTER ONE ..................................................................................................................................... 1
INTRODUCTION ................................................................................................................................... 1
1:0 Introduction ....................................................................................................................................... 1
1:1 Problem definition ............................................................................................................................. 1
1:2 Project objectives .............................................................................................................................. 1
1:2:1 Main objective ....................................................................................................................... 1
1:2:2 Specific objectives .................................................................................................................. 1
1:3 Significance of the project................................................................................................................. 1
1:4 Scope of the project ........................................................................................................................... 2
1:5 Limitation of the project.................................................................................................................... 2
CHAPTER TWO..................................................................................................................................... 2
LITERATURE REVIEW ........................................................................................................................ 2
2:0 Introduction ....................................................................................................................................... 2
2:1 Existing system (traffic light) ............................................................................................................ 2
2:2 Types of traffic lights ........................................................................................................................ 2
2:2:1 actuated controlled traffic light ............................................................................................. 3
2:2:2 coordinated controlled traffic light ....................................................................................... 3
2:2:3 Dynamic controlled traffic light ............................................................................................ 3
2:2:4 Fixed controlled traffic light................................................................................................. 3
2:3 Operation of existing system ............................................................................................................ 3
2:3:2 Weakness of existing system .................................................................................................. 4
2:4 Designed system (Traffic congestion alert system) .......................................................................... 6
2:5 Hardware descriptions ....................................................................................................................... 8
2:5:1 Power supply ......................................................................................................................... 8
2:5:2 Sensor .................................................................................................................................... 8
2:5:3 Programmable interface controller (PIC) ............................................................................. 9
2:5:4 LCD Screen ............................................................................................................................ 9
2:5:5 RS232 ..................................................................................................................................... 9
2:5:6 MAX232 ............................................................................................................................... 10
2:5:7 GSM MODEM ..................................................................................................................... 10
2:6 Software descriptions ...................................................................................................................... 10
2:6:1 GSM ..................................................................................................................................... 10
2:6:2 SMS ...................................................................................................................................... 11
2:7 Strength of designed system ............................................................................................................ 12
viii

CHAPTER THREE ............................................................................................................................... 12

METHODOLOGIES ............................................................................................................................. 12
3:0 Introduction ..................................................................................................................................... 12
3:1 internet surfing ................................................................................................................................ 13
3:2 Reading different books .................................................................................................................. 13
3:3 Conducting interview ...................................................................................................................... 13
3:2 Data collection ................................................................................................................................ 14
3:2:1 Power Supply ....................................................................................................................... 14
3:2:2 Microcontroller ................................................................................................................... 15
3:2:3 LCD SCREEN ...................................................................................................................... 15
3:2:4 External communication components .................................................................................. 15
3:3 Data analysis ................................................................................................................................... 15
3:3:1 Diodes .................................................................................................................................. 16
3:3:2 Capacitors ........................................................................................................................... 16
3:3:3: Voltage regulator ............................................................................................................... 17
3:3:4: LCD Screen ........................................................................................................................ 17
3:3:5: PIC (Programmable interface controller) ......................................................................... 17
3:4 System design .................................................................................................................................. 18
3:4:1 Hardware design ................................................................................................................. 18
3:4:2 Software design.................................................................................................................... 19
3:4 Circuit simulation ............................................................................................................................ 20
3:5 Prototype implementation ............................................................................................................... 21
CHAPTER FOUR ................................................................................................................................. 21
FINDING AND RESULTS .................................................................................................................. 21
4:1: Introduction .................................................................................................................................... 21
4:1:1 Diodes .................................................................................................................................. 21
4:1:2 Capacitors ........................................................................................................................... 21
4:1:3 Voltage Regulators .............................................................................................................. 22
4:1:4 LCD display ......................................................................................................................... 22
4:1:5 PIC (Programmable Interface Controller).......................................................................... 22
CHAPTER FIVE ................................................................................................................................... 23
CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATION .................................................................................. 23
5:1 CONCLUSIONS ............................................................................................................................. 23
5:2 RECOMMENDATION .................................................................................................................. 24
References ............................................................................................................................................. 24
ix


CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

1:0 Introduction

1:1 Problem definition

1:2 Project objectives

1:2:1 Main objective

1:2:2 Specific objectives

1:3 Significance of the project

1:4 Scope of the project

1:5 Limitation of the project

CHAPTER TWO

LITERATURE REVIEW
2:0 Introduction

2:1 Existing system (traffic light)

2:2 Types of traffic lights

2:2:1 actuated controlled traffic light

2:2:2 coordinated controlled traffic light

2:2:3 Dynamic controlled traffic light

2:2:4 fixed controlled traffic light

2:3 Operation of existing system

Figure 1: Block diagram of existing system

MICRO

POWER SUPPLY
CONTROLLER

OUTPUT (TRAFFIC

LIGTH COLOR)

2:3:2
Weakness
of
existing
system

i.

2:4 Designed system (Traffic congestion alert system)

Figure 2: Block diagram of designed system

LCD SCREEN 1

MICRO
CONTROLER 1

LCD SCREEN 2

GSM
MODEM 1

GSM
MODEM 2

SENSOR 1

MICRO
CONTROLER 2

SENSOR 2

2:5 Hardware descriptions

2:5:1 Power supply

2:5:2 Sensor

2:5:3 Programmable interface controller (PIC)

2:5:4 LCD Screen

2:5:5 RS232

2:5:6 MAX232

2:5:7 GSM MODEM

2:6 Software descriptions

2:6:1 GSM

10

2:6:2 SMS

11

2:7 Strength of designed system

CHAPTER THREE
METHODOLOGIES
3:0 Introduction
This
chapter
explains
the
various
methods
used

12

3:1 internet surfing

3:2 Reading different books

3:3 Conducting interview

Table 1: Interview questions

13

3:2 Data collection

3:2:1 Power Supply

Since our circuit needs power in order to operate then we found some components which we use to create
a power supply. In our research we found the following components with their parameters as indicated at the
table below:Table 2: Power supply components

S/N
1
2
3
4
5

Component name
Step down transformer

Specification
INPUT
:220-250Vac
,
OUTPUT:12Vdc
1N4001,1N4007,1N5401,1N5408
100k, 1k, 2.2k56k,10K
2.2F, 1F, 1000uF, 100uF
IC7805, IC555

diodes
Resistors
Capacitors
Voltage regulator

14

3:2:2 Microcontroller

3:2:2:1 Base-line PIC Microcontroller

3:2:3:2 Mid-range PIC Microcontroller

3:2:3 LCD SCREEN

Table 3: LCD Screen

3:2:4 External communication components

During data collection the communication component we collected are:-Serial input /output channel (RS 232),
line driver (MAX 232) and GSM modem.

3:3 Data analysis

15

3:3:1 Diodes
Diodes are used to rectify the 12V ac into 12V dc. During simulation of various diodes we found the different
output values for different diodes as shown in the graph below.
4500
4000
3500
3000
2500

Maximum voltage(v)

2000

Maximum current (ma)

1500
1000
500
0
1N4001

1N4007

1N5401

1N5408

3:3:2 Capacitors
These are used to remove the electro-magnetic induction noise of out put voltage without affecting its value.
In simulation we tested the following capacitors and their out voltages are as shown in the graph below.
Table 4: List of Capacitors

12.5
12
11.5
11
Output Voltage

10.5
10
9.5
9
1F

2.2F

100F

16

1000F

3:3:3: Voltage regulator

Used to regulate the unregulated dc power and decrease the output voltages to the specific required value.
During data collection we found two Voltage regulators with different specification. By simulating these
regulators we found the following as shown in the graph below results.
Table 5: Voltage Regulators
6
5
4
3

Output voltage (dc)

2
1
0
IC7805

IC555

3:3:4: LCD Screen

LCD Screen used to provide the output message in the circuit system. There are two messages to be displayed
the first one is NOW ROAD IS FREE which displayed if sensor is not pressed and the second one is
SORY ROAD BUSY which displayed if sensor is released. During simulation we found the following
outputs for different LCD display:Table 6: LCD outputs

3:3:5: PIC (Programmable interface controller)

This is main controller of our circuit which receives the input from the sensor (push button), process it and give
the desired output to the LCD Screen. During simulation we tested the PIC12F508 and PIC 16F877A members
and in both we obtained the same results of accepting the input, processing and giving the output.

17

3:4 System design

3:4:1 Hardware design

Figure 3: Microcontroller circuit

Figure 4 :Power supply circuit

Figure 5: Sensor circuit

18

Figure 6:Display circuit

3:4:2 Software design

Start

Initialization
of

hardware
/software

awre

Set the receiver

number

Poll the sensors

19

If sensor

pressed

Display SORRY

ROAD BUSY

If sensor

released

Display NOW

ROAD IS FREE

3:4 Circuit simulation

20

3:5 Prototype implementation

CHAPTER FOUR

FINDING AND RESULTS

4:1: Introduction

In this chapter we have collected the finding and results which were obtained from previous, chapter three
during the process of data analysis and come out with the specific component which used to create the circuit.
From data analysis we have the findings of the following devices:4:1:1 Diodes
From the results obtained in the graph of diode analysis above the different output values given by different
diodes are summarized in the table below.
Table 7: Values of diodes

S/N
Diode
Maximum current Reverse
Maximum voltage
1
1N4001
1000 ma
50V
2
1N4007
1000 ma
1000V
3
1N5401
3000 ma
100V
4
1N5408
3000 ma
1000V
We decided to use 1N4001 which have the current handling capacity of 1A and the maximum voltage handling
capacity of 50V.In order to form bridge rectifiers which produce the +12 V dc.
4:1:2 Capacitors
From the results obtained in the graph of capacitor analysis above the output values given by different
capacitors are summarized in the table below.
Table 8:Values of capacitors

21

S/N
Capacitor/Specification
Output voltage(DC)
1
1F
+10V
2
2.2F
+10.5V
3
100F
+11V
4
1000F
+12V
We decide to use 1000F capacitor which brings the output voltage of +12Vdc. And during voltage regulation
we decided to use 1F capacitor which produces +10Vdc which supplied to the electronic component which
require less than +12V dc to operate.
4:1:3 Voltage Regulators
From the results obtained in the graph of Voltage regulators analysis above the output values given by different
regulators are summarized in the table below
Table 9:Values of voltage regurators

S/N

Voltage
Out put voltage(DC)
Regulator/Specification
1
IC7805
+5V
2
IC555
+3.5V
Since the component of our circuit such as PIC microcontroller, Sensor, I/O interface (RS232) and Line driver
(MAX 232 IC) operate by using only +5V dc then we decided to use IC7805 as the voltage regulator in our
circuit.
4:1:4 LCD display
According to the results obtained above we found that all collected LCD display have the ability to display the
required messages but we decided to use LM016L (16x2) LCD Screen due to the fact that It has 2 lines and
each line take 16 characters. Therefore the first message is displayed at the first line while the second message
is displayed at the second line.
4:1:5 PIC (Programmable Interface Controller)
From the results obtained during simulation we found that all tested PIC operate in the same manner but we
decide to use PIC 16F877A as it easily programmed by using Micro c programming compiler to accept the
input and give the desired output. Also it has the following properties:

22

4:1:6 Complete Circuit

5:1 CONCLUSIONS

CHAPTER FIVE
CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATION

23

5:2 RECOMMENDATION

24

References

25