transistors.

Each display is blanked before age to 5 V. This is a low dropout regulator The PIC software can be downloaded free
displaying the value to prevent ghosting. which can work down to 6 V hence juicing of charge from the Elektor website. The
A temperature sample is read every 30 s to the battery for the last drop of energy. The archive file number is 080418-11.zip. The
prevent the value displayed from changing thermometer may also be run from three software was developed using CCS C.
due to fluctuations in the temperature. An AA dry batteries in series with no series (080418-I)
LP2950 is used to regulate the supply volt- regulator.

Multitasking Pins
Roland Plisch
It’s entirely logical that low-cost miniature
microcontrollers have fewer ‘legs’ than
their bigger brothers and sisters – some-
times too few. The author has given some
consideration to how to economise on
pins, making them do the work of several.
It occurred that one could exploit the high-
impedance feature of a tri-state output. In
this way the signal produced by the high-
impedance state could be used for exam-
High Z = no CS
ple as a CS signal of two ICs or else as a RD/
WR signal.
All we need are two op-amps or compara-
tors sharing a single operating voltage of 5
V and outputs capable of reaching full Low
and High levels in 5-V operation (prefera-
bly types with rail-to-rail outputs). Suitable
U+ examples to use are the LM393 or LM311.
The resistances in the voltage dividers in
this circuit are uniformly 10 kilohms.
R R
Consequently input A lies at half the oper-
High= CS1 CS1
ating voltage (2.5 V), assuming nothing is
A1 connected to the input – or the microcon-
Low = CS2
R
troller pin connected is at high impedance.
A
The non-inverting input of IC1A lies at two-
thirds and the inverting input of IC1B at
CS2 one third of the operating voltage, so that
A2 in both cases the outputs are set at High
state. If the microcontroller pin at input A
R R becomes Low, the output of IC1B becomes
Low and that of IC1A goes High. If A is High,
080095 - 11
everything is reversed.
(080095-I)

Environmentally-friendly Mosquito Repeller

B. Broussas
S1

With the return of the fine weather, you’ll

doubtless be enjoying lazing around of 14

an evening on your patio or in your gar- 4 6

AST
den, but even if you’re not surrounded by C1
4n7
5
AST
–T
OSC
13
marshes or other shallow water it’s very BT1
1
CX
LS1
likely some intruding mosquitoes will come C2 P1 R1 IC1 Q
10
2
9V
along to spoil this idyllic scene. 1k RX
4047
100µ 4k7
15V 3 11
RCC Q
Although indoors it’s easy to get rid of them 9
RST
piezo
tweeter
12 8
these days, indeed even to prevent them RET +T

coming into the house, the same can’t be

7
said for the great outdoors. We might men-
tion the well-known Chinese coils – the only
080230 - 11
thing Chinese about them is undoubtedly
their name – which very often drive people
away as much as mosquitoes, if not more!
Moreover they are nasty things to handle. by two closely-spaced grilles between are supposedly attracted by the colour of
There are also UV (ultra-violet) ‘electrocu- which a high voltage is applied. The mos- the lamp and as they approach, get elec-
tors’ consisting of a blue lamp surrounded quitoes (and flies and other flying insects) trocuted in contact with the two grilles.

20 elektor - 7-8/2008