DTMF CONTROLLED ROBOT WITHOUT MICROCONTROLLER

CHAPTER 1

INTRODUCTION

DTMF is an acronym for Dual Tone Modulation Frequency. DTMF is a circuit that operates the
robot without using a microcontroller. This circuit consists of simple DTMF Tone decoder IC
and a motor driver IC.

Cell phone operated Robot is a Robot whose movement can be controlled by pressing the
number of cell phone. The robot can move forward, backward, right or left which depends on the
numbers you are pressing. The Cell Phone controlled Robot uses DTMF (Dual tone-multi
frequency) module. It is capable of receiving a set of command (instructions) in the form of
DTMF (Dual tone multiple frequency) tones and performs the necessary actions. The robot is
controlled by making call to the mobile connected to the robot. The robot performs various
operations like moving forward, backward etc. if any key is pressed in the course of the call, by
hearing at the other end of the call (i.e. at the mobile connected to the robot ). Each key
corresponds to a particular frequency which is decoded by the DTMF decoder & processed by
logic circuit by giving each key a particular operation like moving forward, backward, right, left
etc. The benefit is that we can operate the robot by using any mobile with the working range as
large as the coverage area of the service provider.

When a key is pressed from our mobile, it generates a tone, which is a combination of two
frequencies. Of the two frequencies, one is high frequency and another one is low frequency.
This frequency can be decoded by the decoder IC into binary sequence. Using this binary
sequence, the robot is controlled.

DTMF receiver sections are used to receive the dual tone coming from cell phone. It is received
by the DTMF and decoded by the same DTMF IC and given to the further circuit to receive the
dual tone frequency from the cell phone and to convert it into unstable signal we have to use
HT9170 IC, here we are given explanation of the HT9170 IC, both IC are compatible with each
other.

Introduction to Robotics

The word “Robot” is one of those elusive terms that have defied unique definition. One reason
for this is that its use changes all the time. Initially, a robot was a humanoid or human-like being.
The word “Robot” was derived from the Czech word meaning “slave labor” and was coined by
Kapec in his play, Rossum’s Universal Robots in 1921. These robots were biochemical – what
we would now call androids. This was followed soon after by a number of films featuring robots
such as Fritz Lange’s 1922 Metropolis that excited the imagination of both the public and the
science and engineering communities. Science fiction books such as Asimov’s “I Robot”, from
where we got the term robotics, were also popular at this time. These robots were easy to define
as non-living machines that looked and acted like humans. In the real world of industry and
academia, however, robots were not anything like humanoids. In the academic world, the most
advanced robot in the 1970s was the Stanford Cart which had a body made up of what looked
like a shallow rectangular box on wheels from an old fashioned baby carriage (pram). In those
days the idea was to go for human modes of reasoning, rather than human shapes. Unfortunately,
because of the complexity of the models of human, perception-inference-reasoning, this type of
robot would move about one meter every 15 minutes. So the 1980s saw a shift towards robot
controllers being modeled on insects and other animals and this enabled the sort of fast reactive
responses that you can see in modern day toy sensing robots and robot pets. The major uses in
industry, e.g. painting cars, required only robot arms rather than whole robots. Initially these
were considered to be part of a robot’s body but they eventually became known as robots in their
own right. The major distinction is now between non-mobile robots such as arms and actuators
and mobile robots, which may be wheeled, legged or may even be propelled through water or air.
Another important distinction is between autonomous and non autonomous robots. Originally,
robots would only be considered to be a robot if it was autonomous. That is, they could operate
on their own without human intervention. It is now perfectly acceptable to call any autonomous
vehicle a mobile robot even if it looks like a car, a plane or a horse. It is also becoming
increasingly acceptable to use the term robot for remote controlled vehicles. This started off with
tele-robotics, robots operated at a distance, like those used by emergency 13 services for bomb
disposal and fire fighting. Then came the remote controlled robot used in television contests like
Robot Wars, Techno Games and Mechanoids.

DTMF Based Robotic Vehicle Circuit Principle

DTMF based robotic vehicle circuit consists of DTMF Decoder IC, Motor Driver IC (L293D or
L298N), motors and a simple robot chassis to hold all these components.

DTMF decoder IC used is HT9170B (actually a variant called CM8870 is used but the
functionality is the same). It has 18 pins. Tone from DTMF encoder is given to the DTMF
decoder IC. The decoder IC internally, consists of operational amplifier, whose output is given to
pre filters to separate low and high frequencies. Then it is passed to code detector circuit and it
decodes the incoming tone into 4bits of binary data. This data at the output is directly given to
the driver IC to drive the two motors. These motors rotate according to the decoded output.

OBJECTIVES OF THE PROJECT

The aim of this project is design a DTMF controlled Robot car without using a Microcontroller.
 APPLICATION OF THE PROJECT

 DTMF robot with slight modifications can be used in industrial applications

 DTMF robot with human detector sensor can be used at the time of disasters like earth to
detect the human under buildings.

 DTMF robot with camera can be used in surveillance systems.

LIMITATIONS OF THE PROJECT

 DTMF robot may not work properly if it is operated with another mobile when there is no
signal.

 Mobiles with particular jacks are only used.

METHODOLOGY

To achieve the aim and objectives of this work, the following are the steps involved:

I. Study of the previous work on the project to improve it efficiency.

II. Draw a block diagram

III. Test for continuity of components and devices.

IV. Studying of various components used in the circuit.

MATERIAS TO BE USED

1. DTMF Decoder IC (HT9170B or CM8870)

2. Motor Driver IC (L293D or L298N)
3. Motors
4. LED.
5. Crystal(3.58MHz)
6. Mobile Handsets
7. Capacitor 100nF (2)
8. Capacitor 22pF (2)
9. Resistors 330KΩ (2)
10. Resistors 100KΩ (2)
11. Robot chassis
12. Batteries and Connector
13. SMT patch tin solder paste
 14. Soldering Iron
15. Soldering Wire
16. Multimeter
17. Power board

PROJECT ORGANISATION

The project was organized as follows: chapter one discuses the introductory part of the work,
chapter two presents the literature review of the study, chapter three discuses the methods
applied, chapter four discusses results of the work, chapter five summarizes the research
outcomes and the recommendations.
 CHAPTER 2

LITERATURE REVIEW

OVERVIEW OF THE STUDY

DTMF TECHNOLOGY Dual-tone multi-frequency (DTMF) signaling is used for telephone

signaling over the line in the voice frequency band to the call switching center. The version of
DTMF used for telephone tone dialing is known by the trademarked term Touch-Tone, and is
standardized by ITU-T Recommendation Q.23. A different version is used for signaling internal
to the telephone network. DTMF is an example of a multi-frequency shift keying (MFSK)
system. Today DTMF is used for most call setup to the telephone exchange, at least in developed
regions of the world.

(Yun Chan Cho, July, 2008). The authors Awab Faikh, Jovita Serao presented a paper titled“Cell phone
operated robotic car”. In this paper the authors used IC89C51, DTMF, radio control, remote control
vehicle and design the new method of construction of cell phone controlled robotic car. The RF circuit are
used for limited distance so to overcome this problem authors uses the DTMF which will used for long
distance. The main aim of this project is to control a robotic car using DTMF frequency. (Jae Wook Jeon
July, 2008) In the year April 2014 the author amey kelkar presented a paper “Implementation of
unmanned vehicle using GSM network with Arduino” In this paper author used robot, GSM, Arduino,
DTMF decoder. In this paper they represented a vehicle development which is controlled by GSM and an
Arduino is used for design of the vehicle. This system used DTMF frequency and it can be controlled
over very long distance. The C & C++ language is used as programing language in this system

History of DTMF

DTMF was developed at Bell Labs in order to allow dialing signals to dial long-distance
numbers, potentially over non wire links such as microwave links or satellites. Encoder/decoders
were added at the end offices that would convert the standard pulse signals into DTMF tones and
play them down the line to the remote end office. At the remote site another encoder/decoder
would decode the tones and perform pulse dialing DTMF tones were also used by some cable
television networks to signal the local cable company to insert a local advertisement. These tones
were often heard during a station ID preceding a local ad inserts. Terrestrial television stations
also used DTMF tones to shut off and turn on remote transmitters. Schenker, L (1960).

DTMF Decoder
An MT8870 (fig. 3) series DTMF decoder is used here. The MT8870 series use digital counting
techniques to detect and decode all the 16 DTMF tone pairs into a 4-bit code output. The need for pre-
filtering is eliminated using the built-in dial tone rejection circuit. In single-ended input configuration
when the input signal given at pin 2, is effective, the correct 4-bit decoded signal of the DTMF tone is
generated and transferred to Q1 (pin 11) through Q4 (pin 14) outputs of the DTMF decoder which are
given as input to the corresponding input pins of the motor driver.
Figure 3 DTMF decoder configurations

Integration of both the band split filter and digital decoder functions makes the DTMF decoder a
complete receiver. Switch capacitor techniques for high and low group filters are used; digital counting
techniques are used to detect and decode all 16 DTMF tone pairs into a 4 bit code. The external
component count is minimized as an on chip provision of a differential input amplifier clock oscillator
and latched three state bus interfaces are provided. The functional description of the MT8870 is given in
the following sections:

Filter Section:
Separation of the low group and high group tones are achieved by applying the DTMF signal to the input
of the two sixth order switched capacitor band pass filter, the band width of whose correspond to the low
and high group frequencies. Prior to limiting each filter output is followed by a single order switched
capacitor filter section which conditions the signal; limiting is performed by the use of high gain
comparators which are provided with hysteresis to prevent detection of unwanted low level signals. Full
rail logic swing is provided at the output of the comparators at the frequency of the incoming DTMF
signals.

Decoder Section:
In the decoder section, there is a decoder employing digital counting techniques to determine the
frequencies of the incoming tones and to verify whether they correspond to standard DTMF frequencies
or not. Use of a complex averaging algorithm protects against tone simulation by extraneous signals such
as voice in addition to providing tolerance for small frequency deviations and variations. The
development of this averaging variation algorithm is to ensure an optimum combination of immunity to
talk off and tolerance to the presence of interfering frequencies (third tone) and noise. As the presence of
two valid tones is recognized (this is referred to as the signal condition) the early steering (Est) output
will go in to an active state. Subsequent loss of signal condition, if any, will force EST to assume an
inactive state.

Steering Circuit:
The receiver checks for a valid signal duration before registration of a decoded tone pair. An external
Resistance Capacitance (RC) of time constant Est. performs the check. Logic high on Est causes the
collector voltage (Vc) to rise as the capacitor discharges. The function of the decode algorithm is to
estimate the time required to detect the presence of two valid tones top, the tone frequency and the
previous state of the decode logic. EST indicates and initiates an RC timing circuit. If both tones are
present for the minimum guide time (tCTP) which is determined by the external RC network, decoding of
the DTMF signal takes place and the resulting data is latched onto the output register. Indication that new
data is available is given when the delay steering (StD) output is raised high. The time required to receive
a valid DTMF signal (Trec) is equal to the sum of time to detect the presence of valid DTMF signals
(tDP), guard time and the tone present.

MOTOR DRIVER
The L293D is a quad, high-current, half-H driver designed to produce two way drive currents of up to 600
mA at voltages ranging from 4.5V to 36V which makes it easier to drive the DC motors (fig.4).

It basically consists of four drivers. The pins IN1 through IN4 and OUT1 through OUT4 are input and
output pins respectively of driver 1 through driver 4. Drivers 1 and 2 as well as drivers 3 and 4 are
enabled by enable pin 1 (EN1) and pin 9 (EN2) accordingly. When enable input EN1 (pin 1) is high,
drivers 1 and 2 are enabled and the outputs corresponding to their inputs are active high. Similarly, enable
input EN2 (pin 9) enables drivers 3 and 4.

Keypad
When you press the buttons on the keypad, a connection is made that generates two tones at the
same time. A "Row" tone and a "Column" tone. These two tones identify the key you pressed to
any equipment you are controlling. If the keypad is on your phone, the telephone company's
"Central Office" equipment knows what numbers you are dialing by these tones, and will switch
your call accordingly. If you are using a DTMF keypad to remotely control equipment, the tones
can identify what unit you want to control, as well as which unique function you want it to
perform.

Table 2.1 Keypad and respective DTMF frequencies

1 2 3 697 Hz

4 5 6 770 Hz

7 8 9 852 Hz

* 0 # 941 Hz

1209 Hz 1336 Hz 1477 Hz

When you press the digit 1 on the keypad, you generate the tones 1209 Hz and 697 Hz. pressing
the digit 2 will generate the tones 1336 Hz and 697 Hz. Sure, the tone 697 is the same for both
digits, but it take two tones to make a digit and the telephone company's equipment knows the
difference between the 1209 Hz that would complete the digit 1, and a 1336 Hz that completes a
digit 2.

DTMF Event Frequencies

Event Low frequency High frequency

Busy signal 480 -620 Hz

Dial tone 350 -440 Hz

Ring back tone 440 -480 Hz

The tone frequencies, as defined by the Precise Tone Plan, are selected such that harmonics and
Inter modulation products will not cause an unreliable signal. No frequency is a multiple of
another, the difference between any two frequencies does not equal any of the frequencies, and
the sum of any two frequencies does not equal any of the frequencies. The frequencies were
initially designed with a ratio of 21/19, which is slightly less than a whole tone. The frequencies
may not vary more than ±1.5% from their nominal frequency, or the switching center will ignore
the signal. The high frequencies may be the same volume or louder as the low frequencies when
sent across the line. The loudness difference between the high and low frequencies can be as
large as 3 decibels (dB) and is referred to as "twist". [3]

Why not computer signals instead of DTMF?

Radios are a particular animal. They are mostly analog and they are optimized for voice signals.
DTMF was designed by the engineers to be in the normal human voice range. What this means is
that DTMF passes transparently over normal two-way radio channels. It doesn't require special
channel widths, or expensive equipment. In most instances you can simply attach a cable to the
speaker output of your two-way radio to a decoder, and it will be ready to go.

Embedded system

A hardware system which is designed to perform a specific task in a particular timeperiod e.g.
mobile phones

Components

Components in an Embedded System are as:-

 Hardware
 Input and Output
 Software

Input Devices

Input devices are as follow:-

 Sensors
 Keys
 Analog Signals
 Pulses

Output Devices

Output devices are as follow

 LED’S
 LCD
 Motors
 Serial data.
Software’s Hardware’s

 Machine language Digital IC‟s (driver, decoder, MUX)

 Assembly language Linear IC‟s (op amp, ADC, DAC)
 High level language Passive components (L, C, R‟s)
 C, C++, Java, VB PCB, Relays, Motors

Characteristics

Characteristics of Embedded System are:-

 Perform a single set of functions.

 It works in a time constraint environment
 Most of the embedded system avoids mechanical moving parts because of friction & due
to friction losses are their & hence probability of accuracy decreases.
 Embedded systems have low cost due to mars production.

Applications of Embedded Systems

Applications of embedded systems are:

 Consumer electronics, e.g., cameras, camcorders,

 Consumer products, e.g., washers, microwave ovens
 Automobiles (anti-lock braking, engine control)
 Industrial process controllers & avionics/defense
 Computer/Communication products, e.g. printers, FAX Machine
 Emerging multimedia applications e.g. cell phones, personal digital assistants.

Difference between Embedded System & General Computing Platform

Difference between Embedded System & General Computing Platforms is as:

 An embedded system will have very few resources compared to general purpose
computing systems like a desktop computer.
 The memory capacity and processing power in an embedded system is limited where as it
is more challenging to develop an application in embedded system due to its constricted
environment as compared to developing the same for a desktop system.