Control Systems
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yasser00ahmadControl Systems
Uploaded by
yasser00ahmadSensors
Cambridg
e
IGCSE Unit 4: Input and
output devices
Computer
Science
3 Paper 1
Objectives:
• Describe how a range of sensors can be used to
input data into a computer system
• Describe how these sensors are applied in
monitoring and control systems
• Describe the principles of operation of an actuator
Sensors
Unit 4 Input and output devices
STARTERS
Sensors
Unit 4 Input and output devices
Control systems
• Control:
• monitoring systems + feedback system
• inputs are used to control the system
• comparisons of data to upper limits and lower limits.
• Examples
• turning street lights on at night and turning them off again during
daylight
• regulating the temperature in a central heating/air conditioning system
• changing the traffic lights at a road junction
• operating anti-lock brakes on a car when necessary
• regulating the environment in a greenhouse.
Examples
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Unit 4 Input and output devices
Sensors
Unit 4 Input and output devices
Actuators
• Actuators are motors or valves that are commonly
used in conjunction with sensors to control
a mechanism
• Examples include:
• Opening a valve or door
• Starting a pump
• Turning a wheel or fan
• Moving an aircraft aileron
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Unit 4 Input and output devices
Actuators
• Actuators are motors or valves that are commonly used
in conjunction with sensors to control a mechanism
• They are output devices used as part of the control
system.
• A DAC is used to convert the digital data from the
microprocessor to analogue data for use by motors and
valves.
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Unit 4 Input and output devices
Control systems
• A computer can be used to control the temperature
and acidity levels in a chemical process
• The temperature must be 50°C or higher and the pH must be
less than or equal to 3
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Unit 4 Input and output devices
Chemical process
• Temperature sensors and pH sensors are used to
gather data so that the computer can control the
process
• So what happens?
• The temperature sensors and pH sensors constantly take
readings from the chemical process
• The data is converted into digital format using an ADC and is
then sent to the computer
• The computer has the pre-set values for temperature and pH
stored in memory
• Continued on next slide…
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Unit 4 Input and output devices
Chemical process continued…
• If the data received from the pH sensors shows the pH to be
greater than 3, then the computer sends a signal to an
actuator to open a valve to admit more acid
• If the data received from the temperature sensors shows the
temperature to be less than 50°C, then the computer sends a
signal to an actuator to switch on the heating elements in the
reaction vessel
• Once the pH and temperature are within acceptable
boundaries, the computer sends signals to close the valve
and/or switch off the heater
• The control continues until the chemical process is complete
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Unit 4 Input and output devices
Green house control system
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Unit 4 Input and output devices
Control of street lamps
• Sensor feedback is used to influence output
• Light sensors constantly send data to a microprocessor and is
converted into digital using an ADC
• The microprocessor checks data from light sensors against
pre-set values
• If light levels < pre-set values then a signal is sent to switch on
the street lamp. If light levels >= pre-set values then a signal is
sent to switch off the street lamp
• To prevent constant switching off and on as clouds pass over,
the microprocessor doesn’t send any signals to change the
condition of the street lamp for two hours
• The microprocessor begins checking data again after two
hours
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Unit 4 Input and output devices
