CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

1.1 BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY

Traditionally, high control in home and office environments takes place through switches (on/off), deals and sliders (dimmers) and sometimes motion sensors. These controls can be incorporated in the built environment such as walls, or attached to lights that people place themselves (desk lamps, bed side lights). This often leads to a jumble of controls each with their own location, interaction style, and focus.

This project is a demonstration of how a PC can be used as a control signal generation subsystem capable of generating programmable control signals for power equipment. Early studies reveal that using PC for power management was often fou7nd to be up to 25% more than energy star compliant methods. However, recent assessments have found higher rates, and was estimated that for power management.

Switching control is a good replacement for conventional pneumatic or Electro chemical high voltage AC control. This equipment is capable of not only control but energy management and system diagnostic functions. The PC control in inherentlyhas more accurate control because it reduces maintenance and recalibration problems common with pneumatic and mechanical systems.

It offers other unique advantages like subsystem coordination, optimum start, diversity analysis and retrofit identification.

This design begins with the fact that a computer is needed to light bulbs of high AC rating. This immediately suggests that an interface of the PC is needed to handle the mismatch in voltage and currents between the PC and bulbs.

Secondly the control data from the PC program are logic levels in serial format and at high frequency. This again means that the interface should understand the protocol of communication and convert it to the necessary parallel control singed. Due to lack of resources, the project will not be real but simulated. This system will represent for more than just manual on/off control. The system comprises of two major components, output device, and input device. Output devices work behind the scenes to control the lights by switching them off or on. Input device are the switcher i.e. the button or sensors.