Laboratory Exercise 5

Using the Input and Output Ports of the

ACEDuino328 to Drive a 7-Segment
Display

OBJECTIVES:

At the end of the exercise, the students should be able to:

develop a code using function prototypes,
interface a common anode 7-segment display to the ACEDuino 328 board,
display characters such as 0-9 and A-F by driving a 7-segment display through the
ACEDuino 328 board, and
interface a switch as an input to the microcontroller.

MATERIALS:

1 ACEDuino 328 Board

1 Computer unit with pre-installed Windows Operating System 1 A
to B Scanner/Printer cable
1 7-Segment common anode display
1 Tact Switch
1 1K1/4 W Resistor
1 10 uF electrolytic capacitor

PROCEDURES:

Note: Please observe safety precautions and proper handling while conducting the laboratory experiment. This
experiment is to be. performed under
1. Wire the given circuit below. Make sure that all connections are correctly placed. This is also the same
circuit you have used in Laboratory Exercise 3. Check the functionality of your circuit by loading the
code you developed also in Laboratory Exercise 3. Either the count up or count down code will do.

2. As an additional requirement, wire the given circuit below. This circuit will serve as our input to the
microcontroller. The output is taken across the capacitor and must be connected to the PIN 9 of the
microcontroller. Since the supply is a DC voltage, at steady state, the capacitor is an open circuit when
the switch is untouched or open. This charges to 3.3V through the resistor R1. Now, when the switch is
pressed, the capacitor discharges to the ground thus the output now is equal to 0V. In these given
scenarios, the input-output relationship of the simple RC circuit is given by the table below.

Input Output (seen at Pin9)

Switch unpressed 3.3V (Logic 1)
Switch pressed 0V (Logic 0)
3. One way to test the circuit above is by placing a multimeter across the capacitor. The voltages
measured by the multimeter when the switch is pressed or unpressed are given in the table above.

4. We are now ready to connect our microcontroller to the outside world. If the above circuit diagram has
been wired correctly, open your ACEduino328 IDE and type in the code below.

/*
Blink
Turns on an LED on for one second, then off for one second, repeatedly.

This example code is in the public

domain. */

char inPin = 1;
void count0()
{
digitalWrite(3,HIGH);
digitalWrite(1,HIGH);
digitalWrite(2,LOW);
digitalWrite(4,LOW);
digitalWrite(5,LOW);
digitalWrite(6,LOW);
digitalWrite(7,LOW);
digitalWrite(8,LOW);
}
void count1()
{
digitalWrite(3,HIGH);
digitalWrite(1,HIGH);
digitalWrite(2,LOW);
digitalWrite(4,HIGH);
digitalWrite(5,HIGH);
digitalWrite(6,LOW);
digitalWrite(7,HIGH);
digitalWrite(8,HIGH);
}

void count2()
{
digitalWrite(3,HIGH);
digitalWrite(1,LOW);
digitalWrite(2,HIGH);
digitalWrite(4,LOW);
digitalWrite(5,LOW);
digitalWrite(6,LOW);
digitalWrite(7,LOW);
digitalWrite(8,HIGH);
}
void count3()
{
digitalWrite(3,HIGH);
digitalWrite(1,LOW);
digitalWrite(2,LOW);
digitalWrite(4,LOW);
digitalWrite(5,HIGH);
digitalWrite(6,LOW);
digitalWrite(7,LOW);
digitalWrite(8,HIGH);
}

void count4()
{
digitalWrite(3,HIGH);
digitalWrite(1,LOW);
digitalWrite(2,LOW);
digitalWrite(4,HIGH);
digitalWrite(5,HIGH);
digitalWrite(6,LOW);
digitalWrite(7,HIGH);
digitalWrite(8,LOW);
}

void count5()
{
digitalWrite(3,HIGH);
digitalWrite(1,LOW);
digitalWrite(2,LOW);
digitalWrite(4,LOW);
digitalWrite(5,HIGH);
digitalWrite(6,HIGH);
digitalWrite(7,LOW);
digitalWrite(8,LOW);
}

void count6()
{
digitalWrite(3,HIGH);
digitalWrite(1,LOW);
digitalWrite(2,LOW);
digitalWrite(4,LOW);
digitalWrite(5,LOW);
digitalWrite(6,HIGH);
digitalWrite(7,LOW);
digitalWrite(8,LOW);
}
void count7()
{
 digitalWrite(3,HIGH);
digitalWrite(1,HIGH);
digitalWrite(2,LOW);
digitalWrite(4,HIGH);
digitalWrite(5,HIGH);
digitalWrite(6,LOW);
digitalWrite(7,LOW);
digitalWrite(8,HIGH);
}void count8()
{
digitalWrite(3,HIGH);
digitalWrite(1,LOW);
digitalWrite(2,LOW);
digitalWrite(4,LOW);
digitalWrite(5,LOW);
digitalWrite(6,LOW);
digitalWrite(7,LOW);
digitalWrite(8,LOW);
}void count9()
{
digitalWrite(3,HIGH);
digitalWrite(1,LOW);
digitalWrite(2,LOW);
digitalWrite(4,LOW);
digitalWrite(5,HIGH);
digitalWrite(6,LOW);
digitalWrite(7,LOW);
digitalWrite(8,LOW);
}
void setup() {
// initialize the digital pins 1 - 7 as an output.
pinMode(1, OUTPUT); // 7 segement
pinMode(2, OUTPUT); // 7 segement
pinMode(3, OUTPUT); // common anode supply
pinMode(4, OUTPUT); // 7 segement
pinMode(5, OUTPUT); // 7 segement
pinMode(6, OUTPUT); // 7 segement
pinMode(7, OUTPUT); // 7 segement
pinMode(8, OUTPUT); // 7 segement
pinMode(9, INPUT); // for switch
}
// |--7--|
// 8 6
// |--1--|
// 5 2
// |--4--|
//
//
//
void loop() {
count0();
inPin = digitalRead(9);
while (inPin == 1)
{
inPin = digitalRead(9);
}
delay(100);
count1();
inPin = digitalRead(9);
while (inPin == 1)
{
inPin = digitalRead(9);
}
delay(100);
count2();
inPin = digitalRead(9);
while (inPin == 1)
{
inPin = digitalRead(9);
}
delay(100);
count3();
inPin = digitalRead(9);
while (inPin == 1)
{
inPin = digitalRead(9);
}
delay(100);
count4();
inPin = digitalRead(9);
while (inPin == 1)
{
inPin = digitalRead(9);
}
delay(100);
count5();
inPin = digitalRead(9);
while (inPin == 1)
{
inPin = digitalRead(9);
}
delay(100);
count6();
inPin = digitalRead(9);
while (inPin == 1)
{
inPin = digitalRead(9);
}
delay(100);
count7();
inPin = digitalRead(9);
while (inPin == 1)
{
inPin = digitalRead(9);
}
delay(100);
count8();
inPin = digitalRead(9);
while (inPin == 1)
{
inPin = digitalRead(9);
}
delay(100);
count9();
inPin = digitalRead(9);
while (inPin == 1)
{
inPin = digitalRead(9);
 }

5. Such code is an example of brute force countup or countdown. Let us now analyze this part of the
code here:

inPin = digitalRead(9);
while (inPin == 1)
{
inPin = digitalRead(9);
}
delay(100);

The variableis inPininitialized at the very start of the storage of the status of our switch and it is in unpressed.

Line 1 takes in the current status of the switch. Remember that the switch was placed at Pin 9 of the
microcontroller. Also, take a look at the setup() function where at the last line, you will see this:

pinMode(9, INPUT); // for switch

This initializes our Pin9 to an input port.

Going back to the code, once Pin 9 is read, its value is compar switch is OPEN or CLOSED. This is done by the
while() statement. As long as the switch is unpressed or is logically equal to 1. theInsidePin9is th checked and
once it becomes 0 or when the switch

100ms before it counts up.

6. Verify the code, upload it and run. Notice if the above statements are happening to your hardware.
One press of a switch means one change at a time.

7. You might have noticed that developing the code for this microcontroller is taking too long. Let us
make code development easy and fast. But first, in

..\hardware\tools\avr\avr\include\avr

8. This folder contains header files that will make our code development fast. Copy the whole folder and paste in
the Arduino 11.0.folder0 shouldfolderlooklike.the figureYourbelow, Arduinowiththe highlighted folder the one
that we have copied.
9. After doing such, copy the code below, verify, upload and run it.

/*
Blink
Turns on an LED on for one second, then off for one second, repeatedly.

This example code is in the public

domain. */
#include <avr/io.h>

char inPin = 1;
char digitsD[] = {0x0a, 0xba, 0x0c, 0x28, 0xb8, 0x68, 0x48, 0x3a, 0x08,
0x28}; char digitsB[] = {0x00, 0x01, 0x01, 0x01, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x01,
0x00, 0x00}; int z = 0;
void setup() {
// Pins 0-7 belong to Port D //
Pins 8-13 belong to Port B
DDRD = 0xFF; // initialized as OUTPUT
DDRB = 0x01; // B0 is an OUTPUT, the rest are INPUTS
}
// |--7--|
// 8 6
// |--1--|
// 5 2
// |--4--|
//
//
//
void loop() {
for(z = 0;z<10; z++)
{
PORTD = digitsD[z];
PORTB = digitsB[z];
delay(1000);
 }
/*
for(z = 0;z<10; z++)
{
PORTD = digitsD[z];
PORTB = digitsB[z];
inPin = PINB;
inPin = inPin & 0x02;
while(inPin == 2)
{
inPin = PINB;
inPin = inPin & 0x02;
}
delay(1000);
}
*/
}

10. What did you notice? This code allows the 7-segment to count up.

11. Try to uncomment the code in bold format and comment the first for loop statement. Verify, upload
and run the code. The count up will only commence once the switched is pressed.

ACTIVITIES

Do the following exercises:

1. Using the same setup, develop a program that will make the 7-segment LED display count from 9 0
repeatedly. Use function prototypes.

2. Using the same setup, develop a program that will make the 7-segment LED display count from 9 0
repeatedly when the switch is pressed. Use function prototypes.

3. Using the same setup, develop a program that will make the 7-segment LED display initially count up
from 0 9 and then will count down once the switch is pressed. Use function prototypes.

4. Using the same setup, add two more input switches. The functionalities of the three switches are:

a. 1st pushbutton increase digit display in the 7-segment display

b. 2nd pushbutton start the countup
c. 3rd pushbutton stop the countup

If the count has stopped, pressing the 1st pushbutton will increase the digit display by one. If the
2nd pushbutton is pressed, then the countup resumes.

CONCLUSION: