1.1 Introduction
Remote controls devices are devices that sends digitally-coded pulses to control functions like power, volume, tuning, temperature set point, fan speed, just to name a few, to control different equipments. These devices are usually small wireless handheld objects with an array for various adjustable setting buttons for television channel, track number, and volume. For many devices, the remote control contains all the function controls while the controlled device itself has only a handful of essential primary controls. The earlier remote controls used ultrasonic tones (Delgado et al., 2013). Remote control has continually evolved and advanced over recent years to include Infrared (IR), Radio frequency, Bluetooth connectivity, motion sensor-enabled capabilities, voice control. IR remote control has been proved to be the most popular equipment for office application (Abdulaleem et al., 2012).
As a prelude to other parts of this study, this chapter will discuss the background upon which this study was initiated, the statement of problems that led to this study, the Aim and Objectives of the study. Others are Significance of the study, Scope of work, Limitations of the Study and Definition of technical terms.
1.2 Background of Study
The early wired remotes made possible for users to control appliances at a distance, but the wired remote also limited the user’s mobility by either tethering or tripping the users. If the user ran the remote control’s cord under the rugs and furniture, effectively anchoring the device to one location in the room, the remote thereby limits the freedom of movement for which it was designed to provide. But if the cord is left out in the open, the users might stumble over it. The wireless remote control solved all these challenges of the wired remote control and effectively takes control of the household. The use of remote to restore order to the household (Woodford, 2015), changes life style; brings multi-function and multi-platform lives easy.
As the world keeps growing technologically, wireless communication and automation remain vital part of the technological development. Everyone is interested in having real time knowledge of events happening near and far. Possibly, we like to monitor and control activities happening remotely. There have been a lot of efforts to ease human burden on switching of electrical and electronic appliances remotely without physically touching the appliances. Several breakthroughs involves the use of customized infrared based remote control to power on, off as well as perform other functions on a particular appliance. However, the uses of a general infrared remote control in automatic switching of electrical power source have not received good attention.
Many people have disposed a lot of remote-control pads mostly because the appliances which they control are permanently damaged or vice versa. The pertinence of remote controls is high in various homes because it provides ease of controlling electrical and electronic devices when we are few meters away from the parent device. A remote control eliminates the inconveniences of moving from one place to another in controlling home, office and industrial electrical or electronic appliances (Chintha et al., 2017).
Therefore, in Nigeria where the research was carried out, the activities that was conducted is to design and install a Remote Controlled System.
1.3 Statement of Problems
Investigation revealed that the problem statement is that most aged people have electric receptacle phobia, in order to avert heart attacks and prevent accidents it is imperative to introduce a more convenient and safer way of switching home appliances. Due to the high costs involved in the current methods used by various companies and institutions for monitoring lights and doors and other weaknesses like security measures being compromised, these have driven us in developing and implementing a cost effective Remote Controlled System of doors and lights using an android phone via Bluetooth technology.
The need for a remote control alert system that can control domestic appliances and various lighting points and sockets has often been a concern for users. At times users find it inconvenient and time consuming to go around turning their appliances on or off each time there is power outage or each time they are leaving the house for work. It has also often led to damage of appliances due to the fact that an appliance was not turned off before leaving the house.
1.4 Aim and Objectives of Study
The aim of the study is to design and install a Remote Controlled System. In achieving this aim, the following specific objectives were laid out as follows:
- To design an equipment that can facilitate a convenient and easy way of controlling our domestic appliances, lighting points and sockets especially in powering them, without always going to appliances physically by ourselves.
- To test and validate the implemented Remote Controlled System.
This objective will be accomplished using various components which include a Microcontroller (AT89C51) which acts as the backbone of the project together with other components.
1.5 Significance of Study
The ease of putting our appliances, lighting points and sockets on or off has made it necessary to develop this system in order to control our appliances, lighting points and sockets from a central point using a remote control. The issues of always forgetting our appliances ON when leaving the house has often caused fire outbreak and explosion in homes and this is another reason that led to designing and construction of this system.
In this research report, the diagrams will range from simple block diagrams to complex circuit diagrams which will comprise mostly of common electrical and electronics symbols. Some of the diagrams that will feature in this report will be used as the main block on which certain parameters will be explained upon. Relevant electronic components will also be shown and described.
This study will be of immense benefit to other researchers who intend to know more on this study and can also be used by non-researchers to build more on their research work. This study contributes to knowledge and could serve as a guide for other study.
1.6 Scope of Study
The scope of the research is focused on the Design and Installation of a Remote Controlled System.
1.7 Limitations of the Study
During the course of this study, many things militated against its completion, some of which are:
- Time Constraint: The time frame given to accomplish this project was very short due to school academic calendar and it was carried out under pressure which made the researcher not to implement some necessary features.
- Research material: availability of research material is a major setback to the scope of the study.
- Frequent power failure: This made the researcher append more money on fuel to ensure sustainable power.
- Financial Constraint: Insufficient fund tends to impede the efficiency of the researcher in sourcing for the relevant materials, literature or information and in the process of data collection (internet).
1.8 Organization of Research Work
Chapter One serves as the introductory chapter where I try to relay the concept and acceptable reasons why the project should be implemented for the intending user of the work. Thus, showing the block diagram of the design and a scope of diagram for the entire project design.
Chapter Two deals with the literature review where it will be discussing the origin of this project design. In the origin of the project, we will be looking at what brings about the three phase selector in our day to day activity and how the idea of designing this project comes about.
A description of the Project is also given where the 2 sections of the project are discussed and the various components contained in the sections also mentioned.
The use and importance of this project design will also be mentioned here. It will be looking at the best place where this project design can be use and where it cannot. This chapter will also make room for adding additional information that will help in the actualization of this project design.
Chapter Three treats the methodology of this project design. It comprises of the information gathering; the source of the materials used in designing and writing the project report, data analysis; the components and devices used in the course of designing this project will be analysis to know their basic means of operation and how they will help in putting up this design, system design approach; the possible way to tackled the project design from scratch, bottom-up; it will treat how the practical detail was gotten before considering about the general principle of the system design, choice of design system; it focuses on why the project design was done using a microcontroller rather than using only digital logic, and also the data flow arrangement and system flow chart.
Chapter Four entails the detail design work will be presented. It will include the schematic of the design of the various sections of the design and the source code used in programming the microcontroller will be discussing the system testing, Expected results, and Performance evaluation.
Chapter Five will be discussing the Summary and conclusion of the design. It will be looking at the problems encountered in designing the project and possible solutions to them. From the problems and solutions of this work, the suggestion for further improvement will be stated.
