This document describes a project to design and build a prototype automated parking lot system using an Arduino board. The objectives are to control the system for automated parking and learn how to program Arduino. The system will use sensors to track the number of occupied and unoccupied spaces, raise gates to allow entry and exit, and track parking times. An Arduino Uno microcontroller, sensors, servo motor, 7-segment display and other components will be used to control the gates and display parking information based on sensor inputs. The code will be programmed using the Arduino IDE and uploaded to the microcontroller to operate the system.
2. Project Objectives:
To design and build up a prototypeof an automated car park system.
To learn how to control the prototype system for automated parking.
To acknowledge how to program Arduino and make it work on any
system.
Special Key points of this project:
Developing this project will give one an idea to either how to implement a
relatively complex project or give one enough hands on experience to apply
for an entry level job on application of Microcontrollers with full
confidence.
TheoreticalConcept:
Arduino is an open source prototyping platform based on easy to use
hardware and software. Arduino boards are able to read inputs-light on a
sensor, a finger on a button or a Twitter message, and turn it into an output
activating a motor.
In this project, we will develop a microcontroller or an Arduino board based
system which keeps track of the number of cars parked (9 being the max
number), shows the number of slots which are unoccupied. It automatically
raises the gate arm to allow cars into the parking lot or leave it. Other
functions include keeping track of how much time a car has been parked and
the time when a driver leaves the parking lot. As an ending process, when a
car tries to exit and the exit arm gate is raised, one unit is added to the total
number of vacant cars in the parking lot. There is only a difference between
the microcontroller based version and the Arduino one: in the Arduino
version, a RFID module is used to record the entrance of a car into the
parking lot as opposed to microcontroller based which detects the parking
3. slot number by checking which limit switch is depressed when any
designated car is parked at that slot.
To accomplish our task we are using “Arduino Uno R3”.
Fig: Arduino Uno R3
List of Apparatus:
Arduino UNO R3
RC Micro Servo (Tower-pro SG90)
7-Segment Display CA
470 ohms resistors 1/4 w
Mini breadboard
Cable jumpers Male-to-Male
Aluminum foil
Paper clips
White glue
Cork sheet (base)
4. Manual of the Project:
The purposeof this manual is to design and implement a Microcontroller
based Parking system. This is intended for those who are familiar with the
basic instructions of any typical microcontroller and programming language.
In this case, we are going to prepare a control program for an AVR
microcontroller and Arduino board to controla car parking system.
Working Procedures:
At first we compiled the source code to the Arduino’sIDE (Integrated Development
Environment) and then uploaded it in the micro-controller of the Arduino.
Then we have connected the seven pins of 7 segment display with the Arduino’s0 to 6
pins through seven 470 ohm resistors and the VCC pin of the display has been
connected through a 470 ohm resistor with Arduino’s VCC pin.
To control the intensity of the display, the dot point (dp) has been connected with
Arduino’s pin no 11.
After that we have connected the brown wire from the servo motor to the ground, the
red wire to the VCC (+5V) and the orange wire to the Arduino’s pin no 12 as signal.
To pass the signal to the Arduino we have used aluminum foil as sensor switch pad in
enter and exit point of our parking lot.
Then Arduino’s pin no 8 & 9 have been used as enter and exit and there is a common
ground for them.
A piece of plastic is used as barrier which is connected to the servo motor.
When the sensor in the enter point is on, the barrier opens up and after 2000 micro
seconds it closes down. At the time of closing the barrier, the number of vacancy
decreases one by one.
When a car left the parking lot, the sensor at the exit point becomes active and
eventually the number of vacancy increases.
The most important part is that when the vacancy is full (i.e. display shows 0), the
barrier doesn’t open up and then no car is allowed to enter into the parking lot.
6. Discussions:
The cars will be entering into the lot and the lot is filed. When the lot is
filled, the vacant spaces are zero and no car is allowed to enter. Now, the
power is gone, and comes back. Then the seven segment display showsthe
maximum count, though the lot is filled, means the Arduino is allowing the
others cars to enter the lot.
Now, theanother one, the car is ready to enter the lot. The car approaches the
gate and gate opens up. Now the driver is in urgency and left. Though the
car has not entered the lot, the count is decremented.
Car reaches the gate, aluminum foil comes in contactand gate opens.
Though the gate is open, the driver doesn’tenter, means when the aluminum
foils are continue to remain in contact then the count keeps on decrements
and after reaching zero the gate closes.
At the time of entering two consecutive cars, there is an overcrowding
situation.
There is a prohibition of entering and leaving two cars at a time.