NI Multisim traffic light project

[Vaidotas Butkus]

Hello guys,

I'm studying physics, but I have a project in my extra subject and I'm really in a hurry. My electronics knowledge is really basic and I'm stuck. So any help/ideas/discussion is very very appreciated. I have to make a project with at least 2 traffic lights (I don't really know, because I'm not sure about the task). So the full task is:

You are required to build a traffic light controller using NI multisim (at least I have this software and tried to make some basic circuits to work). The traffic light is standing in a standard four way crossing (I live in Europe btw). There is heavy traffic on the main road and there will always be green light when there is no traffic on the side road or at least 30 seconds. There will be green light on the side road if there are traffic and will be for at most 30 seconds. Also, there are velocity gauges on the both roads and if the car on any road is moving faster than the maximum speed limit, the traffic light turns to red. (It is also said that the timer can differ from the real 1000x, so it would be easer to demonstrate if it works).

So it's the full task. I have to make it work until tomorrow and don't even have anyone to ask more specific about the task. So I'm interested in your opinions. Shouldn't be in this type of crossing the extra green pointer to the left on the main road , which turns on when there are cars who want to turn left and then all the traffic which are moving straight stops? But there are nothing in the task about turning? I don't think the task should be so hardcore. Maybe it's only about moving straight? What do you think? Please share with me your opinions. Any help to make a circuit would be ideal!

P.S. As I said my knowledge in electronics is not too deep so please be in detail about anything

 

[Dr_Doggy]

speed gauges?? gawd i hope to never see those...!

so you are at ground 0?
its best to first start with the hardware hook up to lights and sensors/triggers to controller
then proceed with basic software to control hardware and read sensors
from there you can create the conditions that cause events based on triggers
idk if NI can program micro controllers, if not then discrete logic may be required.. which would begin with a flow chart so you can setup and simplify conditions
... at least thats how I'd go about it...

 

[MikeMl]

This project is usually assigned to students who are studying "state machines" as part of logic design. Topics covered are "Boolean algebra", "state variables", "state transition tables", "truth tables", "logic minimization", "logic gates", "flip-flops", etc.

Asking a student to do this in Multisim without first teaching the above topics seems like the teacher needs to go back to school...