Arduino IR + LCD + Proteus8

list of products from Amazon (Not mine, i just link them!) Scroll Down For Article! Note: Elegoo boards are not Arduino, but they are compatible with Arduino IDE and are mutch more affordable!

CanaKit Raspberry Pi 5 Starter Kit PRO

ELEGOO UNO R3 Smart Robot Car Kit

ELEGOO UNO Project Super Starter Kit

ELEGOO MEGA R3 Board ATmega 2560

ELEGOO Upgraded 37 in 1 Sensor Modules Kit

40 PCS 20 CM Breadboard Jumper Wires

HiLetgo 5pcs USB to Serial CH340 Module

 

Smart parking systems are innovative solutions that use sensors and microcontrollers to detect and display parking availability. This article explains how to build a basic smart parking system using Arduino, sensors, and an LCD display.

Components Used

1. Arduino Microcontroller: Serves as the brain of the system.
2. LCD Display (16x2): Displays the parking space statuses.
3. LED Indicator: Lights up if all parking spaces are occupied.
4. Two Digital Sensors: Detect whether parking spaces P1 and P2 are occupied or free.
5. Wires and Resistors: For connections.

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Hardware Connections

1. LCD Connection: The LiquidCrystal library initializes an LCD object connected to digital pins 2-12. Each pin serves a specific purpose, such as data or control signals.
2. LED Pin: Connected to pin 13 for visual alerts when parking spaces are full.
3. Sensors: Connected to pins 6 and 0. Each sensor reads the state of a parking spot (HIGH for occupied, LOW for free).

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Understanding the Code

Libraries and Variables

• #include <Wire.h> and #include <LiquidCrystal.h>: Libraries for I2C communication and LCD control.
• Variables p1 and p2: Represent the pins connected to parking sensors.
• THRESHOLD: Placeholder for possible future extensions, e.g., temperature monitoring.

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Setup Phase

The setup() function configures:

1. Pin Modes:
   • pinMode(13, OUTPUT): Sets the LED as an output.
   • pinMode(p1, INPUT) and pinMode(p2, INPUT): Configure parking sensors as inputs.
2. LCD Initialization: Activates the LCD with a 16x2 configuration.
3. Serial Communication: Initializes the serial monitor for debugging.

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Main Logic in loop()

1. Read Sensor States:
   • pl1 = digitalRead(p1): Reads the state of parking spot 1.
   • pl2 = digitalRead(p2): Reads the state of parking spot 2.
2. Update LCD:
   • Displays "Free" if the sensor reads LOW.
   • Displays "Full" if the sensor reads HIGH.
3. LED Control:
   • If both spots are occupied (pl1 * pl2 == 1), the LED lights up. Otherwise, it remains off.
4. Delay:
   • Introduces a 500ms delay to avoid flickering.

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Key Features of the System

1. Real-Time Updates:
   • LCD displays the status of parking spots in real-time.
2. Alert System:
   • An LED warns when both parking spaces are occupied.
3. Efficient Logic:
   • Uses simple conditional checks to toggle display and LED.

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How It Works

1. Initial State: The system starts by initializing the LCD and sensors.
2. Parking Spot Status:
   • Sensors connected to p1 and p2 detect vehicles in the respective parking spots.
   • The LCD displays "P1 Free" or "P1 Full" for parking spot 1, and similarly for parking spot 2.
3. LED Alert:
• Lights up when both parking spots are occupied.

Full code:

Full schematic: 

Full Lcd schematic:

You can find the full project here:

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1xMffW3WCHXrd53Dn06AxmARRhhq8QSxh/view?usp=drive_link

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Future Enhancements

1. Add More Sensors: To accommodate additional parking spaces.
2. Remote Monitoring: Use Wi-Fi or Bluetooth to transmit parking status to a smartphone app.
3. Expand Display: Show additional information such as the number of free spots.

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By understanding and implementing this code, you can create a basic yet effective smart parking system. This project is a great starting point for learning about microcontrollers and embedded systems.