S1 Using a systems approach to circuit design
Initial skills rating *
September 2011
As I do not have any idea of what is meant by a systems approach to circuit design, I am unable to award myself any stars.Therefore my first task is to find what exactly is meant by this heading.
As I do not have any idea of what is meant by a systems approach to circuit design, I am unable to award myself any stars.Therefore my first task is to find what exactly is meant by this heading.
16th February 2012 *
Having failed to establish the meaning of this heading until now I have been neglecting to add information about my progress in this area.
Following Deans taught session this week I now understand Input, process, output are the key terms here but I still lack understanding of what is meant by a “systems” approach to circuit design. I need to gain clarity. I will go to BBC Bitesize to see if I can improve my understanding.
Following Deans taught session this week I now understand Input, process, output are the key terms here but I still lack understanding of what is meant by a “systems” approach to circuit design. I need to gain clarity. I will go to BBC Bitesize to see if I can improve my understanding.
Systems
Ok so systems have three main elements:
Input(s)
Process(es)
Output(s)
There are two types of systems:
Open loop systems
Closed loop systems
Both systems have the above three elements (inputs, processes and outputs) but a closed loop system has an additional element of a feedback. Feedback is the information from a system which is fed back into the input to control the way the system works.
Input(s)
Process(es)
Output(s)
There are two types of systems:
Open loop systems
Closed loop systems
Both systems have the above three elements (inputs, processes and outputs) but a closed loop system has an additional element of a feedback. Feedback is the information from a system which is fed back into the input to control the way the system works.
Why on earth did I not look that up sooner? That was so easy. Grrr it was not rocket science! I know why I didn’t really; it was just due to the volume of work. However, I am aware my attitude to research is altering. Now when I do not understand something I no longer feel a knot in the pit of my stomach and wish someone would feed me the answers but instead I expect to be able to carry out my own research and find the answer relatively easily myself.
I still hate the way I feel when I am struggling to grasp a new idea. I feel thick, stupid and overwhelmed. It may be that the area I am struggling with is the use of words and the way my brain is wired makes that particularly difficult but with a bit of work in addition to that given in taught sessions I can get there and when I do it is really in. I don’t like only knowing a verbal answer, to me that does not hold real understanding. I only consider I know something when I can dissect it enough to apply it to different situations.
I still hate the way I feel when I am struggling to grasp a new idea. I feel thick, stupid and overwhelmed. It may be that the area I am struggling with is the use of words and the way my brain is wired makes that particularly difficult but with a bit of work in addition to that given in taught sessions I can get there and when I do it is really in. I don’t like only knowing a verbal answer, to me that does not hold real understanding. I only consider I know something when I can dissect it enough to apply it to different situations.
For example I could say in Deans taught session we I identified many different systems but just repeating them back would not be what I class as understanding. Take a keyboard, processor and screen, oh maybe not a good example because I do understand that one now but maybe gear stick, engine, drive, I really need to visualise what is happening and that is going to take thought beyond a few words in a lesson. I would need to be able to visualise the gear stick engaging with gears and understand what happens next so that I could break that system down and reuse it somewhere else. Say for example gear stick, gears and automata.
My brain system
Brains are funny things. I am showing my readers my brain system at the moment.
I could :
Input = lesson process = memorise output= verbally repeat
But what I will only count as understanding is when I :
Input =lesson process = think and pull apart output = can apply to many different situations
But probably what I need to do on many occasions is to increase the number and variety of inputs as in Gardner’s theory of learning, so that I have a true understanding of the subject. If I do not truely understand something I am more likely forget it.
Brains are funny things. I am showing my readers my brain system at the moment.
I could :
Input = lesson process = memorise output= verbally repeat
But what I will only count as understanding is when I :
Input =lesson process = think and pull apart output = can apply to many different situations
But probably what I need to do on many occasions is to increase the number and variety of inputs as in Gardner’s theory of learning, so that I have a true understanding of the subject. If I do not truely understand something I am more likely forget it.
Spidy open loop system or closed loop system?
Ah from my new understanding of what is meant by a system approach to circuit design I am able to tell you that I created an open loop circuit * when I made my spider money box for my systems and control project.
Spidy’sinput is the switch which is activated by a pound coin.
Spidy's processing registered the switch activation and with every pound coin a light flashing sequence is initiated and with every five coins an additional output is triggered and a tune is played.
Spidy's outputs are LEDs turning on and off and a piezo playing a monophonic tune.
So when Biff created a night light she created a closed loop system because it would have used a light sensor which would feedback information regarding the light level in the room. The input/output is dependent on the feedback.
Spidy uses a digitally controlled processor, within the program is a loop awaiting the activation by another coin. So do I have a closed-loop or open-loop system? My next step is to find out whether I used an open-loop system or a closed loop system. I also want to identify systems that surround me within my home, my place of study and the world around me.
Back from BBC bitesize.
“A system controlling an automatic barrier at a car park, for example, needs control feedback from the sensors which detect the approach of a car. If the feedback is positive, the system changes to 'barrier up' - if negative, the system defaults to 'barrier down'.” *If this car park barrier is a closed loop system then Spidy must also be a closed loop system. Spidy’s system awaits feedback from the coin activated switch in the same way a car park barrier awaits feedback from the sensors.
To help me identify systems that surround me I will be asking myself the following questions:
- What does it do? (output)
- How does it do it? (process) and
- What makes it do it? (input)
The examples below show the difference between an open-loop and a closed-loop system for a manufacturing process. Now I know this is not a circuit and that takes me back to my next bit of research but it is a useful systems diagram that I want to be able to refer back to.
Circuits
17th February 2012
Electrical circuits can be represented by standard symbols. I got this chart from the NEC design exhibition. It is going up on my wall now so that I can learn more symbols and then research about these components and what they do.
There the final piece in my puzzle of what is meant by a systems approach to circuit design. I can now clearly state: a systems approach to circuit design would be to create or identify an electrical circuit that has an input, process and output. I have to be able to break things down into elements with a clear understanding and grasp of language if I am going to be able to teach. It is no use to me if I have an idea of what something is but cannot verbalise it.
I am feeling really confident now about this heading…….more stars please!
I am feeling really confident now about this heading…….more stars please!
Skills rating ***
I am going for three stars as I feel I have a good understanding about a systems approach to circuit design. I feel I would be able to share my knowledge and understanding. In order to increase my star rating to that next level I need to feel confident in sharing that knowledge. I think I could do this by getting a better grasp on what is a closed-loop system and an open-loop system. I need to check that the decision I came to about Spidy being a closed-loop system was the correct one. I will do this by asking Dean. I would also gain confidence if I can identify systems around me.
I am going for three stars as I feel I have a good understanding about a systems approach to circuit design. I feel I would be able to share my knowledge and understanding. In order to increase my star rating to that next level I need to feel confident in sharing that knowledge. I think I could do this by getting a better grasp on what is a closed-loop system and an open-loop system. I need to check that the decision I came to about Spidy being a closed-loop system was the correct one. I will do this by asking Dean. I would also gain confidence if I can identify systems around me.
Skills rating *****
I have become much more aware of electrical products around me and now find it much easier to analyse them and decide if the are working on open or closed systems. Basically anything that includes a detection system is working on a closed loop. For example consider security lighting that might be triggered by movement. When a sensor such as an infra red beam is broken an electrical signal is sent to the microchip processor, this is the input. If you imagine the processor as asking a series of qustions, when all the conditions set by the processor are met electricity would passes through the processor and to supply the output in this case a light.
Mechanical systems dependent on human input to work are open loop systems. So to operate a wood lathe. The input is a switch, the process is a spinning chuck which enables the operator to turn wood as the output. Simple electrical circuits like a kettle or toaster are also open loop systems.
I do hope I am getting this right. I wish I had discussed this with someone. Maybe I should take two stars away until I do?
Mechanical systems dependent on human input to work are open loop systems. So to operate a wood lathe. The input is a switch, the process is a spinning chuck which enables the operator to turn wood as the output. Simple electrical circuits like a kettle or toaster are also open loop systems.
I do hope I am getting this right. I wish I had discussed this with someone. Maybe I should take two stars away until I do?