Help with designing mutli relay/trigger game machine

[gexamb1]

I am designing a circuit(s) for a game machine I want to build but I don't know how to approach it. I have attached the parts I have on hand that I can test with. I think these will suffice for the most part of the design. I intend to use them unless someone suggests there is a better method ie less time consuming, cost effective, etc.

Here's the plan:

1. A cash acceptor/machine takes in a bill and once the bill is verified, it triggers the blue relay (attached) for the main circuit to turn on for a period of max 15 seconds (which can be adjusted on the relay). Would like to activate main circuit with a START button after cash is inserted and accpeted.

2. On the main circuit there is an IR sensor. If anything breaks line of sight, it will trigger i) an alarm/siren (yay I won!) ii) trigger cash to be dispensed from cash dispenser that will be installed, and iii) turn off the main circuit so no more cash can be dispensed. basically if line of sight is broken within the 15 second interval, it turns itself off so there is no repeat loop of winning/dispensing cash.

If 15 second interval is reached without breaking line of sight, circuit turns off. (nothing complex here, relay will shut off circuit after 15 seconds).

3. need to attach a digital LCD or other small display that keeps count of the credits player has left. eg I put $5 and i have 5 credits. The main circuit is activated by a START button. Need to design something here where the counter keeps count of credits and allows player to reset the 15 second main circuit for each credit available.

4. When START button is activated, ie main circuit turned on, i need another relay to turn on an AC blower motor. just an AC relay that can handle at least 5-10 amps 120 V. Blower motor has to turn off when main circuit turns off either when line of sight of the IR sensor is broken or at the end of the 15 seconds.

5. Trigger a candy dispenser after game is played regardless if line of sight is broken or time is up.

These are the main objectives here. Anyone want to take a shot at it? If someone has any idea if this kind of design is pre made or can easily be built as a kit or something, please share. If anyone would like to contact me in private, please do so at (E-Mail Removed).

Thanks for looking.

PS. i will try to draw some kind of diagram soon to be more clear.

PICS:

http://www.electro-tech-online.com/attachments/electronic-projects-design-ideas-reviews/50513d1296552863-help-designing-mutli-relay-trigger-game-machine-img_20110131_185936.jpg
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[Hero999]

Don't ask for people to contact you in private, it defeats the purpose of a forum.

Do you have a schematic for the PCB?

Does the money box have an output giving the number of credits? If not then you can't do what you want, you need a coin slot which counts the coins and feeds the output to another circuit.

It seems like you need to use a microcontroler, how good is your programming?

 

[gexamb1]

I didn't meant to stray people away from the forum. I was just stating that if they feel more comfortable helping me in private they could do so. But if that is not condoned then so be it.

I do not have the money box with me yet and I do not have a schematic. I only know Java at this point. Let's put the credits circuit aside for now, so to speak. How can I go about designing the other circuits?

 

[gexamb1]

I was thinking of using either of these 2 bill acceptors?

I am not familiar with their interfaces however. Does anyone have expeience with this kind of setup?

http://www.meigroup.com/usa/amusement/amusement_products/bill_acceptors/ae2600/datasheet.pdf

http://www.pyramidacceptors.com/files/Trilogy_Manual.pdf

 

[Hero999]

Either of those will do but one of them requires a PC.

What processor are you using?

 

[gexamb1]

I will not use a PC in this setup. This is the part where I get stuck. I need a micro controller to receive the Vend/credit signal from the bill validator. I was recommended to use PIC and AVR. At this point I dont know how it works.

 

[gexamb1]

Would anyone be willing to contract this?

 

[Hero999]

That's something no one on a forum can teach you. You have to research that and learn it interdependently.

Here's a few links to tutorials:
http://www.gooligum.com.au/tut_baseline.html
http://www.winpicprog.co.uk/pic_tutorial.htm
http://www.mstracey.btinternet.co.uk/pictutorial/picmain.htm

I recommend starting with assembly because you'll learn more about how the PIC works but some people find it difficult to learn C or BASIC.

I think this is probably too difficult for a first PIC project, try something simpler first, lighting an LED is generally the first step, then making it flash and building a simple timer is the next before playing around with LED displays, comparators and ADCs. After you've done all of that this project will be much easier.

In my opinion writing your own programs is the only way to learn, reading examples given in tutorials helps but the only real way is to code yourself.

Do you have a programmer? You can get some pretty cheap USB programmers off ebay and the software is free.

 

[gexamb1]

I appreciate your input but I am time constrained, although i would truly like to research this field. I am contracting for someone else that's where my problem is, time.

Someone else suggested to me that this system I am trying to build is similar to pinball machines, but I have not researched into that yet.

And no I do not have a programmer. This project is just getting more convoluted as I get deeper into it.

 

[Hero999]

Why not simply buy an old pinball machine and use the components to build your project?

 

[gexamb1]

I dont know how the pinball machines work, at least the controller boards. I tried searching for schematics or general overviews of the circuitry but cant find any. Do you know of any sources?