3/13/2017 GSMbasedDotmatrixDisplayElectronicsForYou

GSM-based Dot-matrix Display

Presented here is a GSM-based, eight-digit dot matrix display that can show an eight-digit message sent via any mobile phone, from any place
around the world, to the mobile number of the SIM in the GSM module of the display. -- By Robin Chalana

April 1, 2013

Nowadays, LED message displays are becoming very popular for transmitting information to large groups of people quickly. These can be
used indoors or outdoors, in places such as railway platforms, public transport systems, trac signals, highway signboards, banks, public
oces, hotels, training institutes, nightclubs and shops. Compared to LEDs, liquid-crystal displays (LCDs) are easy to interface with a
microcontroller for displaying information as these have many built-in functions, but these cant be observed from a distance, and large-
size LCDs are very costly.

Fig.1:Authorsprototype

Fig.2:BlockdiagramofGSMbasedmovingmessagedisplay

Presented here is a GSM-based, eight-digit dot matrix display that can show an eight-digit message sent via any mobile phone, from any
place around the world, to the mobile number of the SIM in the GSM module of the display. Size of the display is 740, which is made
using 57 dot-matrix LED modules.

Circuit and working

Fig. 2 shows the block diagram for GSM-based moving message display. For simplicity, the complete circuit is implemented into two parts:

http://electronicsforu.com/electronicsprojects/hardwarediy/gsmbaseddotmatrixdisplay 1/3
3/13/2017 GSMbasedDotmatrixDisplayElectronicsForYou

GSM section and display section.

GSM section. The GSM section comprises a GSM module with a dedicated SIM card inserted and a microcontrolle unit (MCU1). When a
new message is received, MCU1 receives the corresponding frame from the GSM module. MCU1 then processes the data received and
extracts the message from the complete frame. Once a new message is extracted, the GSM section informs the display section and sends
the message via serial interface.

Display section. This section comprises a 740 dot-matrix display and a microcontroller unit (MCU2). MCU2 receives the message from
MCU1 on serial interface. This message is stored in an array. The message is processed and corresponding serial data are sent to the LED
drivers (shift registers) that are connected in the daisy chain.

Fig. 3 shows the circuit of GSMbased dot-matrix display. It comprises two P89V51RD2 microcontrollers (IC9 and IC10), regulator 78S05
(IC12), shift registers (IC1 through IC8), MAX232 driver (IC11), MOSFETs (T1 through T5), 57 dot matrix modules (DIS1 through DIS8), GSM
module SIM300 and a few discrete components.

READ AUTO RESET OVER/ UNDER VOLTAGE CUT- OUT

The 230V AC mains is stepped down by transformer X1 to deliver a secondary output of 12V, 3A. The transformer output is rectied by a
full-wave rectier comprising diodes D1 through D4, ltered by capacitor C12 and regulated by IC12. Capacitor C13 bypasses the ripples
present in the regulated supply. The generated 5V is supplied to the complete circuit. LED1 acts as the power indicator and R8 limits the
current through LED1.

The microcontroller used in the GSM and display sections is P89V51RD2, which is an 8-bit microcontroller with 64kB Flash and 1024 bytes
of data RAM. The P89V51RD2 has three 16-bit timers/counters, programmable watchdog timer, eight interrupt sources with four priority
levels, serial peripheral interface (SPI) and enhanced UART, programmable counter array with PWM and capture/compare functions, and
four 8-bit input/ output ports (of which three are high current). It also has an on-chip oscillator and clock circuitry, which operates up to
40MHz crystal. It supports 12 clocks per machine cycle (default) and 6 clocks per machine cycle modes, which are selectable via software.
The Flash program memory supports both parallel programming and serial insystem programming (ISP).

http://electronicsforu.com/electronicsprojects/hardwarediy/gsmbaseddotmatrixdisplay 2/3
3/13/2017 GSMbasedDotmatrixDisplayElectronicsForYou

Fig.3:CircuitofGSMbaseddotmatrixdisplay

Microcontroller IC10 is interfaced to the GSM module using MAX232 driver. The GSM module is a specialised type of modem that accepts
a SIM card and operates on the subscribers mobile number over a network, just like a cellular phone. Basically, SIM300 is a triband
GSM/GPRS engine that works on EGSM 900MHz, DCS 1800MHz and PCS 1900MHz frequencies. GSM modem is RS232-logic-level
compatible. Here MAX232 is used to convert TTL into RS232 logic level and vice versa.

READ Standalone GPS Receiver with LCD Display

Combination of resistor R7 and capacitor C4 provides the power-on reset for microcontroller IC10. Switch S2 is used for manual reset. An
11.0592MHz crystal (XTAL2) along with two 33pF capacitors provides the basic clock frequency. Microcontroller IC10 receives a frame
corresponding to every new valid message received by the GSM module. This frame is further processed and the message extracted out
of it. Thereafter, an acknowledgment is sent through port pin 1.0 to the display section indicating that a new message will be transmitted.

1 2 3

http://electronicsforu.com/electronicsprojects/hardwarediy/gsmbaseddotmatrixdisplay 3/3