A

Project Report

On

“AUTOMATIC STREET LIGHT CONTROL SYSTEM”

Submitted in partial fulfillment for the

Award of degree of

Bachelor of Technology

Under

Suresh Gyan Vihar University

2010-2014

Department of Information Technology

Gyan Vihar School Of Engineering & Technology
Mahal, Jagatpura
Jaipur

Submitted By: - Submitted To:-

Arpit Vijayvargiya Mr. I.P. Singh
Anika Hundawal Assistant professor
Priyanvada Hundawal
Umair Quais

B.Tech(I.T)
7th sem, IVth Year
 Department of INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY
GyanVihar School of Engineering & Technology
Mahal, Jagatpura
Jaipur

CERTIFICATE

This is to certify that the project entitled, “Automatic Street Light Control”, which is
being submitted herewith for the award of degree of Bachelor of Technology, is the
result of the work completed by ARPIT VIJAYVARGIYA,ANIKA
HUANDAWAL,PRIYAMVADA HUNDAWAL,UMAIR QUIAS Under my supervision and
guidance within the four walls of the institute and the same has not been submitted
elsewhere for the award of any degree.

Mr. I.P. Singh

Assistant Professor
Project Guide
 Candidate’s Declaration

I hereby declare that the work, which is being presented in the Project, entitled “Automatic
Street Light Control”in partial fulfillment for the award of Degree of “Bachelor of
Technology” in Deptt. Of INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY Engineering and submitted to
the Departmen of Gyan Vihar School Of Engineering And Technology, Suresh Gyan
Vihar University is a record of my own investigations carried under the Guidance of Mr. I.P.
Singh, Department of INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY Engineering, Gyan Vihar School
Of Engineering And Technology.

I have not submitted the matter presented in this Dissertation anywhere for the award of any

other Degree.

(Arpit Vijayvargiya)
B,Tech (INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY)
7thSem, IVth Year
Gyan Vihar School of Engineering and Technology.

Place: JAIPUR
 Acknowledgement

I express my sincere thanks to my project guide, Mr. I.P.Singh, Assistant Professor,

Information Technology for guiding me right from the inception till the successful completion
of the project. I sincerely acknowledge him/her/them for extending their valuable guidance,
support for literature, critical reviews of project and the report and above all the moral support
he/she/they had provided to me with all stages of this project. I would also like to thank the
supporting staff Information Technology, for their help and cooperation throughout our project.

Name of the Student:

Arpit Vijayvargiya
 INDEX
ABSTRACT
1. CHAPTER-1
INTRODUCTION…………………………………………………(1-2)
 Objective Of The Project
 Block Diagram
 Block Diagram Description
2. CHAPTER-2
HARDWARE DESCRIPTION OF THE PROJECT……………(3-21)
 I.C NE 555 with Base with data sheets
 LDR
 L.E.D (Light Emitting Diode) 3 to 6 pieces with data sheets
 Power Supply
 Variable Resistance of 47 Kilo ohms
 P.C.B (Printed Circuit Board of 555 or Vero board.
3. CHAPTER-3
DESCRIPTION OF THE PROJECT…………………………….(22-23)
 Circuit Diagram
 Circuit Explanation
4. CHAPTER-4……………………………………………………….(24-36)
 Research Papers Based On This Project
5. CHAPTER-5……………………………………………………….(37)
 Conclusion
6. CHAPTER-6……………………………………………………….(38)
 Future Enhancement
 Reference On The Web
7. ARTICLE…………………………………………………………..(39-40)
 FIGURE INDEX

FIGURE-1…………………………………………………………………..(2)

FIGURE-2…………………………………………………………………..(4)

FIGURE-3…………………………………………………………………...(5)

FIGURE-4…………………………………………………………………..(6)

FIGURE-5…………………………………………………………………..(8)

FIGURE-6…………………………………………………………………..(9)

FIGURE-7…………………………………………………………………..(11)

FIGURE-8…………………………………………………………………..(14)

FIGURE-9…………………………………………………………………..(17)

FIGURE-10…………………………………………………………………..(19)

FIGURE-11…………………………………………………………………..(20)

FIGURE-12…………………………………………………………………..(22)
 AUTOMATIC STREET LIGHT CONTROL USING LDR

Abstract:-

This project aims at designing and executing the advanced development in embedded systems
for energy saving of street lights with light depending resistor. Nowadays, human has become
too busy and he is unable to find time even to switch the lights wherever not necessary. This can
be seen more effectively in the case of street lights. The present system is like, the street lights
will be switched on in the evening before the sun sets and they are switched off the next day
morning after there is sufficient light on the roads. But the actual timings for these street lights to
be switched on are when there is absolute darkness. With this, the power will be wasted up to
some extent. This project gives the best solution for electrical power wastage. Also the manual
operation of the lighting system is completely eliminated.

In our project we are using LDR, which varies according to the amount of light falling on its
surface, this give an indication for us whether it is a day/night time.

In the present project street lights are taken into consideration where the above discussed factors
are rectified in them. This is achieved with the help of an embedded system. By using this as the
basic principle we can design centralized intelligent system for the perfect usage of streetlights in
any place (Viz Village, Town) can be developed.
CHAPTER-1 1

INTRODUCTION

OBJECTIVE OF THE PROJECT:-

The main consideration in the present field technologies are Automation, Power consumption
and cost effectiveness. Automation is intended to reduce man power with the help of intelligent
systems. Power saving is the main consideration forever as the source of the power(Thermal,
Hydro etc.,)are getting diminished due to various reasons.

The main aim of the project is Automatic street power saving system with LDR, this is to save
the power. We want to save power automatically instead of doing manual. So its easy to make
cost effectiveness. This saved power can be used in some other cases. So in villages, towns etc
we can design intelligent systems for the usage of street lights.

Needs no manual operation for switching ON and OFF. When there is need of light. It detects
itself weather there is need for light or not. When darkness rises to a certain value then
automatically street light is switched The sensitiveness of the street light can also be adjusted. In
our project we have used four L.E.D for indication of bulb but for high power switching one can
connect Relay (electromagnetic switch) at the output of pin 3 of I.C 555. Then it will be possible
to turn ON/OFF any electrical appliances connected all the way through relay.
 2

Block Diagram:-

Fig-1

Block Diagram Explanation:-

In this project, we are going to switch off the street lights automatically as the day starts. The
duration of the day differs from season to season, accordingly our module works based upon the
light intensity so as to when to start or stop. For this we are using Light Dependent Resistor
(LDR) as the light sensor, which communicates with the required information to the 555 timer
IC.
Here we are using micro 555 time IC, LDR, and resistors. By using the LDR we can operate the
lights, i.e when the light is available then it will be in the OFF state and when it is dark then the
light will be in ON state, it means LDR is inversely proportional to light.
CHAPTER-2 3

HARDWARE DESCRIPTION

The block diagram of the system is as shown in the fig. The system basically consists of
a

1. LDR
2. 555 TIMER IC
3. RESISTORS
4. Power supply

LDR Architecture:-

The light dependent resistor, LDR, is known by many names including the photoresistor, photo
resistor, photoconductor, photoconductive cell, or simply the photocell. It is probably the term
photocell that is most widely used in data and instruction sheets for domestic equipment.
The photo resistor, or light dependent resistor, LDR, finds many uses as a low cost photo
sensitive element and was used for many years in photographic light meters as well as in other
applications such as flame, smoke and burglar detectors, card readers and lighting controls for
street lamps. Often within the literature the photoresistor is called the photocell as a more generic
term.

Photoresistor discovery
Photo-resistors, or light dependent resistors have been in use for very many years. Photoresistors
have been seen in early forms since the nineteenth century when photoconductivity in selenium
was discovered by Smith in 1873. Since then many variants of photoconductive devices have
been made.
 4

Much useful work was conducted by T. W. Case in 1920 when he published a paper entitled
"Thalofide Cell - a new photo-electric cell".
Other substances including PbS, PbSe and PbTe were studied in the 1930s and 1940s, and then
in 1952, Rollin and Simmons developed their photoconductors using silicon and germanium.

Light dependent resistor symbol

The circuit symbol used for the light dependent resistor or photoresistor combines its resistor
action while indicating that it is sensitive to light. The basic light dependent resistor symbol has
the rectangle used to indicate its resistor action, and then has two incoming arrows - the same as
those used for photodiodes and phototransistors to indicate its light sensitivity.

Fig-2

Light dependent resistor symbol used in circuit diagrams

For most applications, the light dependent resistor symbol used will be that with the resistor with
arrows, but in some instances those drawing circuit diagrams prefer to encase the resistor in a
circle. The more commonly used photoresistor symbol is the resistor without the circle around it.

Photoresistor mechanism
A photoresistor or photocell is a component that uses a photconductor between two contacts.
When this is exposed to light a change in resistance is noted.
Photoconductivity - the mechanism behind the photoresistor - results from the generation of
mobile carriers when photons are absorbed by the semiconductor material used for the
photoconductor. While the different types of material used for light dependent resistors are
semiconductors, when used as a photo-resistor, they are used only as a resistive element and
there are no PN junctions. Accordingly the device is purely passive.
There are two types of photoconductor and hence photoresistor:

 Intrinsic photoresistor: This type of photoresistor uses a photoconductive material

 5

that involves excitation of charge carriers from the valence bands to the conduction band.

 Extrinsic photoresistor: This type of photoresistor uses a photoconductive material

that involves excitation of charge carriers between an impurity and the valence band or
conduction band. It requires shallow impurity dopants that are not ionised in the presence
of light. Extrinisc photoresistors or photocells are generally designed for long wavelength
radiation - often infra-red, but to avoid thermal generation they need to be operated at low
temperatures.

Basic photoresistor structure

Although there are many ways in which light dependent resistors, or photo resistors can be
manufactured, there are naturally a few more common methods that are seen. Essentially the
photoresisitor or photocell consists of a resistive material sensitive to light that is exposed to
light. The photo resistive element comprises section of the material with contacts at either end.
A typical structure for a light dependent or photo resistor uses an active semiconductor layer that
is deposited on an insulating substrate. The semiconductor is normally lightly doped to enable it
to have the required level of conductivity. Contacts are then placed either side of the exposed
area.

Fig-3
 6

One form of photoresistor structure

Within the basic photoresistor or photocell structure, the resistance of the material itself is a key
issue. To ensure the resistance changes resulting from the light dominate, contact resistance is
minimised. To achieve this, the area around the contacts is normally heavily doped to reduce the
resistance in this region.
In many instances the area between the contacts is in the form of a zig zag, or interdigital pattern.
This maximises the exposed area and by keeping the distance between the contacts small it
reduces the spurious resistance levels and enhances the gain.

Fig-4

Photoresistor or photocell with interdigital contact pattern

It is also possible to use a polycrystalline semiconductor that is deposited onto a substrate such as
ceramic. This makes for a very low cost light dependent resistor

Photoresistor applications
The photoresistor or light dependent resistor is attractive in many electronic circuit designs
because of its low cost, simple structure and rugged features. While it may not have some of the
 7

features of the photo-diode and photo-transistor, it is ideal for many applications. As a result the
photo-resistor is widely used in circuits such as photographic meters, flame or smoke detectors,
burglar alarms, card readers, controls for street lighting and many others.
The properties of photoresistors can vary quite widely dependent upon the type of material used.
Some have very long time constants, for example. It is therefore necessary to carefully choose
the type of photoresistor for any given circuit or application.

555 TIMER IC

1. Introduction to 555 Timer IC

2. 555 Timer IC Pin Configuration
3. Basics of 555 Timer
4. Block Diagram
5. Working Principle

Introduction

One of the most versatile linear ICs is the 555 timer which was first introduced in early 1970 by
Signetic Corporation giving the name as SE/NE 555 timer. This IC is a monolithic timing circuit
that can produce accurate and highly stable time delays or oscillation. Like other commonly used
op-amps, this IC is also very much reliable, easy to use and cheaper in cost. It has a variety of
applications including monostable and astable multivibrators, dc-dc converters, digital logic
probes, waveform generators, analog frequency meters and tachometers, temperature
measurement and control devices, voltage regulators etc. The timer basically operates in one of
 8

the two modes either as a monostable (one-shot) multivibrator or as an astable (free-running)

multivibrator.The SE 555 is designed for the operating temperature range from – 55°C to 125°
while the NE 555 operates over a temperature range of 0° to 70°C.

The important features of the 555 timer are :

 It operates from a wide range of power supplies ranging from + 5 Volts to + 18 Volts supply
voltage.
 Sinking or sourcing 200 mA of load current.
 The external components should be selected properly so that the timing intervals can be made
into several minutes Proper selection of only a few external components allows timing
intervals of several minutes along with the frequencies exceeding several hundred kilo hertz.
 It has a high current output; the output can drive TTL.
 It has a temperature stability of 50 parts per million (ppm) per degree Celsius change in
temperature, or equivalently 0.005 %/ °C.
 The duty cycle of the timer is adjustable with the maximum power dissipation per package is
600 mW and its trigger and reset inputs are logic compatible.
IC Pin Configuration

Fig-5
 9

The 555 Timer IC is available as an 8-pin metal can, an 8-pin mini DIP (dual-in-package) or a
14-pin DIP. This IC consists of 23 transistors, 2 diodes and 16 resistors. The explanation of
terminals coming out of the 555 timer IC is as follows. The pin number used in the following
discussion refers to the 8-pin DIP and 8-pin metal can packages. The 555 Timer IC is available
as an 8-pin metal can, an 8-pin mini DIP (dual-in-package) or a 14-pin DIP. This IC consists of
23 transistors, 2 diodes and 16 resistors. The explanation of terminals coming out of the 555
timer IC is as follows. The pin number used in the following discussion refers to the 8-pin DIP
and 8-pin metal can packages.

Fig-6
 10

Pin 1: Grounded Terminal: All the voltages are measured with respect to this terminal.

Pin 2: Trigger Terminal: This pin is an inverting input to a comparator that is responsible
for transition offlip-flop from set to reset. The output of the timer depends on the amplitude of
the external trigger pulse applied to this pin.

Pin 3: Output Terminal: Output of the timer is available at this pin. There are two ways in
which a load can be connected to the output terminal either between pin 3 and ground pin (pin 1)
or between pin 3 and supply pin (pin 8). The load connected between pin 3 and ground supply
pin is called the normally on loadand that connected between pin 3 and ground pin is called
the normally off load.

Pin 4: Reset Terminal: To disable or reset the timer a negative pulse is applied to this pin
due to which it is referred to as reset terminal. When this pin is not to be used for reset purpose,
it should be connected to + VCCto avoid any possibility of false triggering.

Pin 5: Control Voltage Terminal: The function of this terminal is to control the threshold
and trigger levels. Thus either the external voltage or a pot connected to this pin determines the
pulse width of the output waveform. The external voltage applied to this pin can also be used to
modulate the output waveform. When this pin is not used, it should be connected to ground
through a 0.01 micro Farad to avoid any noise problem.

Pin 6: Threshold Terminal: This is the non-inverting input terminal of comparator 1,

which compares the voltage applied to the terminal with a reference voltage of 2/3 VCC. The
amplitude of voltage applied to this terminal is responsible for the set state of flip-flop.

Pin 7 : Discharge Terminal: This pin is connected internally to the collector of transistor
and mostly a capacitor is connected between this terminal and ground. It is called discharge
terminal because when transistor saturates, capacitor discharges through the transistor. When the
transistor is cut-off, the capacitor charges at a rate determined by the external resistor and
capacitor.
 11

Pin 8: Supply Terminal: A supply voltage of + 5 V to + 18 V is applied to this terminal

with respect to ground (pin 1).

Block Diagram:-

Fig-7

The block diagram of a 555 timer is shown in the above figure. A 555 timer has two
comparators, which are basically 2 op-amps), an R-S flip-flop, two transistors and a resistive
network.
 Resistive network consists of three equal resistors and acts as a voltage divider.
 Comparator 1 compares threshold voltage with a reference voltage + 2/3 VCC volts.
 Comparator 2 compares the trigger voltage with a reference voltage + 1/3 V CC volts.
 12

Output of both the comparators is supplied to the flip-flop. Flip-flop assumes its state according
to the output of the two comparators. One of the two transistors is a discharge transistor of which
collector is connected to pin 7. This transistor saturates or cuts-off according to the output state
of the flip-flop. The saturated transistor provides a discharge path to a capacitor connected
externally. Base of another transistor is connected to a reset terminal. A pulse applied to this
terminal resets the whole timer irrespective of any input.

Working Principle:-

Refer Block Diagram of 555 timer IC given above:

Comparator 1 has a threshold input (pin 6) and a control input (pin 5). In most applications, the
control input is not used, so that the control voltage equals +2/3 VCC. Output of this comparator
is applied to set (S) input of the flip-flop. Whenever the threshold voltage exceeds the control
voltage, comparator 1 will set the flip-flop and its output is high. A high output from the flip-flop
saturates the discharge transistor and discharge the capacitor connected externally to pin 7. The
complementary signal out of the flip-flop goes to pin 3, the output. The output available at pin 3
is low. These conditions will prevail until comparator 2 triggers the flip-flop. Even if the voltage
at the threshold input falls below 2/3 VCC, that is comparator 1 cannot cause the flip-flop to
change again. It means that the comparator 1 can only force the flip-flop’s output high.
To change the output of flip-flop to low, the voltage at the trigger input must fall below + 1/3
Vcc. When this occurs, comparator 2 triggers the flip-flop, forcing its output low. The low output
from the flip-flop turns the discharge transistor off and forces the power amplifier to output a
high. These conditions will continue independent of the voltage on the trigger input. Comparator
2 can only cause the flip-flop to output low. From the above discussion it is concluded that for
the having low output from the timer 555, the voltage on the threshold input must exceed the
control voltage or + 2/3 VCC. They also turn the discharge transistor on. To force the output from
the timer high, the voltage on the trigger input must drop below +1/3 VCC. This also turns the
discharge transistor off.
A voltage may be applied to the control input to change the levels at which the switching
occurs. When not in use, a 0.01 nano Farad capacitor should be connected between pin 5 and
ground to prevent noise coupled onto this pin from causing false triggering. Connecting the reset
(pin 4) to a logic low will place a high on the output of flip-flop. The discharge transistor will go
on and the power amplifier will output a low. This condition will continue until reset is taken
 13

high. This allows synchronization or resetting of the circuit’s operation. When not in use, reset
should be tied to +VCC.

DATA SHEET FOR 555 TIMER IC:-

Table-1
 14

Fig-8
 15

Table-2

DATA SHEET FOR LED:-

Features
Popular T-1 colorless 3mm package.
 ․High luminous power.
 ․Typical chromaticity coordinates x=0.29, y=0.28
 according to CIE1931.
 ․Bulk, available taped on reel.
 ․Pb free.
 ․ESD-withstand voltage: up to 4KV
 ․The product itself will remain within RoHS compliant version.
 16

Descriptions
 ․The series is designed for application required high luminous intensity.
 ․The phosphor filled in the reflector converts the blue emission of InGaN chip to ideal
white.

Applications
 ․Outdoor Displays
 ․Optical Indicators
 ․Backlighting
 ․ Marker Lights

Table-3
 17

Package Dimensions

Fig-9

Table-4
 18

Table-5
 19

TYPICAL ELECTRO-OPTICAL CHARACTERSTICS CURVE

Fig-10
 20

Fig-11

Variableresistance:(Potentiometer)

Resistors are one of the most common electronic components. A resistor is a device that limits,
or resists current. The current limiting ability or resistance is measured in ohms, represented by
the Greek symbol Omega. Variable resistors (also called potentiometers or just “pots”) are
resistors that have a variable resistance. You adjust the resistance by turning a shaft. This shaft
moves a wiper across the actual resistor element. By changing the amounts of resistor between
the wiper connection and the connection (s) to the resistor element, you can change the
resistance. You will often see the resistance of resistors written with K (kilohms) after the
number value. This means that there are that many thousands of ohms. For example, 1K is 1000
ohm,2K is 2000 ohm, 3.3K is 3300 ohm, etc. You may also see the suffix M (mega ohms). This
simply means million. Resistors are also rated by their power handling capability. This is the
amount of heat the resistor can take before it is destroyed. The power capability is measured in
W (watts) Common wattages for variable
resistors are 1/8W, 1/4W, 1/2W and 1W. Anything of a higher wattage is referred to as a
rheostat.
 21

PCB (PrintedCircuitBoard):-

With the help of P.C.B it is easy to assemble circuit with neat and clean end products. P.C.B is
made of Bakelite with surface pasted with copper track-layout. For each components leg, hole is
made.
Connection pin is passed through the hole and is soldered.
CHAPTER-3 22

CIRCUIT DIAGRAM

Fig-12

CIRCUIT EXPLANATION

This circuit uses a popular timer I.C 555. I.C 555 is connected as comparator with pin-6
connected with positive rail, the output goes high(1) when the trigger pin 2 is at lower then 1/3rd
level of the supply voltage. Conversely the output goes low (0) when it is above 1/3rd level. So
 23

small change in the voltage of pin-2 is enough to change the level of output (pin-3) from 1 to 0
and 0 to 1. The output has only two states high and low and can not remain in any intermediate
stage. It is powered by a 6V battery for portable use. The circuit is economic in power
consumption. Pin 4, 6 and 8 is connected to the positive supply and pin 1 is grounded. To detect
the present of an object we have used LDR and a source of light. LDR is a special type of
resistance whose value depends on the brightness of the light which is falling on it. It has
resistance of about 1 mega ohm when in total darkness, but a resistance of only about 5k ohms
when brightness illuminated. It responds to a large part of light spectrum. We have made a
potential divider circuit with LDR and 100K variable resistance connected in series. We know
that voltage is directly proportional to conductance so more voltage we will get from this divider
when LDR is getting light and low voltage in darkness. This divided voltage is given to pin 2 of
IC 555. Variable resistance is so adjusted that it crosses potential of 1/3rd in brightness and fall
below 1/3rd in darkness.
Sensitiveness can be adjusted by this variable resistance. As soon as LDR gets dark the voltage
of pin 2 drops 1/3rd of the supply voltage and pin 3 gets high and LED or buzzer which is
connected to the output gets activated.
CHAPTER-4 24

RESEARCH PAPER PUBLISHED ON THIS PROJECT

International Conference on Computing and Control Engineering (ICCCE 2012), 12 & 13

April, 2012
ISBN 978-1-4675-2248-9 © 2012 Published by Coimbatore Institute of Information Technology
Automatic Street Light Intensity Control and Road Safety
Module Using Embedded System
Radhi Priyasree1; Rafiya Kauser.H2; Vinitha.E3; Gangatharan.N4
Department of ECE, RMK College of Engineering and Technology
R.S.M Nagar, Puduvoyal-601206
radhipriyasree@gmail.com1; riyakulz@gmail.com2; vinithamaran@gmail.com3;
n.gangatharan@yahoo.com4

Abstract This paper is aimed at creating contains skin sensor, breath alcohol
safer roadways with intelligent light sensor and proximity sensor. The skin
system to reduce power consumption. This sensor and breadth alcohol sensor
system has automatic street light intensity detects the presence of alcohol content
control based on the vehicular and the proximity sensor helps in
movement and switching ON and OFF of detecting any kind of malpractice. The
street lights depending on the light novelty of this paper is to effectively
ambiance. This will help in reducing reduce the energy consumption of the
the power consumption during street lights by controlling the street
hours of major road usage. The streetlight light’s intensity, sensing both human as
module is installed consequently for every well as vehicular movement and injury
certain distance. This paper also aims at and death caused by drunk driving can be
reducing road accidents by prevented by prior sensing of the alcohol
detecting consumption of alcohol by the contentin driver by a simple and
driver. This can be implemented using economical way.
alcohol sensor module which
 25

Key words Street light intensity traffic sensor and complex

control; PIR sensors; LDR; alcohol subcontrol machines are in process in
detection; alcohol sensors; skin
sensors;proximity sensors; reduced power the Norway. (Oslo street light
consumption saferroadways. control)[6]. But the power
____________________________________ consumption is reduced only by
____ nearly 30%. There also exists a
I INTRODUCTION project in progress where in the
Street lighting provide a safe night time street light power consumption is
environment for all road users including Reduced using a remote controlled
pedestrians. Research indicates that system [1], but the disadvantage is that
night-time vehicular accidents are it is not cost efficient and that the
significantly reduced by the provision of initial investment is not
street lighting. It also helps to reduce the economical. This paper is aimed at
fear of Crime , and encourages designing and implementing an
social inclusion by providing an automatic system to control and
environment in which people feel reduce energy consumption of a
they can walk in hours of town’s public lighting system up to
darkness. Providing street lighting is 60%. This can be done using PIR
one of the most important and sensor which senses the movement and
expensive responsibilities of a city. passes the information to the PIC
Lighting can account for 10– 38% of (peripheral interface control)
the total energy bill in typical microcontroller. The pattern in
cities worldwide. Street lighting is a which the lights have to be
particularly critical concern for public turned ON can also be
authorities in developing countries programmed, as in dimming of
because of its strategic importance for lights etc. Additionally LDR (Light
economic and social stability. dependent resistors) can be used. The
Inefficient lighting wastes ambiance of light is checked and lights
significant financial resources each are turned ON when it is dark and are
year, and poor lighting creates turned OFF during day time. The
unsafe conditions. Energy advantage of using the PIR is that it can
efficient technologies and desgn can sense the human movement and also
cut street lighting costs dramatically that of the vehicle. Thus this paper
(often by 25-60%). The once implemented on a large scale can
implementation of street light bring in significant reductions in the
intensity control using LUX meter, power consumption caused by street
lights. Impairment by alcohol is an
important factor in causing accidents

and in increasing the consequences of
the same. From various studies
conducted, it has been found that
alcohol consumption was present up to
33% -69% among fatally injured
drivers, and in between 8%- 29% of
drivers involved in crashes who are not
fatally injured. Although the proportion
of crashes that are alcohol-related has
dropped in recent decades, there are
still far too many such preventable
accidents. In spite of great progress,
drunken driving remains a serious
national problem that tragically affects
many victims annually. The
disadvantage of the already existing
alcohol detecting wrist band which uses
similar technology of transdermal
sensor [3][5] is that it is not certain that
every driver will be wearing it, so a
separate module should be added to
assure that the person who drives
should wear it each time which would
make the circuitry more complex.
Another proposed technology is
Alcokey [7] but it can be malpracticed
by someone else other than the drunk
driver. This paper is aimed at detecting
consumption of alcohol by the driver
and if it exceeds certain level
(0.08mg/100ml), access and movement
of vehicle will be impaired. This
prevents occurrence of accidents or any
fatal crashes. This is done using skin
sensors and breadth alcohol sensors for
the detection of alcohol consumption.
This paper is organized as follows.
Section II discusses about
26
implementation of new road safety and
street modules.
RESULTS AND DISCUSSIONS
The main objective of this paper was to
reduce the power consumption of street
lights by avoiding inefficient lighting which
wastes significant financial resources each
year. This is done by dimming the lights
during less traffic hours. For this purpose
PIR sensor which detects any movement.
This paper also aims at reducing the fatal
crashes and road accidents caused due to
alcohol consumption. This is done using
skin sensors placed in vehicle doors and also
using breadth sensors inside the vehicle. By
implementing this death rates due to drunk
driving can be reduced to a great extent. The
prototype has been implemented and works
as expected and will prove to be very useful
and will fulfill all the present constraints if
implemented on a large scale.
CONCLUSIONS
This paper is aimed at designing and
implementation of an automatic system
where in the street lights that are not
required through the night can be dimmed.
Additionally, the ambiance of light is
checked and lights are turned ON when it is
dark and turned OFF during the day. Our
government is striving hard to provide
electricity to customers. Thus this paper
once implemented on a large scale can bring
in significant reductions in the power
consumption caused by street lights. This

initiative will help the government to save
this energy and meet the domestic and
industrial needs. Alcohol-impaired driving
remains a serious national problem that
tragically affects many victims annually.
The proportion of crashes that are alcohol-
related is still a point of consideration. This
paper also aims at detecting consumption of
alcohol by the driver and if it exceeds
certain level it impairs the driver from
entering into the vehicle. This prevents
occurrence of accidents or any fatal crashes.
REFERENCES
[1]Caponetto, R., Dongola, G.,Fortuna, L.,
Riscica, N. and Zufacchi, D. (2008), “Power
consumptionreduction in a remote
controlled street lighting system”,
International Symposium on Power
Electronics, Electrical Drives, Automation
and Motion (SPEEDAM 2008), Ischia,une,
pp. 428-33. [2] Costa, M.A.D., Costa, G.H.,
dos Santos, A.S., Schuch, L. and Pinheiro,
J.R. (2009), “A high efficiency autonomous
street lighting system based on solar energy
and LEDs”BrazilianPowerElectronics
Conference (COBEP 2009), Bonito, 27
September-1 October, pp. 265-73. [3] Paul
27
R. Marques and A. Scott McKnight
“Evaluating Transdermal Alcohol
Measuring Devices”DTNH22-02-D- 95121,
Pacific Institute for Research and Evaluation
11720 Beltsville Drive, Suite 900,
Calverton, MD 20705 [4]Farmer C. M.
2005. Relationships of Frontal Offset Crash
Test Results to Real-World Driver Fatality
Rates. Traffic Injury Prevention, 6, 31-37.
[5] R. Swift, C. Martin, L. Swette, A.
LaConti and N. Kackley, “Studies on a
Wearable, Electronic, Transdermal Alcohol
Sensor,” 16 Alcohol. Clin. Exp. Res. 721
(July/Aug. 1992)
[6]http://www.estreetlight.com/Documents/
Homepage/Estreet%
20Project%20Report%2005_157.pdf
[7] John K. Pollard, Eric D. Nadler, Mary D.
Stearns,” Review of Technology to Prevent
Alcohol-Impaired Crashes (TOPIC).
 28

GSM BASED RFID APPROACH TO AUTOMATIC STREET

LIGHTINING SYSTEM

1R.RUBANANTH, 2T.KAVITHA
1 M.Tech Embedded Systems, School of Computing, SASTRA University, Thanjavur, Tamil
Nadu, India
2Asst. Prof., School of Computing, SASTRA University, Thanjavur, Tamil Nadu, India
E-mail: 1rubavetha@gmail.com , 2Kavitha.t@it.sastra.edu

ABSTRACT
In today’s world, power saving is very important and difficult. Though there are many power
generation methods, it has become very difficult due to insufficient resources. So, saving of
power is the need for our society. This paper discusses about how power can be saved in street
lights. The main objective is to control the street lights (dim during dawn and dusk time as well
as bright during night time) using DualTone Multi Frequency (DTMF). The engineer at
Electricity Board (EB) can control the street lights of various areas. If any over load occurs, the
connection will be disconnected and the information istransferred through Global System for
Mobile communication (GSM) to EB. In case of any detachment ofjumper (EB line) then also
the information is sent. Also, if there is any complaint by the consumers, theycan send the
information to EB through Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) Reader, which will be fixed in
one of the street light posts and the tag is given to all consumers. The message will be sent to EB
serverthrough GSM.

Keywords: GSM, PIC Microcontroller, RFID, DTMF.

1. INTRODUCTION lights and the tags are given toindividual

Now-a-day’s electricity problem in India is
themajor issue. Then and there the wastage
ofelectricity should be avoided. This
paperexplainshow to save the power in the
street lights, overloadissues as well as power
cut off. RFID reader isfixed in the street
houses from EB. So if any problem
occurs in the house, the user has to show his
tag tothe reader and the information will be
intimated to
the server (EB) through GSM. The engineer
mayrespond to the issue immediately. GSM
is used totransmit the data to the server like

load balancing,disconnection of power
andcomplaints. Regardingpower in the
houses, balancing a load is the majorissue in
the electricity. To overcome this
problemcurrent transformer is used. The
function of currenttransformer is used to
send the load detailscontinuously to
controller. Already the load valuesare
predefined in the microcontroller are
compared
with the present value. If the values are
more thanthe predefined values, it will
automatically send amessage through GSM.
If there is a line failure inparticular area it
will send a message through GSMto the
Server. Usually the buck converter is used to
dim the street light and the boost converteris
usedto brighten the light. But DTMF are
used for dimming and brightening the street
light. With the help of DTMF, particular
time will be set to ON/OFF condition and
also set the dimming and brightening of the
entire street light system. Design of new
street light control system does not only
achieve power-saving but also extend the
life span of lighting equipment. On other
hand, if any fault occurs in houses, the user
sends information to EB through RFID via
GSM.
2. DESIGN PROCESS
With the help of DTMF, the user can set
time according to their clarity of light. For
example according to the climatic condition
the user can set the time for the
brightness[1]. According to the predefined
time the light will be shut down. DTMF is
interfaced with PIC 16F877A. Load is
29
maintained in the street light [2], where
master board is mounted on the electrical
panel and slave board is mounted in the
street lamp. But here the load is maintained
for the transformer in the particular street
[3]. Current transformer is used to send the
load details continuously. The present values
are compared with the predefined values and
will automatically send a message through
GSM and also inform the particular line
failure in the area. The RFID is interfaced
with PIC microcontroller and it should be
kept in lamp post.
3. SYSTEM ARCHITECTURE
The system comprises of six devices: a
PIC16F877A, LCD, Current Transformer,
GSM,
DTMF, and RFID. The components are
interfaced with PIC microcontroller. PIC
microcontroller is a RISC based
Architecture. It is low cost and is used for
real time application. Current transformer is
connected to the PIC microcontroller to
ADC pin. The predefined value is set in the
controller and the current value is compared
with it. If the value doesn’t match, message
is sent through GSM. The DTMF is
connected to the transmitter in the PIC
microcontroller. Wireless communication is
used to transmit the data through personal
area network to particular area [4]. Data
cannot be sent through wide range in
personal area network. To overcome this,
GSM is used for wide range of transmission.
The LCD is used to display the status set for
the street lights, which provide a convenient

channel to enable human and machine
interconnect. The LCD display indicates the
current operating status.
4. SYSTEM BLOCK
The Fig. 1 shows the full block diagram of
the automatic street lighting system.
4.1 PIC Microcontroller
PIC 16F877A is a 40-pin 8-Bit
microcontroller. It is family of Harvard
architecture and manufactured by Microchip
technology. PIC stands for Peripheral
Interface Controller, used by industrial
developers due to wide availability space
and serial programming for flash memory.
4.2 GSM Module
GSM (Global System for Mobile
communication) is a technology for
communication and it works based on AT
command. GSM offers wide range of
services like voice, data and internet access.
GSM is a low cost mobile communication
used by the user to activate ON/OFF control
remotely[5]. The GSM device is fixed in
lamp post and if any problem arises, it will
send the information to EB.
4.3 Current Transformer
Current transformer is a device used to
decrease the current level by stepping up the
voltage and keeping the energy as constant.
Hence the current transformers are basically
step up transformer. The primary winding of
the current transformer is connected in series
30
with the line carrying current to be measured
and therefore the primary current is
depended on the load connected to the
system whose current is to be measured. As
the secondary voltage of current transformer
is higher than the primary voltage, the
secondary winding has more number of
turns compared to the primary winding. In
case of current transformer the secondary
current is less than the primary current.
4.4 LCD and DTMF
LCD is used for displaying the load value,
and DTMF (Dual Tone Multi Frequency) is
used for dimming and brightening of the
street light. With the help of DTMF, a
particular time will be set to on and off the
entire street light system.
4.5 RFID Radio Frequency Identification
Device is a technology which works on the
principles of radio waves. If there is any
complaint in any of the houses, the user
needs to send the information through RFID
reader [5], which will be fixed in the street
lamp and tag which will be send to
individual houses.
RESULTS AND EXPERIMENTS
overall setup of system prototype. In case of
any overload, the GSM kept on street light
post intimates the server about the overload
condition. If there are any complaints from
houses, the user can send the information to
EB through RFID.

CONCLUSION
This system proposes a new way of reduced
power consumption. With this system,
recovering from power failure period can be
reduced. Street light maintenance, load
maintenance and if there is any complaints
regarding power it can be intimated through
GSM. In future the Electricity department
can adopt this system in order to save power
as well as time. This system can be extended
in such a way that time taken for processing
any new power connection request can be
minimized by using RFID.
REFERENCES
[1]. D. Menniti, A.Burgio, G. Fedele “A cost
effective ac voltage regulator to mitigate
voltage sags and dim lamps in street-lighting
applications” 9th IEEE conference on
31
Environment and Electrical Engineering
pp396-399 2010.
[2]. Chunguo Jing, Dongmei Shu and
Deying Gu,” “Design of Streetlight
Monitoring and Control System Based on
Wireless Sensor Networks” Second IEEE
conference on industrial Electronics and
Applications pp1-7 2007. [3]. R. Caponetto,
G. Dongola, L. Fortuna, N. Riscica and D.
Zufacchi , “Power consumption reduction in
a remote controlled street lighting”
International Symposium on Power
Electronics, Electrical Drives, Automation
and Motion(SPEEDAM).pp.428-433. 2008.
[4]. Ransom.S., Pfisterer,.D., Fischer.S,
“Comprehensible Security Synthesis for
Wireless sensor Networks”, Proceedings of
the 3rd international workshop on
Meddleware for sensor Networks,Leuven,
Belgium, pp.19- 24,2008.
 32

Organic Light Emitting Diodes operation and

application in displays
J. ¯mija a,*, M.J. Ma³achowski b
a Institute of Technical Physics, Military University of Technology, ul. S. Kaliskiego 2,
00-908 Warszawa, Poland
b Education Department, The K. Pulaski Technical University of Radom,
ul. J. Malczewski 20A, 26-600 Radom, Poland
* Corresponding author: E-mail address: jzmija@edu.wat.pl

ABSTRACT
Purpose: The aim of this work is to perform the review of the recent most
important results of experimental and theoretical investigations connected with the
organic light emitting devices (OLEDs).
Design/methodology/approach: The recent achievements in the field of
designing, fabricating and clarification of the OLEDs operation have been presented.
The possibilities of numerous, present and future applications of these devices have
been pointed out.
Findings: We show that fundamental differences among organic and inorganic
devices result from differences between inorganic and molecular semiconductor
materials. No charges are present in OLED devices without charge injection.
Emission is due to radiative transitions from the neutral excited states to the ground
states. We pointed out the important role that the OLEDs play in display design (even
the flexible ones).
Research limitations/implications: The main disadvantage of OLEDs is
reported to be short their lives (particularly the blue OLED) and weak resistivity to
moist but improvements are advancing.
Originality/value: Our review concerns the most recent experimental and
theoretical publications in the OLED investigation. We also show some recent
examples of OLEDs application.

Keywords: LED, OLED; Displays; Organic materials; Optoelectronics


Reference to this paper should be given in the following way:
J. Żmija, M.J. Małachowski, Organic Light Emitting Diodes operation and
application in displays, Archives of Material Science and Engineering 40/1 (2009) 5-
12.
Introduction Organic materials are of
great interest for electronics applications, as
they have many advantages over their
inorganic counterparts.They may often be
solution-processed, allowing the fabrication
of devices such as circuits,displays,and
radio-frequency identification deviceson
plastic substrates, and deposition by
unconventional means, such as screen and
inkjet printing.The most attractive prospect,
however, is the incorporation of
functionality by design. The versatility of
organic synthetic techniques and the wide
spectrum of commercially available building
blocks allow seemingly infinite flexibility in
tuning molecular structure, and therefore the
corresponding molecular packing and
macroscopic properties. Already, organic
solids such as pentaceneand rubrenehave
surpassed amorphous Si in performance, of
thin film transistors (TFT) and light emitting
devices creating organic light emitting
diodes (OLEDs) which are used by the
former. An OLED is a thin-film solid state
device, which makes it easier to apply to
flexible displays because of its relatively
simple fabrication process and reduced
distortion according to the geometric form
of display.
The purpose of this article is to review the
recent most important papers concerning
33
investigations on OLEDs and AMOLEDs.
Recently, some reviews have appeared on
this subject, just to mention the papers [1-9].
History of fundamental investigations in the
field of electroluminescence organic
materials, OLEDs and display is presented
in Table 1 [10-17]. As it can be seen since
over 50 years, researchers are interested in
study of this subjects. Additionally, the
metal-free transparent OLEDs should be
mentioned. Theirs original fabrication and
interesting properties have been reported by
Parthasarathy et al. [18]. Furthermore,
importance of the quasi-monochromatic
colour and white light emitting devices
should be indicated. For example, quasi-
monochromatic OLEDs based on rare earth
ion emission, particularly on Eu and Tb
organic complexes, emitting in pure red and
green and also the highly efficient white-
light emitting devices based on single
dopant emitters of a mixture of molecular,
excimer and exciplex phosphorescence have
been reported by Kalinowski et al. OLED
displays may be operated in two basic
architectures: passive matrix (PM) and
active matrix (AM) displays. The AM
architecture is expected to be the main
technology on which advanced OLED
displays will be based (steering them by
TFT which could be the organic or

inorganic). Now the used displays are CRT
(Cathode Ray Tube), PDP (Plasma Display
Panel) ELD (Electro Luminescent Display),
LCD (Liquid Crystal Display) and OLED
(Organic Light Emitting Diode). These two
architectures are concurring OLED
technology that resembles LCD technology
and uses such procedures as vacuum
evaporation of thin films (including shadow
mask processes), lithography and etc. The
others are described in paper [20]. Organic
thin film transistors (OTFTs) are required
for fabrication of plastic-based AMOLEDs,
as conventional Si-based TFTs cannot be
directly fabricated on plastic substrates.
The display market of the future demands
ubiquitous devices that are more portable,
fashionable, and environmentally friendly
[24]. Display manufacturers need to advance
their technologies to build lighter, slimmer,
more rugged devices that consume low
amounts of power while at the same time
improve the picture quality. The emerging
technology of flexible active-matrix displays
is being developed in order to fulfil these
needs. Currently, there are active research
projects in reflective-type flexible liquid-
crystal displays (LCDs) [25], flexible
electrophoretic displays (EPDs) [26], and
emissive type flexible OLED displays [17].
Today, EPD technology is considered as the
most desirable flexible-display technology
because of its simple fabrication process and
very low power consumption.
2. OLEDs, theirs structure and
operation 2.1. Structures of OLEDs
OLED (organic light emitting diode) is a
34
monolithic, thin-film, semi conductive
device that emits light when a voltage is
applied to it. Various ways of light are
generated by applying an electric eld to
organic materials, without involving any
intermediate energy forms - the
phenomenon known as organic
OLEDs, and operation
OLEDs electroluminescence (EL). EL is the
result of the electric eld– imposed
formation of emissive states without
recourse of any intermediate energy forms,
such as heat. In its most basic form, an
OLED consists of a series of vacuum-
deposited, small-molecule organic thin films
that are sandwiched between two thin-film
conductors. The following figures show
most often met constructions of this device.
In Fig. 1 is presented one of the possible
simple structures of OLED. Here emission
of EL occurs in the electron and hole
transmission layers. However, in more
complicated but also more efficient OLED is
shown in Fig. 2, the emission takes place in
a separate layer.
In its most common structure, known as a
"single heterostructure," an OLED device
consists of a hole transporting layer (HTL)
and an electron transporting and light
emitting layer (ETL/EL) sandwiched
between two transparent electrodes.
Transparent OLEDs (TOLEDs) enable new
features: transparency, directed top
emission, enhanced contrast ratio, and multi-
stacked devices. Transparency paves the
way for displays to be used in new places in
the automobile. In applications where
maintaining vision area is important,

TOLEDs have the potential to be integrated
with the windshield for navigation and
warning systems, and with the other
windows for entertainment and
telecommunication. TOLEDs can also be
designed into a novel rear-view mirror and
head-up information systems, and also be
used as transmitters with the other display
systems or backgrounds. In addition,
because TOLEDs are transparent, they may
be built on opaque as well as transparent
surfaces. This means that a display may be
built on metal roll stock, for example, for
potential use in exterior automotive parts.
Moreover, it also creates a number of new,
and as yet, unimagined product
opportunities.
3. Application The tremendous strides
have been made in the science and
technology of organic electroluminescence
(EL). Most of this progress has been applied
in developing at panel displays. If this rate
of progress can be sustained into the next
decade, organic EL technology has the
potential to exert an impact not only on
displays, but also on general lighting
applications. In particular, a large-area
white-light-producing organic light-emitting
device could potentially provide a solid state
diffuse light source that could compete with
conventional lighting technologies in
performance and cost. The vision of solid
state lighting has largely been driven by the
desire to reduce energy consumption.
Organic electroluminescent displays on rigid
or exible substrates are envisioned to play
35
a signi cant if not major role in the area of
at panel displays. They may eventually
dominate the market in just a few years.
Small, passive, and active matrix organic
light-emitting displays that are relatively
inexpensive already have penetrated the
commercial market in a signi cant way.
Organic electroluminescent displays can be
small, such as hand-held or head-mounted
devices, or large, such as at panel screens
that can be rolled up or hung at on a wall.
OLED devices offer many advantages for
at panel display applications: 1.Very thin
solid-state device (less than 300 nm thick),
2.Light weight, 3.High luminous power
efficiency, 4.Fast response time that makes
animations and motion crisp and
entertaining, 5.Wide viewing angle without
brightness or image loss (170+ degrees),
6.Self-emitting, which eliminates the need
for a back-light illumination source,
7.Colour tuning throughout the entire visible
spectrum for full-colour displays,
8.Flexibility. OLEDs that have these merits
in addition to their temporal stability are
expected to have many applications. Devices
that are very thin and lightweight and have
low power consumption are especially
suitable for portable equipment (e.g.,
wireless phones, PDAs, view nders for
digital cameras) and other portable imaging
devices. Monochrome, multiple-colour, and
full-colour display technologies using
OLEDs, as are future directions relating to
applications based on the needs in the
multimedia era.

References [1] J. Kalinowski,
Electroluminescence in organics, Journal of
Physics D: Applied Physics 32 (1999) 179-
250. [2] J. Kalinowski, Organic Light
Emitting Diodes: Principles, Characteristics
and Processes, Marcel Dekker, New York
2005. [3] S. Miyata, H.S. Nalwa, Organic
Electroluminescent Materials and Devices,
Gordon and Breach, Amsterdam, 1997. [4]
J. Shinar, Organic Light-emitting Devices,
Springer, Berlin 2004. [5] J. Kalinowski,
Emission Mechanisms in Organic Light-
Emitting Diodes, Organic
Electroluminescence, Taylor & Francis,
Boca Raton, 2005. [6] J. Godlewski, M.
Obarowska, Organic light emitting devices,
Opto-Electronics 15/4 (2007) 179-183. [7] J.
�mija, M.J. Ma�achowski, J. Zieli�ski, M.
Wac�awek, K. �cie�ka, Organic materials
for electronics, Chemistry- Didactics-
Ecology-Metrology 11/1-2 (2006) 69-80 (in
Polish). [8] M.J. Ma�achowski, J. �mija,
Organic field effect transistors, Opto-
36
Electronics Review (in print). [9] T. Urabe,
The outstanding potential of OLED displays
for TV applications, SID Society for
Information Display 24/9 (2008) 14-17. [10]
A.B. Bernanose, M. Comte, P. Vouaux,
Blue emission from light-emitting diodes
based on lithium complex, Journal of
Chemical Physicsique 50 (1953) 64-69 (in
French). [11] M. Pope, H. Kallmann, P.
Magnate, Electroluminescence in organic
crystals, Journal of Chemical Physics 38
(1963) 2042-2043. [12] J. Kalinowski, J.
Godlewski, R. Signerski,
Electroluminescence in tetracene crystals,
Molecular Crystals and Liquid Crystals 33
(1976) 247-259. [13] R.H. Partrige,
Electroluminescence from
polyvinylcarbazole films, Polymer 24
(1983) 733-762.
CHAPTER-5 37

CONCLUSION

The project “AUTOMATIC STREET LIGHT CONTROL SYSTEM WITH LDR” has been
successfully designed and tested.

Here we are saving lot of power without any wastage, by these advanced technologies we can
design many more systems which can be done by solar lights and through these solar lights we
have a vast usage at the same time we can do automatic systems instead of doing it manually like
with ldr’s.

Secondly, using highly advanced IC’s and with the help of growing technology the project has
been successfully implemented.
CHAPTER-6 38

FUTURE ENHANCEMENT AND CONCLUSION BASED ON

RESEARCH
The project “Automatic Street Light Controlling System” has been designed and tested. The
future Enhancement based on this project could be

Alcohol Sensor
The Alcohol Detection Systems for Safety would keep impaired drivers off the road by detecting
their alcohol content. If alcohol is consumed, it is metabolized and diffuses throughout the body.
This alcohol is present in various bodily substances such as breath, blood, and perspiration.
Some percentage of consumed alcohol is metabolized through the skin. The sensor measures the
specific characteristics that are chemically emitted transversally from the body.

By using the alcohol sensor the probability of accidents are reduced because using the alcohol
sensor will eliminate the people who generally mix drink and drives. So the main purpose of
using the alcohol sensor is to reduce the accidents.

ADVANTAGES

 Human effort will be reduced.

 Less power consumption.
 Easily reproducibility.

References on the Web:

www.electronicscomponents.com
www.projectworld.com
www.slideshare.net
 ARTICLE BASED ON OLED

DATE- 5/04/2103
SUBMITTED BY:- SHIVAM VERMA
Keywords- LCD, OLED, LED, AMOLED, PMOLED

ANALYSIS

OLED (Organic Light Emitting Diode) is a new display technology that promises to deliver thin,
power efficient and bright displays. OLEDs (already popular in MP3 players and cell phones)
have amazing potential - thin TVs, flexible displays, transparent monitors, white-bulb
replacement, and more.

LCD works by having a backlight (white light) source, and then filtering this source to make
colors. OLEDs however work by emitting color light. This has several advantages. It allows to
make simpler and thus thinner and cheaper displays. It also means that OLEDs require less
power. Think that when you have a screen that is completely black (but turned on), LCD will
still require the whole white backlight to be emitted. With OLEDs, no energy is consumed in this
stage! It is also possible to make flexible OLED displays, and even transparent ones, but this is
obviously more challenging than a simple LCD-like display.
While OLEDs are heralded as the display technology of the future, they are already produced
and used today. While making large panels is still a great challenge, smaller screens (up to 2")
are already produced in commercial quantities today. There are many MP3 players and cellular
phones that use OLED displays. Companies such as Sony and Samsung use OLED displays in
their leading models. The OLED market reached 500$ million in sales in 2005, and is expected
to grow quickly in the coming years.

There are two main types of OLED screens – Passive Matrix (PMOLED) and Active Matrix
(AMOLED). PMOLED displays are cheaper and easier to manufacture, but they have a
limitation in resolution, size and refresh rate. Most OLEDs that are being made today are
PMOLED. However several companies (including Samsung SDI and LG.Philips) have
announced plans to begin producing AMOLED panels in 2007.

The future for large OLED panels is not so certain. The major limitation of OLED technology
today is the lifetime, especially for the blue color. Progress is being made all the time, but the
technology is not ready yet. Scaling the OLED screens is not an easy thing to do, either. Making
a large panel (for TV or computer screen) is far from simple. While prototypes have been
showed, it will take several years before we'll be able to buy an OLED television.
OLEDs actually make it possible to create screens that are flexible and/or transparent. The
possibilities of this kind of displays are almost endless. Think about car windshield-embedded
transparent displays, or rollable mobile TV. This technology is still at an early stage, but already
companies are showing prototype and design sketches.

One of the areas that seem most promising for OLEDs is white lighting. Many companies are
hoping that OLEDs will enable very efficient light sources. With today's high energy costs, and
the drive for efficiency, there is a lot of money in white-light research, and OLEDs are seen as
one of the best future technologies. OLEDs will also enable unimaginable designs, because of
their thin and flexible nature.

OLED TECHNOLOGY TODAY

Today OLED displays are used mainly in small (2" to 5") displays for mobile devices such as
phones, cameras and MP3 players. OLED displays carry a price premium over LCDs, but offer
brighter pictures and better power efficiency - making it ideal for battery powered gadgets.

FUTURE TECHNOLOGY BASED ON OLED

 Curved OLED displays, placed on non-flat surfaces

 Rollable OLED TV screens
 Wearable OLEDs
 Transparent OLEDs embedded in windows
 OLEDs in car windshields
 Exciting new OLED lamp designs
 And many more we cannot even imagine today...