Latch Ideas

Post date: Mar 14, 2012 5:48:57 AM

Talked to my old man a couple minutes ago. Instead of writing my timer code. He had an interesting idea to replace the timer. Trigger the switch to open when we detect the cat. Then just leave it there. Have a switch on the door that detects when it is actually opened. Could be contacts but I'm fond of magnets so I'd probably use a leaf switch. ^_^

Then once it's been opened once I can latch it again.

Cool idea but I don't think I'll do it. Here's why.

A) I have to write the timer anyway. I don't want to just unlatch it then leave it that way so that he can change his mind about coming in, then go hunt and kill something and bring it into the house because it's still unlocked. Also I'm going to be holding the latch open magnetically and just don't want to do that for potentially hours on end.

2) I'm not so sure about bidirectional communication with the Android phone. I've seen one article where someone did it through the USB port which _may_ work bidirectionally I'm not sure but the easiest one I've seen uses the audio jack. In fact I don't even need to use the audio jack as a modem the way they do it I can just play a sound at a high enough frequency that my door openning mechanism things it's a solid enough signal to hold the door open. 2 way communication sounds cool but maybe for a future generation.

One of the reasons behind his suggestion is because I can't just use a pin to lock the door. I have to use something that can be pushed aside when the door flap comes down after the cat has come through. The way the latch on your doorknob does. Not un-doable but not as simple as just using a small pin. Actually now that I think about it I don't have to be quite so advanced with the pin. I can make part of the door do that. Hrm.. that might be easier.