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Circuit to detect time between two voltage peaks. HELP

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mesalem

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I am using a microphone that will detect a sound and output a voltage peak. This sound will then be repeated to form another voltage peak. What kind of circuitry can I design to detect the time (in seconds) between the two peaks.

This is a simple electronics project. Anyone have ideas for the design or can sugest specific components to use.
 

A lot depends on the anticipated time from peak to peak, and the format you want it in. If the time domain is fairly predictable, and you want a digital output, then I would suggest using a fixed clock, an op amp, a pair of flipflops, a couple of 8 bit counters, and a schmitt triggered nands. With this logic you can detect the first "voltage" peak and start countingby toggling a F/F, then with the second peak have the second F/F "latch" the counter's outputs and reset the circuit.

A partial components list might include:

74x74
74x132
74x579
x741
an X-Tal or other clock source

The use of an MCU could decrease component cost and count while increasing accuracy and flexibility, but would require some coding ability on your part.
 
The idea is to create a device to work independently. This would mean placing a display which would automatically find the time between the two peaks.

But I am not sure how to implement the hardware... or what components to use.
 
mesalem,

Are you asking for help, or are you asking for someone to design this circuit for you? It sounds like you may be in over your head. I would suggest starting with an OpAmp (a 741), and a Flip/Flop (74HC74 or similar) and a pair of LEDs. First breadboard a circuit that will "trip" the flip/flop and toggle between the two LEDs. Once you are done with this circuit you will have more experience and a better feel for the next steps. Alternately you could begin by building the Timer and testing it with a pair of switches. If you are after a numeric display rather than a simple binary led display then this is going to add a fair amount of overhead to your project and you should prolly do the display portion last.

Fish
 

I would use a counter connected to 7-segment decoder and LED display(s).
A flip-flop will start/stop the counter;the frequency of the counter's clock will determine the units that the display will show.
 
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