ECE 110/120 Honors Lab Section : Morse Code Encoder/ Decoder

Statement of Purpose

Our project is a fully functional morse code encoder and decoder. The encoder functions by the user pressing a letter on a keyboard, transmitting a signal that will be processed by the combinational logic in order to light up a correct combination of LEDs to indicate that letter's morse code. The output will be represented by 4 round LEDs and 4 rectangular-shaped LEDs to represent the dits and dahs of Morse Code. The project's alternative, decoder function activates by the user pressing a combination of buttons that represent the Morse Code, and the combinational logic will decipher the code to display the output to LEDs that indicate each letter.

Background Research

The majority of the research that we have conducted was just referencing a morse code conversion chart and gaining a fundamental understanding of Morse Code. The rest of our preparation has been dedicated to optimizing our combinational logic as well as planning how our device will be organized and implementing it effectively. We decided to implement this project because we have always been fascinated by early cryptography and codebreaking. While morse code can easily be decoded and encoded by any human being, we wanted to make a physical machine that could do so within the blink of an eye in order to optimize it and make it efficient for practical use.

Another component of the project that we had considered implementing was designing and implementing our own keyboard for this project's purposes. If we had done this as well, we likely would have only implemented the encoder, so the project would have only been able to implement Morse Code in one direction. Instead, we decided that making our own fully functional keyboard would not seriously improve the encoder, and we decided to implement a decoder, allowing our project to transmit Morse Code as well as receive it.

Block Diagram / Flow Chart

System Overview

For both the encoder and decoder components of our project, they begin when the user inputs a letter (alphabet for encoder, Morse Code for decoder). Then, their functions differ as they proceed. The encoder's second block is where the majority of the work comes in; the input will activate the circuit, and it will then determine the Morse Code combination for the letter provided, using a series of combinational logic gates. Then, the final step is that the encoder will display the combination of LEDs that indicate the Morse Code for the initial letter. In the second step for the decoder, however, it will take the Morse Code combination given and use combinational logic gates to decide which alphabetical letter was designated.

Parts

Provide a list of parts that you may need for your project. You should include details such as the quantity, model number, purpose, vendor, and price (excluding taxes and shipping) for each part. This list may change as you work on your project. 

Possible Challenges

It may become very complicated to wire and stay organized when creating the physical combinational logic.

References

[1]"International Morse Code", Itu.int, 2009. [Online]. Available: https://www.itu.int/dms_pubrec/itu-r/rec/m/R-REC-M.1677-1-200910-I!!PDF-E.pdf. [Accessed: 13- Feb- 2022].

Final Report

ECE 110/120 Honors Lab Final Report - Google Docs

Final Video

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1ywx4RoAAgFTvVgchu6dPAq8WJ6AxOz98/view?usp=sharing