Datasheet

Jon Waddington
10
familiar with computers and the interface is not aimed specifically aimed at them. A
home automation setup using this software would also require a computer to be
switched on constantly to schedule events. The software is also quite expensive at
£141.00 [12] in addition to the cost of a computer if one is not already owned.
2.4 Easytouch Panel10
The Easytouch Panel 10, made by Marmitek, has a 10 inch touch screen to wirelessly
control appliances round the home. The device is customizable and large enough to be
set up for elderly and handicapped people. The device is efficient, using just 2 AAA
batteries to power the screen and the software. The major disadvantage of this device is
the moderately large price of £179 [13].
2.5 Easy Icon 10RF
The Easy Icon 10RF is a remote control with an LCD screen for controlling appliances in
the home. The screen is quite small with a 176 x 220 pixel [14] resolution meaning it
may be hard to see for visually impaired people. The device also has a complicated setup
[15] which is not aimed at elderly or handicapped people.
As these devices are not appropriate for use by the elderly and disabled, a new device
with suitable software must be developed.
2.6 Television Display Method
A method of displaying the Information System’s user interface on a television must be
decided upon.
One method of generating a user interface is to use an On-Screen-Display (OSD) chip.
For example, the MAX456 [16] contains a font ROM and is capable of generating PAL and
NTSC compatible video signals. This OSD chip can communicate with a microcontroller
using the Serial Peripheral Interface (SPI) bus to display a menu for the Information
System. This method requires two separate ICs, the OSD and a microcontroller to
generate the user interface and cannot generate colour signals.
Another method of displaying the user interface could be made possible with a Complex
Programmable Logic Device (CPLD), programmed to generate VGA video signals [17].
This method would allow the display of 3-bit RGB colour and this OSD would be largely
customizable for the needs of the Information system. The disadvantages of this method
are that it would need external ROM to hold the font ROM and there would still be a need