XPost: sci.electronics.design   
   From: fb@frank-buss.de   
      
   West wrote:   
      
   > The professor wants a small box (3"X5")   
      
   A 2D box in a 3D world could be difficult. I have to ask my distributor, if   
   they have some 2D parts.   
      
   > Next semester we will go further with this but for now, that's all I can   
   > say. Still want to help?   
      
   Do you want that we serve up the homework on a plate to you? Which one of   
   the many suggested solutions doesn't help you?   
      
   I would do it with a microcontroller, because there are ones with   
   integrated power-on-reset and oscillator, like the MSP430F2111 for $2,25,   
   so you have to write just about 5 lines of assember code to solve this   
   task. The datasheet says the integrated flash has a life time of 100,000   
   erase/program cycles, so this should be fine, unless your professor wants   
   to switch it more often :-)   
      
   For the voltage regulator you could use something like the LP2981 for $0.80   
   from Digikey for 3.3V output voltage, which works then for input voltages   
   up to 16V and down to 3.5V. All parts would fit in matchbox.   
      
   --   
   Frank Buss, fb@frank-buss.de   
   http://www.frank-buss.de, http://www.it4-systems.de   
      
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