BUZZER:
A buzzer or beeper is a signaling device, usually
electronic, typically used in automobiles, household
appliances such as a microwave oven, or game shows. It most commonly
consists of a number of switches or sensors connected to a control unit that determines
if and which button was pushed or a preset time has lapsed, and usually
illuminates a light on the appropriate button or control panel, and sounds a
warning in the form of a continuous or intermittent buzzing or beeping sound. Initially this device was based on an
electromechanical system which was identical to an electric bell without the metal
gong (which makes the ringing noise). Often these units were anchored to a wall
or ceiling and used the ceiling or wall as a sounding board. Another
implementation with some AC-connected devices was to implement a circuit to
make the AC current into a noise loud enough to drive a loudspeaker and hook
this circuit up to a cheap 8-ohm speaker. Nowadays, it is more popular to use a
ceramic-based piezoelectric sounder like a Son alert which makes a
high-pitched tone. Usually these were hooked up to "driver" circuits,
which varied the pitch of the sound or pulsed the sound on and off.
The word "buzzer" comes from the rasping noise that buzzers
made when they were electromechanical devices, operated from stepped-down AC
line voltage at 50 or 60 cycles. Other sounds commonly used to indicate that a
button has been pressed are a ring or a beep.
No comments:
Post a Comment