LCD based digital alarm clock using 89S51 microcontroller

 Circuit Diagram

An alarm clock is a clock that indicates a pre-set time by producing sound at that time. This functionality of digital clock is used to awaken people or remind them of something. A digital clock is one that displays time digitally. The project explained here, displays time on a 16x2 LCD module. The LCD is interfaced with 8051 microcontroller (AT89S51). This circuit can be used in cars, houses, offices etc.

This clock works in 12 hour mode and is configured by programming the microcontroller AT89S51. The program uses a delay function for producing a delay of 1 second.
The connections in the circuit are as following: port P2 of microcontroller is used as data input port which is connected to data pins (7-14) of LCD. P3^0, P3^1 and P3^6 pins of microcontroller are connected to control pins RS, RW and EN of LCD. P1^0, P1^1, P1^2 and P1^3 pins of microcontroller are connected to tactile switches to take manual inputs.

On reset, the LCD prompts the user to set alarm. Only the hour and minute components can be set by pressing the corresponding switches, repeatedly. These switches are made active low and so they provide ground to the corresponding input pins of the microcontroller AT89S51. The AM/PM mode is set by toggling the switch between ground and Vcc. Ground would set the clock in AM mode while Vcc would set it in PM mode.


After that the LCD prompts the user to set time. Only the hour and minute components can be set by pressing the corresponding switches, repeatedly. These switches are made active low and so they provide ground to the corresponding input pins of the controller. The AM/PM mode is set by toggling the switch between ground and Vcc. Ground would set the clock in AM mode while Vcc would set it in PM mode. The clock starts when start pin is connected to Vcc by pressing the switch.

The set time is displayed on LCD screen and changes as the time passes on. Seconds are increased after every one second by making use of delay function. As second reaches 59, minute is incremented by one and second is reset to 0. Similarly, as minute reaches 59, hour is increased by one and minute is set to 0. After hour reaches 11, minute reaches 59 and second reaches 59, all of them are set to 0 and the AM/PM mode is changed accordingly.

When the clock time becomes equal to the alarm time, a message ‘Alarm’ is displayed on LCD and alarm pin of microcontroller goes high for some duration. This pin can be connected to a speaker or buzzer to sound the alarm at the pre-set time.