About Traffic light controller.

Hi everyone. I need help. Actually this is one of my homework assignment. It says we need to design a traffic light controller using both software and hardware language. I am not here looking for solution. I guess I can ask the problem here. Actually, the assignment does not restrict us any thing about design a traffic light controller. We need first to design in software then write in a hardware one. My question is that I don't know how to define a proper input
and output so that I can show it is real a traffic light simulator.

Because I need to implement both in SW and HW. I think I should define before I start to code. The spec or functionality is all free. I can design as it function like a traffic light simulator.

Somehow, based on my limited skill and programming experience. This kind of spec let me really confused. There is a hint of assignment: It says I can draw a block diagram for the traffic light first and determine the message flow between each block. That will make HW implement easier... My question is this kind of spec somehow seems "abstract" for me. I don't know how
I should let the simulator looks light a traffic light. If I am not able to implement in GUI, how should I define the input/output of this question? If anyone who's also familiar with hardware language, please tell me what kinds of I/O I can deal with this kind of problem?

I don't know exactly what you mean by input/output for a traffic light. I suppose the output at any given time could be "which light is on". Your basic traffic light doesn't necessarily have any input, although you can do traffic sensors or "push to walk" buttons if you want I guess.

Thx for reply.

Maybe I should ask this way. For this kind of problem, if I need to let the executable binary works like a traffic light simulator. Is it like when I execute the program, it will automatically generate a output file describe something like
time up down left right
0 5/Red 10/Red Passing/Green passing/Green
...
...
...

This is one of output format I can think of (This is a simple crossroad)
which means at time zero up/down direction are red light, 5/10 waiting in the line.
And left/right direction are green light, cars are passing.

does this work as the assignment want? The spec does not define any specific input or output format. I just have no idea.

How would you define such a output to let it works like a traffic light simulator?

Actually, this kinds of question can be expanded. This is classical Finite state machine. I know what FSM is. Though I have no idea how should I implement FSM in SW so that it works like a FSM. Please help my stupid question

Any advice would much be appreciated. Thx

Actually I got one another similar FSM question.
That is if it is to model elevator simulator.

Normally, should I model state as direction such as states up/down/stop/doorOpen/doorClose/

Or I should model states according to the floor car stays. Such as ground floor/ 2F/ 3F / ... NF/

It just confused me. Thx for help

You could make a random number for the green/red lights, and for the floor the elevator needs to go