Trapping input from COM2

Pins 2, 3 and a ground.
The com ports are digital communication devices.
It would seem to me to do this correctly you would need a
ADC in between the motion detector and the com port.

To read info from the port you can use redirection or a terminal program to just get a reaction. To get a meaning full response I think you would have to write a program that reads the port and does some interpretations.

I wouldn't reccommend just hooking your device directly to the com port. You have certain voltage and other power requirements to concider.

I would also design some Optical Isolation into your circuit. You want to protect your com port from damage.

Actually, I only partially agree with highstar1 .
Pins 2,3 are transmit and receive. I would NOT use these, since you are not sending over serail data. All you want is a single make/break/detect.
For this I would use the handshake lines on the serial port.

CTS, RTS lines are te best.
see :
http://www.comminfo.com/pages/ctsfaq01.htm

I hope this helps !

For More info see :
http://www.lvr.com/serport.htm

There are quite a few pin combinations you can use.
2 and 3 will work with redirection CTS/RTS needs to be read differently. Your selections grow if you are using a 25 pin serial port opposed to a nine pin. There is alot of unused functionality in the serial ports. However it is all digital with specific voltage levels (0,1).
RS232 ports have their limit. If I'm remembering correctly
the ??RS452?? ports are designed for sensors and digital analog device control.

"When someone breaks the line, this would break the circuit."

If you use a strong enough laser, you don't need to worry about triggering an alarm via com port.

There are quite a few pin combinations you can use.
2 and 3 will work with redirection CTS/RTS needs to be read differently. Your selections grow if you are using a 25 pin serial port opposed to a nine pin. There is alot of unused functionality in the serial ports. However it is all digital with specific voltage levels (0,1).
RS232 ports have their limit. If I'm remembering correctly
the ??RS452?? ports are designed for sensors and digital analog device control.

Magarity: LOL :)

Cut them down to size. :)

The pin connections for an AT style 9 pin serial port are:

1  Data Carrier Detect (DCD)
2  Receive Data (Rxd or Rx)
3  Transmit Data (Txd or Tx)
4  Data Terminal Ready (DTR)
5  Signal Ground (Grd)
6  Data Set Ready (DSR)
7  Request To Send (RTS)
8  Clear To Send (CTS)
9  Ring Indicator

You only need two lines one of which is the signal ground and the other you can select one of the handshake lines. It will be necessary to use an operational amplifier to act as a buffer or step down the voltage or change the polarity of the voltage.

The addresses for the serial ports are:

COM1  03F8 - 03FF  which is usually used for the mouse.
COM2  02F8 - 02FF  Usually used for the modem
COM3  03E8 - 03EF
COM4  02E8 - 02EF

Suppose you have selected to use com2 and the INS 8250 UART is used in your computer.

To turn any of the lines ON or OFF it will be best to create a .com or a .exe file using DEBUG (DOS File) or an assembler program such as MASM.

To activate the say DTR line you must set bit number 0 of the address 02FC to logic 1

eg.  mov  dx,02FC
     mov  al,01
     out  dx,al

to turn it off bit 0 at the address 02FC must be set to 0
such as mov al,00.  
Similarly the following handshake lines are in the address 02FE
CTS is data bit No. 4   -  10 in hex
DSR is bit No. 5        -  20
RI  is bit 6            -  40
DCD is data bit no.7    -  80

It may be necessary to take the output of your device back to the computer via a buffer to pin2 (Rxd) to monitor it.

Good Luck  

Thanks for all your suggestions... To clarify from my end, I was thinking about having the LDR on the serial line, but powering the laser from a different source.
I only want to know when someone breaks it and set off an alarm... If I cut them in half, they'll never leave!

--SHL

Am I right to asume that you are a College student and you need help for your project?
The Light Dependent Resistor(LDR)will have to be used in a comparator circuit.  You supply the comparator from a +V to the Ground. You connect one end of the LDR to Grd and the other end (say point A) in series with a fixed value resistor and a preset resistor (for fine adjustment)to the +V.  Connect point A through say a 10 kohm resistor to the inverting input of the comparator.  Connect 2 10kohm resistors in series across the +V and Gnd to form a Wheatstone bridge.  Connect the point between these two equal value resistors (say point B) through a 10 kohm resistor to the non-inverting input of the comparator. Point B should be at half the supply voltage.  If the voltage at A is less than the voltage at point B, the output of the comparator is at the Gnd potential.  This occurs when the light shines onto the LDR and its resistance is low.  If the light beam is broken the voltage at point A should be slightly higher than the voltage at B so that the output of the comparator switches to the +V. The output can be connected in series with a resistor to the base of a transistor biased to operate as a switch which in turn switches on a bell or a sirene.  (Speakers require an oscillator to operate).  If you want the bell to continue ringing well after the beam of light is restored you will need to use a thyristor as a switch instead of a transistor.  You may also have to incorporate a timer in the circuit in order to switch off the alarm after 15 minutes I believe, otherwise you will be breaking the Law.  To switch it off you will need to connect a switching device (transistor or relay etc) in series with the anode or cathode of the thyristor.  The voltage for the input of the comparator can be switched on by a transistor preferably a mosfet switched on by the serial port of your computer. Unfortunately I cannot draw the circuit diagram here for you.

I am a college student, but this is for an own-gratification project, not a college one.
I was thinking of routing it through through the PC so I can easily implement a timer into it, or a password-override to get it to shut up

And, I can be mailed at:
20001243@southdowns.ac.uk or bombsoft@hotmail.com if needed

Thanks. I'll look into getting the components. Will all I need be an RS232 connector, the opamp, an ldr, a laser-pen and wiring?

One more thing.  If you use an LDR and a light source, the LDR must be enclosed in a tube to prevent it operating from other light sources, and also the light source must produce a beam directed straight to the LDR.  The light beam will be clearly vissible and it will be no good for use as an intruder alarm.  It can be used for checking the height or counting components on a convayor for example. You could use an infra red detector and an infra red transmitter instead.

Good luck

With a laser pen, you only see the beam if it's dusty/smoky

Well done.  If you are happy with the answer to your question, then you must accept an answer.

Goodbye from me

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