CHAPTER ONE
INTRODUCTION
1.1  Background of Study
This chapter gives an overview of thisproject titled a queue management system (microcontroller based intelligent queue management system). This report started with the background of our study to give the readers an idea of what this project is all about before going into its technical details. The chapter also contain the problem statement, aims and objective, scope of work and as well as the project areas of application.
Queue management system are widely use device in big companies, market places and schools to assist the management/organization to maintain the queue of their customers/students in order to provide a quality service or business. This device is a very important to guide people in the banking hall, post offices, vote casting/election centers and as well as in the hospital, etc. Today, a queue management system will help so much in our institution, more especially in the ICT department where rush and disorder usually occur. The implementation ofqueue management system can provide the following advantages to our institution and to any business organizations as:
üMinimize students/customers waiting times.
üMake waiting time informative and entertaining
üReduces frustrations, stress while maintaining orderliness.
üImprove productivity and operational efficiencies.
üSpeed up students/customers throughput
üIncreases sales and profitability
üIncrease satisfaction levels and improve customer retention rates
1.1.2 What is a Queue?
Generally, a queue is a line of people or things waiting to be handled, usually in sequential order starting at the beginning or top of the line or sequence. In computer technology, computer engineering or telecommunication, a queue is a sequence of work objects that are waiting to be processed. The queuing delay is the time a job waits in a queue until it can be executed. It is a key component of network delay. The possible factors, arrangements, and processes related to queue is known as queuing theory.  
In this report, the queue concerns ‘queue monitoring and control’ in regards to human beings. Although, the device can be used for any other applications such as monitoring and controlling vehicles in a fuel refilling station queue. Therefore, this project will simply be defined as a queue management electronic device specially designed to be used to monitor and control queues in an organization. Queues of people form in various situations and locations in a queue area. The process of queue formation and propagation is defined as queuing theory. The picture below illustrates people standing in a queue where the queue management system is been installed.
Fig 1.1: Illustration of People Standing in a Queue.
The system consists of a denouncing switch which serves an input transducer, microcontroller unit, seven segment display unit for queue information display, a buzzer for call up alarm and a regulated DC power supply unit. The system was designed around a low cost 8 bit microcontroller integrated circuit (IC) and entirely software controlled. The control programs have been developed using assembly language. And, the systems have been tested under different conditions to evaluate its performance.