Separate Timer Instance

Question

I'm trying my best attempt here after failing in Googling the answer, but here goes:

I'm trying to get a separate instance to start running in the background when a pin goes HIGH. How should I attempt this? PLEASE explain your answer, so that I can learn as well. I'm using an Arduino Uno R3 with a Commercial Ir RX-Tx.

Basically:

Sensor -> Low -> Loop
Sensor -> High -> Start Other Event for 5 min -> Loop while Counting down to reset state.

My thoughts here are:
Do this via 555-timer OR get some functional coding (anyone maybe want to share here what solutions they have found?)

Thanks.

• Majenko: The answer can be summed up into one three word phrase: "Finite State Machine". A technique you should learn and learn well. Google it and marvel at the results now you know what to search for,
• Nick Gammon: A separate instance of what?

Answer 1

Arduino Uno has two interrupt pins: 2 and 3, and by hooking up the output of your IR, which goes from LOW to HIGH, it will trigger the function that you defined in the code.

For example this is a piece of code that runs when the pin 2 RISING:

void setup() {
 attachInterrupt(0, doSomething, RISING);
}
void loop() {
}
void doSomething() {
 //Do your stuff
}

Look here for further information link