OSCILLOSCOPE / LOGIC ANALYZER USING

ARDUINO

Project report submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the

award of the degree of

BACHELOR OF TECHNOLOGY

In

ELECTRICAL AND ELECTRONICS ENGINEERING

By
K.Prashanthi (09241A0286)
N.Swetha Reddy (09241A02B3)
N.Kavya (09241A0273)
G.Alekhya (09241A0257)

Under the guidance of

Ms. M. REKHA
(Assistant Professor)

Department of Electrical and Electronics Engineering

GOKARAJU RANGARAJU INSTITUTE OF ENGINEERING &

TECHNOLOGY, BACHUPALLY, HYDERABAD
(Affiliated to Jawaharlal Nehru Technological University)
2009- 2013
 2009-2013
GOKARAJU RANGARAJU INSTITUTE OF ENGINEERING &
TECHNOLOGY
Hyderabad, Andhra Pradesh.

DEPARTMENT OF ELECTRICAL & ELECTRONICS

ENGINEERING

CERTIFICATE

This is to certify that the project report entitled “OSCILLOSCOPE /

LOGIC ANALYZER USING ARDUINO” that is being submitted by
K.Prashanthi, N.Swetha Reddy, N.Kavya, G.Alekhya in partial fulfillment
for the award of the Degree of Bachelor of Technology in Electrical and
Electronics Engineering to the Jawaharlal Nehru Technological University is a
record of bonafide work carried out by her under my guidance and supervision.
The results embodied in this project report have not been submitted to any other
University or Institute for the award of any graduation degree.

Internal guide
Prof. P.M.SARMA Ms.M.REKHA
HOD, EEE Asst. Professor
GRIET. EEE, GRIET.
External examiner
 ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

This is to place on record our appreciation and deep gratitude to the persons without
whose support this project would never see the light of day.

We wish to express our propound sense of gratitude to Mr. P. S. Raju, Director,

G.R.I.E.T for his guidance, encouragement, and for all facilities to complete this project.

We also express our sincere thanks to Mr. P. M. Sarma, Head of the Department,
Electrical and Electronics Engineering, G.R.I.E.T for extending his help.

We have immense pleasure in expressing our thanks and deep sense of gratitude to
our guide Ms.M.Rekha, Assistant Professor, Department of Electrical and Electronics
Engineering, G.R.I.E.T for her guidance throughout this project.

We express our gratitude to Mr. E. Venkateshwarlu, Associate Professor, Department

of Electrical and Electronics Engineering, Coordinator, G.R.I.E.T for his valuable
recommendations and for accepting this project report.

Finally we express our sincere gratitude to all the members of faculty and our friends
who contributed their valuable advice and helped to complete the project successfully.

K.PRASHANTHI (09241A0286)
N.SWETHA REDDY (09241A02B3)
N.KAVYA (09241A0273)
G.ALEKHYA (09241A0257)
 ABSTRACT

The main aim of this project is to develop oscilloscope logic with the Arduino
interfaced with PC or laptop. In this project we use an Arduino to capture multiple input
values and pass them via the USB connection to a host computer running a program that
decode the values and displays them on-screen.

An oscilloscope is an instrument most frequently used when working with analog

circuits but also very handy for digital circuit analysis. An oscilloscope has a screen to
display a signal trace that is offset in the X and Y axis by measurements taken from two
different inputs.

Arduino is a fusion of three critical elements: hardware, software, and community. It

is an open-source electronics prototyping platform based on flexible, easy-to-use hardware
and software and this environment makes it easy to write code and upload it to the i/o board.
The microcontroller on the board is programmed using the Arduino programming language
(based on Wiring) and the Arduino development environment (based on Processing).Simply
altering the software that runs on a computer can change the behavior of the system. This
system will operate at 10-bit resolution in the region of 5KHz, depending on channels that are
being monitored.
 CONTENTS
ABSTRACT..........................................................................................................................

LIST OF FIGURES ........................................................................................................... iv

ABBREVATIONS .............................................................................................................. v

CHAPTER 1 INTRODUCTION ....................................................................................... 1

1.1.OSCILLOSCOPE: ........................................................................................................ 1

1.1.1. Cathode-ray oscilloscope (CRO): ...................................................................... 1

1.2 .OVERVIEW OF PROJECT ........................................................................................ 2

1.3.ORGANISATION OF THESIS .................................................................................... 2

CHAPTER 2 ARDUINO AND MEGUNOLINK ............................................................. 3

2.1 ARDUINO .................................................................................................................... 3

2.1.1 Schematic & Reference Design: ......................................................................... 4

2.1.2 Power: ................................................................................................................. 5

2.1.3 Memory: ............................................................................................................. 6

2.1.4 Input and Output: ................................................................................................ 6

2.1.5 Communication: ................................................................................................. 7

2.2 PROGRAMMING ........................................................................................................ 7

2.2.1 Automatic (Software) Reset: .............................................................................. 8

2.2.2 USB Overcurrent Protection:.............................................................................. 9

2.2.3 Physical Characteristics: ..................................................................................... 9

2.3. MEGUNOLINK ........................................................................................................ 10

2.3.1 Serial Data monitoring: .................................................................................... 10

2.3.2 Capturing Serial Data to a file: ......................................................................... 11

2.3.3 Plotting and Graphing Serial Data .................................................................... 11

2.3.4 “George” the Serial Monkey: ........................................................................... 15

i
 2.3.5 Arduino Development with AVR Studio: ........................................................ 15

CHAPTER 3 ARDUINO AS OSCILLOSCOPE ............................................................ 16

3.1. INTRODUCTION: .................................................................................................... 16

3.1.1. Block Diagram:................................................................................................ 16

3.2. HARDWARE REQUIRED: ...................................................................................... 16

3.2.1. Potential Divider Circuit:................................................................................. 17

3.2.2. Voltage Sensing Card: ..................................................................................... 18

3.2.3 Selector switch:................................................................................................. 18

3.2.4. Arduino: ........................................................................................................... 19

3.2.5. Laptop or PC:................................................................................................... 19

3.3. SOFTWARE REQUIRED: ........................................................................................ 20

3.3.1. ARDUINO PROGRAM: ................................................................................. 20

3.3.2. Megunolink Plotter: ......................................................................................... 21

CHAPTER 4 SIMULATION RESULTS ........................................................................ 22

4.1. TESTING OF ARDUINO OSCILLOSCOPE WITH SINGLE INPUT: .................. 22

4.1.1. Displaying DC waveform: ............................................................................... 22

4.1.2. Displaying pulses:............................................................................................ 22

4.1.3. Displaying sawtooth waveform: ...................................................................... 24

4.2. TWO INPUTS ........................................................................................................... 25

4.3. MULTIPLE INPUTS ................................................................................................. 26

4.4. ADDITION OF WAVEFORMS ............................................................................... 27

CHAPTER 5 CONCLUSION.......................................................................................... 28

5.1. CONCLUSION: ......................................................................................................... 28

5.2. FUTURE SCOPE: ..................................................................................................... 28

References: ........................................................................................................................ 29

ii
APPENDIX-A................................................................................................................... 30

APPENDIX-B ................................................................................................................... 31

APPENDIX-C ................................................................................................................... 32

APPENDIX-D................................................................................................................... 33

APPENDIX-E ................................................................................................................... 35

iii
 LIST OF FIGURES

Fig.2.1 Arduino Schematic Diagram 4

Fig.2.2 Arduino Tab For Programming 9
Fig.2.3 Megunolink Serial Monitor 11
Fig.2.4 Waveform In Megunolink For The Above Program 14
Fig.2.5 Displaying Sine curve 14
Fig.3.1 Block Diagram 16
Fig.3.2 Potentialdivider Circuit Diagram 17
Fig.3.3 Potential Divider Hardware 17
Fig.3.4 Block Diagram Of Voltage Sensing Card 18
Fig.3.5 Hardware Setup For Oscilloscope 19
Fig.3.6 Arduino Program For Displaying Multiple Waveforms 20
Fig.3.7 Meguno Link Plotter Sketch For Arduino Program 21
Fig.4.1 Meguno Link Tab Displaying DC Waveform 22
Fig.4.2 Multisim Simulation Results For Pulses 23
Fig.4.3 Serial Monitor Values In Arduino Tab 23
Fig.4.4 Meguno Link Tab Displaying Pulses 24
Fig.4.5 Multisim Results For Displaying Sawtooth Waveform 24
Fig.4.6 Meguno Link Tab Displaying Sawtooth Waveform 25
Fig.4.7 Serial Monitor Values For Sawtooth Generating Circuit 25
Fig.4.8 Plot Showing Two Inputs In Megunolink Tab 26
Fig.4.9 Plot Showing four Different Waveforms 26
Fig.4.10 Plot Showing Six Different Waveforms 27
Fig.4.11 Plot Displaying Added Waveform 27

iv
 ABBREVATIONS

CRO-Cathode Ray Oscilloscope

DSO-Digital Storage Oscilloscope

CRT-Cathode Ray Tube

LCD-Liquid Crystal Display

AC-Alternating Current

DC-Direct Current

ADC-Analog To Digital Converter

DPO-Digital Phosphor Oscilloscope

MSO-Mixed Signal Oscilloscope

USB-Universal Serial Bus

v
 CHAPTER 1

INTRODUCTION

1.1.OSCILLOSCOPE:
An oscilloscope, previously called an oscillograph, and informally known as
a scope, CRO (for cathode-ray oscilloscope), or DSO (for the more modern digital storage
oscilloscope), is a type of electronic test instrument that allows observation of constantly varying
signal voltages, usually as a two-dimensional graph of one or more electrical potential
differences using the vertical or y-axis, plotted as a function of time (horizontal or x-axis). Many
signals can be converted to voltages and displayed this way. Signals are often periodic and repeat
constantly, so that multiple samples of a signal which is actually varying with time are displayed
as a steady picture. Many oscilloscopes can also capture non-repeating waveforms for a specified
time, and show a steady display of the captured segment.

Oscilloscopes are commonly used to observe the exact wave shape of an electrical signal.
Oscilloscopes are usually calibrated so that voltage and time can be read as well as possible by
the eye. This allows the measurement of peak-to-peak voltage of a waveform, the frequency of
periodic signals, the time between pulses, the time taken for a signal to rise to full amplitude (rise
time), and relative timing of several related signals.

1.1.1. Cathode-ray oscilloscope (CRO):

The earliest and simplest type of oscilloscope consisted of a cathode ray tube, a
vertical amplifier, a timebase, a horizontal amplifier and a power supply. These are now called
"analog" scopes to distinguish them from the "digital" scopes that became common in the 1990s
and 2000s.

Analog scopes do not necessarily include a calibrated reference grid for size
measurement of waves, and they may not display waves in the traditional sense of a line segment
sweeping from left to right. Instead, they could be used for signal analysis by feeding a reference
signal into one axis and the signal to measure into the other axis. For an oscillating reference and
1
measurement signal, this results in a complex looping pattern referred to as Lissajous curve. The
shape of the curve can be interpreted to identify properties of the measurement signal in relation
to the reference signal, and is useful across a wide range of oscillation frequencies.

1.2 .OVERVIEW OF PROJECT

In the project oscilloscope or logic analyzer using Arduino, Arduino is programmed and
interfaced with Megunolink to plot the graph for outputs from the serial monitor of Arduino.

Here Arduino is programmed such that it displays the output waveforms as the
oscilloscope does. Initially the voltage is stepped down using the potential divider circuit such
that the voltage ranges between 0-5V. This is given as input to Arduino and output is noted from
serial moniter.

Arduino gives values only, so it is interfaced with Megunolink and graphs are plotted for
the outputs from Arduino. Hence Arduino works as an oscilloscope when analog inputs are
given. Logic analyzer works for digital inputs. Arduino can display 6 analog and 8 digital waves
which cant be done by an oscilloscope.

1.3.ORGANISATION OF THESIS
Chapter 1 presents introduction part and also a brief overview of project.

Chapter 2 presents hardware and software part of the project oscilloscope using Arduino.
Hardware consists of potentialdivider circuit, Arduino,voltage sensing card and laptop . Software
part consists of Arduino and Megunolink.

Chapter 3 deals with the detail explanation of Arduino and Megunolink softwares.

Chapter 4 consists of simulation results and testing of Arduino oscilloscope.

Chapter 5 comprises conclusion of the project and scope for future work.

2
 CHAPTER 2

ARDUINO AND MEGUNOLINK

2.1 ARDUINO
The Arduino Uno is a microcontroller board based on the ATmega328. It has 14 digital
input/output pins (of which 6 can be used as PWM outputs), 6 analog inputs, a 16 MHz ceramic
resonator, a USB connection, a power jack, an ICSP header, and a reset button. It contains
everything needed to support the microcontroller; simply connect it to a computer with a USB
cable or power it with a AC-to-DC adapter or battery to get started.

The Uno differs from all preceding boards in that it does not use the FTDI USB-to-
serial driver chip. Instead, it features the Atmega16U2 (Atmega8U2 up to version R2)
programmed as a USB-to-serial converter.

1.0 pinout: added SDA and SCL pins that are near to the AREF pin and two other new
pins placed near to the RESET pin, the IOREF that allow the shields to adapt to the voltage
provided from the board. In future, shields will be compatible both with the board that use the
AVR, which operate with 5V and with the Arduino Due that operate with 3.3V. The second one
is a not connected pin, which is reserved for future purposes.

"Uno" means one in Italian and is named to mark the upcoming release of Arduino 1.0.
The Uno and version 1.0 will be the reference versions of Arduino, moving forward. The Uno is
the latest in a series of USB Arduino boards, and the reference model for the Arduino platform.

Summary:
Microcontroller ATmega328

Operating Voltage 5V

Input Voltage (recommended) 7-12V

Input Voltage (limits) 6-20V

3
Digital I/O Pins 14 (of which 6 provide PWM output)

Analog Input Pins 6

DC Current per I/O Pin 40 Ma

DC Current for 3.3V Pin 50 Ma

Flash Memory 32 KB (ATmega328) of which 0.5 KB used by bootloader

SRAM 2 KB (ATmega328)

EEPROM 1 KB (ATmega328)

CLOCK SPEED 16 MHz

2.1.1 Schematic & Reference Design:

Fig.2.1. Arduino Schematic Diagram

4
 The Arduino reference design can use an Atmega8, 168, or 328, Current models
use an ATmega328, but an Atmega8 is shown in the schematic for reference. The pin
configuration is identical on all three processors.

2.1.2 Power:
The Arduino Uno can be powered via the USB connection or with an external
power supply. The power source is selected automatically.

External (non-USB) power can come either from an AC-to-DC adapter (wall-wart) or
battery. The adapter can be connected by plugging a 2.1mm center-positive plug into the board's
power jack. Leads from a battery can be inserted in the Gnd and Vin pin headers of the POWER
connector.

The board can operate on an external supply of 6 to 20 volts. If supplied with less than
7V, however, the 5V pin may supply less than five volts and the board may be unstable. If using
more than 12V, the voltage regulator may overheat and damage the board. The recommended
range is 7 to 12 volts.

The power pins are as follows:

VIN: The input voltage to the Arduino board when it's using an external power source (as
opposed to 5 volts from the USB connection or other regulated power source). You can supply
voltage through this pin, or, if supplying voltage via the power jack, access it through this pin.

5V: This pin outputs a regulated 5V from the regulator on the board. The board can be supplied
with power either from the DC power jack (7 - 12V), the USB connector (5V), or the VIN pin of
the board (7-12V). Supplying voltage via the 5V or 3.3V pins bypasses the regulator, and can
damage your board. We don't advise it.

3V3: A 3.3 volt supply generated by the on-board regulator. Maximum current draw is 50 mA
GND: Ground pins.

IOREF: This pin on the Arduino board provides the voltage reference with which the
microcontroller operates. A properly configured shield can read the IOREF pin voltage and

5
select the appropriate power source or enable voltage translators on the outputs for working with
the 5V or 3.3V.

2.1.3 Memory:
The ATmega328 has 32 KB (with 0.5 KB used for the bootloader). It also has 2 KB of
SRAM and 1 KB of EEPROM.

2.1.4 Input and Output:

Each of the 14 digital pins on the Uno can be used as an input or output,
using pinMode(), digitalWrite(), and digitalRead() functions. They operate at 5 volts. Each pin
can provide or receive a maximum of 40 mA and has an internal pull-up resistor (disconnected
by default) of 20-50 kOhms. In addition, some pins have specialized functions:

Serial: 0 (RX) and 1 (TX). Used to receive (RX) and transmit (TX) TTL serial data. These pins
are connected to the corresponding pins of the ATmega8U2 USB-to-TTL Serial chip.

External Interrupts: 2 and 3. These pins can be configured to trigger an interrupt on a low
value, a rising or falling edge, or a change in value. See the attachInterrupt() function for details.

PWM: 3, 5, 6, 9, 10, and 11. Provide 8-bit PWM output with the analogWrite() function.

SPI: 10 (SS), 11 (MOSI), 12 (MISO), 13 (SCK). These pins support SPI communication using
the SPI library.

LED: 13. There is a built-in LED connected to digital pin 13. When the pin is HIGH value, the
LED is on, when the pin is LOW, it's off. The Uno has 6 analog inputs, labeled A0 through A5,
each of which provide 10 bits of resolution (i.e. 1024 different values). By default they measure
from ground to 5 volts, though is it possible to change the upper end of their range using the
AREF pin and the analogReference() function.

Additionally, some pins have specialized functionality:

TWI: A4 or SDA pin and A5 or SCL pin. Support TWI communication using the Wire
library.There are a couple of other pins on the board:

AREF. Reference voltage for the analog inputs. Used with analogReference().
6
Reset. Bring this line LOW to reset the microcontroller. Typically used to add a reset button to
shields which block the one on the board.

2.1.5 Communication:
The Arduino Uno has a number of facilities for communicating with a computer, another
Arduino, or other microcontrollers. The ATmega328 provides UART TTL (5V) serial
communication, which is available on digital pins 0 (RX) and 1 (TX). An ATmega16U2 on the
board channels this serial communication over USB and appears as a virtual com port to
software on the computer. The '16U2 firmware uses the standard USB COM drivers, and no
external driver is needed. However, on Windows, a .inf file is required. The Arduino software
includes a serial monitor which allows simple textual data to be sent to and from the Arduino
board. The RX and TX LEDs on the board will flash when data is being transmitted via the
USB-to-serial chip and USB connection to the computer (but not for serial communication on
pins 0 and 1).

A SoftwareSerial library allows for serial communication on any of the Uno's digital
pins. The ATmega328 also supports I2C (TWI) and SPI communication. The Arduino software
includes a Wire library to simplify use of the I2C bus. For SPI communication, use the SPI
library.

2.2 PROGRAMMING
The Arduino Uno can be programmed with the Arduino software .Select "Arduino Uno
from the Tools > Board menu (according to the microcontroller on your board).
The ATmega328 on the Arduino Uno comes preburned with a boot loader that allows you to
upload new code to it without the use of an external hardware programmer. It communicates
using the original STK500 protocol (reference, C header files).

You can also bypass the boot loader and program the microcontroller through the ICSP
(In-Circuit Serial Programming) header. The ATmega16U2 (or 8U2 in the rev1 and rev2 boards)
firmware source code is available. The ATmega16U2/8U2 is loaded with a DFU boot loader,
which can be activated by:

7
 On Rev1 boards: connecting the solder jumper on the back of the board (near the map of
Italy) and then resetting the 8U2.
On Rev2 or later boards: there is a resistor that pulling the 8U2/16U2 HWB line to
ground, making it easier to put into DFU mode.

You can then use Atmel's FLIP software (Windows) or the DFU programmer (Mac OS X
and Linux) to load a new firmware. Or you can use the ISP header with an external programmer
(overwriting the DFU boot loader).

2.2.1 Automatic (Software) Reset:

Rather than requiring a physical press of the reset button before an upload, the Arduino
Uno is designed in a way that allows it to be reset by software running on a connected computer.
One of the hardware flow control lines (DTR) of theATmega8U2/16U2 is connected to the reset
line of the ATmega328 via a 100 nanofarad capacitor. When this line is asserted (taken low), the
reset line drops long enough to reset the chip. The Arduino software uses this capability to allow
you to upload code by simply pressing the upload button in the Arduino environment. This
means that the bootloader can have a shorter timeout, as the lowering of DTR can be well-
coordinated with the start of the upload.

This setup has other implications. When the Uno is connected to either a computer
running Mac OS X or Linux, it resets each time a connection is made to it from software (via
USB). For the following half-second or so, the bootloader is running on the Uno. While it is
programmed to ignore malformed data (i.e. anything besides an upload of new code), it will
intercept the first few bytes of data sent to the board after a connection is opened. If a sketch
running on the board receives one-time configuration or other data when it first starts, make sure
that the software with which it communicates waits a second after opening the connection and
before sending this data.

The Uno contains a trace that can be cut to disable the auto-reset. The pads on either side
of the trace can be soldered together to re-enable it. It's labeled "RESET-EN". You may also be
able to disable the auto-reset by connecting a 110 ohm resistor from 5V to the reset line.

8
 Fig.2.2.Arduino Tab For Programming

2.2.2 USB Overcurrent Protection:

The Arduino Uno has a resettable polyfuse that protects your computer's USB ports from
shorts and overcurrent. Although most computers provide their own internal protection, the fuse
provides an extra layer of protection. If more than 500 mA is applied to the USB port, the fuse
will automatically break the connection until the short or overload is removed.

2.2.3 Physical Characteristics:

The maximum length and width of the Uno PCB are 2.7 and 2.1 inches respectively, with
the USB connector and power jack extending beyond the former dimension. Four screw holes

9
allow the board to be attached to a surface or case. Note that the distance between digital pins 7
and 8 is 160 mil (0.16"), not an even multiple of the 100 mil spacing of the other pins.

2.3. MEGUNOLINK
Meguno link is the simplest tool available for plotting data from a microcontroller, or
capturing it to a file without any extra hardware. Meguno link has many useful features, and
we‟ll run through them briefly in this article. They include:

Serial port monitoring – that doesn‟t reset the MCU

The ability to capture serial port data to a text file

A tool to graph formatted data sent from the Arduino in real time

“George” the serial monkey!

Enable building Arduino projects using ATMEL AVR studio

And Meguno link can also act as a graphical interface for AVR dude to upload compiled
code to an Arduino

Installation is simple and straightforward. The installation is only ~1.5 megabytes and not
taxing at all. We only have a Windows 7 64-bit machine, so haven‟t tested this in emulation
under MacOS or Linux.

2.3.1 Serial Data monitoring:

As with the Serial Monitor in the Arduino IDE, you can monitor the data from the
Arduino, and also send it back through the serial line. Just click the „Monitor‟ tab and you‟re set,
for example:

10
 Fig.2.3. Megunolink Serial Monitor

2.3.2 Capturing Serial Data to a file:

Very useful indeed, much quicker than dumping data to a microSD card and then
bringing it back to the PC. Just click the „Log‟ tab, specify a file location and name, then click
„Enabled‟.You can also append data to an existing text file. When creating the output format in
your Arduino sketch, be mindful to have separators such as commas or colons – which make it
much easier to delimit the data once imported into a spreadsheet or database application.

2.3.3 Plotting and Graphing Serial Data:

Plotting data to a graph is very simple. You simply format the data you‟d like to plot
using Serial.write commands, and Megunolink takes care of the rest – just click the „Plotter‟ tab
and you‟re off. The data must be formatted as such:

{a, T, b}

Where „a‟ is the name of the series. T tells MegunoLink to plot the actual real time, and b
is the data as a number in string form. Here is a very simple example:

void setup()

Serial.begin(9600);
11
}

int a=0;

float b,c;

void loop()

for (int a=0; a<100; a++)

b=a/2;

c=a*2;

Serial.print("{a,T,");

Serial.print(a);

Serial.println("}");

Serial.print("{b,T,");

Serial.print(b);

Serial.println("}");

Serial.print("{c,T,");

Serial.print(c);

Serial.println("}");

delay(100);

for (int a=100; a>0; --a)

12
 {

b=a/2;

c=a*2;

Serial.print("{a,T,");

Serial.print(a);

Serial.println("}");

Serial.print("{b,T,");

Serial.print(b);

Serial.println("}");

Serial.print("{c,T,");

Serial.print(c);

Serial.println("}");

delay(100);

which resulted with:

13
 Fig.2.4. Waveform in Megunolink for The Above Program

Here is another example, it is the “SendSineCurve” sketch from the Arduino Graphing
library:

Fig.2.5. Displaying Sine curve

14
 You can always save the graph as an image in the usual formats as well as in .emf vector
image file format.

2.3.4 “George” the Serial Monkey:

This is a serial protocol simulator tool which is useful for testing the control of serial-
based devices. You can setup George so that it listens for a particular pattern in the serial output
from an Arduino – and then sends back a response of your choice to the Arduino.

For a more detail explanation and detail tutorial on how to control George, see
the MegunoLink website.

2.3.5 Arduino Development with AVR Studio:

Using MegunoLink you can develop Arduino projects with Atmel AVRStudio software.
As some people find the Arduino IDE somewhat limiting, this option gives you access to the
more programmer-friendly Atmel IDE.

15
 CHAPTER 3

ARDUINO AS OSCILLOSCOPE

3.1. INTRODUCTION:
Arduino can be used as oscilloscope by interfacing it with Meguno link. Advantage of
using arduino as oscilloscope is that it can be used for displaying six input waveforms at a time
while in conventional oscilloscopes only two waveforms can be displayed. As the maximum
voltage that can be applied to arduino is only 5-12 volts, we make use of potential divider circuit
in our project so that voltage applied to arduino does not exceed 5 volts. We also make use of
voltage sensing card for protecting arduino from over currents.

3.1.1. Block Diagram:

Fig. 3.1. Block Diagram

3.2. HARDWARE REQUIRED:

1. Potential divider circuit
2. Voltage sensing card
3. Selector switch
4. Arduino
5. Laptop or PC
16
3.2.1. Potential Divider Circuit:
This circuit is used for stepping down the applied voltage to the permissible level
accepted by Arduino. The following shows the potential divider circuit designed for the
oscilloscope.

Fig.3.2. Potentialdivider Circuit Diagram

The hardware potential divider circuit is shown below

Fig.3.3.Potential Divider Hardware

17
 This circuit is similar to the volt/div switch used in normal CRO. The output of this

potential divider circuit is given to the voltage sensing card which gives protection to the arduino
from over voltages.

3.2.2. Voltage Sensing Card:

This card is used to sense the input voltage and hence protect system equipment and
circuitry from voltage that is hazardous or unsuitable for operation. It consists of potentiometer
circuit, amplifier HCPL 7800A and TLE2082CP.HCPL 7800A works as an Isolator .The output
of voltage sensing card will be of maximum 5V.This is given as input to Arduino. Its block
diagram is as follows.

Fig.3.4. Block Diagram of Voltage Sensing Card

The potential divider circuit is used to step down the input voltage that is to be sensed(0-
340V) to the order of millivolts, since the recommended operating range for the input voltage
applied to HCPL-7800A lies in the range -200 mV to +200mV. The output voltage of the sensor
circuit lies in the range 0-5V.

3.2.3 Selector switch:

Selection switch controls the input to potentiometer.

18
3.2.4. Arduino:
Arduino used in this project is Arduino Uno. The input voltages to be measured are given
to A0, A1, A2, A3, A4, A5 pins. It also has the provision for displaying digital outputs which are
given to digital pins D7-D0.

3.2.5. Laptop or PC:

Laptop or PC is used to display waveforms. Arduino program is compiled and uploaded
to the arduino board through the USB connection. The output values can be seen in serial
monitor. However, graph can be seen in Meguno link by connecting it to the port to which
arduino is connected.

Fig.3.5.Hardware Setup for Oscilloscope

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3.3. SOFTWARE REQUIRED:
 Arduino programming
 Meguno link

3.3.1. ARDUINO PROGRAM:

Fig.3.6. Arduino Program For Displaying Multiple Waveforms

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 The above displayed program is run using arduino and results are obtained in bits in
serial moniter. For graphical display we use megunolink.

3.3.2. Megunolink Plotter:

Fig.3.7. Meguno Link Plotter Sketch for Arduino Program

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 CHAPTER 4

SIMULATION RESULTS

4.1. TESTING OF ARDUINO OSCILLOSCOPE WITH SINGLE INPUT:

4.1.1. Displaying DC waveform:

Potentiometer is connected such that its middle pin is given to analog signal and other
two terminals are connected to ground and 5V of arduino respectively. By varying the
potentiometer the value of the input voltage is varied and output is changed. Maximum value of
output voltage is 5V.

Fig.4.1. Meguno Link Tab Displaying DC Waveform

4.1.2. Displaying pulses:

The circuit for displaying pulses using arduino is shown in APPENDIX-A. The multisim
simulation results for the circuit are shown below:

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 Fig.4.2.Multisim Simulation Results For Pulses

Hardware is designed using the components required and is connected to Arduino. The
results in Arduino are noted from serial monitor which is shown below in fig.4.3

Fig.4.3.Serial Monitor Values In Arduino Tab

The above values from Arduino are plotted using megunolink plotting tool and graph is
as shown below:

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 Fig.4.4. Meguno Link Tab Displaying Pulses

4.1.3. Displaying sawtooth waveform:

The circuit for displaying saw tooth is same as that of pulse generator circuit except that
output is taken at terminal 2 of 555 timer. (For circuit refer APPENDIX-B).

Fig 4.5. Multisim Results For Displaying Sawtooth Waveform

These values are connected using the components and output from the hardware is given to
Arduino. The results in Arduino are noted from serial monitor and plotted in megunolink plot
which is shown below in fig.4.6. .(for program refer APPENDIX-C).

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 Fig.4.6.Meguno Link Tab Displaying Sawtooth Waveform

4.2. TWO INPUTS

Here two inputs are given to two different analog inputs of Arduino. Arduino program is
wriiten for two inputs.

Fig.4.7.Serial Monitor Values For Sawtooth Generating Circuit

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The results are plotted in megunolink plotter and are displayed as shown in fig.4.8.

Fig.4.8. Plot Showing Two Inputs In Megunolink Tab

4.3. MULTIPLE INPUTS

Arduino can be used simultaneously for six different analog inputs. By giving any six
inputs the waveforms are displayed as shown below.(for program refer APPENDIX-D).

Fig.4.9. Plot Showing four Different Waveforms

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 Fig.4.10. Plot Showing Six Different Waveforms

4.4. ADDITION OF WAVEFORMS

Using Arduino programming two or more waveforms can be added and displayed in
Megunolink plotter. Here A1 is one waveform i.e.,pulses and A2 is sawtooth. Adding both these
resulted in another waveform V3 which is shown in fig 4.10. (for program refer APPENDIX-E.)

Fig.4.11. Plot Displaying Added Waveform

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 CHAPTER 5

CONCLUSION

5.1. CONCLUSION:
Hereby we conclude that arduino can be used as oscilloscope for displaying waveforms.
Apart from displaying waveforms arduino oscilloscope has the ability to perform various
operations on the applied inputs such as addition,subtraction etc . This makes analysis simpler
and overcomes the drawbacks of the conventional CROs. The only drawback is that it cannot
take negative inputs or voltages above 5volts. However these drawbacks can be overcome by
using offset card for shifting the voltage waveforms above zero for negative inputs. The higher
voltages can be stepdown using potential divider to protect arduino from getting damaged.

5.2. FUTURE SCOPE:

Arduino can be expected to be used for carrying out analysis on both digital and analog
inputs. It is an open-source electronics prototyping platform based on flexible, easy-to-use
hardware and software and this environment makes it easy to write code and upload it to the i/o
board. Low cost and flexibility makes arduino suitable for carrying out experiments easier than
CROs.It has the provision for displaying 6 analog inputs and 8 digital making it more
advantageous.

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 References:

i. [en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oscilloscope]
ii. [www.arduino.cc]

iii. [www.blueleafsoftware.com/Resources/EmbeddedSand/MegunoLink]
iv. [en.wikipedia.org/wiki]

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 APPENDIX-A

Circuit For Generating Pulses:

R1=22kΩ potentiometer
R2=2.2KΩ
C1=100µF

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 APPENDIX-B

Circuit For Generating Sawtooth:

R1=22kΩ potentiometer
R2=2.2KΩ
C1=100µF

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 APPENDIX-C

Arduino program for single input display:

#include <GraphSeries.h>

GraphSeries g_aGraphs[] = {"A1”}

void setup()

Serial.begin(9600); // The data is sent via the serial port

pinMode(A1,INPUT);

void loop()

g_aGraphs[0].SendData(analogRead(A1)); // Read values from the ADC

converter and send them out the serial port.

delay(5);

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 APPENDIX-D

Arduino program for displaying multiple inputs:

Here consider 6 inputs.

#include <GraphSeries.h>

GraphSeries g_aGraphs[] = {"A1”,”A2”,”A3”,”A4”,”A5”,”A6”}

void setup()

Serial.begin(9600); // The data is sent via the serial port.

pinMode(A1,INPUT);

pinMode(A2,INPUT);

pinMode(A3,INPUT);

pinMode(A4,INPUT);

pinMode(A5,INPUT);

pinMode(A6,INPUT);

void loop()

g_aGraphs[0].SendData(analogRead(A1));
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 g_aGraphs[1].SendData(analogRead(A2));

g_aGraphs[2].SendData(analogRead(A3));

g_aGraphs[3].SendData(analogRead(A4));

g_aGraphs[4].SendData(analogRead(A5));

g_aGraphs[5].SendData(analogRead(A6)); // Read values from the ADC

converter and send them out the serial port.

delay(5);

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 APPENDIX-E

Arduino program for adding multiple inputs:

#include <GraphSeries.h>

GraphSeries g_aGraphs[] = {"A1","A2","v3"};

void setup()

// The data is sent via the serial port. Initialize it.

Serial.begin(9600);

pinMode(A1,INPUT);

pinMode(A2,INPUT);

void loop()

// Read values from the ADC converter and send them out the serial port.

float v1=analogRead((A1));

float v2=analogRead((A2));

float v3=v1+v2;

g_aGraphs[0].SendData(analogRead(A1));

g_aGraphs[1].SendData(analogRead(A2));
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 g_aGraphs[2].SendData((v3));

delay(50);

36