Signal Conditioning and Conversion

Goals of the Chapter

• Introduction to signal conditioning concept

• Elements signal conditioning circuit
Mechatronics System - Signal Conditioning and Conversion

CH-2 CH-4: Signal conditioning processes CH-3

CH-5 - 6
 Signal Conditioning and Conversion
 Real world signals are analog (temp, pressure,
position, sound, light, speed, etc):
• Continuous time and continuous amplitude
• Directly measurable quantities
 Microprocessors can only perform complex
processing on digitized signals.
• Discrete time and discrete amplitude
Signal Conditioning -- most common elements

 There are many possible functions of the signal-conditioning

stage. The following are the most common:
 Deflection/Wheatstone bridge
 Amplification/Attenuation
 Filtering (high pass, Low pass, band pass, or band stop)
 Differentiation, Integration, Linearization
 Converting a resistance to a voltage signal
 Converting a current to a voltage / Converting a voltage to a current
signal
 Converting a frequency signal to a voltage signal.
 More than one signal-conditioning function, such as amplification
and filtering, can be performed on a signal.
 Analog-to-Digital Convertor (ADC)
 Digital-to-Analog Convertor (DAC):
Basics of Operational Amplifier (Op amp)
 Consists of many internal transistors, resistors, and
capacitors.
 Can be combined with external discrete components to
create a wide variety of signal processing circuits.
 It is the basic building block for:
 Amplifiers, Integrators, Summers, Differentiators, Comparators, A/D
and D/A converters, Active filters, Sample and hold, etc.
 Derives its name from its ability to perform so many
different operations.
 It is an active device (requires external power supply)
Basics of Operational Amplifier (Op amp)
Assumptions
 It has infinite impedance at the inputs 𝐼− = 𝐼+
 It has infinite gain 𝑉− = 𝑉+
 It has zero output impedance
 Very illogical and confusing but provide close
approximation to the behavior of real amp
Actual Op amp
 Usually packed in 8-pin dual in-line package(DIP) IC chips.
 General purpose op amp is 741
 Many op amp available depending on input impedance,
bandwidth, and power rating
 +Vin: non-inverting input (3)
 - Vin: inverting input (2)
 +Vs: positive source (7)
 - Vs: negative source (4)
 ON : Offset Null (1)
OFFSET
 NC : Not Connected (8) NULL
1 8 N.C.

 Vout: output voltage (6) -IN 2 7 V+


+IN 3 + 6 OUTPUT
OFFSET
V 4 5 NULL
Actual Op amp
Signal Conditioning -- Filtering
 Filtering: In noisy environments, it is very difficult for very
small signals received from sensors such as thermocouples
and strain gauges (in the order of mV), to survive without
the sensor data being compromised. Where the noise is of
the same or greater order of magnitude than the required
signal.
 The noise must first be filtered out. Signal conditioning equipment
often contains low pass filters to eliminate high frequency noise
that can lead to inaccurate data.
 Active Filters (a low pass or/and band pass filter) must be used for
two reasons:
A. To reduce the noise effect
B. To make the analog input signals band limited, to satisfy
sampling theorem
Signal Conditioning – Amplification, Linearization
 Amplification: Having filtered the required input signal, it
must be amplified to increase the resolution. The
maximum resolution is obtained by amplifying the input
signal so that the maximum voltage swing of the input
signal equals the input range of the analog-to-digital
converter (ADC), contained within the data acquisition
hardware.
 Linearization: Many transducers, such as thermocouples,
display a non-linear relationship to the physical quantity
they are required to measure.
 A cheaper, easier, and more flexible method is provided by signal
conditioning products that perform the linearization of the input
signal using software.
Signal Conditioning – Isolation, Excitation
 Isolation: Signal conditioning equipment can also be used
to provide isolation of transducer signals from the computer
where there is a possibility that high voltage transients may
occur within the system being monitored, either due to
electrostatic discharge or electrical failure.
 Isolation protects expensive computer equipment from damage
and computer operators from injury.
 In addition, where common-mode voltage levels are high or there
is a need for extremely low common mode leakage current, as for
medical applications, isolation allows measurements to be
accurately and safely obtained.
 Excitation: Signal conditioning products also provide
excitation for some transducers.
 For example: strain gauges, thermistors and RTDs, require
external voltage or current excitation signals.
Signal Conditioning – ADC, DAC .
 Analog-to-Digital Convertor (ADC): provides a link
between the analog world of transducers and the digital
world of signal processing and data handling.
• Digital signals only have two states (0&1)
 Digital-to-Analog Convertor (DAC): provide a link
between the digital world of signal processing and data
handling, and analog world of some Actuators
Signal Conditioning -- Inverting Amplifier
 Constructed by connecting two external resistors to an op
amp.
 The circuit inverts and amplifies the input voltage
 RF forms the feed back

RF

Vin
Signal Conditioning – Non-inverting Amplifier

 It amplifies the input voltage with out inverting the signal.

RF

R
- vout
+
+ Vout R  RF RF
vin
  1
- Vin R R
Signal Conditioning – Buffer or follower
 Where you need to couple to a voltage signal with out
loading the source of the voltage

 If RF = 0 and

R - vout
vin ∞
+
Vout  Vin

 The high input impedance of the op amp effectively

isolates the source of the voltage.
Signal Conditioning – Summer

 Used to add Analog signals

 If we assume R1 = R2 = RF and analyze the circuit
Vout = -(V1+V2)
RF
R1

R2
+ - vout
v1
+
- v2 +
- Vout = -(V1+V2)
 Signal Conditioning – Difference Amplifier

 Used to subtract analog RF

signals.
v1
 We can use superposition +
R1
-
principle to analyze this
circuit. +
+
vout
“whenever multiple inputs are v2
R2
applied to a linear system, we
can analyze the circuit and RF
determine the response for
each of the individual inputs
independently, then the sum of
the individual responses is R 
equivalent to the over all Vout  F V2  V1 
R 
response to the multiple inputs.”  
 Difference amplifier with V2 shorted

 It is an inverting amplifier

RF

v1 R1
+
-
RF
Vout1   V1 +
vout
R1
R2 RF
( R2  RF )
 Difference amplifier with V1 shorted

 Replace V1 with short circuit

RF

R1
-
+ vout
+
R2
v2
RF
Signal Conditioning – Integrator

 If the feed back resistor of the inverting op amp is replaced

by a capacitor.

iout
C
- +
iin R Vout
-
+
Vin Vout
+

t
1
Vout (t )   
RC 0
Vin ( )d
 Cont…

dVout iout

dt C
t
1
Vout (t )   iout ( )d
C0
t
1
Vout (t )   
RC 0
Vin ( )d

 There fore the output signal is an inverted, scaled integral

of the input signal
Signal Conditioning – Differentiator
 If the input resistor of the inverting op amp is replaced by a
capacitor.

iout
dVin iin R

dt C iin C
-
dVin +
Vout  RC Vin
+
Vout
dt

 There fore the output signal is an inverted, scaled derivative

of the input signal
Signal Conditioning – Sample and hold
 Extensively used in A/D conversion
 Consists a voltage-holding capacitor and a voltage follower
 When the switch
is open the S
+
capacitor C + Vout
Vin
retains its charge -
and the output C
voltage remains
equal to the input
voltage at the Vout (t )  Vin (t )
instant the switch
was opened. Vout (t  tsampled)  Vin (tsampled)
Signal Conditioning – Protection
 Most of the components in DAQ system have got some
limits either of current or of voltage or of both.
 Hence, they need to be protected against
 High current
 It can be done by placing in series resistor at the
input line and use a fuse to break if the current does
exceed a safe level.
 High voltage
o Zener Diode circuit
• It breaks down beyond a certain voltage
o Optoisolator
• It isolates circuits by totally removing electrical
connections
Signal Conditioning – Protection
Signal Conditioning – Filters
o Filtering is the process of attenuating, removing or eliminating a certain
band of frequencies from a given signal and permitting the rest to be
transmitted

Input Signal Signal with

transmitted
frequency

o Different types of filters(frequency range they transmit or reject):

• Low-pass
• Filters out frequencies above a cutoff frequency
• High-pass
• Filters out frequencies below a cutoff frequency
• Band-pass
• Passes a range of frequencies between two cutoff frequencies
Signal Conditioning – Low-pass Filters
o It blocks high frequencies, allowing low frequencies through

• Low-pass Passive Filter • Low-pass Active Filter

• Cutoff frequency:
1
fOH 
R2C
Signal Conditioning – High-pass Filters
o It blocks low frequencies, allowing high
frequencies through
o Switch positioning of capacitors and
resistors from low-pass filter locations to
create high-pass filter.
• High-pass Passive Filter

• High-pass Active Filter

 Signal Conditioning – Band-pass Filters
• It blocks all frequencies except
those within a certain range
• Created by connecting output of a
high-pass filter to the input of a
low-pass filter or vice versa.
• Also can create using only 1 op-
amp with feedback and input
capacitors
~END~