College of Information and Communication Technologies

Department of Computer Science and Engineering

CS212 : Measurement and

Instrumentation Engineering II
 College of Information and Communication Technologies
Department of Computer Science and Engineering

Analog-to-Digital
Converter (ADC)

UDSM, 25.05.2021 CS212: Analog-to-Digital Conversion Page 2

 Outline
College of Information and Communication Technologies
Department of Computer Science and Engineering

1. What is ADC?
2. Conversion Process
3. Accuracy
4. Examples of ADC applications

UDSM, 25.05.2021 CS212: Analog-to-Digital Conversion Page 3

 Preamble
College of Information and Communication Technologies
Department of Computer Science and Engineering

Types of Signal Waveforms

Analog Signals

 Any continuous signal that a

time varying variable of the
signal is a representation of
some other time varying
quantity
 Measures one quantity in
terms of some other quantity
 Examples: t
1. Speedometer needle as
function of speed
2. Radio volume as
function of knob
movement
UDSM, 25.05.2021 CS212: Analog-to-Digital Conversion Page 4
 Preamble…
College of Information and Communication Technologies
Department of Computer Science and Engineering

Types of Signal Waveforms

Digital Signals

 Consist of only two states

1. Binary States
2. On and off

 Computers can only perform by

t
processing on digitized signals
for different functions

UDSM, 25.05.2021 CS212: Analog-to-Digital Conversion Page 5

 Analog-Digital Converter (ADC)
College of Information and Communication Technologies
Department of Computer Science and Engineering

 An electronic integrated circuit which

converts a signal from analog (continuous) to
digital (discrete) form

 Provides a link between the analog world of

transducers and the digital world of signal
processing and data handling

UDSM, 25.05.2021 CS212: Analog-to-Digital Conversion Page 6

 Analog-Digital Converter (ADC)
College of Information and Communication Technologies
Department of Computer Science and Engineering

 An electronic integrated circuit which

converts a signal from analog (continuous) to
digital (discrete) form

 Provides a link between the analog world of

transducers and the digital world of signal
processing and data handling

t
UDSM, 25.05.2021 CS212: Analog-to-Digital Conversion Page 7
 Analog-Digital Converter (ADC)
College of Information and Communication Technologies
Department of Computer Science and Engineering

 An electronic integrated circuit which

converts a signal from analog (continuous) to
digital (discrete) form

 Provides a link between the analog world of

transducers and the digital world of signal
processing and data handling

t
UDSM, 25.05.2021 CS212: Analog-to-Digital Conversion Page 8
 ADC Conversion Process
College of Information and Communication Technologies
Department of Computer Science and Engineering

Two main steps of process

1. Sampling and Holding
2. Quantization and Encoding
Analog-to-Digital Converter

Quantizing
and
Encoding
Sampling and
Hold
t
Input: Analog Signal t

UDSM, 25.05.2021 CS212: Analog-to-Digital Conversion Page 9

 ADC Process
College of Information and Communication Technologies
Department of Computer Science and Engineering

Sampling & Hold

Continuous Signal

UDSM, 25.05.2021 CS212: Analog-to-Digital Conversion Page 10

 ADC Process
College of Information and Communication Technologies
Department of Computer Science and Engineering

Sampling & Hold

 Measuring analog signals at uniform

time intervals
 Ideally twice as fast as what we
are sampling

UDSM, 25.05.2021 CS212: Analog-to-Digital Conversion Page 11

 ADC Process
College of Information and Communication Technologies
Department of Computer Science and Engineering

Sampling & Hold

 Measuring analog signals at uniform

time intervals
 Ideally twice as fast as what we
are sampling

 Digital system works with discrete

states
 Taking a sample from each
location
t

UDSM, 25.05.2021 CS212: Analog-to-Digital Conversion Page 12

 ADC Process
College of Information and Communication Technologies
Department of Computer Science and Engineering

Sampling & Hold

 Measuring analog signals at uniform

time intervals
 Ideally twice as fast as what we
are sampling

 Digital system works with discrete

states
 Taking a sample from each
location

 Reflects sampled and hold signal t

 Digital approximation

UDSM, 25.05.2021 CS212: Analog-to-Digital Conversion Page 13

 ADC Process
College of Information and Communication Technologies
Department of Computer Science and Engineering

Quantizing Encoding

 Separating the input signal  Assigning a unique digital

into a discrete states with K code to each state for input
increments into the microprocessor

 K=2N
 N is the number of bits of
the ADC

 Analog quantization size

 Q=(Vmax-Vmin)/2N
 Q is the Resolution

UDSM, 25.05.2021 CS212: Analog-to-Digital Conversion Page 14

 ADC Process
College of Information and Communication Technologies
Department of Computer Science and Engineering

Quantization & Coding

 Use original analog signal

UDSM, 25.05.2021 CS212: Analog-to-Digital Conversion Page 15

 ADC Process
College of Information and Communication Technologies
Department of Computer Science and Engineering

Quantization & Coding

 Use original analog signal

11
 Apply 2 bit coding
10

01

00
K=22 00 t
01
10
11

UDSM, 25.05.2021 CS212: Analog-to-Digital Conversion Page 16

 ADC Process
College of Information and Communication Technologies
Department of Computer Science and Engineering

Quantization & Coding

 Use original analog signal

11
 Apply 2 bit coding
10

01

00
K=22 00 t
01
10
11

UDSM, 25.05.2021 CS212: Analog-to-Digital Conversion Page 17

 ADC Process
College of Information and Communication Technologies
Department of Computer Science and Engineering

Quantization & Coding

 Use original analog signal

 Apply 3 bit coding

K=23 000
001
010
011
100
101
110
UDSM, 25.05.2021 CS212: Analog-to-Digital 111
Conversion Page 18
 ADC Process
College of Information and Communication Technologies
Department of Computer Science and Engineering

Quantization & Coding

 Use original analog signal

 Apply 3 bit coding

 Better representation of input

information with additional bits

 Modulation and Coding

Scheme, MCS12 has max of 10 K=23 000 K=16 0000 K=…
bits 001 .
010 .
011 .
100 1111
101
110
UDSM, 25.05.2021 CS212: Analog-to-Digital 111
Conversion Page 19
 ADC Process-Accuracy
College of Information and Communication Technologies
Department of Computer Science and Engineering

The accuracy of an ADC can be improved by increasing:

t
Sampling Rate, Ts
 Based on number of steps
required in the conversion
process
 Increases the maximum
frequency that can be
measured
UDSM, 25.05.2021 CS212: Analog-to-Digital Conversion Page 20
 ADC Process-Accuracy
College of Information and Communication Technologies
Department of Computer Science and Engineering

The accuracy of an ADC can be improved by increasing:

t t
Sampling Rate, Ts Resolution (bit depth), Q
 Based on number of steps  Improves accuracy in
required in the conversion measuring amplitude of
process analog signal
 Increases the maximum
frequency that can be
measured
UDSM, 25.05.2021 CS212: Analog-to-Digital Conversion Page 21
 ADC-Error Possibilities
College of Information and Communication Technologies
Department of Computer Science and Engineering

Aliasing (sampling)
 Occurs when the input signal is changing much faster than
the sample rate
 Should follow the Nyquist Rule when sampling
 Answers question of what sample rate is required
 Use a sampling frequency at least twice as high as
the maximum frequency in the signal to avoid aliasing
 fsampling>2*fsignal
The higher sampling rate technically leads to more
measurements per second and a closer recreation
of the original analogue signal
Quantization Error (resolution)
 Optimize resolution
 Dependent on ADC converter of microcontoller
UDSM, 25.05.2021 CS212: Analog-to-Digital Conversion Page 22
 ADC Applications
College of Information and Communication Technologies
Department of Computer Science and Engineering

 ADC are used virtually everywhere where

an analog signal has to be processed,
stored, or transported in digital form
1. Digital Osciloscope
2. Microphones
3. Strain Gages
4. Thermocouple
5. Digital Multimeters
e.t.c…..e.t.c

UDSM, 25.05.2021 CS212: Analog-to-Digital Conversion Page 23

 Types of ADC
College of Information and Communication Technologies
Department of Computer Science and Engineering

1. Successive Approximation A/D Converter

2. Dual Slope A/D Converter
3. Flash A/D Converter
4. Delta-Sigma A/D Converter

UDSM, 25.05.2021 CS212: Analog-to-Digital Conversion Page 24

 1. Successive Approximation ADC
College of Information and Communication Technologies
Department of Computer Science and Engineering

 Components
 DAC = Digital to Analog Converter
 EOC = End of Conversion
 SAR = Successive Approximation Register
 S/H = Sample and Hold Circuit
 Vin = Input Voltage
 Comparator
 Vref = Reference Voltage

UDSM, 25.05.2021 CS212: Analog-to-Digital Conversion Page 25

 Digital Ramp Vs Successive Approximation
College of Information and Communication Technologies
Department of Computer Science and Engineering

Digital Ramp Method Successive Approximation Method

 Further discussion on the DVM

UDSM, 25.05.2021 CS212: Analog-to-Digital Conversion Page 26
 2. Dual Slope A/D Converter
College of Information and Communication Technologies
Department of Computer Science and Engineering

 Also known as an Integrating ADC

+
_

Control
Logic
Start Stop
Output/
Clock Counter Display
UDSM, 25.05.2021 CS212: Analog-to-Digital Conversion Page 27
 Dual-slope ADC
College of Information and Communication Technologies
Department of Computer Science and Engineering

UDSM, 25.05.2021 CS212: Analog-to-Digital Conversion Page 28

 Dual-Slope ADC – How It Works
College of Information and Communication Technologies
Department of Computer Science and Engineering

An unknown input voltage is applied to the input of the

integrator and allowed to ramp for a fixed time period
(tu= RC)
Then, a known reference voltage of opposite polarity is
applied to the integrator and is allowed to ramp until
the integrator output returns to zero (T)
The input voltage is computed as a function of the
reference voltage, the constant run-up time period, and
the measured run-down time period
The run-down time measurement is usually made in
units of the converter's clock, so longer integration
times allow for higher resolutions
The speed of the converter can be improved by
sacrificing resolution
UDSM, 25.05.2021 CS212: Analog-to-Digital Conversion Page 29
 3. Flash ADC
College of Information and Communication Technologies
Department of Computer Science and Engineering

 Also known as parallel

ADC
 Components
1. Encoder – Converts
output of comparators
to binary
2. Comparators

UDSM, 25.05.2021 CS212: Analog-to-Digital Conversion Page 30

 3. Flash ADC
College of Information and Communication Technologies
Department of Computer Science and Engineering

 Algorithm
 Vin value lies between two comparators
𝑉𝑟𝑒𝑓
 Resolution ∆𝑉 = 𝑁 ;
2
 N= Encoder Output bits
 Comparators  2N-1

Example: Vref 8V, Encoder 3-bit

8
 Resolution ∆𝑉 = 3 = 1.0V
2
 Comparators 23-1=7
 1 additional encoder bit  2 x #
Comparators

UDSM, 25.05.2021 CS212: Analog-to-Digital Conversion Page 31

 3. Flash ADC
College of Information and Communication Technologies
Department of Computer Science and Engineering

Example

Vin = 5.5V, Vref= 8V 0

Vin lies in between Vcomp5 & Vcomp6 0

Vcomp5 = Vref*5/8 = 5V
Vcomp6 = Vref*6/8 = 6V 1
1

Comparator 1 - 5 => output 1

1
Comparator 6 - 7 => output 0
1
Encoder Octal Input = sum(0011111) = 5
Encoder Binary Output = 1 0 1 5.5V 1

UDSM, 25.05.2021 CS212: Analog-to-Digital Conversion Page 32

 4. Delta-Sigma A/D Converter
College of Information and Communication Technologies
Department of Computer Science and Engineering

Analog Delta-Sigma Low-Pass Digital

Input Modulator Filter Output

UDSM, 25.05.2021 CS212: Analog-to-Digital Conversion Page 33

 Delta-Sigma ADC – How It Works
College of Information and Communication Technologies
Department of Computer Science and Engineering

 Input over sampled, goes to integrator

 Integration compared with ground
 Iteration drives integration of error to zero
 Output is a stream of serial bits

UDSM, 25.05.2021 CS212: Analog-to-Digital Conversion Page 34

 Comparison of ADC’s
College of Information and Communication Technologies
Department of Computer Science and Engineering

Type Speed Cost Resolution

(Relative) (Relative) (bits)
Dual Slope Slow Medium 12-16
Flash Very Fast High 4-12
Successive Medium - Low 8-16
Approximation Fast
Delta - Sigma Slow Low 12-24

UDSM, 25.05.2021 CS212: Analog-to-Digital Conversion Page 35

 Real Application
College of Information and Communication Technologies
Department of Computer Science and Engineering

ADC Subsystem of Microcontroller MC9S12C32

Input Pins
ADC Built-into
MC9S12C32

UDSM, 25.05.2021 CS212: Analog-to-Digital Conversion Page 36

 ADC - Schematic Diagram
College of Information and Communication Technologies
Department of Computer Science and Engineering

ATD

Port AD

UDSM, 25.05.2021 CS212: Analog-to-Digital Conversion Page 37

 ATD 10B8C - Block Diagram
College of Information and Communication Technologies
Department of Computer Science and Engineering

High/Low
Ref Voltage

Power
Supplies

Analog Input
General Purpose I/O
External Trigger

Analog Input
General Purpose I/O
UDSM, 25.05.2021 CS212: Analog-to-Digital Conversion Page 38
 ATD 10B8C – Key Features
College of Information and Communication Technologies
Department of Computer Science and Engineering

 Resolution: 8/10 bits

 Conversion time: 7 μsec (10 bit)
 8-channel multiplexed inputs
 Successive Approximation ADC
 External trigger control
 Conversion Modes:
 Single or continuous conversion
 Single channel or multiple channels

UDSM, 25.05.2021 CS212: Analog-to-Digital Conversion Page 39