Control systems are becoming increasingly dependent on digital processing and so require sensors able to provide direct digital inputs. Sensors based on time measurement, having outputs based on a frequency or phase, have an advantage over conventional analogue sensors in that their outputs can be measured directly in digital systems by pulse counting.
Portable, battery-powered operation of electronic apparatushas become increasingly desirable. Medical, remotedata acquisition, power monitoring and other applicationsare good candidates for battery operation. In some circumstances,due to space, power or reliability considerations,it is preferable to operate the circuitry from a single 1.5Vcell. Unfortunately, a 1.5V supply eliminates almost alllinear ICs as design candidates. In fact, the LM10 opamp-reference and the LT®1017/LT1018 comparators arethe only IC gain blocks fully specifi ed for 1.5V operation.Further complications are presented by the 600mV dropof silicon transistors and diodes. This limitation consumesa substantial portion of available supply range, makingcircuit design diffi cult. Additionally, any circuit designedfor 1.5V operation must function at end-of-life batteryvoltage, typically 1.3V. (See Box Section, “Componentsfor 1.5V Operation.”)
ANALOG INPUT BANDWIDTH is a measure of the frequencyat which the reconstructed output fundamental drops3 dB below its low frequency value for a full scale input. Thetest is performed with fIN equal to 100 kHz plus integer multiplesof fCLK. The input frequency at which the output is −3dB relative to the low frequency input signal is the full powerbandwidth.APERTURE JITTER is the variation in aperture delay fromsample to sample. Aperture jitter shows up as input noise.APERTURE DELAY See Sampling Delay.BOTTOM OFFSET is the difference between the input voltagethat just causes the output code to transition to the firstcode and the negative reference voltage. Bottom Offset isdefined as EOB = VZT–VRB, where VZT is the first code transitioninput voltage and VRB is the lower reference voltage.Note that this is different from the normal Zero Scale Error.CONVERSION LATENCY See PIPELINE DELAY.CONVERSION TIME is the time required for a completemeasurement by an analog-to-digital converter. Since theConversion Time does not include acquisition time, multiplexerset up time, or other elements of a complete conversioncycle, the conversion time may be less than theThroughput Time.DC COMMON-MODE ERROR is a specification which appliesto ADCs with differential inputs. It is the change in theoutput code that occurs when the analog voltages on the twoinputs are changed by an equal amount. It is usually expressed in LSBs.
Abstract: There are differences between the operation of low-frequency AC transformers and electronic transformersthat supply current to MR16 lamps, and there are also differences in the current draw for MR16 halogen lamps andMR16 LED lamps. These contrasts typically prevent an MR16 LED lamp from operating with most electronictransformers. This article explains how a high-brightness (HB) LED driver optimized for MR16 lamps will allow LEDlamps to be compatible with most electronic transformers.A similar version of this article appeared on Display Plus, July 7, 2012 and in German in Elektronikpraxis, October 1,2012.
Abstract: This application note illustrates an intermediate 8V switching power supply for an automotive radio and infotainment system.The design withstands the complete automotive input voltage range (including cold crank and load dump conditions), assuring a stable8V supply for common subsystems such as a CD driver, LCDs, and a radio module in modern infotainment systems. To avoiddisturbance in the AM and FM bands, the switching power supply runs at a fixed frequency of 2MHz, enabling an ideal solution forradio systems.
Abstract: Impedance mismatches in a radio-frequency (RF) electrical transmission line cause power loss andreflected energy. Voltage standing wave ratio (VSWR) is a way to measure transmission line imperfections. Thistutorial defines VSWR and explains how it is calculated. Finally, an antenna VSWR monitoring system is shown.
Abstract: The DS1875 features a pulse-width modulation (PWM) controller that can be used to control aDC-DC converter. The DC-DC converter can then be used to generate the high bias voltages necessaryfor avalanche photodiodes (APDs). This application note describes the operation of a boost converterthat uses the DS1875. Discussion covers the selection of the inductor and switching frequency, and theselection of components that improve the efficiency of the converter. Test data are presented.
