Module:6

Data Acquisition System

Data Acquisition: single channel and multi-channel data
acquisition, Data logging, Interfacing of sensors using
DAQ cards, Applications: automobile and biological
systems.
Analog Inputs (A/D)
• Analog to digital (A/D) conversion changes analog
voltage or current levels into digital information.
The conversion is necessary to enable the
computer to process or store the signals.
Analog Inputs (A/D)
• The most significant criteria when selecting A/D hardware are:
• 1. Number of input channels
• 2. Single-ended or differential input signals
• 3. Sampling rate (in samples per second)
• 4. Resolution (usually measured in bits of resolution)
• 5. Input range (specified in full-scale volts)
• 6. Noise and nonlinearity
 Analog to Digital (A/D)
Converter

• Input signal  Resolution

• Sampling rate  Range
• Throughput
 Gain
 A/D Converter:
Input Signal
• Analog
Signal is continuous
Example: strain gage. Most of transducers
produce analog signals

 Digital
 Signal is either ON or OFF
Example: light switch.
 A/D Converter:
Sampling Rate

Determines how often conversions take place.

The higher the sampling rate, the better.

16 Samples/cycle
Analog 4 Samples/cycle
Input

8 Samples/cycle
 A/D Converter:
Sampling Rate
• Aliasing.
Acquired signal gets distorted if sampling
rate is too small.
 A/D Converter:
Range
• Minimum and maximum voltage levels that the
A/D converter can quantize

 Ranges are selectable (either

hardware or software) to
accurately measure the signal
A/D Converter:
Resolution
Analog Outputs (D/A)
• The opposite of analog to digital conversion is digital to analog (D/A)
conversion. This operation converts digital information into analog voltage
or current. D/A devices allow the computer to control real-world events.
• Analog output signals may directly control process equipment. The
process can give feedback in the form of analog input signals. This is
referred to as a closed loop control system with PID control.
• Analog outputs can also be used to generate waveforms. In this case, the
device behaves as a function generator.
Analog Outputs (D/A)
Data Loggers

 A data logger is an electronic

device that records data over time
or in relation to location either with
a built in instrument or sensor or
via external instruments and
sensors.

 They generally are small, battery

powered, portable, and equipped
with a microprocessor, internal
memory for data storage, and  Data Logger Cube Storing
sensors. technical & sensor data.
• Different types of data loggers and their
operation

• The differences between various data loggers are based on the

way that data is recorded and stored.
• The basic difference between the two data logger types is that
one type allows the data to be stored in a memory, to be
retrieved at a later time, while the other type automatically
records the data on paper, for immediate viewing and analysis.
• Many data loggers combine these two functions, usually
unequally, with the emphasis on either the ability to transfer the
data or to provide a printout of it.
Applications

• Environmental monitoring
• Road traffic counting.
• Unattended soil moisture level recording.
• Motor Racing
• Temperature, Humidity and Power use for Heating and Air
conditioning efficiency studies.
• Unattended weather station recording
• Measure temperatures (humidity, etc) of perishables
during shipments
• Tank level monitoring.
Data Recovery and Transfer
• Data can be recovered from data acquisition systems in
various ways :

▫ Serial comms interface via direct connect, modem, cell

phone, radio, satellite
▫ PCMCIA - modem, cell phone, LAN, memory card, USB memory device
▫ Network port - Ethernet, field bus, proprietary, etc
▫ Universal Serial Bus (USB)

• Data can be transferred and published using :

▫ Local Ethernet network

▫ Intranet - email, web pages
▫ Internet - email, world wide web pages
Types of data
acquisition systems
• Data acquisition systems can be of a number of forms:
• Pocket loggers - small, battery powered, stand alone devices with simple functionality
• Intelligent data loggers - stand alone devices with own intelligence, sophisticated data
manipulation, alarms, backed up power supply, displays, etc. Accessed continuously or
periodically by a PC.
• Plug in cards - plugged into the ISA bus or USB port of a PC to provide basic data acquisition
functionality.
The PC provides power, control, data storage, etc.
Choosing a Data Logger:
When choosing a data logger the following parameters
should be considered

 AC Voltage/Current
 Light On/Off
 Shock/Acceleration
 Bridge/Strain/Load/Pressure
 Motor On/Off
 Sound
 Dew point
 PH Pressure
 Temperature
Pictures of data loggers:
 Types of data loggers:
• Miniature Single Input Data Loggers

Miniature single input data loggers are generally low cost loggers
dedicated to a specific input type. These types of data loggers are
often used in the transportation industry. A typical application would
be to include a temperature data logger in a shipment of food
products to insure that the food temperature does not exceed
acceptable limits. In addition to temperature miniature data loggers
are available for a large variety of input types.
Types of data loggers:
• Fixed Mount Multi-Channel Data Loggers
Fixed input loggers have a fixed number of input channels
which are generally dedicated for a specific type of input.
OMEGA offers fixed input data loggers ranging from one to 8
channels.

• Modular Data Loggers

A modular data logger is configurable and expandable through
the use of plug-in modules. The modules are normally field
configurable and the user has the option of adding as many
channels to satisfy the application requirement.
ADVANTAGES:
• Data logging devices can be sent to places that humans
can not easily get to. e.g. to the planet Mars, in to the
bottom of a volcano and on to a roof of a tall building
to get to a weather station.

• Graphs and tables of results can be produced

automatically by the data logging software.
DISADVANTAGES:
• The main disadvantage of using a data logging system is the initial
cost of purchasing the equipment. While a thermometer can be
purchased for less than one pound, the price of the components of a
data logging system to record the temperature will be considerable.
Data Acquisition VS Data Logging
• Data loggers typically have slower sample rates than Data Acquisition
System.

• Data loggers are implicitly stand-alone devices, while typical data

acquisition system must remain fastened to a computer to acquire
data.

• data loggers must be extremely reliable than Data Acquisition

System
DAQ Cards, or Instruments

• The purpose of this presentation is to familiarize new

Lab View users to the different computer aided test
recourses available.
• Over the years have often been asked to help solve
problems with test set ups. These problems often branch
from the use of DAQ cards rather than test instruments.
• Test instruments can communicate with computers.
• Some instruments come in the same form factors as
DAQ cards.
• NI(National Instruments) sells test instruments; so they
cant be that bad.
 Computer Aided Test Resources

• Bench top Instruments, DMMs, Function Generators, O-

scopes, spectrum analyzers, scientific instruments
• GPIB
• Serial; RS232,USB
• Ethernet
• Modular Instruments
• PXI(PCI eXtensions for Instrumentation (PXI))
• PCI
• DAQ cards
• Compact DAQ
1. C-RIO; very good for robotic, or mobile applications.
2. USB
3. Wireless
4. Ethernet
What is a DAQ card
• Often multi function
• Digital I/O
• Counters
• Analog input
1. Typically Voltage
2. Some current; typically 4 - 20 mA
Cards can be inserted into slots in computer mother boards to perform a variety of functions
from low speed temperature measurement to high speed digital video capture. There are
many data acquisition (DAQ) cards on the market. Here you will use the popular PCI-1200
card manufactured by National Instruments. This card is a PCI device and is useable with any
computer with a PCI slot. It was designed primarily for low-cost data acquisition and control.
DAQ Advantages
• Lots of channels
• More s/S than DMMs (Digital. Multimeter); 1000 s/S to 100 Ks/s
1. 10ks/S to 1.5 Ms/S(Mega Samples per second)
2. > 1.5 Ms/S digitizer territory
• Good for recording data seamlessly
DAQ Disadvantages

• Useless without a computer

• Not faster than a scope
• Lack signal conditioning ; 3mV to 15 V typical.
• Requires more programming , and more skills
• Requires EE knowledge for signal conditioning if you
design your own
• Management challenges; Cal sticker? Inventory?