22REN322 Data Acquisition and Sensors Final Exam – May 2023

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Academic Year:
2022/2023
Department / Study Year: Semester:
Ren Electrical/ Ren Mechanical – Y2 Two, May 2023
Module Code / Title: 22REN322 Data Acquisition and Sensors

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Module Code (22REN322)

Final Examination
2022/2023
Module Title: Data Acquisition and Sensors

Module Leader: Ahmed Samir Eldessouky Semester:

Two, May 2023
Equipment allowed
Calculators only

Instructions to Students

 The exam is in one sections.

 Answer all given questions section A and two question in section B.
 The exam paper is 2 pages long, not including this page
 The allocation of marks is shown in brackets next to each question.
 Write your answers in the answer booklet provided, not on the exam paper.
 Assume any missing information and state your assumptions clearly.

This examination is 2 hours long.

[Turn Over only when instructed to do so]

22REN322 Data Acquisition and Sensors Final Exam – May 2023

Section A: Answer all given questions

QA1 15 marks Time 17 min
A microcontroller has logic input with the following specs:
The leakage input current is 20 μA, the minimum input voltage for logic 1 is 3 V. and the supply
voltage 𝑉𝑐𝑐 = +5𝑉 ± 0.3.
The input is used to read a micro-switch such that when the switch is open the input is High (logic one).
a- Draw the input circuit that prevents leaving the input in floating state.
b- Design the value of the resistance if using any.
c- Calculate the power consumption when the switch is closed

QA2 20 marks Time 26 min

a- Draw the diagram of shunt resistor op-amp current sensor for low voltage side measurement.
b- Assume Low voltage side sensor used to measure AC current ranges from 0 to 1 A (rms) with
𝑅𝑠ℎ𝑢𝑛𝑡 = 0.1 Ω. Design op-amp circuit to supply 0 to +5V ADC. Use only +5V supply and
ground. (Note: Bias is required as the ADC range from zero)
c- Determine the sensor error %.

QA3 15 marks Time 17 min

a- Draw the schematic diagram of 3 bit flash ADC.
b- What is the conversion time for this type of ADC?
c- How many Op-Amp comparators are required for the 3 bit flash ADC?
d- If the size of the converter increased form 3 bits to 4 bits, how it many Op-Amp comparators
should be used?

QA4 20 marks Time 26

min
a- What are advantages and disadvantages of Absolute Encoders?
b- What is the difference between binary code and grey code? Why rotary encoders use grey code
rather than binary code?
c- Draw 5-bit grey code disc.
d- What is the error in angle measurement when using 5-bits grey encoder?

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22REN322 Data Acquisition and Sensors Final Exam – May 2023

Section B: Answer two question only

QB1 15 marks Time 17
min
Assume a 16 bit timer is used to measure the interval of an event that has frequency range from 1 kHz to
10 kHz.
a- What would be proper clock frequency to maximize the measurement resolution?
b- Calculate maximum and minimum error percentage in measuring the event interval based on
your design.

QB2 15 marks Time 17

min
a- Compare between RS232 and RS422.
b- Draw the waveform of the two communication protocols showing the difference of their
waveform.

QB3 15 marks Time 17

min
a- Draw the circuit diagram of active high pass filter.
b- Design the filter knowing that, the minimum signal frequency 5 kHz. (Use only 1 𝑘Ω
resistance and capacitors of the design value). No amplification to the input signal is
required.

QB4 15 marks Time 17 min

a- Draw the circuit diagram of Wheatstone bridge used as full-bridge strain measurement with
diagram showing the physical configuration of the strain gages.
b- What are the advantages of Wheatstone full-bridge configuration over half-bridge circuit and
quarter-bridge circuits

Page 2 of 2
22REN322 Data Acquisition and Sensors Final Exam – May 2023
Model Answer

Section A: Answer all given questions

QA1 15 marks Time 17 min
A microcontroller has logic input with the following specs:
The leakage input current is 20 μA, the minimum input voltage for logic 1 is 3 V. and the supply
voltage 𝑉𝑐𝑐 = +5𝑉 ± 0.3.
The input is used to read a micro-switch such that when the switch is open the input is High (logic one).
a- Draw the input circuit that prevents leaving the input in floating state.
b- Design the value of the resistance if using any.
c- Calculate the power consumption when the switch is closed

Solution
b- Using the minimum voltage for logic 1

𝑉1𝐻 = 𝑉𝑐𝑐 − (𝐼𝐿𝐾𝐺 × 𝑅𝑢𝑝 ) = 4.7 − (20 × 10−3 × 𝑅𝑢𝑝 ) = 3𝑉

𝑉𝑐𝑐 − 𝑉1𝐻 4.7 − 3
𝑅𝑢𝑝 = = = 85 𝑘𝛺
𝐼𝐿𝑒𝑎𝑘 20 × 10−3
c- The maximum power consumption when the switch is closed
is given by:

(𝑉𝑐𝑐𝑚𝑎𝑥 )2 (5.3)2
𝑃𝑚𝑎𝑥 = = = 0.33 𝑚𝑊
𝑅𝑢𝑝 85

QA2 20 marks Time 26 min

a- Draw the diagram of shunt resistor op-amp current sensor for low voltage side measurement.
b- Assume Low voltage side sensor used to measure AC current ranges from 0 to 1 A (rms) with 𝑅𝑠ℎ𝑢𝑛𝑡 =
0.1 Ω. Design op-amp circuit to supply 0 to +5V ADC. Use only +5V supply and ground.
c- Determine the sensor error %.

a-

Low side shunt resistance current sensor

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22REN322 Data Acquisition and Sensors Final Exam – May 2023
Model Answer

b- The output voltage of the design given in figure can be

calculated as follow:
𝐼1 = 𝐼2
5 − 𝑉 + 𝑉𝑠𝑒𝑛 − 𝑉 +
+ =0
𝑅2 𝑅1
1 1 𝑉𝑠𝑒𝑛 5
𝑉+ ( + ) = +
𝑅1 𝑅2 𝑅1 𝑅2
𝑅 𝑅
1 2 𝑉𝑠𝑒𝑛 5
𝑉+ = ( )( + )
𝑅1 + 𝑅2 𝑅1 𝑅2

𝑅𝑓
𝑉𝑜𝑢𝑡 = 𝑉 + (1 + )
𝑅2
𝑅1 𝑅2 𝑅𝑓 𝑉𝑠𝑒𝑛 5
𝑉𝑜𝑢𝑡 =( ) (1 + ) ( + )
𝑅1 + 𝑅2 𝑅2 𝑅1 𝑅2

The peak load current is 𝐼𝑃𝑒𝑎𝑘 = √2 × ±𝐼𝑚𝑎𝑥 = √2 × 1 =

±1.41 𝐴
When flow through 𝑅𝑠ℎ will generate ±0.141 𝑉
It is required to match the max and min value to the ADC
range (0 to 5 V) hence
𝑅1 𝑅2 𝑅𝑓 0.141 5
𝑉𝑜𝑢𝑡 |+0.141 𝑉 = 5 = ( ) (1 + ) ( + )
𝑅1 + 𝑅2 𝑅2 𝑅1 𝑅2
𝑅1 𝑅2 𝑅𝑓 −0.141 5
𝑉𝑜𝑢𝑡 |−1.41 𝑉 =0=( ) (1 + ) ( + )
𝑅1 + 𝑅2 𝑅2 𝑅1 𝑅2

From the 2nd equation

−0.141 5
0=( + )
𝑅1 𝑅2

0.141 5
∴ =
𝑅1 𝑅2
∴ 0.141𝑅2 = 5𝑅1
Let 𝑅1 = 1 𝑘Ω
5
∴ 𝑅2 = 𝑅 = 35 𝑘Ω
0.141 1

Using the 1st equation

𝑅1 𝑅2 𝑅𝑓 1.41 5
5=( ) (1 + ) ( + )
𝑅1 + 𝑅2 𝑅2 𝑅1 𝑅2
1 × 35 𝑅𝑓 0.141 5
=( ) (1 + ) ( + )
1 + 35 35 1 35
𝑅𝑓 = 599 𝑘Ω
𝐼2
c- 𝐸𝑠𝑒𝑛 %|max 𝑙𝑜𝑎𝑑 = × 100
𝐼𝐿𝑚𝑎𝑥
5 − 𝑉𝑠𝑒𝑛 5−1
𝐼2 = = = 0.136 𝑚𝐴
𝑅1 + 𝑅2 1 + 35

0.136 × 10−3
𝐸𝑠𝑒𝑛 %|max 𝑙𝑜𝑎𝑑 = × 100 = 0.0136%
1

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22REN322 Data Acquisition and Sensors Final Exam – May 2023
Model Answer

QA3 15 marks Time 17 min

e- Draw the schematic diagram of 3 bit flash ADC.
f- What is the conversion time for this type of ADC?
g- How many Op-Amp comparators are required for the 3 bit flash ADC?
h- If the size of the converter increased form 3 bits to 4 bits, how it many Op-Amp comparators should be
used?

b- Flash ADC conversion time is just the delay of

the encoder logic. It is the faster ADC.
c- It requires 7 Op-Amp comparators.
d- It requires 15 Op-Amp comparators.

a-

QA4 20 marks Time 26 min

a- What are advantages and disadvantages of Absolute Encoders?
b- What is the difference between binary code and grey code? Why rotary encoders use grey code rather
than binary code?
c- Draw 5-bit grey code disc.
d- What is the error in angle measurement when using 5-bits grey encoder?

a- c-

Absolute encoder advantages:

 Determines angular exact position

 No reference point needed
 If power is lost, the result remains

Absolute encoder disadvantages:

 Complicated and expensive to manufacture

 Higher price

b-
360°
The binary code is weighted code to base 2. It is The error= ± 26
= ±5.625°
useful for arithmetic operations.
Grey code is generated by shifting each bit by the
half of the previous adjacent bit. It satisfies the
condition of having only one bit change by
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22REN322 Data Acquisition and Sensors Final Exam – May 2023
Model Answer

transition from one code to its successive code.

The advantage of grey code is that it makes very
stable position digitizers, because only one bit
changes at a time, resulting in uncertainty of only
one bit.

Section B: Answer one question only

QB1 15 marks Time 17 min
Assume a 16 bit timer is used to measure the interval of an event that has frequency range from 1 kHz to
10 kHz.
a- -+What would be proper clock frequency to maximize the measurement resolution?
b- Calculate maximum and minimum error percentage in measuring the event interval based on your
design.

Solution
a- The maximum frequency of the clock is the one that almost produce counter overflow at the largest
interval of the signal. Hence

1 1
𝑇𝐸𝑚𝑎𝑥 = = = 1 𝑚 𝑠𝑒𝑐
𝑓𝐸𝑚𝑖𝑛 1000
16
The 16 bit counter counts up to 2 = 65,536
65,536
The counter will overflow if the clock 𝑓𝑐𝑙𝑜𝑐𝑘 > 1 𝑚𝑠 = 65.5 𝑀𝐻𝑧
b-
The maximum error occurs at the maximum frequency of the event
𝑇
± 𝑐𝑙𝑜𝑐𝑘 0.0153×10−6
𝐸𝑚𝑎𝑥 = 2
× 100 = ± × 100 = ±0.0153%
𝑇𝑚𝑖𝑛 0.1×10−3

The minimum error occurs at the minimum frequency of the event

𝑇
± 𝑐𝑙𝑜𝑐𝑘 0.0153×10−6
𝐸𝑚𝑖𝑛 = 2
× 100 = ± × 100 = ±0.00153%
𝑇𝑚𝑎𝑥 1×10−3

QB2 15 marks Time 17 min

a- Compare between RS232 and RS422.
b- Draw the waveform of the two communication protocols showing the difference of their waveform.

Answer
a-

• RS-232
– Unbalanced (one ground wire + one active wire)
– Point-to-point
– Up to 19,2 kbit/s at 15 m cable
• RS-422
– Balanced (both wires are active but in opposite phase)
– Point-to-point
– Up to 2 Mbit/s
b-

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22REN322 Data Acquisition and Sensors Final Exam – May 2023
Model Answer

QB3 15 marks Time 17 min

a- Draw the circuit diagram of active inverting high pass filter.
b- Design the filter knowing that, the minimum signal frequency 5 kHz. (Use only 1 𝑘Ω resistance
and capacitors of the design value). No amplification to the input signal is required.

Solution:
a-

b-
1
𝑓𝑐𝑢𝑡𝑜𝑓𝑓 = 𝑓𝑚𝑖𝑛 = = 5 𝑘𝐻𝑧
2𝜋𝑅1 𝐶
1
𝐶= = 318 𝑛𝐹
2𝜋 × 1 × 103 × 5 × 103
For no amplification at the pass region, the gain of the amplifier is 1 hence
𝑅2
𝐴𝑣 = 1 =
𝑅1
𝑅2 = 1 𝑘Ω

QB4 15 marks Time 17 min

c- Draw the circuit diagram of Wheatstone bridge used as full-bridge strain measurement with
diagram showing the physical configuration of the strain gages.

Page 5 of 6
22REN322 Data Acquisition and Sensors Final Exam – May 2023
Model Answer

d- What are the advantages of Wheatstone full-bridge configuration over half-bridge circuit and
quarter-bridge circuits

Answer
a-

b-
i- It provides the highest sensitivity
ii- Noise is a less significant factor in the measurement
iii- Potential error due to temperature changes is eliminated because all four strain gages have the
same temperature coefficient and are located in close proximity.

Page 6 of 6