Unit 6 Analog Computation

and Signal Conditioning

Solution to integro-differential equations, Signal conditioning of low magnitude
signals from sensors – instrumentation amplifier design, filter design, analog
buffers, analog interfacing circuits for microcontrollers.
Solution to integro-differential equations
Signal conditioning of low magnitude signals from sensors
Signal conditioning of low magnitude signals from sensors
Signal conditioning of low magnitude signals from sensors
 Signal conditioning of low magnitude signals from sensors

Definition: Signal Conditioning is the technique used to convert immeasurable

or unworkable signal into useful or functional form.
Fundamentals of Signal Conditioning
● Most of the real world signals are analog signals and majority of sensors
generate analog output signals. So they require some form of preparation
before they can be digitized.
● For example, Thermocouple signals are very small voltage levels that must
be amplified before they can be digitized. Other sensors, such as resistance
temperature detectors (RTDs), thermistors, strain gages, and
accelerometers, require excitation to operate. All of these preparation
technologies are forms of signal conditioning.
 Signal conditioning of low magnitude signals from sensors

Signal conditioning types

1. Amplification
2. Attenuation
3. Filtering
4. Isolation
5. Excitation
 Signal conditioning of low magnitude signals from sensors

Signal conditioning types

1. Amplification
Amplifiers increase voltage level
● to better match the analog-to-digital converter (ADC) range,
● thus increasing the measurement resolution and sensitivity.
● In addition, locating external signal conditioners closer to the signal
source, or transducer, improves the measurement signal-to-noise ratio by
magnifying the voltage level before it is affected by environmental noise.
Typical sensors that require amplification are thermocouples and strain
gauges.
 Signal conditioning of low magnitude signals from sensors

Signal conditioning types

2. Attenuation
● Attenuation, the opposite of amplification, is necessary when voltages to be
digitized are beyond the ADC range.
● This form of signal conditioning decreases the input signal amplitude so that
the conditioned signal is within the ADC range.
● Attenuation is typically necessary when measuring voltages that are more
than 10 V.
 Signal conditioning of low magnitude signals from sensors

Signal conditioning types

3. Filtering
Filters reject unwanted noise within a certain frequency range.
Often, low pass filters are used to block out noise in electrical measurements,
such as 50/60 Hz power.
Another common use for filtering is to prevent aliasing from high-frequency
signals. This can be done by using an anti-aliasing filter to attenuate signals
above the Nyquist frequency.
Nyquist theorem
 Signal conditioning of low magnitude signals from sensors

Signal conditioning types

4. Isolation
Voltage signals well outside the range of the digitizer can damage the
measurement system and harm the operator. For that reason, isolation is usually
required in conjunction with attenuation to protect the system and the user
from dangerous voltages or voltage spikes.
 Signal conditioning of low magnitude signals from sensors

Signal conditioning types

5. Excitation
● Excitation is required for many types of transducers. For example, strain
gages, accelerometers, thermistors, and RTDs require external voltage or
current excitation.
● RTD and thermistor measurements are made with a current source that
converts the variation in resistance to a measurable voltage.
● Accelerometers often have an integrated amplifier, which requires current
excitation provided by the measurement device.
● Strain gauges, which are very-low-resistance devices, are typically used in a
Wheatstone bridge configuration with a voltage excitation source.
 Amplifier

Amplifier Characteristics

● Gain-Bandwidth Product (GBWP)

An op-amp with higher GBWP would be able to handle signals over a wider frequency range without compromising on
amplification.

● Input Offset Voltage and Input Bias Current

● Gain Linearity

● Op-amp Noise

● Common Mode Rejection Ratio (CMRR)

● Power Supply Rejection Ratio (PSRR)

the change in output voltage with a change in power supply voltage.
 Amplifier

Amplifier Types:

(i) Single-ended Amplifiers

When signal conditioning and processing blocks are located close to actual sensor, system is less
susceptible to noise

Single-ended amplifiers are essentially op-amps in which one input is connected to the sensing
element, and the other input is tied to a resistive voltage circuit that determines the gain of the amplifier.

Example systems: PIR Detectors, Hall Effect Sensors, Thermistors, Smoke Detectors, Humidity
Sensors
 Amplifier

Amplifier Types:

(Ii) Differential Amplifiers

When signal conditioning and processing blocks are remotely located, or placed
in a noisy environment, single-ended amps are not so accurate − Differential
Amplifiers are used

Example systems: Pressure sensors, Thermocouples

 Instrumentation amplifier
DA requires the adjustment of multiple resistor values for gain adjustment.
IA requires the adjustment of single resistor value for gain adjustment.
IA possesses extremely high input impedances on the V1 and V2 inputs because
they connect straight into the noninverting inputs of their respective op-amps.

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