May  
29  
Latrobe  College  of  Science,  Health  
and  Engineering                                                    
Subject:  Engineering  Practice  
Code:  ELE5PRA  
Subject  Coordinator:  Mr.  Jim  Whittington                            
Instance  Coordinator:  Mr.  Adam  Console                                        
Hardwar  Lab  Assignment  “Filters”                                                    
Student  Name:  Abdulhakim  Saud  A  Almutarrid                                
Student  Id:  18034318    

L a t r o b e   U n i v e r s i t y    
Table  of  Contents  
Introduction  ........................................................................................................................  3  
Aim/Objective  .....................................................................................................................  5  
Method/Procedures  ............................................................................................................  6  
Results  and  Discussion  ........................................................................................................  9  
Conclusion  .........................................................................................................................  11  
References  ........................................................................................................................  12  
Appendix  ...........................................................................................................................  13  
 

 
 

  2  
Introduction  
 
    In   the   mid-­‐1970s,   the   history   of   digital   filters   began   alongside   with   new  
concept   known   as   Digital   Signal   Processing   (DSP)   and   after   nearly   30   years  
passed   the   digital   filters   has   become   a   great   help   to   advance   the   technology   in  
many   applications   such   as   communications,   audio,   radar   and   others   (Taylor  
2011).   Taylor   defines   digital   filter   as   “device   that   can   modify   the   attributes   of   a  
signal   using   digital   means”   (Taylor   2011),   he   explains   the   main   reason   to   use  
filter  is  to  remove  noise  from  the  signal.    
 
During   this   semeter,   there   were   four   main   types   of   filters   have   been   covered  
(Console  2015):    
 
v High  Pass  Filter  which    let  high  frequencies  to  pass  through.    
 
v Low  Pass  Filter  which  let  low  frequencies  to  pass  through.    
 
v Band  Reject  Filters  which  reject  some  certain  band  of  frequencies.    
 
v Band   Pass   Filters,   which   let   signals,   pass   through   that   have   strong  
frequency  with  certain  limit.    
This   lab   is   known   as   reverse   engineering   process,   where   the   students   work  
backwards   in   order   to   determine   the   filter   type   and   also   the   component   values  
that   constitute   the   filter.   From   this   experiment,   High   Pass   Filter   (Board   1)   and  
Low  Pass  Filter  (Board  8)  were  used;  we  determine  this  by  measuring  frequency  
response  for  each  filter  after  applying  different  frequencies.  We needed to measure  
the  cut-­‐off  frequencies  to  be  used  in  the  topology  calculations.  The  next  step  was  
measuring   the   DC   resistance   to   help   identify   the   configuration   of   the   circuit’s.  
Furthermore,   we   determine   the   values   of   resistances   and   capacitance   after  
substituting   the   cut-­‐off   values   for   each   Filter.   Lastly,   a   cascade   circuit   has   been  
made   using   the   two   boards,   which   formed   a   Band   Pass   Filter.   Then,   we   compared  
all  the  results  by  simulating  all  the  circuits  using  Tina.    
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

  3  
 The  general  concept  of  the  filters  that  used  in  the  experiment  and  their  formulas  
are  shown  below:  
 
Low  pass  filter  characteristics    
       

 
 
Figure  1:  Example  of  low  Pass  circuit  and  curve  
1/τ  =  ωc  =  cut-­‐off  frequency    
τ  =  RC
H  =(1/sC)/(1/sC  "  +  R  “)  
At  ωc:    H  (ωc)=1/√2  
In  dB:  20  log  (0.707)  =  -­‐3.01dB  
 
High  pass  filter  characteristics    
     
 
 

 
Figure  2:  Example  of  High  Pass  circuit  and  curve  
1/τ  =  ωc  =  cut-­‐off  frequency        
τ  =  RC
H  =R/(1/sC  "  +  R  “)  
At  ωc:    H  (ωc)=1/√2      
In  dB:  20  log  (0.707)  =  -­‐3.01dB  

  4  
  
Band  pass  filter  characteristics    

 
 
V+ _    
 
   
R    
 

V
   
 
 
Figure  3:  Example  Band  Pass  circuit  and  curve  
 
 
ωc  =  cut-­‐off  frequency      
H  =R/(1/sC  "  +  sL  +  R  "  )  
At  ωc:    H  (ωc)=1/√2  
In  dB:  20  log  (0.707)  =  -­‐3.01dB
 
 

     Aim/Objective  
 
The   aim   of   this   experiment   is   to   make   the   students   familiar   with   reverse  
engineering   concept   and   its   process;   the   idea   behind   reverse   engineering   is   to  
identify  unknown  configuration  and  components  of  a  circuit.  In  addition,  Students  
will   have   a   great   opportunity   to   use   different   engineering   instruments   such   as  
Oscilloscope,  Signal  Generator  and  Digital  Multi-­‐meter  in  order  to  determine  the  
component  values.  Also,  students  will  develop  a  skill  in  simulating  analog  circuits.  
The   main   software   that   students   were   exposed   to   was   TINA,   which   can   be  
considered  as  very  useful  tool  to  figure  out  the  topologies  and  help  to  confirm  the  
manual  calculations.  
   
 
 
 
 
 
 

  5  
  

Method/Procedures  
Each   student   was   provided   with   two   passive   filter   circuits   according   to   their  
student   ID   number.     Student   followed   these   steps   in   order   to   complete   the  
experiment.  
 
1.  Connected  each  circuit  individually  as  seen  in  figure  4  below    
 
 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Figure  4:  the  DSO  and  SFG  connection  for  each  circuit  .  
 
2. For   the   DSO:   press   the   default   setup   and   make   sure   that   CH1   is   running   and   used  
as  input  at  10v  also  CH2  is  running  and  used  to  show  the  output  results  as  seen  in  
figure  4.    
3. For   the   SFG   Press   default   (shift   2)   and   setting   different   frequencies   and  
measuring   the   frquencies   response   of   the   filter,   it   recommendaed   that   students  
start   from   small   frequencies   such   as   100   Hz   and   every   time   increse   samll  
increament   unitl   reaching     10m   Hz.   The   student   should   have   a   graph   similar   to  
figure  5.      
 
 

  6  
 Adjust  the  input  
  “CH1”  to  10v  Pk-­‐Pk  
  by  changing  
It  recommend     amplitude  on  SFG  
to  use  1/dv  or    
1/2/dv  so  you    
can  have    
accurate    
Record  the  output  
results      
Pk-­‐Pk  “CH2”  each  
  time  when  changing  
  the  frequency.  
 
 
 
 
Figure  5:    the  connection  for  the  filters  when  it  is  cascaded  
 
 
4. Now   we   can   determined   the   filter   type   by   looking   to   frequencies   response   and  
also   the   cut-­‐off   frequency,   this   procedure   was   done   indvidulaly   for   each   filter,  
then   students   need   to   test   the   two   filters   when   it   cascaded   by   following   the   same  
steps.   However,   each   student   needed   to   make   sure   the   order   of   filter   by   checking  
the  their  last  two  number  of  their  ID’s  and  connected  them  accordingly  as  shown  
in  figure  6  below    
 
     
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Figure  6:    the  connection  for  the  filters  when  it  is  cascaded  
 
 
5. Determine  the  DC  Resistance  for  each  circuit  by  measuring  the  Input  Impedence    
(open  &  short  circuit  input)  using  Multimeter  and  repeating  the  same  procedure  
for   the   ouput   Impedence.   Lastely,   measuring   output   to   input   Resistance   and  
record  the  results  as  seen  the  in  table  1    &  2  .  
 

  7  
 Board  1  
Input  open  cic   ∞  
Input  short  cic   ∞  
output  open  cic   150Ω  
output  short  cic   150Ω  
Output  to  input  Resistance   ∞  
 
 
Board  8  
Input  open  cic   150.5  Ω  
Input  short  cic   105  Ω  
output  open  cic   125.3  Ω  
output  short  cic   87.8  Ω  
Output  to  input  Resistance   125.5  Ω  
 
 
6. From  the  table  above,  students  can  investigate  about  the  postion  of  the  capacitor  
and  also  determined  the  correct  topology  for  each  filter.  The  Topology  for  circuit  
1  and  8  are  shown  below  in  figure  7  and  8.    

 
Figure   7:  Filter  1  high  Pass  Topology       Figure  8:  Filter  8  low  Pass  Topology        

7.  D
etermine   the   component   values   that   constitute   the   filter,   for   circuit   1   was   easy   to  
determine   the   resistance   since   there   is   only   one   resistance   and   the   cut-­‐off  
frequency  is  known.  From  that,  we  can  work  out  the  capacitance  value  by  using  
this  formula    
 
1/τ  =  ωc  =  cut-­‐off  frequency  
τ  =  RC  
1
= 𝑅𝑒𝑞 ∗ 𝐶  
2𝜋  16𝑘
 
R  =  150Ω  
C  =  66.3nF  

  8  
  
However,  circuit  8  need  more  caculation  since  there  are  three  resistances  in  the  filter.  
The  calculation  shown  below:    
 
R1+  R2  =  125.5  Ω           R1  =  125.5  Ω  -­‐  R2      
R1+  R3  =  150.5  Ω       R1  =  150.5  Ω  -­‐  R3      
R2  +R3  =  125.3  Ω                  125.5-­‐  R2  =  150.5-­‐  R3                          R2  =  -­‐150.5  +  R3  +125.5    
 
-­‐150.5+  R3  +125.5+  R3  =  125.3       2  R3  =  150.5       R3  =  75    
Therefore,    
  R1  =  75,     R2  =  50,     R3  =  75    
 
Since  we  have  the  cutoff  =  20k  Hz,  we  can  calculate  the  capacitance  value  using  the  
formula:  
τ=RC=  (((R1+50)||R3)+R2)  C  
 
 
1
= 𝑅𝑒𝑞 ∗ 𝐶  
2𝜋  28𝑘
                         C=  66.87nF  
 
 
8. Now,  we  can  simulate  each  filter  to  test  if  the  output  match  our  calculated  using  
TINA,   it   should   have   similar   cut-­‐off   frequency   and   also   similar   filter   type.   One  
important   thing   to   consider   while   using   the   software   is   the   50Ω   as   internal  
resistance  of  the  sourse.  

Results  and  Discussion  

 
The  following  figures  are  showing  the  TINA  simulation  for  the  three  configuration  
 

 
  Figure  9:  Board  1,  High  Pass  Filter  

  9  
  
  Figure  10:  Board  8,  Low  Pass  Filter  
 
 

 
  Figure  11:  Board  1  and  8,  Band  Pass  Filter  
 
 
 
From  the  above  figures,  it  can  be  found  that  the  simulation  for  board  1  and  board  8  have  
matched  with  the  configuration  and  reading  from  oscilloscope.  However,  there  is  a  small  
error   between   the   recorded   values   and   the   simulation.   For   example,   it   has   been   found  
that  the  error  for  board  1  (individually)  is  0.6  %  only,  but  for  board  8  is  2.5%.  This  can  
be   explained   by   tolerance   of   the   resistors,   as   the   error   increases   by   increasing   the  
number  of  resistors  and  by  increasing  the  tolerance  of  each  resistor.  Therefore,  board  1  
has  only  1  resistor,  whereas  board  8  has  3  resistors.  This  explained  the  higher  error  in  
board  8.  
 

  10  
Regarding  the  cascade  circuit,  the  error  is  way  higher  than  each  individual  circuit.  This  is  
because   the   cascade   circuit   includes   4   resistors   and   two   capacitors   with   different  
combination   of   series   and   parallel.   As   a   result,   this   will   increase   the   error   to   higher  
values,   which   has   been   confirmed   by   the   simulation.   For   example,   the   error   for   the  
cascade  was  found  15  %  for  the  lower  frequency  and  25%  for  the  upper  frequency.      
 
 
 

Conclusion  
This  experiment  helped  the  students  to  determine  the  unknown  filters  by  looking  to  the  
frequency   response.   The   cascade   process   was   another   challenge   for   the   student   to  
investigate,  this  process  helped  the  students  realize  the  different  results  that  cascade  did  
to  the  filter  and  produce  a  Band  Pass  filter  for  board  1  and  8.  Another  advantage  of  this  
lab  is  measurement  process  where  the  student  did  a  number  of  calculations  in  order  to  
determine   the   component   values   of   the   board.   Then,   verify   the   measured   results   with  
calculated   figures   by   simulating   both   three   filters   using   TINA.   Lastly,   the   results   show  
some   low   margin   error   for   1   and   8   boards.   However,   the   cascade   circuit   showed  
considerably   large   amount,   which   due   the   increase   numbers   of   the   resistors   and   the  
capacitors.  

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

  11  
  References  
   
Taylor,  F  2011,  Digital  Filters:  Principles  and  Applications  with  MATLAB,  Wiley,  New  
Jersey.  
 
Console,  A  2015,  Filters,  Adam  Console,  Latrobe  university,  
<https://lms.latrobe.edu.au/course/view.php?id=36861>    
 
 
 
 

  12  
Appendix  
Table  3:  Board  1  “High  Pass  Filter”    

freq   ch1   ch2   vo/vin   20log(vo/vin)  

1000   10   0.0664   0.664   -­‐23.55663841    

5000   10   2.88   0.288   -­‐10.81215024    

6000   10   3.32   0.332   -­‐9.577238326    

7000   10   3.68   0.368   -­‐8.683043627    

8000   10   4   0.4   -­‐7.958800173    

9000   10   4.36   0.436   -­‐7.210270215    

10000   10   4.6   0.46   -­‐6.744843366    

11000   10   5   0.5   -­‐6.020599913    

12000   10   5.32   0.532   -­‐5.481767354    

13000   10   5.56   0.556   -­‐5.098504168    

14000   10   5.72   0.572   -­‐4.852079424    

15000   10   6   0.6   -­‐4.436974992    

16000   10   6.64   0.664   -­‐3.556638413   (-­‐3dB)  from  (-­‐0.649  dB)  give  us  the  cutoff  
frequency  
17000   10   7.04   0.704   -­‐3.048546817    

18000   10   7.2   0.72   -­‐2.853350071    

19000   10   7.44   0.744   -­‐2.568541289    

20000   10   7.52   0.752   -­‐2.475643188    

21000   10   7.6   0.76   -­‐2.383728154    

22000   10   7.68   0.768   -­‐2.292775599    

23000   10   8   0.8   -­‐1.93820026    

24000   10   8.08   0.808   -­‐1.851772785    

25000   10   8.16   0.816   -­‐1.766196825    

26000   10   8.16   0.816   -­‐1.766196825    

27000   10   8.24   0.824   -­‐1.681455766    

28000   10   8.24   0.824   -­‐1.681455766    

29000   10   8.32   0.832   -­‐1.597533474    

30000   10   8.32   0.832   -­‐1.597533474    

40000   10   8.88   0.888   -­‐1.031740684    

  13  
50000   10   9   0.9   -­‐0.915149811    

60000   10   9.12   0.912   -­‐0.800103233    

70000   10   9.12   0.912   -­‐0.800103233    

80000   10   9.2   0.92   -­‐0.724243453    

90000   10   9.28   0.928   -­‐0.649040476    

100000   10   9.4   0.94   -­‐0.537442928    

Table  4:  Board  8  “low  Pass  Filter”  

Frequency     ch1   ch2   vo/vin   20log(vo/vin)    

10   10   4.88   0.488   -­‐6.23160356    

100   10   4.88   0.488   -­‐6.23160356    

1000   10   4.88   0.488   -­‐6.23160356    

5000   10   4.88   0.488   -­‐6.23160356    

6000   10   4.88   0.488   -­‐6.23160356    

7000   10   4.88   0.488   -­‐6.23160356    

8000   10   4.88   0.488   -­‐6.23160356    

9000   10   4.88   0.488   -­‐6.23160356    

10000   10   4.8   0.48   -­‐6.375175252    

11000   10   4.48   0.448   -­‐6.97443972    

12000   10   4.44   0.444   -­‐7.052340598    

13000   10   4.4   0.44   -­‐7.13094647    

14000   10   4.32   0.432   -­‐7.290325064    

  14  
15000   10   4.28   0.428   -­‐7.37112462    

16000   10   4.24   0.424   -­‐7.452682868    

17000   10   4.2   0.42   -­‐7.535014192    

18000   10   4.16   0.416   -­‐7.618133387    

19000   10   4.08   0.408   -­‐7.786796738    

20000   10   3.84   0.384   -­‐8.313375513    

25000   10   3.6   0.36   -­‐8.873949985    

26000   10   3.52   0.352   -­‐9.06914673    

27000   10   3.48   0.348   -­‐9.168415121    

28000   10   3.44   0.344   -­‐9.268831149   (-­‐3dB)  from  (-­‐6.231dB)  give  us  the  
cutoff  frequency  

29000   10   3.36   0.336   -­‐9.473214452    

30000   10   3.36   0.336   -­‐9.473214452    

31000   10   3.32   0.332   -­‐9.577238326    

32000   10   3.2   0.32   -­‐9.897000434    

33000   10   3.16   0.316   -­‐10.00625835    

34000   10   3.12   0.312   -­‐10.11690812    

35000   10   3.08   0.308   -­‐10.22898567    

36000   10   3   0.3   -­‐10.45757491    

37000   10   2.96   0.296   -­‐10.57416578    

  15  
38000   10   2.92   0.292   -­‐10.69234297    

39000   10   2.88   0.288   -­‐10.81215024    

40000   10   2.84   0.284   -­‐10.9336332    

50000   10   2.52   0.252   -­‐11.97198918    

60000   10   2.2   0.22   -­‐13.15154638    

70000   10   2   0.2   -­‐13.97940009    

80000   10   1.8   0.18   -­‐14.8945499    

90000   10   1.64   0.164   -­‐15.70312304    

100000   10   1.56   0.156   -­‐16.13750803    

1000000   10   0.32   0.032   -­‐29.89700043    

Table  5:  Board  1  &  8  “Band  Pass  Filter”  

Frequency   ch1   ch2   vo/vin   20log(vo/vin)  

100   10   0.06   0.006   -­‐
44.43697499  
200   10   0.08   0.008   -­‐
41.93820026  
300   10   0.1   0.01   -­‐40  
400   10   0.1   0.01   -­‐40  
500   10   0.12   0.012   -­‐
38.41637508  
600   10   0.14   0.014   -­‐
37.07743929  
700   10   0.16   0.016   -­‐
35.91760035  
800   10   0.16   0.016   -­‐
35.91760035  
900   10   0.18   0.018   -­‐34.8945499  
1000   10   0.18   0.018   -­‐34.8945499  
2000   10   0.36   0.036   -­‐
28.87394998  
3000   10   0.48   0.048   -­‐

  16  
 26.37517525  
4000   10   0.64   0.064   -­‐
23.87640052  
5000   10   0.76   0.076   -­‐
22.38372815  
6000   10   0.88   0.088   -­‐
21.11034656  
7000   10   1   0.1   -­‐20  
8000   10   1.14   0.114   -­‐
18.86190297  
9000   10   1.24   0.124   -­‐18.1315663  
10000   10   1.3   0.13   -­‐
17.72113295  
11000   10   1.38   0.138   -­‐
17.20241827  
12000   10   1.48   0.148   -­‐
16.59476569  
13000   10   1.58   0.158   -­‐
16.02685826  
14000   10   1.62   0.162   -­‐
15.80969971  
15000   10   1.68   0.168   -­‐
15.49381437  
16000   10   1.78   0.178   -­‐
14.99159995  
17000   10   1.8   0.18   -­‐14.8945499  
18000   10   1.82   0.182   -­‐
14.79857224  
19000   10   1.86   0.186   -­‐
14.60974112  
20000   10   1.92   0.192   -­‐
14.33397543  
30000   10   2.1   0.21   -­‐
13.55561411  
40000   10   2.08   0.208   -­‐13.6387333  
50000   10   1.96   0.196   -­‐
14.15487857  
60000   10   1.86   0.186   -­‐
14.60974112  
70000   10   1.74   0.174   -­‐
15.18901503  
80000   10   1.62   0.162   -­‐
15.80969971  
90000   10   1.5   0.15   -­‐
16.47817482  
100000   10   1.38   0.138   -­‐
17.20241827  
110000   10   1.3   0.13   -­‐
17.72113295  
120000   10   1.22   0.122   -­‐
18.27280339  

  17  
130000   10   1.14   0.114   -­‐
18.86190297  
140000   10   1.1   0.11   -­‐19.1721463  
150000   10   1.02   0.102   -­‐
19.82799656  
160000   10   0.98   0.098   -­‐
20.17547849  
170000   10   0.9   0.09   -­‐
20.91514981  
180000   10   0.86   0.086   -­‐
21.31003098  
190000   10   0.84   0.084   -­‐
21.51441428  
200000   10   0.8   0.08   -­‐
21.93820026  
300000   10   0.6   0.06   -­‐
24.43697499  
400000   10   0.48   0.048   -­‐
26.37517525  
500000   10   0.4   0.04   -­‐
27.95880017  
800000   10   0.26   0.026   -­‐
31.70053304  
900000   10   0.24   0.024   -­‐
32.39577517  
1000000   10   0.22   0.022   -­‐
33.15154638  
4000000   10   0.1   0.01   -­‐40  
8000000   10   0.1   0.01   -­‐40  
 

  18  
Board  1  when  it  is  at  low  freq  1000k  1  

 
Board  1  when  it  is  near  the  cut  off  freq  1  

  19  
  
Board  1  when  it  is  in  high  freq  100k  1  

 
Board  8  when  it  is  in  low  freq  1k      1  

  20  
  
Board  8  when  it  is  near  the  cut  off  freq  1  

 
Board  1  &  8  when  it  is  12k  

  21