Analog to Digital Converter

What is ADC ?

What is ADC ?
What is ADC ?

Definition Examples of use Conversion process Accuracy

Definition
Most signals we want to process are analog i.e.: they are continuous and can take an inifinity of values

What is ADC ?

x(t)

Definition
Digital systems require discrete digital data ADC converts an analog information into a digital information

What is ADC ?

Analog

Digital

Digital System

Examples of use
Voltmeter
What is ADC ?

7.77 V

Cell phone (microphone)

Wave

Voice

Conversion process
3 steps: Sampling Quantification Coding
These operations are all performed in a same element: the A to D Converter

What is ADC ?

Conversion process: Sampling

Digital system works with discrete states The signal is only defined at determined times The sampling times are proportional to the sampling period (Ts)
x(t) Ts xs(t)

What is ADC ?

x(t)

xs(t=k*Ts)

Ts

Nyquist-Shannon theorem:
sampling process is performed by measuring the continuous signal's value every T units of time (or space), which is called the sampling interval. Sampling results in a sequence of numbers, called samples, to represent the original signal. Each sample value is associated with the instant in time when it was measured. The reciprocal of the sampling interval (1/T) is the sampling frequency denoted fs, which is measured in samples per unit of time. If T is expressed in seconds, then fs is expressed in hertz.

What is ADC ?

Conversion process: Quantification

The signal can only take determined values Belonging to a range of conversion (Vr) Based on number of bit combinations that the converter can output Number of possible states: N=2n where n is number of bits Resolution: Q= Vr/N
xs(t) xq(t) Q

What is ADC ?

Vr

Ts

Conversion process: Coding

Assigning a unique digital word to each sample Matching the digital word to the input signal

What is ADC ?

xq(t)
N-1 N-2

Q
2 1 0

Vr

Ts

Accuracy

What is ADC ?

The accuracy of an ADC can be improved by increasing: The sampling rate (Ts) The resolution (Q)

Accuracy
xq(t) Q

What is ADC ?

t Ts

Higher Sampling rate

xq(t) xq(t) Q

Higher Resolution

Ts

Sampling rate

What is ADC ?

fs>2*fmax

Nyquist-Shannon theorem: Minimum sampling rate should be at least twice the highest data frequency of the analog signal

Sampling rate
Analog signals are composed of an infinity of harmonics
What is ADC ?

Need to limit the frequency band to its useful part Use of an analog filter
Analog Filter

Analog

Analog

ADC

Digital

In practice: fs (35)*ffilter

Example
8 bits converter: n=8 Range of conversion: Vr=5V
What is ADC ?

Sampling time: Ts=1ms Number of possible states: N=28=256 Resolution: Q=Vr/N=19.5 mV

Analog Filter: ffilter fs/5 = 200 Hz

5 255
Gain f

0 Analog

0 Digital

x(t) = Acos(t), A = 5V)

What is ADC ?