Introduction to Data Acquisition System

K.K.
K.K. Bajpai
Bajpai
Senior
Senior Scientific
Scientific Officer
Officer
Structural
Structural Engineering
Engineering Laboratory
Laboratory
IIT
IIT Kanpur
Kanpur
 DAQ System

 Data acquisition is the sampling of the real

world to generate data that can be
manipulated by a computer.

 Sometimes abbreviated DAS, data

acquisition typically involves acquisition of
electrical signals and waveforms and
processing of the signals to obtain desired
information.
 DAQ System Contd…

A data acquisition system consists of many

components that are integrated to:
 Sense physical variables (use of sensors/
transducers)
 Condition the electrical signal to make it
readable by an A/D board
 Convert the signal into a digital format
acceptable by a computer
 Process, analyze, store, and display the
acquired data with the help of software
 DAQ System Contd…
 Sensor - device that responds to a physical stimulus
(heat, light, sound, pressure, motion, flow, and so on),
and produces a corresponding electrical signal

 Analog - A signal, process or quantity whose amplitudes

can have a continuous range of values and is continuous
in time.

 Digital - An electronic technology where a signal has

two states: off and on, most often called zero and one.
 A more general definition is : A signal, process or
quantity where amplitude is mapped into series of
discrete values and the values are only taken at
discrete times.
 DAQ System Contd…
 Physical systems (real-world phenomena)
 Sensors/Transducers and Actuators
 Signal Conditioning equipment
 Data Acquisition & Control Hardware
 Software
Software
DAQ Hardware

Load Cell

LVDT’S

Physical Phenomena Signal Conditioning

(e.g. Bending of RC Beam)
 DAQ System Contd…
Block Diagram
DAQ Hardware

Signal Conditioning

Software
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Analog Inputs
 Analog signals from transducers are often corrupted by other
electric signals, such as electromagnetic interference (EMI),
referred as Noise
 Need to measure data and not noise
 Reduce noise so that signal to noise ratio(SNR) is high
•Proper connection to sensors to limit noise entering into signal
•Filter usually high frequency noise
•Limit transducer noise
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Electrical Noise
Ground Loops - these arise when the
ground voltage at each end of a cable run
is different, causing a current to flow in the
cable's shield and creating a magnetic field
which induces current (noise) in the same
cable the shielding is designed to protect
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Electrical Noise
Tw isted-P air Cable
 One wire used to carry signal. One as a ground reference.
 If the wires run in parallel, unwanted signals will interfere
with one wire more than the other
 Because the wires are twisted, the effect of unwanted
signals are almost neutralized.
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Electrical Noise
Coax ial Cable
 Coaxial cabling has
single/multiple copper conductor
at its center. A plastic layer
provides insulation between the
center conductor and a braided
metal shield. The metal shield
helps to block any outside
interference from fluorescent
lights, motors, and other
computers.
 Although coaxial cabling is difficult to install, it is highly
resistant to signal interference. In addition, it can support
greater cable lengths between network devices than
twisted pair cable.
 DAQ System Contd…
Block Diagram
DAQ Hardware

Signal Conditioning

Software
 DAQ System Contd…

Signal Conditioning
Signal conditioning circuits improve the quality of
signals generated by transducers before they are
converted into digital signals by the data-acquisition
hardware. Functions:
 Pre-filtering: remove undesirable high frequency
components
 Amplification: amplify the signal to match the
dynamic range of the ADC (typically 10 V). e.g. a
x10 amplifier maps transducer signals which
range from 0 to 1 V into the range 0 to 10 V
 Scaling
 Offsetting
 Isolation etc….
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Block Diagram
DAQ Hardware

Signal Conditioning

Software
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Multiplexing
While some systems have a single input and a single
output, often there are multiple inputs and outputs
Rather than have separate converters for each input and
output, we often use multiplexing
 multiplexers make use of electrically operated
switches to control the routing of signals
 these can be used at the input or output of a
system
 normally separate anti-aliasing and/or
reconstruction filters would be used with each
input
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Multiplexing
 DAQ System Contd…

Multiplexing
 DAQ System Contd…
Block Diagram
DAQ Hardware

Signal Conditioning

Software
 DAQ System Contd…
Sample and Hold
The purpose of the sample and hold circuitry is to take a
snapshot of the sensor signal and hold the value. The ADC
must have a stable signal in order to accurately perform a
conversion. The switch connects the capacitor to the signal
conditioning circuit once every sample period. The capacitor
then holds the voltage value measured until a new sample
is acquired. Many times, the sample and hold circuitry is
incorporated into the same integrated circuit package.
 DAQ System Contd…
Block Diagram
DAQ Hardware

Signal Conditioning

Software
 DAQ System Contd…

Analog-to-Digital Conversion (ADC)

Analog-to-digital conversion (ADC) allows digital
computers to interact with everyday signals: distance,
velocity, temperature, altitude, force, acceleration,
pressure etc.
Function: convert analog signals into digital signals
Sample & hold
Quantization
Coding
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Quantization

Definition: transformation of a continuous analog

input into a set of discrete output state
Coding: the assignment of a digital code word or
number to each output states
# of possible state: N=2n, n is # of bits
Quantization resolution: Q=(Vmax-Vmin)/N
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Quantization
The purpose of the analog to digital is to quantize the
input signal from the sample and hold circuit to 2n
discrete levels - where n is the number of bits of the
analog to digital converter (ADC). The input voltage can
range from 0 to Vref (or -Vref to +Vref for a bipolar ADC).
What this means is that the voltage reference of the ADC
is used to set the range of conversion of the ADC. For a
monopolar ADC, a 0V input will cause the converter to
output all zeros. If the input to the ADC is equal to or
larger than Vref then the converter will output all ones.
For inputs between these two voltage levels, the ADC will
output binary numbers corresponding to the signal level.
For a bipolar ADC, the minimum input is Vref not 0V.
 DAQ System Contd…
Quantization
Example: A 4-bit ADC divides the range into 24 or
16 divisions. A binary or digital code between 000
and 1111 represents each division. The ADC
translates each measurement of the analog signal
to one of the digital divisions
 Range = 0 to +10 volts
Range 10.00
(5kHz Sine Wave)

8.75 DAQ System

111 Contd…
110
 Proper Range 7.50
101
6.25
 Using all 8 Amplitude
5.00
100 3-bit resolution
(volts)
levels to 3.75
011

represent 2.50
010
001
your signal 1.25
000
0| | | | |
0 50 100 150 200
Time (µs)

Range = -10 to +10 volts

(5kHz Sine Wave)
10.00
111 Improper
7.50
5.00
110 Range
101 3-bit resolution
2.50
100  Only using 4
Amplitude
(volts)
0
011 levels to
-2.50
010 represent
-5.00
-7.50
001 your signal
000
-10.00 | | | | |
50 100 150 200
Time (µs)
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Resolution R = Range / 2n – 1
16-Bit Versus 3-Bit Resolution
(5kHz Sine Wave)
10.00
111
8.75
110 16-bit resolution
7.50
101
6.25
Amplitude 100
3-bit resolution
(volts) 5.00
011
3.75
010
2.50
001
1.25
000
0 | | | | |
0 50 100 150 200
Time (µs)
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Aliasing
Acquired signal gets distorted if
sampling rate is too small.
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Anti-aliasing Filter
 One way of avoiding the problem of aliasing is
to apply an anti-aliasing filter to the signal, prior
to the sampling stage, to remove any frequency
components above the "folding" or Nyquist
frequency (half the sampling frequency).
 An anti-aliasing filter is a low-pass filter.
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Nyquist Theorem
Analog signal that has been digitized can be perfectly
reconstructed if the sampling rate was 2 times the
maximum frequency component of the signal to
accurately represent the FREQUENCY of analog signal.

NOTE: Sampling rate must be between 5 - 10 times

greater than the maximum frequency component of the
signal to accurately represent the SHAPE of signal
 DAQ System Contd…
Nyquist Theorem Examples

Aliased Signal

100Hz Sine Wave Sampled at 100Hz

Adequately Sampled
for Frequency Only
(Same # of cycles)

100Hz Sine Wave Sampled at 200Hz

Adequately Sampled
for Frequency and
Shape

100Hz Sine Wave Sampled at 1kHz

 DAQ System Contd…

ADC Sampling Rate

Effective sampling rate of each individual channel is
inversely proportional to the number of channels
sampled.
Example:
 100 kHz maximum
 16 channels

100 KHz/16 = 6.25 KHz per channel

 DAQ System Contd…
Grounding Issues
• To get correct measurements we must properly
ground the system
• How the signal is grounded will affect how we ground
the instrumentation amplifier on the DAQ device
• Steps to proper grounding of:
– Determine how signal is grounded
– Choose a grounding mode for your Measurement
System
+
Signal Measurement
VS VM
Source System
-
 DAQ System Contd…

Signal Source Categories

Signal Source

Grounded Floating

+ +
Vs Vs
_ _
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Grounded Signal Source

Signal Source

• Signal is referenced to a
system ground
Grounded
– earth ground
– building ground
+ • Examples:
Vs – Power supplies
_ – Signal Generators
– Anything that plugs into
an outlet ground
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Floating Signal Source

Signal Source

• Signal is NOT
referenced to a system Floating
ground
– earth ground
– building ground +
• Examples: Vs
_
– Batteries
– Thermocouples
– LVDT/Load Cell
– Transformers
– Isolation Amplifiers
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Three modes of grounding for Measurement

System
 Differential
 Referenced Single-Ended (RSE)
 Non-Referenced Single-Ended (NRSE) *

Mode you choose will depend on how your

signal is grounded
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Differential Mode
Two channels used for each signal
Rejects common-mode voltage and
common-mode noise
ACH (+)
+
VS
ACH (-) +
_
Instrumentation +
AISENSE Amplifier
_
VM
AIGND
_
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Referenced Single-Ended (RSE)

Measurement made with respect to system ground
One channel used for each signal
Doesn’t reject common mode voltage

ACH (+)
+

ACH (-) +
Instrumentation +
VS Amplifier
AISENSE
_
VM
_ AIGND
_
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Choosing Measurement System

Signal Source

Grounded Floating

+ +
Vs Vs
_ _

Measurement System Measurement System

Differential RSE NRSE Differential RSE NRSE

 DAQ System Contd…
Options for Grounded Signal Sources
BETTER
+ Rejects Common-Mode Voltage
- Cuts Channel Count in Half

NOT RECOMMENDED
- Voltage difference (Vg) between the two
grounds makes a ground loop that could
damage the device

GOOD
+ Allows use of entire channel count
- Doesn’t reject Common-Mode Voltage
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Options for Floating Signal Sources

BEST
+ Rejects Common-Mode Voltage
- Cuts Channel Count in Half
- Need bias resistors

BETTER
+ Allows use of entire channel count
+ Don’t need bias resistors
- Doesn’t reject Common-Mode Voltage
GOOD
+ Allows use of entire channel count
- Need bias resistors
- Doesn’t reject Common-Mode Voltage
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Data Transfers to the
computer
•Typically, DAQ boards are
installed in a PC with high
speed data bus like PCI.
•Depending on the speed of
the motherboard of the PC,
the maximum data transfers
can occur between
microprocessor and memory
at 20 to 40 MHz.
•To improve the data transfers,
bus mastering (allowing DAQ
board to transfer data
directly) is implemented
 DAQ System Contd…
DAQ Software

 It can be the most critical factor in

obtaining reliable, high performance
operation.
 Transforms the PC and DAQ hardware into
a complete DAQ, analysis, and display
system.
 Different alternatives:
 Programmable software.
 Data acquisition software packages.
 DAQ System Contd…
Points to consider
Converting an analogue signal to a digital form is achieved
by sampling the waveform and then performing analogue
to digital conversion
As long as the sampling rate is above the Nyquist rate, no
information is lost as a result of sampling
When sampling broad spectrum signals we make use of
anti-aliasing filters to remove unwanted components
When reconstructing signals, filters are used to remove the
effects of the sampling
A wide range of ADCs and DACs is available
Sample and hold gates may be useful at the input or output
Multiplexers can reduce the number of converters required
 DAQ System Contd…
Points to consider

 Frequency of input signal ?

 Resolution, range, and gain?
 Continuous operation?
 Compatibility between hardware and
software. Are the drivers available?
 Overall price.
Thank You