Electronic Instrumentation

(10 IT 35)

Unit - 02

Prof G B Gour

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 VTU Syllabus

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 Unit-02
Digital Instruments:
Digital Voltmeters: Introduction

Digital Voltmeters
are measuring instruments that convert analog voltage signals into a
digital read out

Types of Digital Voltmeters (DVMs)….based on..

1) Number of Digits
2) Number of Measurements
3) Accuracy
4) Speed of Reading
5) Types of Digital O/Ps

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 Comparison of DVM

Digital Voltmeter Ana log Voltmeter

01 Displays AC & DC Voltages It measures AC Voltages only

02 Due to Numerical read out, it reduces It does not reduce human error, parallax error
human error, Parallax error & increases but, can be avoided with care. Therefore little
reading speed support in increasing the reading speed

03 O/P in digital form useful in further O/P is not Suitable for further analysis
processing & recording

04 Better portability & size due to No better portability & size

development of with ICs. This reduced
the size, power consumption & cost

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 Outstanding Qualities OR Operating – Performance Characteristics
( DVM)

1. I/P range from +1.000 Volts to +1000 Volts with automatic range selection

2. Absolute Accuracy of ± 0.005 % of reading ( High )

3. Resolution is 1 part in a million ( 1µV read on 1V- Range )

4. Calibration internally from stabilized reference sources ( independent of

measuring circuit )

5. O/P in BCD form, for print outs, digital processing

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RAMP type Digital Voltmeter

Basic Concept

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RAMP type Voltmeter

Initialization

Input
Comparator

Output
Comparator

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 Advantages
o RAMP type circuit is easy to design with low cost
o Out Pulse is transmitted over long feeder lines

Disadvantages
o Single RAMP needs excellent characteristics of ramp & time
measurements
o Large errors are possible when noise is superimposed on the
input signal

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 Unit-02
Digital Instruments:
DVM’s based on V-T

Dual Slope Integration type Voltmeter

or
Digital Voltmeter with Voltage to Time Conversion (DVM V-T)

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 Unit-02
Digital Instruments:
DVM’s based on V - F

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 Unit-02
Digital Instruments:
Successive Approximation Principles

Voltage in decimal (x)

= (Number of levels X analog input voltage) / Reference Voltage

For 1V analog input, x = 51 V: 00110011

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Sample & Hold Circuit

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DAC or R-2R-Ladder type DAC or Binary Ladder

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 Unit-02
Digital Instruments:
Resolution & Sensitivity

Resolution
n – number of full digits
R = 1/ 10n

Example:
The Resolution of a DVM with n = 3 active digits is,
R = 1 / 103
= 0.1 %

Sensitivity
(fs) min – lowest full scale of meter
S = (fs) min X R

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 Unit-02
Digital Instruments:
General Specifications

Display 3 ½ digits, LCD

Unit Annunciation mV, V, mA, Ω, kΩ, Buzzer, Battery Low,
Manual, ac ...

Max. Indication 1999 or -1999

Over range only (1) or (-1) displayed at the MSB
indication
Polarity Automatic

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 Unit-02
Digital Instruments:
Digital Multi-meters

All Digital meters have A-to-D Converters with visible read out
display at the converter output

Panel meters
placed at one location

Bench meters mainly used for stand alone operations & Visual
operation reading
( can read both ac & dc voltages, currents &
resistances with multiranges)

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System meters
Provide electrical BCD output, having display with better
control abilities & microprocessor based computing power

Block Diagram of a Basic Digital Multimeter

Measurement of Current

Measurement of Resistance

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 Digital Frequency Meter

Principle of operation

Number of pulses / Sec = Hertz ( Hz)

Due to high speed electronic counters, high speed signal can be

measured

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Basic Circuit of a Digital Frequency Meter

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Basic Circuit Frequency Measurement

STOP operation

START
operation

With next pulse

from time base

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 START
STOP
Operation 1

0
1

1
0
1
0 1
0 1
0
SET
RESET

0
1
1
0
RESET
SET

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With next pulse from time base Selector

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 Extending High Frequency measurement

High Frequency signal is divided by integral numbers like,

Pre Scaling
2,4,6....., by high speed divider circuits

Heterodyne High Frequency signal is reduced within frequency range by

Counter heterodyne methods

Harmonic LF-CW-oscillator is used to mix with unknown

Transfer
high frequency signal to produce LF oscillator frequency
Oscillator

High frequency signal is reduced by some factor like 100:1,

Automatic
by automatically tuned circuits
Divider

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 Digital Measurement of Time

Principle of Operation

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Measurement of Time ( Period )

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Multiple Period Average Mode of Operation ( MPAM)

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Ratio & multiple Ratio Measurement

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