ANALYSIS OF RESOLVER TO DIGITAL CONVERTER FOR ANGULAR

POSITION AND ROTATION OF STEPPER MOTOR

𝑁𝐼𝐶𝑌 𝑆𝐼𝐵𝑌1 𝑆𝐴𝐻𝐴𝑆𝑅𝐴𝑁𝑆𝑈 𝐾 𝑃𝐴𝑁𝐷𝐴2 𝑀𝐶 𝐶𝐻𝐴𝑁𝐷𝑅𝐴𝑆𝐻𝐸𝐾𝐻𝐴𝑅 3 𝑀𝑍 𝐾𝑈𝑅𝐼𝐴𝑁 4

1𝐷𝐸𝑃𝑇 𝑂𝐹 𝐸𝐶𝐸,𝑆𝑅𝐼 𝑆𝐼𝐷𝐷𝐻𝐴𝑅𝑇𝐻𝐴 𝐼𝑁𝑆𝑇𝐼𝑇𝑈𝑇𝐸 𝑂𝐹 𝑇𝐸𝐶𝐻𝑁𝑂𝐿𝑂𝐺𝑌,𝐼𝑁𝐷𝐼𝐴

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2𝐴𝐸𝑅𝐷𝐶,𝐸𝑁𝐺𝐼𝑁𝐸 𝐷𝐼𝑉𝐼𝑆𝐼𝑂𝑁,𝐻𝐼𝑁𝐷𝑈𝑆𝑇𝐴𝑁 𝐴𝐸𝑅𝑂𝑁𝐴𝑈𝑇𝐼𝐶𝑆 𝐿𝐼𝑀𝐼𝑇𝐸𝐷

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3𝐷𝐸𝑃𝑇 𝑂𝐹 𝐸𝐶𝐸,𝑆𝑅𝐼 𝑆𝐼𝐷𝐷𝐻𝐴𝑅𝑇𝐻𝐴 𝐼𝑁𝑆𝑇𝐼𝑇𝑈𝑇𝐸 𝑂𝐹 𝑇𝐸𝐶𝐻𝑁𝑂𝐿𝑂𝐺𝑌,𝐼𝑁𝐷𝐼𝐴

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4𝐷𝐸𝑃𝑇 𝑂𝐹 𝐸𝐶𝐸,𝑆𝑅𝐼 𝑆𝐼𝐷𝐷𝐻𝐴𝑅𝑇𝐻𝐴 𝐼𝑁𝑆𝑇𝐼𝑇𝑈𝑇𝐸 𝑂𝐹 𝑇𝐸𝐶𝐻𝑁𝑂𝐿𝑂𝐺𝑌,𝐼𝑁𝐷𝐼𝐴

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Abstract
Electronic Monitoring, industrial motors, robots and vehicular power trains are necessary for
higher efficiency, reliability, and safety, this technology provides the best angular position in terms
of ruggedness, reliability, and resolution. Resolvers are developed mainly for military and
aerospace applications. For high angular and velocity rotation of transformer, electronic control
systems are necessary, which causes the noisy and rugged environment to avoid these, resolver to
digital converter and op-amps are used. The resolver which is known as a rotary transformer
converts the angular position of the shaft into Cartesian coordinates of components. The output of
the transducer consists of two signals which are proportional to the sine and cosine of the angle
which is represented in the form of a digital counterpart. Resolver to Digital Converter(RDC)
driver is placed microcontroller/ microprocessor and to determine the angular position and rotation
speed of the motor shaft, sine and cosine signals are used.

Keywords: Resolver, Resolver to Digital Converter, Angular Position, Rotation Speed, and Sine

and Cosine signals.

 Sinθ

cos

Fig 1: Resolving an angle into its Components

1. Introduction
The Resolver changes mechanical `motion into an analog electrical signal and it is a rotary
transformer with AC voltage output that measures the angular position of the motor. The
Resolver can be categorized into classical and variable reluctance resolvers, Classical resolver
includes primary windings on the rotor and two secondary windings on the stator, and in
Variable reluctance resolver have no windings on the rotor, but all primary and secondary
windings are on the stator as shown in below figure 1.

Similar to all transformers, a resolver requires an AC carrier or reference signal which is

applied to primary windings, and the amplitude of the reference signal is modulated by the sine
and cosine angle of the rotor which produces the output signals in two secondary windings,
usually, for reference signal, the sine wave is considered, Transformer ratio is the value of output
voltage produced from secondary windings which are fed into primary winding.

For resolvers, the Transformation ratio or TR is specified at the maximum coupling

occurring between primary and secondary windings. From the below figure when a primary
winding R1-R2 is excited with a sine signal is expressed in equation 1 and this signal is induced
in the secondary windings. The relation between resolver output and input voltages is given in
equations 2 and 3.

R1 - R2 = 𝐸𝑂 Sin 𝜔t 1

S3 - S1 = T × 𝐸𝑂 Sin 𝜔t × Sin 𝜃 2

S2 – S4 = T × 𝐸𝑂 Sin𝜔t × Cos 𝜃 3
 Where θ denotes shaft angle, 𝜔 denotes excitation signal frequency, 𝐸𝑂 denotes excitation
signal amplitude and T denotes transform ratio of resolver

In RDC, the Sinewave reference signal and two differential output signals are excited from
primary winding and from secondary windings, sine and cosine signals are electromagnetically
induced. To determine the angular position and rotation speed of the motor shaft, RDC uses sine
and cosine signals between the resolver and system microprocessor, and this RDC circuit is used
in avionics, automotive and critical industrial applications which measures the angular position
and velocity accurately which requires reliability over a wide temperature range.

Fig 2: Classical Resolver and Variable Reluctance Resolver

The below figure shows a graphical representation of two output signals: Sine and cosine
signals and excitation signal. The maximum amplitude of the sine signal happens at 900 and
2700 and for cosine signal happens at 00 and 1800 .

Fig 2: Electrical Signal Representation of Resolver

2. Resolver Signal Representation
When primary winding is excited with sinusoidal reference signal as shown in figure 3, the
same frequency at secondary windings is also sinusoidal in phase with the reference signal. The
amplitude of the reference signal, transformation ratio, and sine and cosine signals of the rotor is
proportional to the amplitude of secondary windings.

When the rotor of the resolver completes one revolution in the excitation frequency of 10
cycles the secondary signal envelope can be seen, which is shown in below figure 3 with respect
to the position of the rotor.

Fig 3: Modulation Envelope of Sine Secondary Signal

Removal of the carrier signal or envelope of the above signal is called demodulation which is
performed by Resolver to Digital Converter(RDC). The sine and Cosine demodulated resolver
signals are shown in below figure 4.

Sine
Cosine

Fig4: Demodulated Resolver Secondary Signals

3. Working of Resolver to Digital Conversion

The Resolver to Digital Converter includes two functions: Removal of carrier signals
through demodulation of resolver and rotor angle digital representation is provided from angle
determination. For performing the above function method used is Ratiometric Tracking
Conversion. Sine and Cosine of rotor angle are represented by resolver secondary signals, and the
tangent of rotor angle is represented by the ratio of signal amplitudes. Hence rotor angle, 𝜃 is the
arctangent of sine signal divided by cosine signal.

Sinθ 𝑉𝑠
𝜃 = arctan = arctan
Cosθ 𝑉𝑐

To track the resolver position, the counter is forced by the resolver, signal ratio of arc tangent
calculation is performed by the ratiometric tracking counter. Calculation of arctangent is
represented by trigonometric identity:

Sin(θ - 𝛿) = Sin θ Cos 𝛿 – Cos θ Sin 𝛿

The above equation describes that the difference between two angles of sine can be calculated
by using two angles (sine and cosine) by cross multiplying and further results are subtracted.
Therefore two angles difference is relatively small ( 𝛿 = θ ± 300 ). Sin (θ – 𝛿) ≅ 𝜃 – 𝛿

The above equation can also be used after simplifying the equation. Hence if two angles are
less than 300 each other, differences in angles are calculated by applying cross-multiplication as
shown above.

The above equation is implemented in the R/D converter using the D/A multiplier by
multiplying resolver signals with cosine and sine of digital angles, 𝛿, which indicates converter
output as shown in figure 5 below.

The results which are obtained get subtracted and a reference signal is multiplied, when it is
demodulated and the DC signal is obtained when it is filtered, which is proportional to the
difference or error between digital angle 𝛿 and resolver angle θ, which is placed in the counter,
further it is increased or decreased by using voltage-controlled oscillator till error becomes zero,
at point 𝛿 = 0. This by increasing or decreasing of digital angle 𝛿, tracks the resolver angle θ, that
is how this type of converter is the name so.

VR

VS Cos Multiplying Synchronous

D/A Converter 

VC
Sin Multiplying
D/A Converter

(𝜃 − 𝛿)


Voltage
Counter
Oscillator

Digital Angle Output

of Converter

Fig 5: Typical Resolver to Digital Converter

4. 10- Bit to 16- Bit Resolver – To – Digital Converter

In the below figure 6 the design of the signal chain not only considers amplitude and
frequency but also consider phase shift and stability. Secondly, the inductive and resistive
components are included in the winding impedance of the rotor resolver. The maximum number
of resolvers is defined at an excitation frequency of almost around 10kHz. Non-identical phase
shifts with Various resolvers can be taken in signal chain design.
 The resolver rotor winding is applied from the excitation signal, which comprises a resistive
and non-ideal inductor ranging from 50Ω to 200Ω and reactive component ranges from 0Ω to
200Ω.

For Resolver Driver maximal current and maximal power consumption excitation signal can
be equivalent to 20 𝑉𝑝−𝑝 (7.1 𝑉𝑟𝑚𝑠 ). In the below circuit AD8397 is considered due to the high
supply range (24V), larger output current (310mA peak into 32 Ω on ± 12V supply), and
minimum thermal resistance package. The AD2S1210 generates an excitation signal which is
produced from internal DAC which causes distortion and quantization noise, due to this in the
below circuit AD8692 op-amp is designed which behaves as a third-order active Butterworth
filter to minimize the driver signals noise.

The highest tracking rate of Resolver – To – Digital Converter is 3125rps in 10- bit mode
(i.e., the resolution is 21arcmin) and for 16- Bit mode is 156.25rps (i.e., the resolution is 19.8
arcsec).

Fig 6: Complete Maximum Performance of Resolver to Digital Converter (RDC) Circuit

5. Conclusion

For possible inimical environmental motor applications are controlled by a mixture of

resolvers and an RDC like AD2S120 analog devices produce position and velocity of control
systems with maximum reliability.

For good performance, the mixture of AD8397 and AD8694 produces buffer circuits that
enhance excitation signals and generates necessary driver for resolvers such as feedback of
secondary signals and filtering.

RDC with AD2S1210’s fluctuating resolver, on-chip diagnostics, and source generation
provides the perfect outcome for applications of the resolver.