Understanding Basic

Data Acquisition Specifications

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Key Takeaways

Analog vs Digital Signals

Sampling Rate
Triggering
Resolution
Accuracy vs Precision
Signal Conditioning

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What Is Data Acquisition (DAQ)?

Data acquisition (DAQ) is the process of measuring an
electrical or physical phenomenon such as voltage,
current, temperature, pressure, or sound with a computer.

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All Measurements Are Technically Inexact

2 MS/s
320 Vrms Input Noise

Simultaneous Sampling

Manufacturers specification of
measurement uncertainty

Analog Triggering

157 uV accuracy

12.5 kS/s

Measured values

0.13% Gain Error

10 G Input Impedance
error

+ error

- error

24 bits resolution

Input value

0.55% Offset Error

10V Range
250 Vrms Ch-Ch Isolation
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24.56 kHz Bandwidth

Signals Come in Two Forms: Digital and Analog

Digital

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Analog

Digital Signals

Digital signals have two states: high and low

TTL, CMOS, PECL, etc.

Can measure state or rate

+5.0 V

High State

State

+2.2 V
Indeterminate

Low State

+0.8 V
0V
Rate

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Digital Terminology
0
1

A binary number
consisting of eight
related bits of data.

The smallest unit of

data. Each bit is either a
1 or a 0.

Bit

01101001
10101100

Byte

Line
A collection of digital
lines (usually four or
eight).

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Port

One individual signal in

a port. Bit refers to the
data transferred. Line
refers to the hardware.

Signals Come in Two Forms: Digital and Analog

Digital

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Analog

Analog Signals
Analog signals are continuous signals that can be any
value with respect to time.

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Analog Terminology
4.71 V

Level
The instantaneous value of the signal at a given point in time.

Shape
The form that the analog signal takes, which often dictates further
analysis that can be performed on the signal.

Frequency
The number of occurrences of a repeating event over time.

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Sampling Rate

Sampling rate is the frequency at which you measure the

original input signal.
Resulting signal is a series of discrete samples acquired
at a specified sampling rate.

Actual Signal

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Sampled Signal

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Multiplexing Limitations on Sampling Rate

Simultaneous Sampling
Sample
Clock
Ch 1
Ch 2
Ch 3

Ch 1
Ch 2
Ch 3

Multiplexed Sampling
Sample
Clock
Ch 1 Ch 2 Ch 3
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Ch 1 Ch 2 Ch 3

Sampling Rate
Original Waveform (10 Hz)

Sampling
Sampling Rate
Rate == 100
25
11 Hz
Hz

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Aliasing

Sample rate: how often an A/D conversion takes place

Alias: misrepresentation of a signal
Amplitude

Adequately Sampled

Frequency

Amplitude

Aliased Due to Undersampling

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Frequency

Following the Nyquist Theorem Prevents Aliasing

Frequency

To accurately represent the frequency of

your original signal

You must sample at greater than 2 times the maximum frequency

component of your signal.

Shape

To accurately represent the shape

of your original signal

You must sample between 510 times greater than the maximum
frequency component of your signal .

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The Nyquist Theorem in Action

Aliased Signal
100 Hz Sine Wave

Sampled at 100 Hz

Adequately Sampled
for Frequency Only
100 Hz Sine Wave

Sampled at 200 Hz
Adequately Sampled
for Both Frequency
and Shape

100 Hz Sine Wave

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Sampled at 1 kHz

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Triggering

Event-driven acquisition or generation

Example: acquire 5 samples on a start trigger:

Start Trigger
Clock
1

Start of
Acquisition

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Trigger TypesDigital Edge Triggering

Accepts TTL/CMOS-compatible signals

0 to 0.8 V = logic low

2.2 to 5 V = logic high

Trigger on rising or falling edge of signal

Trigger on Rising Edge

Trigger on Falling Edge

Begin Acquisition

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Begin Acquisition

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Trigger TypesAnalog Edge Triggering

Trigger off signal level and slope

Slope can be rising or falling

Rising Slope with Level 2.7

Falling Slope with Level 2.7

Level and slope
initiate data capture

Captured
data

2.7
0

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2.7
Level and slope
initiate data capture

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Captured
data

Resolution
6-Bit
Resolution
Original
Signal
3-Bit
Resolution

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Input Range

Original
Signal
Range of
-10V
-2Vtoto10V
2V
3-Bit
Resolution

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Why Resolution Matters

Static Signal

Quantization Levels on ADC

14-bit ADC
ADC
12-bit
.7830
77.783
7.7794
7.7782
7
.778
7.7782
7.7770
7.7770
7.7758
7.773

7.777777 Volts

7.769
7.764
.7590
77.759

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Why Resolution Matters

c Signal

Quantization Levels on ADC

User Reading

24-bit ADC
7.7830

7777 Volts
7.77777

7.7590

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Precision

Precision degree to which repeated

measurements under unchanged
conditions show the same results

Does not necessarily mean that the

measurement is accurate

Completely separate from sensor

precision

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Accuracy

Accuracy degree of closeness of a

measurement to its actual (true) value

Provides worst-case level of

uncertainty for a DAQ device at a
specific range

Completely separate from sensor

accuracy

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Absolute Accuracy

Range (Offset Error + INL )

+ Reading (Gain Error)
+ Noise Uncertainty

Noise

= Absolute Accuracy

Offset
error

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Are All 16-Bits Created Equal?

NI PXIe-6341

Other DAQ card

16-bit
500 kS/s
10 V input range

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16-bit
500 kS/s
10 V input range

Are All 16-Bits Created Equal?

NI PXIe-6341

Other DAQ card

Accuracy = Gain Error + Offset Error + Noise Uncertainty

Gain Error = FSR * .06%

No math required

Specified as Absolute Accuracy at Full

Scale in data sheet.

Accuracy = 2.19 mV

Effective bits of resolution = 13

= 10*.0006
= 12 mV

Offset Error = 1 mV

Noise Uncertainty (not specified)

Accuracy = 12 mV + 1 mV =13 mV

Effective Bits of Resolution = 10.5

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Conditioning Signals for Quality Measurements

Signal conditioning improves a signal that is difficult for

your DAQ device to measure
Signal conditioning is not always required

Signal Conditioning

Noisy, Low-Level Signal

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Filtered, Amplified Signal

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Common Signal Conditioning Examples

Transducer/Signals
Thermocouples

Signal Conditioning
Amplification, Linearization, Cold-Junction
Compensation

RTD (Resistance Temperature

Detector)
Strain Gage

Current Excitation, Linearization

Voltage Excitation, Bridge Configuration,
Linearization

Common Mode or High Voltage

Loads Requiring AC Switching
or Large Current Flow

Isolation Amplifier
Electromechanical Relays or Solid-State
Relays

High-Frequency Noise
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Low-Pass Filters
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Examining Common Signal Conditioning for Voltage

Measurements

Amplification
Attenuation
Filtering
Isolation
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Amplification

Used on low-level signals

Maximizes use of analog-to-digital converter (ADC) range
and increases accuracy
Increases signal-to-noise ratio (SNR)

Amplifier

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Example: Amplification and the Signal-to-Noise

(SNR) Ratio
10 mV Signal

1 mV Noise
1000x
Amplifier

ADC

SNR = 10
1 mV Noise

10 mV Signal
1000x
Amplifier

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ADC

SNR = 10,000
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Attenuation

Decreases the input signal amplitude to fit within the

range of the DAQ device
Necessary when input signal voltages are beyond the
range of the DAQ device

Attenuator

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Filtering
Filters remove unwanted noise from a measured signal
and block unwanted frequencies

Time Domain

Lowpass
Filter

Frequency Domain

Frequency Domain

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Time Domain

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Filtering
Passband

Ripple

Filters effect on the signals

amplitude

Corner

Frequencies the filter lets pass

Ripple

Corner

Passband

Rolloff

Frequency where the filter

begins blocking the signal

Rolloff

Gain (dB)

How sharply the filter cuts off

unwanted frequencies

fc

Example Bode Plot

A filters attributes are typically described using Bode Plots

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Frequency

Isolation
Isolation helps to pass a signal from its source to a
measurement device without a direct physical connection
Blocks high common-mode signals
Breaks ground loops
Protects your instrumentation

Electromagnetic

Isolation

Capacitive

Optical
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Types of Isolation
Isolation Topologies

Isolates:

Channel-to-Earth

All channels from instrument ground

Bank (Channel-to-Bus)

Groups of channels from other groups

All channels from instrument ground

Channel-to-Channel

Individual channels from each other

All channels from instrument ground

Channel-to-Earth Isolation

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Bank Isolation

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Measurement Category Ratings

Classification of live electrical circuits

Accounts for transients devices might experience when
connected in the power distribution system.
CAT I

Instruments connected to low voltage sources and

electronics

CAT II

Instruments connected directly to standard wall

outlets or plug in loads

CAT III

Instruments connected to main installation like a

central distribution board or circuit breaker

CAT IV

Instruments connected directly to power source

such as the power grid

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Summary

Analog vs Digital signal Characteristics

Sampling Rate Considerations
Types of Triggering
Resolution (Precision) vs Accuracy
Amplification, Attenuation, Filtering, and Isolation

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NI Offers a Smarter Measurement Solution

Meet your specific

application needs and
achieve more insight
with customizable and
easy-to-use
measurement software

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Capture accurate
measurements with
high-quality data
acquisition hardware

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Solve your
application
challenges quickly
with unrivaled global
support

ni.com/data-acquisition/
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