Lesson 8

Data Acquisition and Waveforms

CHAPTER 1
Transducers, Signals, and Signal Conditioning

Topics
• Data Acquisition Overview
• Transducers
• Signals
• Signal Conditioning
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System Overview
 Transducer Overview

Topics
• What is a Transducer?
• Types of Transducers
 What is a Transducer?
Physical
Phenomena Signal

A transducer converts a physical

phenomena into a measurable signal
 Signal Overview

Topics
• Types of Signals
• Information in a Signal
– State, Rate, Level,
Shape, and Frequency
Signal Classification
Your Signal

Digital Analog
Digital Signals
Your Signal

Digital
Two possible levels:
• High/On (2 - 5 Volts)
• Low/Off (0 - 0.8 Volts)
Two types of information:
• State
• Rate
Digital Signal Information
Your Signal

Digital
 Analog Signals
Your Signal

Analog
Continuous signal
• Can be at any value with
respect to time
Three types of information:
• Level
• Shape
• Frequency (Analysis required)
Analog Signal Information
Your Signal

Analog

Analysis
Required
 Signal Conditioning Overview

Topics
• Purpose of Signal Conditioning
• Types of Signal Conditioning
 Why Use Signal Conditioning?

Noisy, Low-Level Signal Filtered, Amplified Signal

• Signal Conditioning takes a signal that is difficult

for your DAQ device to measure and makes it
easier to measure
• Signal Conditioning is not always required
– Depends on the signal being measured
 Amplification
• Used on low-level signals (i.e. thermocouples)
• Maximizes use of Analog-to-Digital Converter (ADC) range
and increases accuracy
• Increases Signal to Noise Ratio (SNR)
Noise
Instrumentation
Amplifier

+
_ ADC
Lead Wires

Low-Level Signal External

DAQ Device
Amplifier
 DAQ Hardware Overview

Topics
• Types of DAQ Hardware
• Components of a DAQ device
• Configuration Considerations
 Data Acquisition Hardware

Your Signal

DAQ Device
Computer

Cable

Terminal Block

DAQ Hardware turns your PC into a

measurement and automation system
 Terminal Block and Cable

50 pin connector
Your Signal

Cable

Terminal Block
• Terminal Block and Cable route your signal
to specific pins on your DAQ device
• Terminal Block and Cable can be a
combination of 68 pin or 50 pin
 DAQ Device

• Most DAQ devices have:

– Analog Input
– Analog Output
– Digital I/O
DAQ Device
– Counters Computer
• Specialty devices exist for specific applications
– High speed digital I/O
– High speed waveform generation
– Dynamic Signal Acquisition (vibration, sonar)
• Connect to the bus of your computer
• Compatible with a variety of bus protocols
– PCI, PXI/CompactPCI, ISA/AT, PCMCIA, USB,
1394/Firewire
Configuration Considerations
• Analog Input
– Resolution
– Range
– Gain
– Code Width
– Mode (Differential, RSE, or NRSE)
• Analog Output
– Internal vs. External Reference Voltage
– Bipolar vs. Unipolar
Resolution

• Number of bits the ADC uses to represent a signal

• Resolution determines how many different voltage
changes can be measured
• Example: 12-bit resolution
# of levels = 2resolution = 212 = 4,096 levels
• Larger resolution = more precise representation of your
signal
Resolution Example
• 3-bit resolution can represent 8 voltage levels
• 16-bit resolution can represent 65,536 voltage levels
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 (ms)
 Range

• Minimum and maximum voltages the ADC can digitize

• DAQ devices often have different available ranges
– 0 to +10 volts
– -10 to +10 volts
• Pick a range that your signal fits in
• Smaller range = more precise representation of your signal
– Allows you to use all of your available resolution
 Range = 0 to +10 volts
(5kHz Sine Wave)
Range 10.00
8.75
111
110
Proper Range 7.50
101
6.25
• Using all 8 Amplitude
5.00
100 3-bit resolution
(volts)
levels to 3.75
011
010
represent your 2.50
001
signal 1.25
000
0| | | | |
0 50 100 150 200
Time (ms)

Range = -10 to +10 volts

(5kHz Sine Wave)
10.00
111 Improper Range
7.50
5.00
110
• Only using 4
101 3-bit resolution
2.50 levels to
100
Amplitude
(volts)
0
011
represent
-2.50
010 your signal
-5.00
001
-7.50
000
-10.00 | | | | |
50 100 150 200
Time (ms)
Gain
• Gain setting amplifies the signal for best fit
in ADC range
• Gain settings are 0.5, 1, 2, 5, 10, 20, 50, or
100 for most devices
• You don’t choose the gain directly
– Choose the input limits of your signal in LabVIEW
– Maximum gain possible is selected
– Maximum gain possible depends on the limits of
your signal and the chosen range of your ADC
• Proper gain = more precise representation
of your signal
– Allows you to use all of your available resolution
Gain Example
– Input limits of the signal = 0 to 5 Volts
– Range Setting for the ADC = 0 to 10 Volts
– Gain Setting applied by Instrumentation Amplifier = 2
Different Gains for 16-bit Resolution
(5kHz Sine Wave)
10.00
8.75
Gain = 2
7.50
6.25
Amplitude Your Signal
5.00
(volts) Gain = 1
3.75
2.50
1.25
0 | | | | |
0 50 100 150 200
Time (ms)
 Code Width
• Code Width is the smallest change in the signal your
system can detect (determined by resolution, range, and
gain) range
code width =
gain * 2 resolution
• Smaller Code Width = more precise representation of your
signal
• Example: 12-bit device, range = 0 to 10V, gain = 1
range 10
= = 2.4 mV
1*2 12
gain * 2 resolution

20
Increase range: = 4.8 mV
1* 212
10
Increase gain: = 24 mV
100 * 212
Grounding Issues
• To get correct measurements you must properly
ground your system
• How the signal is grounded will affect how we ground
the instrumentation amplifier on the DAQ device
• Steps to proper grounding of your system:
– Determine how your signal is grounded
– Choose a grounding mode for your Measurement System

+
Signal Measurement
VS VM
Source System
-
Signal Source Categories
Signal Source

Grounded Floating

+ +
Vs Vs
_ _
Grounded Signal Source
Signal Source

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

• Signal is NOT
referenced to a system Floating
ground
– earth ground
+
– building ground
Vs
• Examples: _
– Batteries
– Thermocouples
– Transformers
– Isolation Amplifiers
 Measurement System
• Three modes of +

grounding for your Measurement

Measurement System System
– Differential -

– Referenced Single-
Ended (RSE)
– Non-Referenced Single-
Ended (NRSE)
• Mode you choose will
depend on how your
signal is grounded
 Differential Mode
Differential Mode
• Two channels used for each signal
– ACH 0 is paired with ACH 8, ACH 1 is paired with ACH 9, etc.
• Rejects common-mode voltage and common-mode noise

ACH (n)
+
VS
+
_ ACH (n + 8)
Instrumentation +
Amplifier
AISENSE
_
VM
AIGND
_

Measurement System
 RSE Mode
Referenced Single-Ended (RSE)
• Measurement made with respect to system ground
• One channel used for each signal
• Doesn’t reject common mode voltage

ACH (n)
+

ACH (n + 8) +
Instrumentation +
VS
Amplifier
AISENSE
_
VM
_ AIGND
_

Measurement System
 NRSE Mode
Non-Referenced Single-Ended (NRSE)
• Variation on RSE
• One channel used for each signal
• Measurement made with respect to AISENSE not system ground
• AISENSE is floating
• Doesn’t reject common mode voltage
ACH (n)
+

ACH (n + 8) +
VS
Instrumentation +
Amplifier
_ AISENSE
_
VM
AIGND
_

Measurement System
Choosing Your Measurement System
Signal Source

Grounded Floating

+ +
Vs Vs
_ _

Measurement System Measurement System

Differential RSE NRSE Differential RSE NRSE

Options for Grounded Signal Sources
BETTER
+ Rejects Common-Mode Voltage
- Cuts Channel Count in Half
Differential
NOT RECOMMENDED
- Voltage difference (Vg) between the two
grounds makes a ground loop that could
RSE damage the device
GOOD
+ Allows use of entire channel count
- Doesn’t reject Common-Mode Voltage
NRSE
Options for Floating Signal Sources
BEST
+ Rejects Common-Mode Voltage
- Cuts Channel Count in Half
Differential - Need bias resistors
BETTER
+ Allows use of entire channel count
+ Don’t need bias resistors
RSE - Doesn’t reject Common-Mode Voltage
GOOD
+ Allows use of entire channel count
- Need bias resistors
NRSE - Doesn’t reject Common-Mode Voltage
DAQ Software Overview

Topics
• Levels of DAQ Software
• NI-DAQ Overview
• Measurement & Automation
Explorer (MAX) Overview
Levels of Software

User

DAQ
Device
 What is NI-DAQ?
• Driver level software
– DLL that makes direct calls to your DAQ device
• Supports the following National Instruments software:
– LabVIEW
– Measurement Studio
• Also supports the following 3rd party languages:
– Microsoft C/C++
– Visual Basic
– Borland C++
– Borland Delphi
What is MAX?

• MAX stands for Measurement & Automation Explorer

• MAX provides access to all your National Instruments
DAQ, GPIB, IMAQ, IVI, Motion, VISA, and VXI devices
• Used for configuring and testing devices
• Functionality broken into:
– Data Neighborhood
– Devices and Interfaces
– Scales
Icon on your
– Software Desktop
 Data Neighborhood
• Provides access
to the DAQ
Channel Wizard
• Shows configured
Virtual Channels
• Includes utilities
for testing and
reconfiguring
Virtual Channels
 DAQ Channel Wizard
• Interface to create
Virtual Channels for:
– Analog Input
– Analog Output
– Digital I/O
• Each channel has:
– Name and Description
– Transducer type
– Range (determines
Gain)
– Mode (Differential, RSE,
NRSE)
– Scaling
 Devices and Interfaces
• Shows currently
installed and
detected
National
Instruments
hardware
• Includes utilities
for configuring
and testing your
DAQ devices
– Properties
– Test Panels
Properties
• Basic Resource Test
– Base I/O Address
– Interrupts (IRQ)
– Direct Memory Access
(DMA)
• Link to Test Panels
• Configuration for:
– Device Number
– Range and Mode (AI)
– Polarity (AO)
– Accessories
– OPC
 Test Panels
• Utility for testing
– Analog Input
– Analog Output
– Digital I/O
– Counters
• Great tool for
troubleshooting
 Scales
• Provides access
to DAQ Custom
Scales Wizard
• Shows
configured
scales
• Includes utility
for viewing and
reconfiguring
your custom
scales
 DAQ Custom Scales Wizard
• Interface to create
custom scales that
can be used with
Virtual Channels
• Each scale has its
own:
– Name and Description
– Choice of Scale Type
(Linear, Polynomial, or
Table)
 Sampling Considerations
• Analog signal is continuous

• Sampled signal is series of

discrete samples acquired
at a specified sampling rate Actual Signal

• Faster we sample the more

our sampled signal will look
like our actual signal

• If not sampled fast enough a Sampled Signal

problem known as aliasing
will occur
 Aliasing

Adequately
Sampled
Signal

Aliased
Signal
Nyquist Theorem

Nyquist Theorem
• You must sample at greater than 2 times the
maximum frequency component of your signal to
accurately represent the FREQUENCY of your
signal

NOTE: You must sample between 5 - 10 times greater

than the maximum frequency component of your
signal to accurately represent the SHAPE of your
signal
Nyquist Example

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
Data Acquisition Palette
Analog
Output

Digital I/O

Analog Input Counter

Calibration and DAQ Channel

Configuration Name
Constant

Signal
Conditioning
DAQ Channel Name Data Type
• Allows you to use numeric channels
(0, 1, etc.) or virtual channels
• Automatically detects all currently
configured virtual channels

Control Terminal Constant

 Analog Input Palette
• Utility VIs
• Easy VIs – Convenient
– Built out of groupings of
Utility VIs Intermediate VIs
+ Easy to use
• Advanced VIs
- Less flexible
– Building blocks
• Intermediate VIs for other levels
– Built out of Easy VIs
Advanced VIs
+ Highly Intermediate VIs
recommended
+ Very flexible Advanced VIs

Utility VIs
Single-Point AI VIs
• Perform a software-timed, non-buffered acquisition
+ Good for battery testing, control systems
- Not good for rapidly changing signals due to software timing

AI Sample Channel
– Acquires one point on one channel
AI Sample Channels
– Acquires one point on multiple channels
Multiple-Point (Buffered) AI VIs
• Perform a hardware-timed, buffered acquisition
• Highly recommended for most applications
• Allows triggering, continuous acquisition, different input limits for
different channels, streaming to disk, and error handling

AI Config
– Configures your device, channels, buffer
AI Start
– Starts your acquisition, configure triggers
AI Read
– Returns data from the buffer
AI Clear
– Clears resources assigned to the
acquisition
 AI Config
• Interchannel Delay
– Determines the time (in seconds)
between samples in a scan
• Input Limits
– Max and Min values for your signal
– Used by NI-DAQ to set gain
• Device
– Number of the device (from MAX)
you are addressing
• Channels
– Chooses what channel(s) you are
addressing
• Buffer Size
– Number of scans the buffer
can hold
– A scan acquires one sample
for every channel you specify
– 1000 scans x 2 channels =
2000 total samples
• Task ID
– Passes configuration
information to other VIs
• Error In/Out
– Receives/Passes any errors
from/to other VIs
 Different Gains for Different Channels
• AI Config allows different gains for different channels
• The first element of the input limits array corresponds to the
first element of the channel array

Gain = 20 Gain = 2

Range = 0 to +10V
 AI Start
• Task ID In/Out
– Receives/Passes configuration information to/from other VIs
• Number of Scans to Acquire
– Total number of scans acquired before the acquisition completes
– Default value (-1) sets # of Scans to Acquire = Buffer Size (AI Config)
– A value of 0 acquires continuously
• Scan Rate
– Chooses the number of scans per second
• Error In/Out
– Receives/Passes any errors from/to other VIs
 AI Read & AI Clear
• Number of Scans to Read
– Specifies how many scans to retrieve from the buffer
– Default value (-1) sets # of Scans to Read = # of Scans to Acquire (AI Start)
– If # of Scans to Acquire (AI Start) = 0, default for # of Scans to Read is 100
• Scan Backlog
– Number of unread scans in the buffer
• Waveform Data
– Returns t0, dt (inverse of scan rate), and Y array for your data

• Clears resources assigned to the device

 Error Cluster
• Cluster containing:
– Boolean - tells if an error occurred
– Numeric - tells the error code
– String - tells the source of the error
• Right-click on edge of cluster and
select Explain Error for dialog box
(see below) with more information

Indicator

Terminal
Buffered Acquisition Flowchart
Configure the Clear
Device Resources

Start the Display

Acquisition Errors

Return Data
from the Buffer
 Buffered Acquisition
• AI Start begins the acquisition
• Acquisition stops when the buffer is full
• AI Read will wait until the buffer is full to return data
• If error input is true then Config, Start, and Read pass the
error on but don’t execute; Clear passes AND executes
Continuous Acquisition Flowchart
Configure the Return Data
Device from the Buffer

NO
Start the Done?
Acquisition
YES

Display Clear
Errors Resources
Continuous Buffered Acquisition
Differences from a buffered acquisition
• # of scans to acquire = 0
• While loop around AI Read
• Number of Scans to read does not = buffer size
• Scan backlog tells how well you are keeping up
Analog Output Architecture
Channel 0 DAC
Channel 0

Channel 1
Channel 1 DAC

• Most E-Series DAQ devices have a Digital-

to-Analog Converter (DAC) for each analog
output channel
• DACs are updated at the same time
• Similar to Simultaneous Sampling for
Analog Input
 Analog Output Palette
• Utility VIs
• Easy VIs – Convenient
– Built out of groupings of
Utility VIs Intermediate VIs
+ Easy to use
• Advanced VIs
- Less flexible
– Building blocks
• Intermediate VIs for other levels
– Built out of Easy VIs
Advanced VIs
+ Highly Intermediate VIs
recommended
+ Very flexible Advanced VIs

Utility VIs
 Single-Point AO VIs
• Perform a software-timed, non-buffered generation
+ Good for generating DC voltages, or control systems
- Not good for waveform generation because software timing is slow

AO Update Channel
– Generates one point on one channel
AO Update Channels
– Generates one point on multiple channels
 AO Update Channels
• Device • Values
– Number of the device (from – 1-D array of data
MAX) you are addressing – The first element of
– Ignored if using virtual channel the array corresponds
• Channels to the first channel in
your channels input
– Chooses what channel(s) you
are addressing
– Can either be a number or a
virtual channel name
– Uses the DAQ Channel Name
control
Multiple-Point (Buffered) AO VIs
• Perform a hardware-timed, buffered generation
• Highly recommended for most applications
• Allows continuous generation, triggering, and error handling

AO Config
– Configures your device, channels, buffer
AO Write
– Writes data to the buffer
AO Start
– Starts your generation
AO Wait
– Waits until the generation is complete
AO Clear
– Clears resources assigned to the
generation
Buffered Generation Flowchart
Wait Until
Configure the Generation
Device Completes

Write Data Clear

to the Buffer Resources

Start the Display

Generation Errors
 Buffered Generation
• AO Write fills the buffer with waveform data
• AO Start begins the generation
• Without AO Wait the generation would start (AO Start) and
then end immediately after (AO Clear)
• If error input is true then Config, Write, Start, and Wait pass
the error on but don’t execute; Clear passes AND executes
AO Write One Update
• Your analog output
channel will continue to
output the last value
written to it until either:
– The device is reset
(power off, reset VI)
– A new value is written
• Use AO Write One
Update at the end of
your generation to set
the channel back to 0
Continuous Generation Flowchart
Configure the Start the
Device Generation

NO
Write Data Done?
to the Buffer
YES

Display Clear
Errors Resources
 Continuous Generation
Differences from a buffered generation
• number of buffer iterations = 0
• No AO Wait
– AO Wait would hang because the generation never completes
• While loop with AO Write
– The second AO Write is used for error checking ONLY