TC7135
DS21460D-page 6 © 2007 Microchip Technology Inc.
3.0 DETAILED DESCRIPTION
All pin designations refer to the 28-pin PDIP package.
3.1 Dual-Slope Conversion Principles
The TC7135 is a dual-slope, integrating A/D converter.
An understanding of the dual-slope conversion
technique will aid in following the detailed TC7135
operational theory.
The conventional dual-slope converter measurement
cycle has two distinct phases:
1. Input signal integration.
2. Reference voltage integration (de-integration).
The input signal being converted is integrated for a
fixed time period. Time is measured by counting clock
pulses. An opposite polarity constant reference voltage
is then integrated until the integrator output voltage
returns to zero. The reference integration time is
directly proportional to the input signal.
In a simple dual-slope converter, a complete
conversion requires the integrator output to “ramp-up”
and “ramp-down”.
A simple mathematical equation relates the input
signal, reference voltage and integration time:
EQUATION 3-1:
For a constant V
IN
:
EQUATION 3-2:
The dual-slope converter accuracy is unrelated to the
integrating resistor and capacitor values, as long as
they are stable during a measurement cycle. An
inherent benefit is noise immunity. Noise spikes are
integrated, or averaged, to zero during the integration
periods.
Integrated ADCs are immune to the large conversion
errors that plague successive approximation converters
in high-noise environments (see Figure 3-1).
FIGURE 3-1: Basic Dual-Slope Converter.
3.2 Operational Theory
The TC7135 incorporates a system zero phase and
integrator output voltage zero phase to the normal two-
phase dual-slope measurement cycle. Reduced
system errors, fewer calibration steps and a shorter
overrange recovery time result.
The TC7135 measurement cycle contains four phases:
1. System zero.
2. Analog input signal integration.
3. Reference voltage integration.
4. Integrator output zero.
Internal analog gate status for each phase is shown in
Figure 3-1.
TABLE 3-1: INTERNAL ANALOG GATE STATUS
1
R
INT
C
INT
------------------------
V
IN
T()DT
0
T
INT
∫
V
REF
T
DEINT
R
INT
C
INT
------------------------------- -=
Where:
V
REF
= Reference voltage
T
INT
= Signal integration time (fixed)
T
DEINT
= Reference voltage integration time
(variable)
V
IN
V
REF
T
DEINT
T
INT
------------------------------- -=
+
-
REF
Voltage
Analog Input
Signal
+
-
Display
Switch
Drive
Control
Logic
Integrator
Output
Clock
Counter
Polarity Control
Phase
Control
V
IN
≈ V
REF
Variable
Reference
Integrate
Time
Fixed
Signal
Integrate
Time
Integrator
Comparator
V
IN
≈ 1/2 V
REF
Conversion Cycle Phase SW
I
SW
RI
+SW
RI
-SW
Z
SW
R
SW
1
SW
IZ
Reference Figures
System Zero — — — Closed Closed Closed — Figure 3-2
Input Signal Integration Closed — — — — — — Figure 3-3
Reference Voltage Integration — Closed* —— —Closed— Figure 3-4
Integrator Output Zero — — — — — Closed Closed Figure 3-5
* Assumes a positive polarity input signal. SW
RI
would be closed for a negative input signal.