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INTRODUCTION TO DIGITAL ELECTRONICS

At the end of the lesson, students should be able to:

1. Distinguish between analog and digital representations. 2. Name the advantages, disadvantages, and major differences among the analog, digital, and hybrid system. 3. Explain the basic process of converting an analog signal to digital and vice-versa. 4. Identify typical digital signal and timing diagram.

5. Cite several integrated-circuit fabrication technologies.

UNIT 1: INTRODUCTION TO DIGITAL ELECTRONICS INTRODUCTION

Analog circuits often referred to a linear circuits, deal with continuous values of voltage and current such as the standard type of audio amplifier. Digital circuits are involved with representing data, control signals and small increments of measurement. Digital technology is applied in a wide range of areas in additions to computers. Such application as television, communication systems, military systems, medical instrumentation, industrial process control, and consumer electronics use digital techniques.

1.1

ANALOG AND DIGITAL REPRESENTATION

There are two types of electronic circuits: Analog and Digital. Analog Representation Quantity is represented by a voltage, current or meter movement that is proportional to the value of that quantity. Examples of the quantities: temperature, pressure, velocity and position. Analog = continues. An analog system contains devices that manipulate physical quantities that are represented in analogue form. Analog signal is a continuous wave form that changes smoothly over time.

Fatma Syazana Zaini IKM Besut, 2010

UNIT 1: INTRODUCTION TO DIGITAL ELECTRONICS Digital Representation

The quantities are represented not by proportional quantities but by symbols called digits. Digital = discrete (step by step). A digital system is a combination of devices designed to manipulate logical information or physical quantities that are represented in digital form. Digital signal is a discontinuous signal expressed as a discrete burst of ON and OFF electrical pulse. This ON and OFF conditions is also labelled as HIGH and LOW (1 or 0).

REMEMBER:
The major different between analog and digital quantities: Analog Digital = = continuous discrete (step by step)

Fatma Syazana Zaini IKM Besut, 2010

UNIT 1: INTRODUCTION TO DIGITAL ELECTRONICS

1.2

ADVANTAGES

AND

DISADVANTAGES

OF

USING

DIGITAL TECHNIQUE

ADVANTAGES OF DIGITAL TECHNIQUE o o o o o o Digital system are easier to design Information storage is easy Accuracy and precision are greater Operation can be programmed Digital circuit are less affected by noise More digital circuitry can be fabricated on IC chip

DISADVANTAGES

Most physical quantities are analog nature and it is these quantities that are often the inputs and outputs that are being monitored, operated on and controlled by a system. Digital systems can be fragile. If a single piece of digital data is lost or misinterpreted, the meaning of large blocks of related data can completely change. Digital circuits are made from analog components, and care has to be taken in design so that the analog natures of these components dont dominate over the desired digital behavior. Digital circuits are more energy than analog circuits to accomplish the same calculations and signal processing tasks, thus producing more heat as well. More expensive, especially in small quantities.

Fatma Syazana Zaini IKM Besut, 2010

UNIT 1: INTRODUCTION TO DIGITAL ELECTRONICS

1.3

ANALOG-TO-DIGITAL

CONVERTERS

(ADCs)

AND

DIGITAL-TO-ANALOG (DACs)

Limitations of Digital Technique There is really only one major drawback when using digital techniques, the real world is mainly analog. To take advantage of digital techniques when dealing with analog inputs and outputs, 3 steps must be followed: a. Convert the real world analog inputs to digital form. b. Process (operate on) the digital information. c. Convert the digital outputs back to real-world analog form. Figure 1.3 shows an example of using digital and analog method.

Figure 1.3: Block diagram for a digital temperature control system

Sensor/tranducer convert physical variable to electrical signal (analog form). In this case, it is a thermostat that will measure the temperature. ADC changes analog signal to digital signal. Digital Processing will do the processing to determine the necessary adjustment. It can be a microcontroller. DAC changes digital signal to analog signal. The Controller will take action to adjust the temperature. It can be a fan or an air conditioner circuit.
Fatma Syazana Zaini IKM Besut, 2010

UNIT 1: INTRODUCTION TO DIGITAL ELECTRONICS

1.4

DIGITAL SIGNAL AND TIMING DIAGRAM

i.

Digital Signal. In digital system, the information that has been processed is usually present in binary form. Binary quantities can be represented by any device that has two operating states or possible condition, like a switch on (1) / off (0). In digital electronics, the discrete steps are characterized by LOW and HIGH voltage, OPEN or CLOSED circuit. The digits are only 0 and 1. The characteristics are implemented in the binary number system. Figure 1.4(a) shows the Positive- going pulse and the Negative-going pulse. As indicate in Figure 1.4 the pulse has two edges: a leading edge that occurs first at time and a trailing edge that occurs last at time t1. For a positive-going pulse, the leading edge is a rising edge and the trailing edge is a falling edge.

ii.

iii. iv.

In binary number system, we have 4 groups name of numbers: Bits Bytes Word = 0 or 1 = 0101 0011 (1 byte = 8 bit) 0101 (1 nibbles = 4 bit) = 0s or 1s ( 1 word = 16 bit)

Nibbles =

Fatma Syazana Zaini IKM Besut, 2010

UNIT 1: INTRODUCTION TO DIGITAL ELECTRONICS i. Timing Diagram It is actually a graph of voltage versus time (t) and is called a timing diagram. The horizontal time scale is marked off at regular intervals beginning at to and proceeding to t1, t2, and so on. The transitions on this timing diagram are drawn as vertical lines and so they appear to be instantaneous, when in reality they are not. In many situations, however the transition times are so short compared to the times between transitions that we can show them on the diagram as vertical lines. We will encounter situations later where it will be necessary to show the transitions more accurately on an expanded time scale. Timing diagrams are used extensively to show how digital signals change with time and especially to show the relationship between two or more digital signals in the same circuit or system. By displaying one or more digital signal on an oscilloscope or logic analyzer we can compare the signals to their expected timing diagrams. This is a very important part of the testing and troubleshooting procedures used in digital systems.

ii.

iii.

iv.

v.

Fatma Syazana Zaini IKM Besut, 2010

UNIT 1: INTRODUCTION TO DIGITAL ELECTRONICS vi. From this timing diagram you can see, for example, that the three waveform A, B and C are HIGH only during bit time 7 and they all change back LOW at the end of bit time 7 (shaded area).

1.5

INTEGRATED-CIRCUIT FABRICATION TECHNOLOGIES

i.

Almost all the digital circuits used in modern digital systems are integrated circuit (ICs). Digital systems have incorporated ICs for many years because if their small size, high reliability, low cost and low power consumption. A monolithic integrated circuit (IC) is an electronic circuit that is constructed entirely on a single small chip of silicon. All the components that make up the circuit transistor, diode, resistor and capacitor are an integral part of that single chip. Fixed-function logic and programmable logic are two broad categories of digital IC. In fixed-function logic, the logic functions are set by the manufacturer and cannot be altered. Figure 1.7 show a cutaway view of one type of fixed-function IC package, with the circuit chip shown within the package.

ii.

iii.

Fatma Syazana Zaini IKM Besut, 2010

UNIT 1: INTRODUCTION TO DIGITAL ELECTRONICS

Figure 1.7

iv.

Points on the chip are connected to the package pins to allow input and output connections to the outside world. Integrated circuit (IC) packages are classified according to the way they are mounted on PCB as either through- hole mounted or surface mounted. The through-hole type packages have pins (leads) that are inserted through holes in the PCB and can be soldered to conductor on the opposite side. The moat common type of through-hole package is the dual-in-line package (DIP) as shown in figure 1.8

v.

vi.

Another type of IC package uses surface-mount technology (SMT). Surface mounting is a space-saving alternative to through-hole mounting. The holes through the PC8 are unnecessary for SMT. The pins of surface-mounted packages are soldered directly to conductor on one side of the board, leaving the other side free for additional circuit. Also, for a circuit with the same number of pins, a surfacemounted package is much smaller than a DIP package because the pins are place closer together. Four common types of SMT package are the SOIC (small-outline IC), the PLCC (plastic leaded chip carrier), the LCCC (leadless ceramic chip carrier) and the flat pack (FP). Figure 1.9 shows of SMT package.

Fatma Syazana Zaini IKM Besut, 2010

UNIT 1: INTRODUCTION TO DIGITAL ELECTRONICS

SUMMARY

In this topic, we have learned about distinguishing between analogue and digital representations, name the advantages, disadvantages and major differences among the analogue, digital and hybrid systems. Student should able to understand the need for analogue-to-digital converters (ADCs) and digital-to-analogue (DACs). Identify the typical of digital signal and timing diagram, how voltage levels are interpreted by a digital circuit, the characteristic of a pulse and waveform. Student also should know about Integrated Circuit (IC) fabrication technologies.

Fatma Syazana Zaini IKM Besut, 2010

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UNIT 1: INTRODUCTION TO DIGITAL ELECTRONICS

EXERCISE

1. Define analog ________________________________________________________________

2. Define digital ________________________________________________________________

3. Explain the difference between a digital quantity and an analog quantity. _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________

4. Give an example of a system that is analog and one that is a combination of both digital and analog. Name a system that entirely digital. _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________

5. Draw the typical analog and digital signal

Fatma Syazana Zaini IKM Besut, 2010

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UNIT 1: INTRODUCTION TO DIGITAL ELECTRONICS

6. Name two advantages of digital data as compared to analog data. i. _______________________________________________________________ ii. _______________________________________________________________

7. What is the chief limitation to the use of digital techniques? _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________

REFERENCES

1. Digital System Principle And Applications, Tocci, R.J, Prentice Hall international 2. Digital Fundamentals, Floyd T.L, Merrill Publishing. 3. BPL(K) Module TFV 2033 Digital Electronics 1. 4. Digital Electronics : Teaching Module, KUITHO

Fatma Syazana Zaini IKM Besut, 2010

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