Analogue to Digital Converters

Analogue to digital converters-ADCs, are integrated circuit analogue devices designed to convert analogue input signals into digital output signals for data processing applications. These ADCs lower the input signals’ bandwidth by sampling the input signals for improved efficiency. They capture different input signals and analyze them for further analysis to give the output results.

For instance, an input signal in the form of sound or light from a microphone is captured and entered into a digital camera, which is transformed into a digital signal output in sound (from a speaker) or a picture in the camera. 

What is the main function of ADCs?

An analogue-to-digital converter converts real-world or analogue signals into a digital form of that signal. The signals include temperature, pressure, current, voltage, distance, and light intensity. The digital output representation can then be processed, transmitted, calculated, or stored.

What are the applicable pieces of equipment for ADCs?

The ADCs are embedded into different equipment, such as:

• Audio ADCs- output digital signals using quantisation, a mathematical function to capture and convert a periodic conversion of analogue sounds into digital signals that minimise noise generation.
• Video ADCs – These converters are designed for high-frequency and low-to-medium resolution signals. They convert analogue video signals into digital video data in the form of the camera’s digital displays.
• General Purpose ADCs – These are the basic general purpose ADC types designed to convert analogue signals into digital form in devices like temperature sensors. 

What are the types of analogue to digital converters?

The following are the most common types of ADCs and include:

• Flash ADCs

These ADCs are known to be the fastest conversion devices for converting analogue signals into digital signals. They are found in environments where significant bandwidths are indispensable, like data acquisition, radar processing, satellite communications, etc.

• Sigma-delta ADCs

Sigma-delta signal converters transform the signal using large factors and filter desired signals. They are primarily found in various applications and devices, including temperature measuring, weight measurement scales, and process control, with robust resolutions and reduced power consumption attributes.

• Successive approximation ADCs

These converters are responsible for converting continuous analogue signals into digital waveforms, utilizing binary searches across whole quantization levels. They undergo conversion before the final conjunction of digital output for a single conversion. 

What are the uses of Analogue to Digital Converters?

ADCs are used in a wide variety of different applications depending on the type of ADCs used. Some of the typical applications include:

• Audio mixing consoles (Professional)
• Battery Operated Systems
• Digital Instrumentation
• Digital cameras
• Frequency measurement
• Home theatre systems
• Medical Imaging
• Musical instruments
• Sensor Interfaces.