A/D conversion

Summary:  Introduction to analog-to-digital conversion.  Role as interface between physical world and our digitally-networked world.  Performance criteria for analog-to-digital converters (ADC’s), including conversion speed, quantization noise, dynamic range, and linearity.  Basic ADC designs at block-diagram and circuit levels.
Examples: ADC’s in common microcontrollers.

Objectives:

• Understand the role of A/D conversion in bridging the physical and cyber world
• Be able to define key A/D converter characteristics (conversion speed, quantization, dynamic range, and linearity) and  how the effect A/D converter performance.  Links to probability and statistics, signals and systems.
• Be able to describe in broad terms basic A/D technologies and their cost. Links to electronics.

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