CHAPTER 1

Lecture 1:
Some Definitions
Transdacer:
Non-Electrical Quantity

Electrical Quantity

Non-Electrical Quantity can be pressure, temperature, humidity, radiation, flow-rate etc.

Sensor:
Non-Electrical Quantity

Electrical Quantity

Actuators:

Non-Electrical Quantity

Electrical Quantity

Functional Block Diagram

Display

Input
Signal

Detect

Modify

Record

Transmit

Output

Sensor detects.
Processor and/or Preprocessor to modify.
Actuator to display, record, transmit.
Insert Table 1.1
Insert Table 1.2
Insert Table 1.3
Self-Exciting or Self Generating Sensor
Input
x (t )

Output
y (t )

Sensor

Examples
Pyroelectr icDetectors
Thermocouples

y (t ) = F (x(t ))

Modulating Sensor

Input
x (t )

Sensor

Output
y (t ) + y d

xd

Examples
Bolometers
Photodiode

External Drive (such as voltage, current etc.)

y (t ) = F (x(t ), x d )

Linear Sensor
ao a n liner coefficients

Self Exciting:
an

dny
d n1 y
dy
+
a
+ ...a1
+ a o y = x(t )
n

1
n
n 1
dt
dt
dt

Ideal self-exciting sensor: a n = o for n 1

ao y (t ) = x(t )

y (t ) =

1
x (t ) = S x(t )
ao
Sensitivity

This assumes instantaneous response.

More Commonly:

(takes into account time constant of system)

dy
a{o y + a1
= x(t )
dt
123
relates
relates
to
system to
time
gain
response

Example
Step Input: x(t ) = x m u (t )
xm
t =o
Take Laplace transform of differential equation:
aoY (s ) + a1 [sY (s ) y (+ 0)] = X (s )
Transfer function: H (s ) Y (s ) X (s )
For self-exciting: y(+0 ) = 0
H (s ) =

1 ao
1
=
a o + a1 s 1 + (a1 a o )s

Gain = 1 a o
Characteristic Response Time: z = a1 a o
X (s ) = x m s for step input

Therefore: Y (s ) = H (s )X (s ) =

(1 a o )(x m s )
1 + s

Taking the inverse Laplace Transform

y (t ) =

xm
1 e t
do

RC circuit or mass-spring system

If modulating linear sensor: y (t ) =

Some more definitions:

Response y = y (t ) y d =

Gain = A =

y (t )
x(t )

Sensitivity: S = dy dx
Insert Table 1.4
Insert Table 1.5

xm
1 e t + y d
ao

xm
1 e t
ao