Data Acquisition System using

ATmega8

Under the Guidance of

Mrs. Neeta Mehta Mam
&
Ms.

Sunil S Pillai
Department of Electronics & Communications
Government Engineering College, Sector-26
Gandhinagar

October 2008
 ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

Before we get into thick of the thing, I would like to add a few heartfelt words
for the people who have been behind this document.

First of all, few words for the Almighty God for showering his choicest
blessings on me and enabling me to complete this Project report well in time and with
desired quality.

I would like to voice my sincere thanksgiving to Mrs. Neeta Ma’am Head of

Electronics and Communication Engineering Department and to Ms., Subject In
charge, for providing us with such a high potential opportunity. I hope I have utilized
it to the best of your expectation.

In continuance, I would like to mention about my parents. Thank you Mom

and Dad for your continued encouragement and guidance.

Finally I would like to express my gratitude to all my classmates for their

constant feedback and support in improving this document and making it more reader
friendly. Lastly I do not intend to forget all the people who painstakingly read the
entire manuscript and provided valuable inputs to make it free from errors.

Thanking You All.

2
 INDEX

1) Introduction … … … … … … 4

2) Project Description

3) Hardware Section

4) Circuit Diagram … … … … … … 5

5) Parts List

6) Microcontroller Program … … … … 7

7) Software Section

8) PC-Board HandShake

9) Appendix – A: AVR Source Code

10) Appendix – B: AVR HEX FILE

11) Appendix – C: Datasheet … … … … 8

12) Applications … … … … … … 15

13) Bibliography … … … … … … 16

3
 INTRODUCTION

We can use a PC for connecting the homemade data acquisition hardware and
produce the GUI for user friendly graphical presentation easily.

4
 PROJECT DESCRIPTION

In this project we use a PC for GUI display and the homemade data converter
board using the AVR microcontroller. The circuit is built with the ATmega8. The
chip has the on chip 10-bit resolution A/D Converter. Temperature sensor are
connected to the 6 channels ADC input. You can connect up to 8 sensors with the
ATmega8 TQFP package. The analog inputs are captured by sending a command
from PC. The readings will display graphically or text data. The data can also be
recorded as the database.

5
 HARDWARE

The complete hardware schematic for the ADC board is shown below. The
board consists of the ATmega8, the temperature sensor (LM335), and the serial
interface. The on chip firmware controls reading the ADC converter, receives
commands from PC and sends the reading to PC. The microcontroller is running with
8MHz crystal oscillator, if we use the internal RC oscillator, the external crystal may
be omitted. The ATmega8 DIP version has 6 channels analog input. If you need up to
8 ADC input, you can use ATmega8 in TQFP package, or you can use another AVR
microcontroller with the on-chip ADC.

We use LM335 temperature sensor. It can measure the temperature using two
wires remotely. The chip produces an output signal that is proportional to the Celsius
temperature scale. The trimmer POT is used to calibrate the correct output voltage at
known temperature, for example 2.98V @ 25° C.

6
 .
CIRCUIT DIAGRAM

7
Temperature Logger hardware schematic
 PARTS LIST
The circuit is built around Atmega8 and a max232 serial Interface.
It works off a 12V DC, 500mA power supply. You can also power the circuit
from mains by using a 12V DC, 500mA adaptor in place of the 12V DC power supply.

Semiconductors
U1 Atmega8 Microcontrroller
U2 MAX232 Serial Controller
T1 LM335A Temperature Sensor

Resistors (All ¼ - Watt +- 5% Carbon unless stated otherwise )

R1, 1 Kilo Ohm
R2, 10 Kilo Ohm

Capacitors
C1, C2, C3, C4 1 uF Ceramic Disc
C5 10 uF
C6,C7,C8 100 nF
C9,C10 22 pF

Miscellaneous
LED Red LED
L Inductor 10 uH
X Crystal, 8Mhz
S1 Push Button Switch
DB9 Connector

8
 MICROCONTROLLER PROGRAM

The AVR program was written in assembly language. It can be fed into AVR
Studio to generate the Hex File. The Detailed Source Code has been Listed in
Appendix-A. The Generated Hex File is given in Appendix-B. In case of non
availability of Cross Compilers, the Hex file can directly be loaded into Atmega8.

The main code running waits the serial command from PC. The speed is set
to19200 8n1 format. If the board receives character '>', the AVR must echo the
character '>' to the PC. This step is used to check the hardware is connected or not.
Another command is 'r' (read), the microcontroller reads 8 channel ADC and sends
them to PC serially.

If you have only 6 channel, for last channel (ADC6 and ADC7), you can
modify the source code so the microcontroller will send a dummy value. These values
will be ignored by PC software. Or if you want to ignore another channel from PC
logging, just fill ADC values with dummy into their field. The descriptions have been
commented in the source code. You may modify the source code easily.

The main loop has been given below for a close look at logic:

mainloop: sbis USR,RXC ;test RXC bit

rjmp mainloop ;none available, wait

in mpr,UDR
cpi mpr,'>'
brne _cmdr
rcall txchar
rjmp mainloop
_cmdr: cpi mpr,'r'
brne mainloop

readadc: cbi PORTD,4

ldi mpr,13
rcall txchar
ldi mpr,'D'
rcall txchar

9
_readadc0: ldi mpr,0b01000000 ;set ADMUX int ref ch0
out ADMUX,mpr
rcall readadcave
rcall sendvalue

_readadc1: ldi mpr,0b01000001 ;set ADMUX int ref ch1

out ADMUX,mpr
rcall readadcave
rcall sendvalue
.......
.......
.......
.......

_readadc5: ldi mpr,0b01000101 ;set ADMUX int ref ch5

out ADMUX,mpr
rcall readadcave
rcall sendvalue

_readadc6: ldi mpr,0b01000110 ;set ADMUX int ref ch6

out ADMUX,mpr
rcall readadcave
ldi mpr,0xFF ;these 4 lines to disable ADC6
mov rbin1H,mpr ;(in DIP version)
ldi mpr,0xFF ;ADC6 = 0xFFFF
mov rbin1L,mpr ;dummy value
rcall sendvalue

_readadc7: ldi mpr,0b01000111 ;set ADMUX int ref ch7

out ADMUX,mpr
rcall readadcave
ldi mpr,0xFF ;these 4 lines to disable ADC7
mov rbin1H,mpr ;(in DIP version)
ldi mpr,0xFF ;ADC7 = 0xFFFF
mov rbin1L,mpr ;dummy value
rcall sendvalue

sbi PORTD,4

rjmp mainloop

adcparstr: .db "ADC parameter :",13,10,0

10
 SOFTWARE
A Graphical User Interface (GUI) Application has been build to operate the
Board from PC. After Connecting the Hardware to Serial Port, the application can be
invoked to accept the incoming Data.

Features of the PC Logger software are as follows.

• Adjustable sampling interval,

• Real time view in single graph or multiple graph,
• Record the data, save, and open the recorded database,
• Get statistically reading, print the record and graph (or export it as the
metafile, JPG),
• Serial control window for monitoring and manually data transfer.

The full version PC software is designed for capturing up to 16 channels. In this

version, the PC software will read 8 channels. For the ATmega8 in DIP version, it can
display only 6 channels.

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The PC Logger GUI has been build with Borland C++ Builder 4.
dll for BDE, Borland Database Engine
- bantam.dll
- idapi32.dll
- idbat32.dll
- idpdx32.dll
- idr20009.dll
- idsql32.dll

Core BDE Files

--------------
IDASCI32.DLL For accessing ASCII files
IDBAT32.DLL For batch movement of data
IDDA3532.DLL For accessing Microsoft Access databases
IDDAO32.DLL For accessing Microsoft Access databases
IDDBAS32.DLL For accessing dBASE databases
IDDR32.DLL For Data Repository (Paradox only)
IDODBC32.DLL For BDE access to ODBC drivers
IDPDX32.DLL For accessing Paradox databases
IDQBE32.DLL QBE query engine
IDR20009.DLL BDE resources
IDAPI32.DLL Main BDE system DLL
IDSQL32.DLL SQL query engine (including local SQL)
IDPROV32.DLL For MIDAS providers

Language Driver Files

---------------------
BANTAM.DLL Internationalization engine
*.CVB Character set conversion files
*.BTL Locales
BLW32.DLL Expression engine

12
 SCREENSHOT

13
Main screen of Data Acquisition program
 PC-BOARD HANDSHAKE

Data transferring between ADC board and PC uses the following protocol .

• For the first time connecting, after opening serial port, PC tries to connect the
ADC board. The PC send a character '>' (0x3E) and the board will echo it
back.

• After the connection has been established, we can send the command to the
ADC board. For command read, PC sends character 'r' (0x72), and the board
responses with ADC reading as: '\rD' + 2byte(ADC0) + 2byte(ADC1) + … +
2byte(ADC7), total 18 bytes length. The reading is 16-bit data, (10-bit
resolution) with high byte send first followed with low byte.

Note :

For real time recording using fast sampling, for example 50ms or 100ms, better view
in a single graph. The display performance depends on the PC speed.

I tested running with 700MHz CPU speed, 128MB RAM, it gives smooth view but
for multiple view, it could not display fast enough.

14
 APENDIX A
MICROCONTROLLER SOURCE CODE
;-------------------------------------------------------------------------
; Read ADC channel
;
;-------------------------------------------------------------------------

.nolist
.include "m8def.inc"
.list

.def rlpm = R0

.def rbin1L = R10

.def rbin1H = R11
.def rbin2L = R12
.def rbin2H = R13

.def mpr = R16

.def var1 = R17
.def var2 = R18
.def var3 = R19

;constants
.equ fq = 8000000 ;xtal frequency, CKSEL3..0 V_VVV
.equ baud = 19200 ; baud rate
.equ baudgen = (fq/ (16*baud))-1 ; baud divider

; Reset-/Interrupt Vector
.CSEG
.org 0x0000
rjmp start

;------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
; Subroutine for string transfer
txstr: sbis USR,UDRE ;wait Tx buff empty
rjmp txstr
lpm ;read next char from prog mem
and rlpm,rlpm ;null = end of string
brne txsend
ret
txsend: lpm ;read the same char again

15
 out UDR,rlpm ;Tx character read
adiw ZL,1 ;point to next char in memory
rjmp txstr

;-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
;Transmit character
txchar: sbis USR,UDRE
rjmp txchar
out UDR,mpr
ret

;----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
;Receive character
rxchar: sbis USR,RXC
rjmp rxchar
in mpr,UDR
ret

;-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
;Read ADC (var2 + 1) times and get average
readadcave: sbi ADCSR,ADSC
ldi var2,3

_adcave1: sbis ADCSR,ADIF

rjmp _adcave1
sbi ADCSR,ADIF ;clear flag by setting bit
in mpr,ADCL
mov rbin2L,mpr
in mpr,ADCH
mov rbin2H,mpr

_adcave2: sbi ADCSR,ADSC

_adcave3: sbis ADCSR,ADIF
rjmp _adcave3
sbi ADCSR,ADIF ;clear flag by setting bit
in mpr,ADCL
mov rbin1L,mpr
in mpr,ADCH
mov rbin1H,mpr

add rbin2L,rbin1L ;add adc(n)+adc(n-1)

adc rbin2H,rbin1H
dec var2
brne _adcave2
lsr rbin2H
ror rbin2L
lsr rbin2H
ror rbin2L
_adcend: mov rbin1H,rbin2H

16
 mov rbin1L,rbin2L
ret

;-------------------------------------------------------------------------
;Start of program
start: ldi mpr,low(RAMEND)
out SPL,mpr
ldi mpr,high(RAMEND)
out SPH,mpr
ldi mpr,baudgen ;baud generator
out UBRRL,mpr ;set divider
ldi mpr,0b00011000 ;enable TX and RX
out UCR,mpr ;to UART Control Register

;PORTB IIOOOIII
ldi mpr,0b00111000
out DDRB,mpr
ldi mpr,0b11000111 ;pull-up input
out PORTB,mpr

;PORTC --IIIIII
ldi mpr,0b00000000
out DDRC,mpr
ldi mpr,0b00000000 ;cut pull-up input
out PORTC,mpr

;PORTD IIIOOOIO
ldi mpr,0b00011101
out DDRD,mpr
ldi mpr,0b11100010 ;pull-up input
out PORTD,mpr

sbi PORTD,4
ldi var1,2
delaystartup: rcall delay500ms
dec var1
cpi var1,0
brne delaystartup

intro: ldi mpr,12

rcall txchar
ldi ZH,high(adcparstr*2)
ldi ZL,low(adcparstr*2)
rcall txstr

ldi mpr,0b10000010 ;set ADC enable

out ADCSR,mpr

17
mainloop: sbis USR,RXC ;test RXC bit
rjmp mainloop ;none available, wait

in mpr,UDR
cpi mpr,'>'
brne _cmdr
rcall txchar
rjmp mainloop
_cmdr: cpi mpr,'r'
brne mainloop

readadc: cbi PORTD,4

ldi mpr,13
rcall txchar
ldi mpr,'D'
rcall txchar

_readadc0: ldi mpr,0b01000000 ;set ADMUX int ref ch0

out ADMUX,mpr
rcall readadcave
rcall sendvalue

_readadc1: ldi mpr,0b01000001 ;set ADMUX int ref ch1

out ADMUX,mpr
rcall readadcave
rcall sendvalue

_readadc2: ldi mpr,0b01000010 ;set ADMUX int ref ch2

out ADMUX,mpr
rcall readadcave
rcall sendvalue

_readadc3: ldi mpr,0b01000011 ;set ADMUX int ref ch3

out ADMUX,mpr
rcall readadcave
rcall sendvalue

_readadc4: ldi mpr,0b01000100 ;set ADMUX int ref ch4

out ADMUX,mpr
rcall readadcave
rcall sendvalue

_readadc5: ldi mpr,0b01000101 ;set ADMUX int ref ch5

out ADMUX,mpr
rcall readadcave
rcall sendvalue

_readadc6: ldi mpr,0b01000110 ;set ADMUX int ref ch6

18
 out ADMUX,mpr
rcall readadcave
ldi mpr,0xFF ;these 4 lines to disable ADC6
mov rbin1H,mpr ;(in DIP version)
ldi mpr,0xFF ;ADC6 = 0xFFFF
mov rbin1L,mpr ;dummy value
rcall sendvalue

_readadc7: ldi mpr,0b01000111 ;set ADMUX int ref ch7

out ADMUX,mpr
rcall readadcave
ldi mpr,0xFF ;these 4 lines to disable ADC7
mov rbin1H,mpr ;(in DIP version)
ldi mpr,0xFF ;ADC7 = 0xFFFF
mov rbin1L,mpr ;dummy value
rcall sendvalue

sbi PORTD,4

rjmp mainloop

adcparstr: .db "ADC parameter :",13,10,0

;--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
;ASCII to 2HEX
ascii2hex: push mpr
push mpr
swap mpr
andi mpr,0x0F
cpi mpr,10 ;nibble > 9?
brcs _ascii2hex1 ;no
ldi var1,7 ;add 7 to get hex A to F
add mpr,var1
_ascii2hex1: ldi var1,'0'
add mpr,var1
rcall txchar
pop mpr
andi mpr,0x0F
cpi mpr,10 ;nibble > 9?
brcs _ascii2hex2 ;no
ldi var1,7 ;add 7 to get hex A to F
add mpr,var1
_ascii2hex2: ldi var1,'0'
add mpr,var1
rcall txchar
pop mpr
ret

19
;------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
;Delay 500ms @8mhz
delay500ms: push R23
push R24
push R25
ldi R23,0x6B
_wg500loop0: ldi R24,0x46
_wg500loop1: ldi R25,0xB1
_wg500loop2: dec R25
brne _wg500loop2
dec R24
brne _wg500loop1
dec R23
brne _wg500loop0
pop R25
pop R24
pop R23
ret

;--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
;Bin2ToBCD5
;converts a 16-bit-binary to a 5-digit-BCD
;in rbin1H:rbin1L

sendvalue: mov mpr,rbin1H

rcall txchar
mov mpr,rbin1L
rcall txchar
ret

;sendvalue:
bin2tobcd5: push rbin1H ;save number
push rbin1L
ldi mpr,high(10000) ;start with 10.000
mov rbin2H,mpr
ldi mpr,low(10000)
mov rbin2L,mpr
rcall bin2todigit ;calculate digit

ldi mpr,high(1000) ;next with 1.000

mov rbin2H,mpr
ldi mpr,low(1000)
mov rbin2L,mpr
rcall bin2todigit ;calculate digit
rcall txchar

ldi mpr,high(100) ;next with 100

mov rbin2H,mpr

20
 ldi mpr,low(100)
mov rbin2L,mpr
rcall bin2todigit ;calculate digit
rcall txchar

ldi mpr,high(10) ;next with 10

mov rbin2H,mpr
ldi mpr,low(10)
mov rbin2L,mpr
rcall bin2todigit ;calculate digit
rcall txchar
mov mpr,rbin1L ;remainder are ones
ori mpr,0x30
rcall txchar
pop rbin1L
pop rbin1H
ret

;-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
;Bin2ToDigit
;converts one decimal digit by continued subtraction of a BCD
bin2todigit: clr mpr ;digit count is zero
_bin2todigita: cp rbin1H,rbin2H ;number bigger than decimal?
brcs _bin2todigitc ;MSB smaller than decimal
brne _bin2todigitb ;MSB bigger than decimal
cp rbin1L,rbin2L ;LSB bigger or equal decimal
brcs _bin2todigitc ;LSB smaller than decimal
_bin2todigitb: sub rbin1L,rbin2L ;subtract LSB decimal
sbc rbin1H,rbin2H ;subtract MSB decimal
inc mpr ;increment digit count
rjmp _bin2todigita ;next loop
_bin2todigitc: ori mpr,0x30
ret

;end

21
 APPENDIX B

HEX FILE
This is the Assembled Hex File. In case of non availability of Cross Compilers, this
Hex file can be directly loaded into Microcontroller.

:020000020000FC
:100000002EC05D9BFECFC895002009F40895C895C9
:100010000CB83196F6CF5D9BFECF0CB908955F9B6F
:10002000FECF0CB10895369A23E0349BFECF349A6C
:1000300004B1C02E05B1D02E369A349BFECF349A2F
:1000400004B1A02E05B1B02ECA0CDB1C2A95A1F775
:10005000D694C794D694C794BD2CAC2C08950FE5C4
:100060000DBF04E00EBF09E109B908E10AB908E3D0
:1000700007BB07EC08BB00E004BB00E005BB0DE1DB
:1000800001BB02EE02BB949A12E061D01A951030C7
:10009000E1F70CE0C0DFF1E0E0E1B3DF02E806B930
:1000A0005F9BFECF0CB10E3311F4B5DFF9CF0237F1
:1000B000B9F794980DE0AFDF04E4ADDF00E407B9D1
:1000C000B2DF55D001E407B9AEDF51D002E407B981
:1000D000AADF4DD003E407B9A6DF49D004E407B98D
:1000E000A2DF45D005E407B99EDF41D006E407B999
:1000F0009ADF0FEFB02E0FEFA02E39D007E407B92B
:1001000092DF0FEFB02E0FEFA02E31D0949AC8CF10
:1001100041444320706172616D65746572203A0DCF
:100120000A000F930F9302950F700A3010F017E03A
:10013000010F10E3010F6FDF0F910F700A3010F005
:1001400017E0010F10E3010F66DF0F9108957F9311
:100150008F939F937BE686E491EB9A95F1F78A95CE
:10016000D9F77A95C1F79F918F917F9108950B2DC3
:1001700052DF0A2D50DF0895BF92AF9207E2D02ED2
:1001800000E1C02E18D003E0D02E08EEC02E13D010
:1001900042DF00E0D02E04E6C02E0DD03CDF00E0B0
:1001A000D02E0AE0C02E07D036DF0A2D006333DFE1
:1001B000AF90BF9008950027BD1438F011F4AC142F
:0E01C00020F0AC18BD080395F7CF006308953A
:00000001FF

22
APPENDIX C

DATASHEETS

23
BIBILOGRAPHY

24