Discussion

This experiment aims to design and construct a Dial

Tone Multiple Frequency (DTMF) Tone Generator using
TP5089 and to design and construct a DTMF Tone Decoder
using M-8870-01 with 74LS48. In addition, the objective in
conducting this experiment is to understand the concept of
using multiple frequencies in generating and identifying the
digit dialed in a DTMF Dial assembly system.

We started on knowing the basic ideas behind the DTMF

Generator and Decoder by reading and analyzing the
introduction written on our handouts. Being able to have a
glimpse of background about what we were going to perform
greatly helped a lot. Basic ideas like what a Dual Tone Multi
Frequency is, what does it do and how does it work. These
basics had placed an important role in the understanding
the deep concept of DTMF generator and decoder. For the
purpose of widening my understanding about DTMF, I
conducted a research online. I learned things that I had not
seen in my first reading like the name Dual Tone Multi
Frequency (DTMF) was given because the tone that we heard
over the phone is actually made up of two distinct frequency
tones, hence the name dual tone. Moreover, it was said there
that the DTMF tone is a form of one-way communication
between the dialer and the telephone exchange. After having
an idea about the experiment, we had proceeded on
researching for the specification sheets of the components
used. Those are the 5089 IC which is the DTMF generator,
8870 IC which is the DTMF Decoder, 74LS48 which is the
BCD to 7 segment decoder, TIP 31 which is the transistor
and finally the 7-Segment display. Data sheet of each
component led to proper understanding of its function and
pin configurations.

With enough background and idea in mind, we

proceeded on to following the procedures given. We were very
particular in following the procedures properly to come up
with the desired output and if not eliminated, minimize the
human error throughout the experiment. Constructing the
circuit was made first. It was taken into consideration that
the Integrated Circuits (ICs) .. and.. are sensitive ones
so it needs not to touch by a barehanded. The circuit was
constructed first based on the given. Our professor did not
give us the correct circuit because he wanted us to
troubleshoot through our understanding and analysis of the
concept. Although we knew that right from the start, we still
chose to construct it first as is. After the DTMF generator
with 5V DC supply was constructed, we heard a tone coming
out from the speaker but it was not loud enough to be heard
naturally without bringing the speaker near ones ear. We
tried checking the connectivity of the circuit thinking that
maybe there were just loose connections. But there were no
changes, the tone was still weak until it came to our minds
that maybe it was all about the speaker we used. We
borrowed and tried another speaker and then it produced a
louder tone. We then found out that the two speakers we
used for testing had different power capacities. The first one
we use, the one that produced a weak tone had a 5W power
capacity while the other speaker, which produced a louder
tone had a 4W capacity only. As a result, we changed the
speaker with 4Watts. Next, we constructed the DTMF
Decoder with the given circuit as reference. The 7 segment
display was supposed to display the encoded data based on
the active switch but it did not. Again, we first check the
connections if there were loose wires or wrong connectivity.
After checking and still producing no display, we headed on
to analyzing again the circuit and at the DTMF signal
encoding table. We first remove the connection between the
generator and the decoder. We noticed that pin 8 of the
switch had no connection and at the same time column 4
was also open. Column 4 was supposed for the display of the
letters A, B C, D but the binary equivalents of these letters
when converted into decimals exceed 9. The 7 segment just
displays up to decimal values which is up to 9 only, the next
number is 0. Next, we connected pin 5 of the 7448 to the
ground because pin 5 is the RBI bar or ripple blanking input
and based on its truth table, at decimal zero, it is set high
and at decimal 1-9 the input may be high or low. After this,
we again checked its functionality. Thankfully it worked.
Every decimal number displayed on the 7 segment
corresponds to combinations of 2 switches in ON state.
Furthermore, it was observed that each number generates
the combination of 2 frequencies. One with the higher
frequency which was in the column group in the encoding
table and the other group with lower frequency in the row
group. In addition, the combination of two frequencies
intended for 0 did not produced a display. When we
researched for it, the reason was zero key has a binary
representation of 1010 which is 10 and cannot be decoded
by 7448 because it is a Binary coded decimal decoder. Until
we have learned that zero should supposed to display in
letter D which was the combination of switch 8 (c4) and sw7
(R4) but since these letters are represented by values over
BCD, they cannot be displayed still. From there, we ended
up with a functioning DTMF.

Analysis

After several times of researching and troubleshooting,

we had come to form important analyses in mind. The dial
tone we heard when we pick up the phone set is call Dual
Tone Multi-Frequency, DTMF in short. The name was given
because the tone that we heard over the phone is actually
make up of two distinct frequencies, hence the name dual
tone. This is done to prevent the voice from imitating the
tones.

DTMF signaling uses two tones to represent each key

on the touch pad. There are 16 distinct tones in the DTMF
signal frequency encoding table given to us. The encoding
table helps understand the connectivity of the circuit. The
5089 is the DTMF generator which has 4 pins for the higher
frequency output which is the column group and 4 pins for
the lower frequency output which is in the row group. A dip
switch was used to enable combinations of higher and lower
frequencies thus producinsg a distinct tone. As an example,
turning switches 1 and 4 generates the tones 697 Hz and
1209 Hz. It was analyzed the DTMF will not produce any
tone if the output is just a single frequency. Also, numbers
that are displayed on the 7 segment were from 0-9 only
because of the 7448 BCD decoder which has 4 inputs and 7
output lines. 7448 BCD decoder allows a smaller 4-bit
binary number (half byte) to be used to display all numbers
from 0-9. Unlike hexadecimal numbers that range In full
from 0 through F, BCD numbers only range from 0 to 9 and
with the binary number patterns of 1010 through 1111 (A-
F), they are invalid. For example, turning switches 1 and 7
generates a tone but not a display of asterisk because it is
represented by a binary number pattern 1011 which is 11
thus invalid. Same with the number sign and the letters A,
B, C and D. A number sign is represented by 1100 which is
12 thus invalid, so as for ABC. On the otherhand, the zero
is displayed on the D key because turning switches 8 and 7
represents a binary pattern of 0000 which is a BCD number
and is equal to zero.

Together with the analyses is that the frequencies were

chosen to avoid harmonics. No frequency is a multiple of
another; the sum and difference between any two
frequencies does not equal any of the frequencies.
A complete circuit consists of the tone generator and the
tone decoder. The primary component for generating Dual
Tone Multi-Frequency is the IC TP5089. Its output terminals
make a direct interface to a standard telephone keypad and
generates all dual tone multi frequency pairs. A 3.579545 Hz
crystal oscillator which uses a mechanical vibrations of a
crystal to produce its own frequency was used in order to
produce a frequency that is very precise. The crystal and an
output load resistor are the only external components
required for tone generation. The primary component for the
tone decoder are the IC 8870 and IC 7448. IC 8870 is a
complete DTMF receiver integrating both the bandsplit filter
and digital decoder function. It has a filter section for high
and low group filters; the decoder uses digital counting to
detect and decode all 16 DTMF tone-pairs into a 4-bit code.
Similarly, the 7448 is a BCD to 7-Segment decoder that
accepts 4-bit binary-coded-decimal (BCD) and drives 7-
segment.
Conclusion

To summarize everything that we have learned, we start

with the definition of a DTMF. It is the signal to the phone
company that is generated when an ordinary telephones
touch key is pressed. This signal comprised of two distinct
frequencies. The concept of using multiple frequencies in
generating and identifying distinct tones is best analyzed
with the use of DTMF signal frequency encoding table which
can be seen as a telephone dial pad. Each key you press
generates the combinations of two frequencies and produce
a distinct tone. One tone is generated from a high-frequency
group which can be seen on a column and the other is from
low-frequency group which can be seen on a row. The reason
behind this dual tone multi frequency is that to prevent a
voice from imitating the tones. The name was given because
the tone that we heard over the phone is actually make up
of two distinct frequencies, hence the name dual tone.

A complete circuit consists of the tone generator and the

tone decoder. The primary component for generating Dual
Tone Multi-Frequency is the IC TP5089. Its output terminals
make a direct interface to a standard telephone keypad and
generates all dual tone multi frequency pairs. A 3.579545 Hz
crystal oscillator which uses a mechanical vibrations of a
crystal to produce its own frequency was used in order to
produce a frequency that is very precise. The crystal and an
output load resistor are the only external components
required for tone generation. The primary component for the
tone decoder are the IC 8870 and IC 7448. IC 8870 is a
complete DTMF receiver integrating both the bandsplit filter
and digital decoder function. It has a filter section for high
and low group filters; the decoder uses digital counting to
detect and decode all 16 DTMF tone-pairs into a 4-bit code.
Similarly, the 7448 is a BCD to 7-Segment decoder that
accepts 4-bit binary-coded-decimal (BCD) and drives 7-
segment. These digital bits can be interface to a computer
for further applications like in remote control, phone line
transfer operation, etc.