Analog Devices Incorporated (ADI), a leading manufacturer of programmable devices has AD7606BBSTZ-RL on its list of products. It is a 64-lead LQFP FPGA, designed to be a special purpose Data Acquisition System (DAS).
In case you are wondering what a DAS means, how the AD7606BBSTZ-RL functions and every other thing about the FPGA, we answer your questions in this article. In this article, we cover the properties of the AD7606BBSTZ-RL, explain how a DAS functions and compared the ADC and the DAC operations of the circuit.
How does AD7606BBSTZ-RL Function?
Primarily, it is a Field Programmable Gate Array (FPGA) optimized for special purpose or most relevant uses, ranging from analog and digital conversion and providing flexible interfacing.
The AD7606B Family
AD7606BBSTZ-RL belongs to the broader AD7606B family of Field Programmable Gate Arrays (FPGAs). The latter is an 8-channel Data Acquisition System (DAS) with a 16-bit resolution and simultaneous sampling of the Analog-to-Digital Converter (ADC).
AD7606B also provides an 800 kSPS Bipolar Input, which doubles as the sampling rate for the circuit board.
Below are some of the additional properties of AD7606BBSTZ-RL’s family of FPGAs:
1. Monitoring Properties
It is not very often that Field Programmable Gate Arrays (FPGAs) break down or start to malfunction. But when they do, it could be because of a combination of factors, ranging from oversight during the design process and the inability to detect faults earlier.
Either of these two, if left unattended to, could make major damages in the Integrated Circuit. However, the chances of getting damaged is reduced with AD7606BBSTZ-RL’s monitoring and self-diagnostics properties.
These properties combine to help the circuit discover potential threats to the operation and make real-time alerts in that regard.
2. Advanced Error Detection Capabilities
Detecting errors and design challenges is not limited to the monitoring properties. It also has a wide range of advanced error detection capabilities, ranging from:
- ±21 V input clamp protection with an 8 kV ESD
- Analog input open circuit detection feature
- CRC error-checking on both the registers and the read/write data.
3. AD7606B Supports Extra Modes
Looking for an FPGA with multiple modes? Look no farther than the AD7606BBSTZ-RL. It typically supports the hardware mode, which is compatible with the AD7606 device. However, you can also access other modes if you switch to the software mode.
Examples of the additional features supported in the software mode are:
- Diagnostic multiplexer
- An additional ±2.5-volt Analog Input Range.
- Monitoring functions, such as overvoltage and undervoltage events, Serial Peripheral Interface (SPI) invalid read/write, reset detection, and Cyclic Redundancy Check (CRC). The other is the busy truck monitor.
Technical Properties of the AD7606BBSTZ-RL
Below is a table, representing the technical properties of the AD7606BBSTZ-RL Data Acquisition System (DAS):
| Properties | Description |
| Data Interface | Serial and Parallel data interfaces |
| Mounting Style | Surface Mount Technology (SMT) / Surface Mount Device (SMD) |
| Number of Supported Pins | 64 |
| Type of Package/Case | LQFP-64 |
| Voltage Supply Source | Analog and Digital |
| Resolution (in Bits) | 16 |
| Product Category | Analog-to-Digital Converter (ADC) |
| Architecture | SAR |
| Number of Channels | 8 |
| Operating Temperature (minimum to maximum) | 40˚C to 125˚C |
| Digital Supply Voltage (minimum to maximum) | 1.71 volts to 3.6 volts |
| Analog Supply Voltage (minimum to maximum) | 4.75 volts to 5.25 volts |
| Sampling Rate | 800 kS/s |
| Differential Nonlinearity (DNL) | 0.5 LSB |
| Type of Input | Single-Ended |
| Type of Product | Data Acquisition System (DAS) |
| Power Dissipation (Pd) | 255 mW |
| Signal to Noise Ratio (SNR) | 89.5 dB |
AD7606BBSTZ-RL’s Power Line Improvement Capabilities
At the core of AD7606BBSTZ-RL functionalities is the improvement of the power or current capabilities of the target devices. Worthy of mentioning here is that the manufacturer (Intel) places a premium on improving the functions of the applications that rely on power lines.
What exactly are power lines and what role do they play? To put it simply, power lines are the dedicated current lines that use a combination of resistor divider networks and current transformers to detect the neutral currents, voltages and the major phases in an electronic device.
Therefore, the delegation of the AD7606BBSTZ-RL to that end helps to fast-track those capabilities, while creating additional connections in the process. The external connection creation is done via the AD7606B FPGA capabilities, involving the use of a high-input impedance to establish a direct interface to a sensor. In turn, this pathway paves the way for the AD7606BBSTZ-RL’s Data Acquisition System (DAS) to provide all required building blocks.
Complete Power Line Development
You can also count on the AD7606BBSTZ-RL to build a solid power line, which facilitates the Data Acquisition System (DAS) process.
For emphasis, the power line development involves a combination of the following:
- A 21-volt analog input clamp protection.
- Low drift 2.5-volt reference
- A resistive programmable gain amplifier with 5 MΩ input impedance.
- An optional digital averaging filter up to 256 of oversampling ratios.
- A first-order antialiasing filter.
Sensor Disconnect Detection
One or more components or parts disconnecting from an FPGA can impact its performance. It is better to have facilities in place to detect these disconnections, even before they happen. That is what the sensor disconnect detection peripheral of the AD7606BBSTZ-RL does.
The idea is to use the traditional pull-down resistor alongside the sensor. The combination of the two allows the users (or the digital circuit designer) to find out in real-time, when any of the sensors disconnect.
The easiest way to detect the disconnection, as per the default configuration, is by monitoring when the output code of the Analog-to-Digital Converter (ADC) drops below 20 LSBs. It is also important to wait for confirmation by checking for a repeat of a number of samples (N) of the same detection.
AD7606BBSTZ-RL’s Direct Sensor Interface
The Direct Sensor Interface, is no doubt, one of the most important attributes of the AD7606BBSTZ-RL. The default design is to increase AD7606BBSTZ-RL’s input impedance; a configuration that allows the FPGA to make real-time interface connection to the supported sensors.
The Direct Sensor Interface also has a role to play in fault detection, especially in the area of decreasing the offset to enable the quicker detection of the sensor detection.
It also helps in reducing the dominance of the gain error, which a variety of external series of resistors introduce to the FPGA.
Final Thoughts
AD7606BBSTZ-RL is to be used for “special purpose” designs, especially those requiring the inputs of a Data Acquisition System (DAS).
