Beginner
10 min

Convert real-world physical quantities into digital data with AD7124-8 and PIC24FJ64GB004

Eight-channel isolated sigma-delta ADC with PGA

ISO ADC 6 Click with Explorer 16/32 development board

Published Feb 01, 2024

Click board™

ISO ADC 6 Click

Dev. board

Explorer 16/32 development board

Compiler

NECTO Studio

MCU

PIC24FJ64GB004

High-precision analog-to-digital conversion with isolation capabilities suitable for various industrial and measurement applications

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Hardware Overview

How does it work?

ISO ADC 6 Click is based on the AD7124-8, an 8-channel, low noise, low power, 24-bit, sigma-delta ADC, and the ADuM341E, a 5kVrms quad digital isolator, both from Analog Devices. The ADC incorporates a sigma-delta modulator, buffer, reference, gain stage, and on-chip digital filtering. It is intended to measure wide dynamic ranges, weigh scales, temperature measurement applications, and low-frequency signals. The ADC allows up to 16 configurations or channels consisting of analog inputs, reference inputs, or power supplies. All ADC channels are available over the A0-15 header, with a common GND, power supply, and a bridge power switch (PSW). You can add an external reference over the REF+ and REF-

pins. The internal reference has its output available over the REFOUT pin. The synchronization input is also available over the SNC pin. It allows synchronization of the digital filters and analog modulators when using several AD7124-8 devices. For this purpose, the internal clock is available over the CLK pin. Alternatively, the internal clock can be turned off, and this pin can provide an external clock, allowing simultaneous conversions. The isolator isolates the ADC communication lines to the host MCU. It features low propagation delay, low dynamic power consumption, 100Mbps maximum guaranteed data rate, and more. The isolator is based on CMOS, a monolithic air core transformer technology, and iCoupler technology.

ISO ADC 6 Click uses a standard 4-wire SPI serial interface of the ADC to communicate with the host MCU over the isolator barrier. The isolator uses a high-frequency carrier to transmit data across the isolation barrier using iCoupler chip scale transformer coils separated by layers of polyimide isolation. The ADC can work in three power modes, which allows sampling in a range of 1.17sps up to 19200sps. This Click board™ can be operated only with a 3.3V logic voltage level. The board must perform appropriate logic voltage level conversion before using MCUs with different logic levels. Also, it comes equipped with a library containing functions and an example code that can be used as a reference for further development.

ISO ADC 6 Click hardware overview image

Features overview

Development board

Explorer 16/32 development board is a flexible and convenient development, demonstration, and testing platform for 16-bit PIC24 MCUs, dsPIC® DSCs, and 32-bit PIC32 MCUs from Microchip Technology. It features all the necessary hardware to develop and debug a complete embedded application. The board accepts Processor Plug-In Modules (PIMs) designed for the Explorer 16 or Explorer 16/32 development board for easy device swapping. In addition to the hardware features provided by the board, hardware expansion is possible through the use of PICtail™ Plus

daughter cards and mikroBUS™ accessory boards. Coupled with the integrated PICkit™-On-Board (PKOB), MPLAB ICD In-Circuit Debugger real-time debug facilities enable faster evaluation and prototyping of applications. This development board supports all the Explorer PIMs. However, not all PIMs are supported by the PKOB. To check the list of supported and unsupported PIMs, refer to the PICkit™ On-Board 3 (PKOB3) Support List. For PIMs not on the PKOB3 support list, use the JP1 or J14 connectors to program the device with a newer generation programming tool. Explorer 16/32

development board offers only the main board, allowing customization of the other necessary components. Choose your PIM based on MCUs and DSCs under consideration from a wide range of Processor Plug-In Modules. This board is optimal for customers migrating from Classic Explorer 16 to the new Explorer 16/32 platform, while all the necessary additional components like Processor Plug-In Modules and PICtail™ Plus Daughter Boards are already available.

Explorer 16/32 double side image

Microcontroller Overview

MCU Card / MCU

default

Architecture

dsPIC

MCU Memory (KB)

64

Silicon Vendor

Microchip

Pin count

44

RAM (Bytes)

8192

Used MCU Pins

mikroBUS™ mapper

NC
NC
AN
ID SEL
PB5
RST
SPI Select / ID COMM
PC2
CS
SPI Clock
PC8
SCK
SPI Data OUT
PC4
MISO
SPI Data IN
PC5
MOSI
Power Supply
3.3V
3.3V
Ground
GND
GND
NC
NC
PWM
NC
NC
INT
NC
NC
TX
NC
NC
RX
NC
NC
SCL
NC
NC
SDA
NC
NC
5V
Ground
GND
GND
1

Take a closer look

Click board™ Schematic

ISO ADC 6 Click Schematic schematic

Step by step

Project assembly

Explorer 16/32 front image hardware assembly

Start by selecting your development board and Click board™. Begin with the Explorer 16/32 development board as your development board.

Explorer 16/32 front image hardware assembly
GNSS2 Click front image hardware assembly
PIM for PIC32MZ2048EFH100 front image hardware assembly
Prog-cut hardware assembly
GNSS2 Click complete accessories setup image hardware assembly
Explorer 16/32 MB 1 Access - upright/background hardware assembly
Necto image step 2 hardware assembly
Necto image step 3 hardware assembly
Necto image step 4 hardware assembly
Necto image step 5 hardware assembly
Necto image step 6 hardware assembly
Explorer 16/32 MCU Step hardware assembly
Necto No Display image step 8 hardware assembly
Necto image step 9 hardware assembly
Necto image step 10 hardware assembly
Debug Image Necto Step hardware assembly

Track your results in real time

Application Output

1. Application Output - In Debug mode, the 'Application Output' window enables real-time data monitoring, offering direct insight into execution results. Ensure proper data display by configuring the environment correctly using the provided tutorial.

2. UART Terminal - Use the UART Terminal to monitor data transmission via a USB to UART converter, allowing direct communication between the Click board™ and your development system. Configure the baud rate and other serial settings according to your project's requirements to ensure proper functionality. For step-by-step setup instructions, refer to the provided tutorial.

3. Plot Output - The Plot feature offers a powerful way to visualize real-time sensor data, enabling trend analysis, debugging, and comparison of multiple data points. To set it up correctly, follow the provided tutorial, which includes a step-by-step example of using the Plot feature to display Click board™ readings. To use the Plot feature in your code, use the function: plot(*insert_graph_name*, variable_name);. This is a general format, and it is up to the user to replace 'insert_graph_name' with the actual graph name and 'variable_name' with the parameter to be displayed.

Software Support

Library Description

This library contains API for ISO ADC 6 Click driver.

Key functions:

  • isoadc6_get_voltage - ISO ADC 6 get voltage level function

  • isoadc6_get_adc_data - ISO ADC 6 get ADC data function

  • isoadc6_set_adc_control - ISO ADC 6 set ADC control function

Open Source

Code example

The complete application code and a ready-to-use project are available through the NECTO Studio Package Manager for direct installation in the NECTO Studio. The application code can also be found on the MIKROE GitHub account.

/*!
 * @file main.c
 * @brief ISO ADC 6 Click example
 *
 * # Description
 * This example demonstrates the use of the ISO ADC 6 Click board™ 
 * by reading and writing data by using SPI serial interface 
 * and reading results of AD conversion.
 *
 * The demo application is composed of two sections :
 *
 * ## Application Init
 * Initialization of SPI module and log UART.
 * After driver initialization, the app executes a default configuration which enables channel 0,
 * puts A0 on positive analog input and A1 on negative analog input,
 * enables internal reference voltage (approximately 2.65V (AVDD = 3.3V)),
 * and also enables bipolar operation mode and puts device on full power mode.
 *
 * ## Application Task
 * The demo application reads the voltage levels from analog input (A0-A1) and displays the results.
 * Results are being sent to the UART Terminal, where you can track their changes.
 *
 * @author Mikroe Team
 *
 */

#include "board.h"
#include "log.h"
#include "isoadc6.h"

static isoadc6_t isoadc6;
static log_t logger;

void application_init ( void )
{
    log_cfg_t log_cfg;  /**< Logger config object. */
    isoadc6_cfg_t isoadc6_cfg;  /**< Click config object. */

    /** 
     * Logger initialization.
     * Default baud rate: 115200
     * Default log level: LOG_LEVEL_DEBUG
     * @note If USB_UART_RX and USB_UART_TX 
     * are defined as HAL_PIN_NC, you will 
     * need to define them manually for log to work. 
     * See @b LOG_MAP_USB_UART macro definition for detailed explanation.
     */
    LOG_MAP_USB_UART( log_cfg );
    log_init( &logger, &log_cfg );
    log_info( &logger, " Application Init " );

    // Click initialization.
    isoadc6_cfg_setup( &isoadc6_cfg );
    ISOADC6_MAP_MIKROBUS( isoadc6_cfg, MIKROBUS_1 );
    if ( SPI_MASTER_ERROR == isoadc6_init( &isoadc6, &isoadc6_cfg ) )
    {
        log_error( &logger, " Communication init." );
        for ( ; ; );
    }
    
    if ( ISOADC6_ERROR == isoadc6_default_cfg ( &isoadc6 ) )
    {
        log_error( &logger, " Default configuration." );
        for ( ; ; );
    }
    
    log_info( &logger, " Application Task " );
}

void application_task ( void )
{
    float voltage = 0;
    if ( ISOADC6_OK == isoadc6_get_voltage( &isoadc6, &voltage ) )
    {
        log_printf( &logger, " Voltage: %.3f [V]\r\n", voltage );
        Delay_ms( 1000 );
    }
}

void main ( void )
{
    application_init( );

    for ( ; ; )
    {
        application_task( );
    }
}

// ------------------------------------------------------------------------ END

Additional Support

Resources

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