Application Information
NOTE: Some of the device/package combinations are ob-
solete and are shown and described here for reference
only. Please see the National web site for availability.
1.0 DIGITAL INTERFACE
1.1 Interface Concepts
The example in Figure 7 shows a typical sequence of events
after the power is applied to the ADC12130/2/8:
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FIGURE 7. Typical Power Supply Power Up Sequence
The first instruction input to the ADC via DI initiates Auto Cal.
The data output on DO at that time is meaningless and is
completely random. To determine whether the Auto Cal has
been completed, a read status instruction should be issued to
the ADC. Again the data output at that time has no signifi-
cance since the Auto Cal procedure modifies the data in the
output shift register. To retrieve the status information, an ad-
ditional read status instruction should be issued to the ADC.
At this time the status data is available on DO. If the Cal signal
in the status word is low, Auto Cal has been completed.
Therefore, the next instruction issued can start a conversion.
The data output at this time is again status information.
To keep noise from corrupting the conversion, status can not
be read during a conversion. If CS is strobed and is brought
low during a conversion, that conversion is prematurely end-
ed. EOC can be used to determine the end of a conversion
or the ADC controller can keep track in software of when it
would be appropriate to communicate to the ADC again. Once
it has been determined that the ADC has completed a con-
version, another instruction can be transmitted to the ADC.
The data from this conversion can be accessed when the next
instruction is issued to the ADC.
Note, when CS is low continuously it is important to transmit
the exact number of SCLK cycles, as shown in the timing di-
agrams. Not doing so will desynchronize the serial commu-
nication to the ADC. (See Section 1.3 CS Low Continuously
Considerations.)
1.2 Changing Configuration
The configuration of the ADC12130/2/8 on power up defaults
to 12-bit plus sign resolution, 12- or 13-bit MSB First, 10 CCLK
acquisition time, user mode, no Auto Cal, no Auto Zero, and
power up mode. Changing the acquisition time and turning
the sign bit on and off requires an 8-bit instruction to be issued
to the ADC. This instruction will not start a conversion. The
instructions that select a multiplexer address and format the
output data do start a conversion. Figure 8 describes an ex-
ample of changing the configuration of the ADC12130/2/8.
During I/O sequence 1, the instruction at DI configures the
ADC to do a conversion with 12-bit +sign resolution. Notice
that, when the 6 CCLK Acquisition and Data Out without Sign
instructions are issued to the ADC, I/O sequences 2 and 3, a
new conversion is not started. The data output during these
instructions is from conversion N, which was started during
I/O sequence 1. The Configuration Modification timing dia-
gram describes in detail the sequence of events necessary
for a Data Out without Sign, Data Out with Sign, or 6/10/18/34
CCLK Acquisition time mode selection. Table 4 describes the
actual data necessary to be loaded into the ADC to accom-
plish this configuration modification. The next instruction,
shown in Figure 8, issued to the ADC starts conversion N+1
with 16-bit format and 12 bits of resolution formatted MSB
first. Again the data output during this I/O cycle is the data
from conversion N.
The number of SCLKs applied to the ADC during any con-
version I/O sequence should vary in accord with the data out
word format chosen during the previous conversion I/O se-
quence. The various formats and resolutions available are
shown in Table 1. In Figure 8, since 16-bit without sign MSB
first format was chosen during I/O sequence 4, the number of
SCLKs required during I/O sequence 5 is sixteen. In the fol-
lowing I/O sequence the format changes to 12-bit without sign
MSB first; therefore the number of SCLKs required during
I/O sequence 6 changes accordingly to 12.
1.3 CS Low Continuously Considerations
When CS is continuously low, it is important to transmit the
exact number of SCLK pulses that the ADC expects. Not do-
ing so will desynchronize the serial communications to the
ADC. When the supply power is first applied to the ADC, it will
expect to see 13 SCLK pulses for each I/O transmission. The
number of SCLK pulses that the ADC expects to see is the
same as the digital output word length. The digital output word
length is controlled by the Data Out (DO) format. The DO for-
mat maybe changed any time a conversion is started or when
the sign bit is turned on or off. The table below details out the
number of clock periods required for different DO formats:
DO Format
Number of
SCLKs
Expected
12-Bit MSB or LSB First SIGN OFF 12
SIGN ON 13
16-Bit MSB or LSB first SIGN OFF 16
SIGN ON 17
If erroneous SCLK pulses desynchronize the communica-
tions, the simplest way to recover is by cycling the power
supply to the device. Not being able to easily resynchronize
the device is a shortcoming of leaving CS low continuously.
The number of clock pulses required for an I/O exchange may
be different for the case when CS is left low continuously vs.
the case when CS is cycled. Take the I/O sequence detailed
in Figure 7 (Typical Power Supply Sequence) as an example.
The table below lists the number of SCLK pulses required for
each instruction:
Instruction CS Low
Continuously CS Strobed
Auto Cal 13 SCLKs 8 SCLKs
Read Status 13 SCLKs 8 SCLKs
Read Status 13 SCLKs 8 SCLKs
12-Bit + Sign Conv 1 13 SCLKs 8 SCLKs
12-Bit + Sign Conv 2 13 SCLKs 13 SCLKs
1.4 Analog Input Channel Selection
The data input at DI also selects the channel configuration
(see Table 2, Table 3 and Table 4). In Figure 8 the only times
when the channel configuration could be modified would be
during I/O sequences 1, 4, 5 and 6. Input channels are rese-
lected before the start of each new conversion. Shown below
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ADC12130/ADC12132/ADC12138