The Accuracy Calculator (ACCU) is designed and analyzed for data converter application circuits. It calculates the ideal DC accuracy of a data converter. The program is designed using an HP ® 50G calculator or a free PC simulator.

Accuracy Calculator

The Accuracy Calculator (ACCU) is used for the design and analysis of data converter applications circuits. It calculates the DC accuracy of an ideal data converter, covering both analog-to-digital converters (ADCs) and digital-to-analog converters (DACs). The DC accuracy of a data converter is measured as the maximum deviation of the linear transfer function from the ideal. An HP 50g handheld calculator is a convenient tool, but there is also a free simulator available on many computers using the Windows® operating system, as shown in Figure 1. The accuracy parameters of a data converter are input, the information included in the Accuracy Calculator, and the output transfer function are complete. The AACU User's Guide (part of the AACU package) provides instructions for using the calculator, the theory and equations behind data converter accuracy problems, and most importantly, a practical example of its use in circuit design and analysis. Industry professionals can interchangeably specify common parameters in different units. The calculator allows any unit to be entered and then displays the alternative units. This allows the user to quickly evaluate devices using different units. For example, resolution can be entered in bits or a number of steps. Accuracy can be measured in percent of full scale (%), parts per million (PPM), decibels (dB), or microvolts (μV). Current-based converters are also supported. Figure 2. ACCU display The User's Guide tutorial details how the DC accuracy of a data converter is calculated. A practical example illustrates how to use ACCU to solve a common design problem. The example takes us from entering the data, through a converter solution and finding and provides a quick way to explore alternative accuracy parts.