ADC (Polling Mode)

Lea Dominique Fariola

Department of Electrical and Electronics Engineering
University of San Carlos
Talamban, Cebu City Philippines
leadominiquefariola@gmail.com

Abstract The paper details the activities done in using
STML053R8T6 but to be used in Polling Mode. This entails the
discussion about the functions of HAL_ADC_START,
HAL_ADC_PollForConversion, and HAL_ADC_GetValue. The
last part of this paper involves the usage of potentiometer, and a
resistor to vary the analog voltage externally. The duty cycle can
be compared through the simulations and through the help of
Analog Discovery.
Index Terms STML053R8T6, STM32CubeMX,
DigilentWaveforms, ADC, polling mode, analog discovery, duty
cycle
I. INTRODUCTION
Analog-to-Digital Converter (ADC) is a peripheral that
allows measuring the voltage (between 0 and Vref) on a certain
input of the microcontroller and converting it into a number in
between 0 and 2^N 1 where N is the ADC resolution. The
easiest way to experiment with an ADC is to connect it to a
potentiometer which is a mechanically adjustable resistor.
Connecting one side of the terminals of the potentiometer to the
ground while the other one on the Vcc pin, the voltage level will
gradually change as the potentiometer knob is rotated.
ADC resolution is one of the key factors to determine how
precise the conversion can be. Faster conversion times can be
obtained by lowering the resolution. Its reference voltage is
equal to supply voltage to Vdd pin. It may use successive
approximation register principle wherein the conversion is
performed in several steps. The number of conversion steps is
equal to the number of bits in the ADC converter. Each step is
driven by the ADC clock. Each ADC clock produces one bit
from result to output. ADC internal design is a switched-
capacitor type.
ADC module has a separate supply which normally can be
connected to general MCU power supply. Also, it can have
external reference source through Vref+ and Vref- that can be
brought through dedicated pins. In no special case analog supply
voltage may be reference internally. It can also be performed in
single or continuous mode for single channel, scan through all
channels, externally triggered conversion. There is also an
analog watchdog which can detect if voltage exceed preset
threshold values and DMA request based conversions. STM32
microcontrolles support two ADC conversion modes: regular
and injected. Regular mode is what we used to see in many types
of microcontroller all channels share same data register.
Various regular modes can be possible, like single, continuos
and group. More interesting here is group conversion where
channels are specified to convert where channels are specified
to convert in round robin mode cycle through channels. Its up
to you how you collect data from register in time through
conversion complete interrupt or using DMA. Conversion group
can be configured to cycle through maximum of 16 channels and
order of channels can be also programmed they dont have to
be in order. Group can be programmed to convert continuously,
and discontinuously trigger by external trigger. In discontinuous
mode parts of group can be triggered to convert. For instance if
we select group to be 16 channels then we can program to
convert first 3 channels on trigger, then wait for another trigger
and convert next three channels and so on. Another is the inject
conversion mode. It can perform conversion of selected four
channels. They have a priority over normal conversion group
scan. If normal group conversion is going on and injected
conversion is triggered, then normal conversion is halted, then
injected conversion is performed. After that, normal conversion
is resumed. Injected conversion channels have their own result
registers and offset registers. Offset can store value that will be
automatically deducted from ADC result.
II. GENERATING THE CODE
The configuration tab contains the analog group wherein the
ADC is found. This is where the proper modes and other features
will be set. After that, generating the codes would be the next
step.
Figure 1. Inserted codes for declaration
Fig. 1 shows the variables needed to be declared. Declaring
of variables is very important because these actions do not
automatically be updated. It shows that the unsigned variable
used is adcValue while the float variable is analogValue.
Figure 2. encoded code located in user code begin 2

Fig. 2 shows the code HAL_ADC_Start(&hadc) that is

written on the second user code begin. This code enables the Figure 5. analog voltage reading for 25% duty cycle
analog-to-digital conversion to start the conversion of regular
group. The recorded adcValue is 1266 and the analogValue is
1.0202198022.

Figure 3. codes for converting the gathered value into analog value
Figure 6. rectangular wave with 50% duty cycle
Fig. 3 shows the codes which is found under the main()
function. HAL_ADC_PollForConversion(&hadc, 1) is the one Fig. 6 shows the rectangular waveform of the second range.
that checks if the continuous conversion of regular channel is The duty cycle is likely the same with the off state.
finished. The second line of the code means that the adcValue is
what the HAL_ADC_GetValue will receive from hadc. The last
line of codes is the final value of the analogValue wherein it is
multiplied to 3.3 and divided by 4095.
The code was then downloaded. Another way in View is the
Live Watch. The adcValue and analogValue. A potentiometer
and a 1k resistor was connected. The potentiometer is across
the source, PA0 and ground. The connection forms a voltage
divider circuit where PA0 is in between.
III. RECTANGULAR WAVE WITH THREE DIFFERENT
DUTY CYCLES BASED ON ANALOG VALUE Figure 7. analog voltage reading for 50% duty cycle
Table 1. Ranges of analogValue with its duty cycle
Fig. 7 shows the recorded adcValue is 1416 and the
AnalogValue range Duty Cycle analogValue is 1.14109885.
0 < 1.1 25%
1.1 < 2.2 50%
2.2 < 3.3 75%
Three set of analog value range with its duty cycle. With the
help of the Live Watch, the analog value can be identified.

Figure 8. rectangular wave with 75% duty cycle

Fig. 8 shows the rectangular waveform of the third range.

The duty cycle is greater than its off state.

Figure 4. Rectangular Wave with 25% duty cycle

Fig. 4 shows the rectangular waveform of the first range. The

pulse width of the waveform is small and the off state is longer
than the on state.

Figure 9. analog voltage reading for 75% duty cycle
Fig. 9 shows the recorded adcValue is 3236 and the
analogValue is 2.6077656744.
Based from Figures 4,6 and 8, 25% duty cycle is showed
because the pulse is smaller compared to the pulse on the third
waveform.
IV. CONCLUSION
Interrupt Mode is very useful in immediate functions.
Therefore, the code entered on the interrupt must be as brief as
possible so that there will be no delay upon execution. The
interrupt used must be enabled in NVIC configuration because
it enables programmable priority levels and it is easy to use by
the programmers. NVIC supports vectored interrupt operations
so that there is no need to use another software to determine
which interrupt to serve.
V. ACKNOWLEDGMENT
The student would like to thank the Almighty Father for the
guidance, wisdom, and knowledge He granted all throughout the
duration of the creation of this paper. Also to her family and
friends for they helped in such a way that the student was
motivated in giving 100% for this paper.
REFERENCES
[1] SysProgs, "SysProgs," www.visualgdb.com, 22 July
2015. [Online]. Available:
http://visualgdb.com/tutorials/arm/stm32/adc/.
[2] L. T. Phuc, "letanphuc," www.letanphuc.net, 24 July
2016. [Online]. Available:
http://letanphuc.net/2016/07/stm32f0-adc/.
[3] ST, "STMicroelectronics," st.com, [Online]. Available:
http://www.st.com/content/ccc/resource/technical/document/
application_note/group0/3f/4c/a4/82/bd/63/4e/92/CD002113
14/files/CD00211314.pdf/jcr:content/translations/en.CD002
11314.pdf.