ECE265 1

ECE 265 – LECTURE 16

Complete System Example

A Weight Measurement System

9/4/2019
 Lecture Overview
2

 System application example

 A pointof sale weight measurement system
 Involves
 Load cells and signal conditioning
 Application program

 REF: Chapter 14
 Many chapters plus the 68HC11 reference
manual.

 Joanne E. DeGroat, OSU ECE265 9/4/2019

 Statement of the Problem
3

 A chain of hardware stores wants to automate checkout

of small items to make the checkout process more
efficient.
 For nail, screws, washers, and other similar small
items.
 Each carries a different price and each items has an
item weight.
 When a bulk purchase of one of these items is made,
the order is placed on the scale of the system and the
clerk enters the product id.
 The microcontroller weighs the order, the number of
items and total price calculated.
 Joanne E. DeGroat, OSU ECE265 9/4/2019
 Some background
4

 Load cells are transducers that covert applied force,

such as weight, into a differential electrical output
voltage signal.
 Load cells – foil type strain gauges
 Use a Wheatstone bridge circuit to output a signal that
can be input to the microcontroller A/D.
 Foil type strain gauges measure the deflection of the
sensing beam to which they are attached. The beam
deflects when a load is applied and thus the ability to
measure weight is achieved.
 Joanne E. DeGroat, OSU ECE265 9/4/2019
 The Load Cell setup
5

 The basic setup to measure weight using a strain

guage.

 Joanne E. DeGroat, OSU ECE265 9/4/2019

 Wheatstone bridge circuit
6

 To get a voltage proportional to weight

 Joanne E. DeGroat, OSU ECE265 9/4/2019

 Load Cell Specification
7

 Parameters to specify
 Excitation voltage – typically a maximum
 Terminal resistance input – used to determine power
consumption – manufacturers specify minimum
resistance.
 Rated capacity – in pounds of kilograms

 Rated output – in mV/V – specifies the output signal

per pound given an input voltage of V

 Joanne E. DeGroat, OSU ECE265 9/4/2019

 Interface to the microcontroller
8

 Practical load cell

circuit –
 Ready for input to
conditioning

 Joanne E. DeGroat, OSU ECE265 9/4/2019

 Signal conditioning
9

 Signal needs to be conditioned (scaled) for input to

the 68HC11.
 IA = Instrumentation Amplifier

 Joanne E. DeGroat, OSU ECE265 9/4/2019

 Fig continued.
10

 The full
setup for
interfacing

 Joanne E. DeGroat, OSU ECE265 9/4/2019

 If the signal is noisy
11

 Joanne E. DeGroat, OSU ECE265 9/4/2019

 Software design
12

 An overall
flowchart
/pseudocode

 Start at this high

level and then
break down each
function

 Joanne E. DeGroat, OSU ECE265 9/4/2019

 The enter subroutine
13

 Again have
modules to break
down

 Joanne E. DeGroat, OSU ECE265 9/4/2019

 The measure subroutine
14

 Note level of action

in each box.

 What type of code is

this?

 Joanne E. DeGroat, OSU ECE265 9/4/2019

 The little things
15

 A subroutine to
round the cents in
the price.

 A more complex
routine

 Joanne E. DeGroat, OSU ECE265 9/4/2019

 Lecture summary
16

 In this lecture we have looked at a system

implementation where a microcontroller would be
used.
 System in an integration of both hardware and
software design and implementation.
 The software for the system is 8 ½ pages in chapter.
 Note the documentation within the software code!!!

 Joanne E. DeGroat, OSU ECE265 9/4/2019

 Assignment
17

 None

 Joanne E. DeGroat, OSU ECE265 9/4/2019