Frequency to Voltage Converter

And Digital Tachometers

LM2907 From ational !emiconductor
"ntroduction
Frequency-to-Voltage converts are commonly associated with digital tachometers,
which are used to measure the rate of rotation for a wheel. Digital tachometers are
currently available in a wide range of forms (all of which use some type of frequency to
voltage converter). ost non-contact tachometers require reflective strips to be placed
on the ob!ect to be measured. "ictures of several types of digital tachometers are
included below.
#nfrared Digital $achometer
%aser Digital $achometer
&ombo'(lectromagnetic Digital $achometer
A##lications
$he frequency to voltage converter can be used for any application that requires
measurement of a repeating event, such as a wheel ma)ing a complete rotation. For
the robot, this could be used in place of the current encoders to measure velocity.
Theory o$ %#eration
* rate meter simply measures the rate at which some event occurs. +sually this is
done by counting the events (contact closures, electrical pulses, etc.) for a given period of
time ()nown as the integration interval) and then simply dividing the number of events by
the time to get a rate. &onversely, an analog tachometer is usually built up out of an
electro-mechanical current meter and some sort of input conditioning circuitry. #nstead of
integrating the input signal over discrete time intervals, the mass of the meter movement
itself is used to continuously integrate the input pulses.
&hen and 'o( to )se
For the %,-./0-1 (1 pins) in the configuration seen below, a frequency signal
is applied to the input of the charge pump at pin 2. $he voltage appearing at pin , will
swing between two values which are appro3imately 4 (V
&&
) 5 V
6(
and 7 (V
&&
) 5 V
6(
.
$he voltage at pin 8 will have a value equal to V
&&
9 f
#0
9 &
2
9 :
2
9 ;, where ; is the
gain constant (normally 2..).
&onfiguration for the %,-./0-1
:
2
, &
2
, and &
,
are sub!ect to some limitations, which can be found on the %,-./
data sheet from 0ational <emiconductor. * typical magnetic pic) up is shown below. *
magnetic pic)up is essentially a coil wound around a permanently magneti=ed probe.
>hen discrete ferromagnetic ob!ects such as gear teeth, turbine rotor blades, slotted
discs, or shafts with )eyways-are passed through the probe?s magnetic field, the flu3
density is modulated. $his induces *& voltages in the coil. @ne complete cycle of
voltage is generated for each ob!ect passed. #f the ob!ects are evenly spaced on a rotating
shaft, the total number of cycles will be a measure of the total rotation, and the frequency
of the *& voltage will be directly proportional to the rotational speed of the shaft
agnetic "ic)up
"nter$acing
$he diagram below shows a good way to interface the %,-./0 (2A-pins). $he
input signal goes to pin 2, the capacitors and resistors mentioned above are given, a
reference voltage is applied to pin 22, and a constant voltage is on pins 1 and -. $he
emitter output is connected to the inverting input of the op amp so that pin B will follow
pins 8 and A and provide a low impedance output voltage proportional to input frequency.
$he output signal from pins B and 2. is C/ D='V. $his output voltage should be sent to
an *D&, and then read by the D<".

Ty#ical !#eci$ications and *rices
$he linearity of the output voltage is typically better than ..8E of full scale. "lots
of the linearity of the tachometer vs. operating temperature are shown below.
$his chip is a typical 2A-pin (or 1-pin) footprint, as seen below.
0ational <emiconductor sells the %,-./0 for F..1. each, but this price is for
quantities of 2... and over. $he magnetic pic)up sensor shown in the e3amples costs
F/B at least.
ore details about the %,-./ and digital tachometers can be found from the
websites listed in the references section
+e$erences
httpG''www.national.com'pf'%'%,-./.html
httpG''Acrawler.cruiserpages.com'Diesel'&heap$ric)s'$achometer'inde3.shtml
httpG''www.daytronic.com'products'trans't-speed.htm
<ome venders for tachometers
httpG''www.chec)line.com'tachometers'cdt,....htm
httpG''www.tequipment.net'*(&&alibration#nstruments.html
httpG''!etronl.chinasuppliers.alibaba.com'product'.'2.28-2...html