17 Interface circuitry and microsystems

Abstract

Sensing physical or chemical quantities is a fundamental task in information processing and control systems. A sensing element or transducer converts the quantity to be measured into an electrical signal, such as a voltage, a current, or a resistive or capacitive variation. The data obtained from the transducers then have to be translated into a form understandable by humans, computers, or measurement systems. An electronic circuit called a sensor interface usually performs this task. The functions implemented by a sensor interface can range from simple amplification or filtering to A/D conversion, calibration, digital signal processing, interfacing with other electronic devices or displays, and data transmission (through a bus or, recently, through a wireless connection, such as Bluetooth). © 2006 Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg.