3 Calibration Implementation on MCU

Because the microcontroller (MCU) contains both a digital-to-analog converter (DAC) and an analog-to-digital converter (ADC), as well as analog multiplexers that allow flexible interconnections, it is possible to perform gain and offset calibration of the programmable gain amplifier (PGA) using no external components.

Figure 3-1. Block Diagram of DAC, OPAMP, and ADC Interconnections Used for Calibration

The figure above shows the DAC, OPAMP, and ADC interconnections that are used for calibration. The buffered DAC output feeds into the ADC input multiplexer and the OPAMP input multiplexer. The OPAMP input multiplexer can select between the buffered DAC output or a pin of the device. The ADC input multiplexer can select between either the DAC output or the OPAMP output.

After the OPAMP, DAC, and ADC have all been initialized and enabled, the following steps are used to implement a gain and offset calibration procedure:
  1. Configure the OPAMP input MUX to select the DAC output.
  2. Write a first value (xa) to the DAC.
  3. Configure the ADC input MUX to select the DAC output.
  4. Allow time for the DAC output and ADC input to settle.
  5. Start an ADC conversion.
  6. Wait for the ADC conversion to complete.
  7. Save the ADC result as xa.
  8. Configure the ADC input MUX to select the OPAMP output.
  9. Allow time for the ADC input to settle.
  10. Start an ADC conversion.
  11. Wait for the ADC conversion to complete.
  12. Save the ADC result as ya.
  13. Write a second value (xb) to the DAC.
  14. Configure the ADC input MUX to select the DAC output.
  15. Allow time for the DAC output and ADC input to settle.
  16. Start an ADC conversion.
  17. Wait for the ADC conversion to complete.
  18. Save the result of the ADC conversion as xb.
  19. Configure the ADC input MUX to select the OPAMP output.
  20. Allow time for the ADC input to settle.
  21. Start an ADC conversion.
  22. Wait for the ADC conversion to complete.
  23. Save the result of the ADC conversion as yb.
  24. Steps 2 through 23 may be repeated many times, and the ADC results averaged to obtain more accurate values for xa, ya, xb, and yb.
  25. Compute the calibrated gain value as G = (yb-ya)/(xb-xa).
  26. Compute the calibrated input offset value as C = (ya/G) - xa.
  27. Calibration is complete, and the OPAMP (configured as PGA) is ready to be used by the application. Configure the OPAMP input MUX to select the device pin.

The calibrated gain and input offset values should be used by the application code for any calculations that involve gain and/or offset.

The code below implements the gain and offset calibration procedure outlined above:
#define F_CPU 4000000UL // 4 MHz is default CPU and peripheral frequency

#include <avr/io.h>
#include <util/delay.h>

// The VREF (Voltage Reference) peripheral will be set up to generate a
// reference voltage of 2.5 V
#define VREF_REFSEL_CONTROL VREF_REFSEL_2V500_gc
#define VREF_MV 2500.0 // Floating-point value of reference voltage in mV

// The DAC (Digital-to-Analog Converter) has 10-bit resolution and 2^10 = 1024
// possible input values
// DAC outputs of approximately 60 mV and 120 mV will be used to perform a
// two-point gain and offset measurement/calibration of the op amp gain stage
// Here is the calculation of the two DAC data values needed to generate these
// output voltages:
// (60 mV / 2500 mV) * 1024 = 25
// (120 mV / 2500 mV) * 1024 = 49
#define DAC_DATA_A 25
#define DAC_DATA_B 49

// The AVR-DB ADC (Analog-to-Digital Converter) has 12-bit resolution and
// 2^12 = 4096 possible output values
// Determine the number of mV equivalent to one LSB change in the ADC output:
#define MV_PER_ADC_LSB (VREF_MV/4096)

// Number of measurements to average
#define N_AVERAGE 100

void measure(uint16_t dac_data, uint8_t muxpos_dacout, uint8_t muxpos_opout,
				int16_t *dac_meas, int16_t *opout_meas){
					
	//Given a DAC setting, this function measures the op amp input and output values
	
	DAC0.DATA = dac_data << DAC_DATA0_bp; // Write a new value to the DAC
	ADC0.MUXPOS = muxpos_dacout; // Configure the ADC input mux to select the DAC output
	_delay_ms(1); // Allow time for the DAC output and ADC input to settle
	
	ADC0.COMMAND = ADC_STCONV_bm; // Start an ADC conversion
	while(ADC0.COMMAND & ADC_STCONV_bm); // Wait for the ADC conversion to complete
	*dac_meas = ADC0.RES; // Save the ADC result as a measurement of the DAC output value
	
	ADC0.MUXPOS = muxpos_opout; // Configure the ADC input mux to select the OPAMP output
	_delay_ms(1); // Allow time for the ADC input to settle
	
	ADC0.COMMAND = ADC_STCONV_bm; // Start an ADC conversion
	while(ADC0.COMMAND & ADC_STCONV_bm); // Wait for the ADC conversion to complete
	*opout_meas = ADC0.RES; // Save ADC result as a measurement of the OPAMP output
	
	return;
}
	
volatile float meas_gain = 0; // Measured gain
volatile float meas_offset = 0; // Measured input offset in ADC units
volatile float meas_offset_mv = 0; // Measured input offset in mV
	
int main(void)
{
	uint8_t n;
	int16_t xa, ya, xb, yb;
	int32_t accum_xa, accum_ya, accum_xb, accum_yb;
	float avg_xa, avg_ya, avg_xb, avg_yb;
	
	// Disable digital inputs on OP0 input and output pins
	PORTD.PIN1CTRL = PORT_ISC_INPUT_DISABLE_gc;
	PORTD.PIN2CTRL = PORT_ISC_INPUT_DISABLE_gc;
	PORTD.PIN3CTRL = PORT_ISC_INPUT_DISABLE_gc;
	
	// Disable digital input on DAC output pin
	PORTD.PIN6CTRL = PORT_ISC_INPUT_DISABLE_gc;
    
	// Set up the timebase of the OPAMP peripheral
	OPAMP.TIMEBASE = 3; // Number of CLK_PER cycles that equal one us, minus one (4-1=3)

	//Configure OP0 as non-inverting gain of 16 with DAC as input
	OPAMP.OP0INMUX = OPAMP_OP0INMUX_MUXPOS_DAC_gc | OPAMP_OP0INMUX_MUXNEG_WIP_gc;
	OPAMP.OP0RESMUX = OPAMP_OP0RESMUX_MUXBOT_GND_gc | OPAMP_OP0RESMUX_MUXWIP_WIP7_gc | OPAMP_OP0RESMUX_MUXTOP_OUT_gc;
	// Configure OP0 Control A
	OPAMP.OP0CTRLA = OPAMP_RUNSTBY_bm |  OPAMP_OP0CTRLA_OUTMODE_NORMAL_gc | OPAMP_ALWAYSON_bm;

	// Enable the OPAMP peripheral
	OPAMP.CTRLA = OPAMP_ENABLE_bm;

	// Set up VREF peripheral to generate the same reference for both ADC and DAC
	VREF.ADC0REF = VREF_ALWAYSON_bm | VREF_REFSEL_CONTROL;
	VREF.DAC0REF = VREF_ALWAYSON_bm | VREF_REFSEL_CONTROL;
	
	// Set up DAC peripheral by enabling it and its output pin
	DAC0.CTRLA = DAC_OUTEN_bm | DAC_ENABLE_bm;
	
	// Set up ADC peripheral
	ADC0.CTRLC = ADC_PRESC_DIV4_gc; // Set up ADC prescaler to DIV4 
	                                // so CLK_ADC = 4 MHz / 4 = 1 MHz
	ADC0.CTRLA = ADC_ENABLE_bm; // Enable ADC in single-ended mode
	
	accum_xa = 0; accum_ya = 0; accum_xb = 0; accum_yb = 0; //Reset accumulators
	for (n = 0; n < N_AVERAGE; n++){
		measure(DAC_DATA_A, ADC_MUXPOS_AIN6_gc, ADC_MUXPOS_AIN2_gc, &xa, &ya);
		//                  DACOUT              OP0OUT
		measure(DAC_DATA_B, ADC_MUXPOS_AIN6_gc, ADC_MUXPOS_AIN2_gc, &xb, &yb);
		//                  DACOUT              OP0OUT
		accum_xa += xa; accum_ya += ya; accum_xb += xb; accum_yb += yb; //Add to accumulators
	}
	avg_xa = ((float) accum_xa)/((float) N_AVERAGE);
	avg_ya = ((float) accum_ya)/((float) N_AVERAGE);
	avg_xb = ((float) accum_xb)/((float) N_AVERAGE);
	avg_yb = ((float) accum_yb)/((float) N_AVERAGE);
		
	meas_gain = (avg_yb - avg_ya)/(avg_xb - avg_xa); // Measured gain
	meas_offset = (avg_ya/meas_gain) - avg_xa; // Measured input offset in ADC units
	meas_offset_mv = meas_offset * MV_PER_ADC_LSB; // Measured input offset in mV
	
	// Calibration is complete and the OPAMP is ready to be used by the application,
	// so configure the OPAMP input mux to select the input pin.
	OPAMP.OP0INMUX = OPAMP_OP0INMUX_MUXPOS_INP_gc | OPAMP_OP0INMUX_MUXNEG_WIP_gc;
	
	while(1){
		// Place application here
	}

}