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New Digital Multimeter for Accurate Measurement of Synchronously Sampled

AC Signals

Article  in  IEEE Transactions on Instrumentation and Measurement · July 2004

DOI: 10.1109/TIM.2004.827313 · Source: IEEE Xplore

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716 IEEE TRANSACTIONS ON INSTRUMENTATION AND MEASUREMENT, VOL. 53, NO. 3, JUNE 2004

New Digital Multimeter for Accurate Measurement

of Synchronously Sampled AC Signals
P. Petrovic, Member, IEEE

Abstract—An approach to the design of a digital multimeter
based on the use of dual-slope ADC is described in this paper.
Based on this approach, a new technique for algorithm de-
sign is developed. The main advantage of this approach is the
determination of all electric values in electric utilities by the
same algorithm. The algorithm has high accuracy and a regular
structure. Measurements of voltage and current are made in
successive periods by a stroboscopic technique (synchronous
undersampling). The assumed stationarity of the electric utilities
is validated by measurements with an experimental setup, con-
sisting of a fast high-precision sigma-delta ADC. The necessary
synchronization is reached by software measurements of the
frequency of the measured signal. Assuming stationarity of the
observed system (electric utilities) in the stated 1-s interval, it is
proved that precise digital processing can be achieved without
using a sample-and-hold circuit. The suggested measuring system
was simulated, realized in a practical setup, and tested. The
obtained results completely confirmed the starting postulates. A
processing precision of 0.01% was achieved.
Index Terms—Adaptable algorithm, digital multimeter, dual-
slope ADC, high accuracy, synchronous undersampling.
I. INTRODUCTION
T HE CONVENTIONAL algorithms for the measurement
of active power and effective values of voltage and current
employ integration or summation over an abruptly limited time
interval. Consequently, they operate correctly at a periodic input
signal only. The voltage and current waveforms of the power
network, however, are not strictly periodic, due to their nonhar-
monic components and stochastic variation. The outputs of both
the conventional and new algorithms do not represent the input’s
instantaneous value, but the input observed over a certain period
of time. The measurement method described in this paper can be
applied for the accurate determination of periodic signals. The
method relies on adaptation of the measurement time to the pe-
riod of the measurement signal.
The synchronous method is based on dual-slope integration
performed according to the synchronization signal (input
signal). The first phase of integration is fully synchronized
with the input signal. The time of the first phase is also mea-
sured. The output voltage of the integrator depends directly
on the input signal and the time of the first integration phase.
Measurement values are the results of arithmetic operations
Manuscript received March 19, 2003; revised January 12, 2004.
The author is with the Cacak College of Engineering, University of Kragu-
jevac, 32000 Cacak, Yugoslavia.
Digital Object Identifier 10.1109/TIM.2004.827313
0018-9456/04$20.00 © 2004 IEEE
between the time of the second phase of integration and the
measuring time (first phase).
The measurement method proposed in this paper is based on
selecting samples (the original assumption) of the input variable
in a large number of periods in which the system (in this case,
the electric utility) is considered to be stationary. The stationary
condition can be proved by values obtained from measurements
of rms values of system voltage [1]. From that finding, the math-
ematical presentation was concluded, i.e., confirmation that the
bandwidth of that system is very limited. That fact enabled ap-
plication of the Nyquist criterion.
By stationarity of the system, we understand that slowly
changing quantities, like current and voltage and their harmonic
content, are constant within the measuring interval. In this case,
undersampling contrary to the Nyquist criteria is possible. The
measuring time is about 1 s. The algorithm is of an adaptable
type and depends on the harmonic content of the input signal
and network frequency (50 or 60 Hz) [1]. The current makes
this system nonlinear due to the fact that one cannot predict
in advance the type of load which will be used and when it
will be connected to the investigated system. However, after
a certain number of periods, the current can be considered
a slowly changing variable during processing. This is why
very slow, low-cost, but very accurate ADCs [3], such as a
dual-slope type, were used in the proposed measuring system.
Integrating ADCs work best in high-accuracy, fine resolution
systems because they remove any power-line frequency noise
from the input signal. Voltage and current from real electric
utilities were used as input variables. The sampling procedure
is initiated arbitrarily (Fig. 1).
The distance between two consecutive samples is given by
(1)
where is the number of periods between sampling, is the
period of the input voltage, and is the delay determined
by the delay of elements in the processing circuit. depends
on the harmonic content of the input signal, ,
, where is the number of the highest
harmonic of the voltage, is the number of the highest har-
monic of the current signal, and is the period of the input
signal. All conditions, which have to satisfy both and to
get an accurate result of measuring, can be derived [1]. For that
reason, they cannot be arbitrary.

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PETROVIC: NEW DIGITAL MULTIMETER FOR ACCURATE MEASUREMENT
Fig. 1. Proposed method of sampling.
Calculation by the proposed method is carried out on the basis
of the following:
(2)
where is the number of samples needed for accurate pro-
cessing of observed values (in our case , ,
s), and are the rms values of
current and voltage, respectively, and is the active power. The
reason for taking samples is that, even the most com-
plex harmonic content processed by the proposed method de-
mands more than voltage and current samples [1].
Index provides the jump from period to period of the mea-
sured voltage and current and delay for samples at the next
processing.
According to the suggested measurement method, it is as-
sumed that, during the measuring interval, the harmonics con-
tent of the measured signal does not change very much. The
algorithm deals with arbitrary harmonics content. In the case
of a current with high harmonic content, as in a system sup-
plying phase-switched loads (such as thyristor controlled), the
accuracy of the method is preserved, provided the system is sta-
tionary within the measuring interval. The possible nonlinear
distortions in transition processes do not last very long. Thus,
they can be avoided when the functioning of this multimeter de-
signed for measuring periodic variables is considered.
The obtained conditions for the value of delay ( of its harmonic content, white noise and different irregularities
in [1]) are completely equal to the Nyquist condition. In other
words, as it was described in the introduction [1], we are not
able to carry out real spectral reconstruction of the processed
signal by the proposed method of measurement because of the
extremely low speed of sampling. It is only possible to carry
out “virtual” (delay in time) spectral reconstruction. Since the
delay is responsible for the movement forward of the mo-
ment of sampling from period to period (or more periods de-
pending on the parameter value), the delay must satisfy the
Nyquist criterion. In other words, it must be in accordance with
a basic postulate of synchronous sampling, where the proposed
measurement method conditionally belongs. If the current and
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717
voltage signals have different harmonic content, the conditions
for delay would determine a signal with “richer” harmonic
content (which is usually the current signal because of its greater
dynamics). On the basis of (38) in the Appendix of [1]
(3)
where is the angular frequency of the fundamental
harmonic. It is necessary to take the samples equidistantly on
the interval of one period. In that way, on the basis of established
limits in processing [1], it is possible to calculate accurately the
observed electrical values in electric utilities.
One of the basic principles or postulates in the processing of
the continuous signals (analog signal, which is continual per am-
plitude and time) by the dual-slope ADC is that at its input there
has to be a sample-and-hold circuit, which is a possible source
of systematic errors. In [5], we show that use of this circuit is
not necessary.
II. SIMULATION OF THE SUGGESTED MEASURING METHOD
Additional testing of the suggested digital measuring system
was carried out by simulation in the program package Matlab
(version 5.1), module Simulink.
In Fig. 2, a block diagram of the suggested digital measuring
system is shown. The construction is made of ready-made
Simulink models. The special advantage of such a program
environment or surrounding is that we are able to give an
arbitrary input signal, which is further processed. In the sense
may occur and simulate jump functions, with changeable
phase position between processed voltage and current signals.
Thus, both voltage and current signals are introduced into the
simulation, while a completely arbitrary phase relation and
amplitude value are given to them. In addition, an absolutely
arbitrary noise power is superimposed on them.
After forming a complex harmonic input signal, the signal
was taken into the circuit for the sample-and-hold (unit delay),
which is located in front of the real ADC [2]. The signal
was taken from the output sample-and-hold circuit into the
D flip-flop as a delay element. It is clocked from the special
signal generator (rectangular series of impulses) for which the
718
Fig. 2. Block-diagram of simulation model for measuring active power, based on the suggested measuring concept with dual-slope ADC and the sample-and-hold
circuit.
arbitrary duty ratio can be given. In this way, the continual
signal was measured, and that sample was held constant up to
the moment of the next measurement or sampling, which was
given on the basis of the previously proposed form. The next
sample was taken from one of the next periods of the input
signal, which can be adjusted by the choice of parameters of the
simulation model. Voltage and current signals were multiplied
and then integrated in time, thus obtaining the data of active
power.
All model parameters are adjusted to the real dual-slope ADC
and its speed and conversion precision. Because of this, we can
claim that this kind of simulation completely presents the real
conditions of actual use. The only difference is that by simula-
tion, the work is tested in more extreme conditions that the ones
which may be expected in practice. The obtained results fully
confirmed all the suppositions and conclusions that were made
before.
In the simulation model designed in this way, ideal synchro-
nization in processing with the frequency of the processed signal
was achieved. This is very difficult in practice, but together with
planned hardware resources (precise comparator and micropro-
cessor), we will be able to determine accurately the frequency of
the processed signals. Since it has such an input block, Simulink
gives the possibility for introducing a sinus signal whose fre-
quency varies completely arbitrarily. Thus, this block was also
used during the simulation, but the results were still beyond our
expectations (to the third decimal).
In order to estimate by simulation the power of digital pro-
cessing without using the circuit for sample-and-hold, a model
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IEEE TRANSACTIONS ON INSTRUMENTATION AND MEASUREMENT, VOL. 53, NO. 3, JUNE 2004
in Simulink has been constructed which corresponds to the pro-
posed measurement method.
In the model (Fig. 3), special selectors of analog signals
(Switch 1 and 2), passing through complex periodic signals
of current and voltage in the intervals, correspond to the
work speed of the dual-slope ADC. The pulse generator is
used, and its duty-ratio and period can be given. The selector
passes through the signal, from the first input, during the
time when the signal, from the second input, is bigger than
the given threshold. Otherwise, it would pass through or let
out a signal from the third input. This is the reason why we
use the constant block, with the value 0. We use the constant
on the final multiplier (Figs. 2 and 3) only as scaling factor,
to produce the active power of processing signals. From the
Figs. 2 and 3, it can be noticed that voltage/current signals
with three harmonics (besides the basic one, the third, and
the fifth, either even or odd) were used because they are the
most dominant harmonics in practice. However, it is not a
limitation factor in such a simulation. In other words, we are
able to introduce higher harmonics, and the conclusions are
still valid. All of this was worked out in detail in paper [1] when
arbitrary harmonic content was accepted. After mathematical
analyses for that case, certain conclusions were made about the
necessary number of samples and delay time during processing
[1], in order to get absolutely accurate, theoretical results of
measurement. Since it has such an input block, Simulink gives
the possibility for introducing a sinus signal whose frequency
varies completely arbitrarily. Thus, this block was also used
during the simulation.
PETROVIC: NEW DIGITAL MULTIMETER FOR ACCURATE MEASUREMENT
Fig. 3. Circuit model, which carries out the processing of active power without using the sample-and-hold circuit.
Fig. 4. Voltage signal to which an extremely powerful noise signal is
superpenetrated (with power of 0.004) which is used for testing the processing
concept with and without the sample-and-hold circuit.
In the above-described processing, signals of small amplitude
were used because such amplitudes can be expected on the plate
after scaling and introduction of signals into the ADC and be-
cause of clearance. The results obtained when calculating active
power followed, when the product of the two compound period-
ical signals polluted by very strong noise is processed. This is
most critical from the digital processing point of view. Fig. 4 is
an illustration of the signal obtained in this way.
In Table I, the results of processing over three models of dig-
ital processing are given. In the real environment, such a strong
noise will rarely be encountered. Because of that, this model
with a circuit for sampling should be accepted as very accu-
rate. The model without the sample-and-hold circuit gives much
better results at great distortion because processing also includes
those distortions, which the sample-and-hold circuit does not
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719
TABLE I
VALUES OF ACTIVE POWER WHEN PROCESSING SIGNALS WITH THE BASIC
HARMONIC WITH AMPLITUDE OF 1 V, THIRD HARMONIC WITH
AMPLITUDE OF 0.3 V, AND FIFTH HARMONIC WITH AMPLITUDE
OF 0.1 V, FOR DIFFERENT METHODS OF POWER PROCESSING
have to catch. In practical realizations, this circuit introduces a
significant error when processing very dynamic signals. In the
real system, it will be rare to encounter such a strong noise,
which can be prevented by additional filtering, as already ex-
plained in paper [1].
Based on the suggested concept of processing, the complete
realization of the dual-slope ADC can be achieved through the
resources of the microprocessor itself, as well as through its
counting resources. Only the most modern type of processor
is satisfactory here, however, with a considerably high perfor-
mance. All these elements will lead to reduced cost of the sug-
gested solution, without any changes to the basic conclusion
[1], dealing with the adaptability and the necessary number of
recorded measures. It is assumed that, during these observa-
tions, the system such as an electric utility remains stationary,
and that the harmonious content is preserved, within the time
720
Fig. 5. Block scheme of the realized digital multimeter.
interval necessary to conduct the measurement according to the
suggested method. In the same way, we can process other slowly
changing values such as pressure, temperature, and so on.
The suggested method gives very accurate results when mea-
suring time-average power, regardless of the harmonic content
of the input signal. After detection of the signal harmonic con-
tent, the necessary number of samples can be specified in the
form of an adaptive algorithm [1]. The suggested method of pro-
cessing ac values in electric utilities theoretically gives an abso-
lutely accurate result of measurement, if the observed system
can be considered stationary during a sufficiently long period
of time [1]. The proposed approach is suitable for real-time pro-
cessing and is characterized by a low computational burden in
comparison to the described algorithms in [3], [4]. This gives
an opportunity for developing a measurement system with very
simple and inexpensive hardware, in contrast to the highly so-
phisticated and expensive hardware described in [4], [6].
Another important advantage of this method (integrating
ADC) is that the input signal becomes averaged as it drives
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IEEE TRANSACTIONS ON INSTRUMENTATION AND MEASUREMENT, VOL. 53, NO. 3, JUNE 2004
the integrator during the fixed-time portion of the cycle. Any
changes in the analog signal during that period of time have
a cumulative effect on the digital output at the end of that
cycle. Other ADC strategies merely “capture” the analog signal
level at a single point in time every cycle. If the analog signal
is “noisy” (contains significant levels of spurious voltage
spikes/dips), one of the other ADC converter technologies may
occasionally convert a spike or dip because it captures the
signal repeatedly at a signal point time. A dual-slope ADC, on
the other hand, averages together all the spikes and dips within
the integration period, thus providing an output with greater
noise immunity. Delta-sigma (or more accurately, sigma-delta)
ADCs are the newest architecture and are used in systems
demanding high-resolution data acquisition; but when they are
used in instrumentation, their filter delays prevent multiplexing
and loop stability. Otherwise, they have poor step response
contrary to dual-slope ADCs. The realized algorithm is com-
parable in accuracy with [6]–[8], but yet it has a considerably
modest structure.
PETROVIC: NEW DIGITAL MULTIMETER FOR ACCURATE MEASUREMENT
III. PRACTICAL REALIZATION OF THE PROPOSED MULTIMETER
The block diagram of the proposed multimeter is shown in
the Fig. 5.
After being adjusted to the measuring range of a converter,
both voltage and current signals are brought into the acquisi-
tion board. The voltage signal has been adopted from a precise
resistance network (in the range 0–400 V). The transducer con-
sists of a resistive voltage divider buffered with a low-distortion,
low-noise, and wideband operation amplifier. Precision resis-
tors (tolerance: 0.01%, nominal power: 0.6 W, and tempera-
ture coefficient: ppm C) have been used for the voltage
divider. When 230 V are applied to the transducer, the power
consumption of each resistor is lower than 10% of the nominal
power. We have analyzed some error sources and their effects,
which might be commonly encountered in using the series-re-
sistor-type voltage dividers. For calibration of the voltage trans-
ducers we have used the procedure described in [13].
The current signal from an accurate current transformer has
been taken for the input of the dual-slope ADC (Linear Tech-
nology ADC TC530) (in the range 0–10 A). In this case, cur-
rent transducers consist of the traditional current transformers
(CT) with a magnetic core. Under sinusoidal conditions the ac-
curacy of the passive components can be very high, provided
that the load applied to their output is close to the nominal
burden. When distorted waveforms are dealt with (typically be-
cause of the presence of power electronic components), these
devices can be inadequate, owing to their nonlinear behavior
caused by the saturation and hysteresis phenomena. In any case,
in order to comply with safety requirements, current transducers
must guarantee galvanic separation between the power system
and the measurement system. In this case, the overall behavior
of the current-to-voltage transducer can be examined, offering
high accuracy specifications (0.01% at 20 C) and residual in-
ductance so low as to be negligible in all performed tests.
It is interesting to observe that the phase difference, unlike
that which happens for the active devices, decreases for in-
creasing frequency. This is due in practice to the magnetizing
current, the main factor responsible for inaccuracies of CTs
at low frequencies. The magnetizing current decreases as the
frequency increases.
On the other hand, traditional current transformers are intrin-
sically unsuitable when currents with a dc component have to
be measured. In addition, the presence of dc components, su-
perimposed on alternating components, can make it impossible
to use the transformer correctly, owing to the polarization of its
magnetic core. As for the problems concerning the nonlinearity,
in traditional current transformers, the effects of saturation and
hysteresis, more or less evident but always present in the mag-
netic core, cause distortion in the secondary waveform. Thus,
they limit the above-observed advantages on phase shifts.
Suitable compensation methods [10], [11] could reduce this
problem. A digital technique improved the accuracy of instru-
ment current transformers. A simple scalar model for CTs mag-
netic core, taking into account saturation as well as hysteresis
and eddy current phenomena, has been implemented in a soft-
ware compensation routine. This allows us to improve the ac-
curacy in the reproduction of the primary current, in the case
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721
Fig. 6. Circuit for detecting the frequency of the measured signal (R = 330 k,
C = 220 pF, R = 10 k, and R = 100 k, R = 1 k).
of both sinusoidal and distorted current waveforms (provided
the dc components are not present). The uncertainties due to the
exciting current, which is the main source of errors in instru-
ment current transformers, can be strongly reduced, provided
that an accurate preliminary identification of the transformer
has been performed. On this basis, a compensation technique
for CT has been set up that allows obtaining, simply by mea-
suring the secondary current, a much more accurate estimate of
the primary quantity than that usually achievable using the CTs
nominal ratio. The proposed procedure needs at least one pe-
riod of the signal to be acquired to perform the compensation.
The proposed technique [10], [11] reduces the so-called com-
posed error (for 1%), which includes amplitude errors, time shift
between primary and secondary current, and harmonic content.
The current transformer has a secondary circuit operation ampli-
fier, which provides practically zero resistance and, thus, much
better linearity of the transfer function of all transformers. To
minimize common-mode errors, the voltage developed across
is isolated and converted to a ground-referenced signal using a
unity-gain differential amplifier. Feedback amplifiers have been
employed to increase, in effect, the permeability of transformer
cores. Such techniques have been quite successful in reducing
low-frequency errors [12], [15].
Hall-effect probes may represent the right solution in many
cases, since they can measure dc components and their band-
width extends up to hundreds of kilohertz. Moreover, they are
practical to use. On the other hand, the two main drawbacks of
these transducers are the fact that measurement results depend
on the position of the primary wire with respect to the core axis
and the Hall sensor, and that results are influenced by magnetic
fields generated by nearby power wires. This is the reason why
we did not use this type of current transducer.
The TC530 consists of a dual-slope integrating ADC, nega-
tive power supply generator and three-wire serial interface port.
The key ADC operating parameters (auto zero and integration
time) are programmable, allowing the user to trade off conver-
sion time for resolution. Integration time must be chosen as a
multiple of the period of the line frequency. The ADC conver-
sion time must be less than the distance between two consecu-
tive samples (1). Data conversion is initiated when the RESET
input is brought low. After conversion, data is loaded into the
722 IEEE TRANSACTIONS ON INSTRUMENTATION AND MEASUREMENT, VOL. 53, NO. 3, JUNE 2004

Fig. 7. Flow chart of the program running on the microcontroller.

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PETROVIC: NEW DIGITAL MULTIMETER FOR ACCURATE MEASUREMENT
output shift register, and EOC is asserted, indicating new data is
available. The converted data (plus over-range and polarity bits)
are held in the output shift register until read by the processor,
or until the next conversion is completed, allowing the user to
access data at any time. The TC530 requires a single 5-V power
supply and features a 5-V, 10-mA output, which can be used to
supply negative bias to other components in the system. We use
two ADCs, one for the voltage and one for the current signal.
The voltage and current signals must be adapted to the range of
2 V to activate the maximum linearity of the ADC used, and
over the special resistant circuit specify the reference signal on
1.025 V.
As sample-and-hold circuit, we use the Analog Devices
circuit AD684. The AD684 is ideal for high-performance,
multichannel data acquisition systems. Independent inputs,
outputs, and sample-and-hold controls allow user flexibility
in the system architecture. Each SHA channel can acquire a
signal in less than 1 ms and retain the held value with a droop
rate of less than 0.01 mV/ms. The AD684 has a self-correcting
architecture that minimizes hold-mode errors and insures
accuracy over temperature, with a fast acquisition time (1 s)
and low aperture jitter (75 ps). Each channel of the AD684 is
capable of sourcing 5 mA and incorporates output short-circuit
protection. Low droop (0.01 mV/ms) and internally compen-
sated hold-mode error result in superior system accuracy.
A special circuit detects the passing of the signal through zero
with a comparator (Fig. 6), in this way achieving synchroniza-
tion of the measuring cycle with the electric utility frequency. In
order to avoid multiple false detections of zero crossing, caused
by noise, the comparator is replaced by Schmitt-triggers. The
microcontroller generates sampling intervals and is able to per-
form the necessary calculations, based on sampling values of the
measured signals. The analyses of operation of the zero crossing
detector proved that satisfactory accuracy could be achieved.
The number of zero crossings of the signal is evaluated by a test
on the sign of consecutive samples. The program corrects for
multiple transitions due to noise and checks that the distance
between zero crossings is approximately compatible with the
frequency expected by the program. An odd integer number of
valid zero crossings are taken, and the frequency of the signal
is calculated from the period of time between the first and the
last zero crossing, divided by the number of periods. For better
accuracy, the values of the samples around these two zero cross-
ings are interpolated by means of a least squares procedure. In
this way, we eliminate possible errors if the input periodic signal
has more than two zero crossings per period. In real electric util-
ities, the possible dc component is never higher than its ampli-
tude, and this is the reason why we did not consider this special
problem. In the case of such high dc components, we must trans-
late the input voltage signal or adapt the level of comparison.
The usage of PLL multiplier circuits offers much better syn-
chronization with the input signal frequency, avoiding errors
caused by frequency measurements. The majority of all PLL
design problems can be approached using the Laplace Trans-
form technique, and relatively complex mathematical tools for
their realization. One project demand was simplicity in realiza-
tion and usage of very simple microprocessors such as Motorola
68HC11. The existing PLL circuit needs a very sophisticated
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723
Fig. 8. Photo of the realized digital multimeter.
DSP for control, and consequently the price of the final instru-
ments will be higher.
In the existing electric utilities, the system frequency swings
in the range of 49.06–50.02 Hz (allowed by existing regula-
tions). This can certainly influence the accuracy of the proposed
measuring concept, due to the error made when determining the
sampling period by zero crossing detection. The error can be as
high as 2%. When the period is read using an internal counter in
the microprocessor, a zero crossing is required. The least expen-
sive comparators have a slew-rate of 50 s. As the system
voltage is scaled to about 2 V on the board (ratio of 1:150),
this comparator triggers at about 2.5 mV, so the error is about
20 ns. This error can be ignored, since there is no accumulation.
The accuracy of period reading then depends only on the pro-
cessing power of the microprocessor. The processing demands
described above can be satisfied using a wide range of low-cost
microprocessors. The microprocessors are also capable of car-
rying out the DFT to detect the harmonic content of an input
signal, automatically adjusting the algorithm to the real condi-
tions in electric utilities (special subroutine in Fig. 7).
The following constraints must hold to attain the lowest un-
certainties. 1) must hold at all times for a mul-
tiple of two. This is the condition for synchronous sampling of
a signal with frequency generated from a common
clock-reference. 2) The number of sampled periods must be
an integer multiple of power-line cycles in order to reduce power
line interferences. Conditions 1) and 2) prevent artificial spectral
components (leakage) from appearing when doing a DFT on the
sampled data. The realized instrument was checked in the fre-
quency range from 45–65 Hz. The methods for estimating the
frequency of a signal under noisy conditions [9] are also consid-
ered. The proposed algorithm [9] is suitable for real-time appli-
cations, especially when the frequency changes are abrupt and
the signal is corrupted with noise and other disturbances due
724
TABLE II
RESULTS OF MEASURING IN THE NATIONAL INSTITUTE FOR MEASUREMENTS IN
BELGRADE WITH THE PROPOSED DIGITAL MULTIMETER; IN THE FIRST
CASE, WE USE 40 SAMPLES TO CALCULATE THE OBSERVED
VALUES, AND IN THE SECOND CASE, WE USE 80 SAMPLES
to harmonics. It is highly iterative and, therefore, needs a fast
processor.
Complete control of the measuring process and all necessary
calculations are performed by the microcontroller (Motorola
68HC11) (a flow chart in Fig. 7). The microcontroller works by
a program, which is stored in EEPROM, and complete calcula-
tions were realized using (1) and (2), with the specified
, s. Thus, the obtained results are sent
to a display so that the process of measuring can be followed vi-
sually, too. An interface circuit (RS-232) is designed to enable
a connection between the meter and PC with the possibility to
choose the number of samples needed to calculate observed ac
values. Over the installed display, we can visually follow the re-
sults of calculation (rms values of voltage, current, active power,
and frequency of the basic harmonics of voltage).
The installed keyboard, which is used to set up the measuring
range and the start of measurement, is not presented in the Fig. 5.
We can also choose the type of measurement. For example, this
multimeter can be used for measuring the rms values of voltage
and current, as well as average and reactive power.
The realized multimeter (Fig. 8) was checked in the National
Institute for Measurements in Belgrade as the official laboratory
for this purpose. The obtained results completely proved our as-
sumptions [1] (Table II). The instruments for calibration in the
Institute during the measurement with the proposed multimeter
show that rms values of voltage, current and active power are:
, , and
. These parallel measurements showed the same re-
sults up to the third decimal. This provides verification for using
the suggested measuring concept in extremely precise reference
and laboratory measurements. As can be seen from Table II,
if we use more samples, then the results of calculation will be
better.
The multimeter can be used as a watt-hour meter in real elec-
tric utilities, where there is the essential monitoring of basic ac
values (voltage, current, and frequency). For this reason, we can
use ADCs with low resolution (up to 12 bits) for realization. The
results show that the accuracy of the proposed algorithm is ac-
ceptable under all conditions. It is independent of the harmonic
content of the voltage and current signals and has good accuracy
even if the frequency deviates from the nominal value.
Authorized licensed use limited to: Predrag B Petrovic. Downloaded on September 3, 2009 at 12:20 from IEEE Xplore. Restrictions apply.
IEEE TRANSACTIONS ON INSTRUMENTATION AND MEASUREMENT, VOL. 53, NO. 3, JUNE 2004
TABLE III
EXPERIMENTAL RESULTS OF MEASURING IN THE REAL ENVIRONMENT
WITH THE PROPOSED DIGITAL MULTIMETER WITHOUT
USING A SAMPLE-AND-HOLD CIRCUIT
In order to test the accuracy of the proposed method of mea-
surement without the sample-and-hold circuit, after adopting the
proposed algorithm for this purpose [5], parallel measurements
of rms voltage with an extremely precise multimeter, Hewlett
Packard HP 3475 A were carried out. These parallel measure-
ments (Table III) provide verification of the suggested mea-
, suring concept, and give more accurate measurement results. In
the future, it is necessary to check this “new” instrument in one
of the authorized laboratories in the country.
IV. CONCLUSION
The main advantage of the digital multimeter described in this
paper is that the measurements are performed exactly according
to the determination of power and true rms voltage. The multi-
meter works with an algorithm that is suitable for on-line mea-
surements, without the high computational burden as in [3], [4],
[6]. The algorithm is of an adaptable type and depends on the
harmonic content of the input signal and network frequency (50
or 60 Hz) [1]. The dual-slope ADC converter with very simple
and inexpensive hardware, in contrast to the highly sophisti-
cated and expensive hardware described in [4], [6], [7], meets all
price and accuracy requirements for the design of the measure-
ment system. This reduces the price of the entire device, while
the high level of accuracy in processing ac values is preserved,
better than in some other solutions [7], [14], with excellent noise
rejection.
The necessary synchronization is achieved by software
measurements of the frequency of the measured signal. The
prototype of a digital multimeter is being tested in the National
Institute for Measurement in Belgrade. The precision limit of
the instrument was investigated theoretically, experimentally
and by simulation. The real limit of precision was found
experimentally, and it was 0.01%. The most accurate watt-hour
meters used in the Yugoslav electric power net are three-phase
induction watt-hour meters of class 0.2%. Field experiments
gave excellent confirmation of the good application properties
of this instrument. By eliminating the sample-and-hold circuit
from the final design of the measuring system, a possible source
of systematic errors is eliminated and hardware requirements
are significantly simplified.
PETROVIC: NEW DIGITAL MULTIMETER FOR ACCURATE MEASUREMENT
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P. Petrovic was born in Cacak, Yugoslavia, on Jan-
uary 26, 1967. He received the B.S.E.E. and M.Sc.
degrees in electrical engineering from the University
of Belgrade, Belgrade, Yugoslavia, in 1991 and 1994,
respectively. He is currently pursuing the Ph.D. de-
gree in the field of digital signal processing at the
University of Novi Sad, Novi Sad, Yugoslavia.
Since 1991, he has been a Teaching and Research
Assistant, Cacak College of Engineering, University
of Kragujevac, Cacak, Yugoslavia, where his main in-
terests are digital signal processing, microcontroller
programming, AD conversion, mathematics, and cryptology.