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HEWLETT-PACKARD

JOURNAL
T E C H N I C A L I N F O R M A T I O N F R O M T H E - h p - L A B O R A T O R I E S
Vol. 12, No. 2

JBLISHED BY THE HEWLETT-PACKARD COMPANY, 1501 PAGE MILL ROAD, PALO ALTO, CALIFORNIA OCTOBER, 1960




A Voltage -to -Frequency Converter
for Greater Flexibility in Data Handling
of the most flexible instruments pres- The electronic counter can now be used to
ently available to the engineer is the elec sample, measure, and handle data with con
tronic counter. Not only does the counter have siderably more flexibility than previously by
an accuracy and a resolution that are matched the voltage-to-frequency converter shown in
SEE AtSO: by few instruments or tech Fig. 1. This instrument converts dc or varying
-hp-'s division for special
instrumentation, page 3 niques, but its speed of dc voltages to a proportional frequency which
measurement, too, is relatively high, several can then be measured by a counter to yield a
measurements a second often being possible. direct indication of voltage. In other words,
For data-handling applications these qualities the converter-counter combination forms a fast
are attractive and are made even more attrac and accurate digital voltmeter. Besides the fact
tive by the fact that many output coupling that it operates with a general-purpose meas
devices are currently available to enable the uring instrument (i.e., a frequency counter),
counter to transfer its data to such devices as the converter has the advantage that it has low
electric typewriters, tape perforators, card susceptibility to error from noise in the signal.
punch machines, printers, and electronic com Probably of even more importance, the con
puters. verter-counter combination can integrate, aver-




FIVE 0.1 SEC SAMPLES PER SECOND




ESC OF BURKING.


.,1 111
3 4 5 6 / 8 9 1 0

TIME (Seconds)




Fig. 1. Voltage-to-frequency converter (left above) simpli Fig. 2. Above time-plot of rocket thrust typifies data-meas
fies data-handling problems by converting dc voltages to a uring and logging abilities of equipment in Fig. 1 when used
proportional frequency which can be measured by a standard with digital printer (see Fig. 3). Equipment arrangement is
electronic counter. Many devices can then be used to enable
counter to transfer its data to printers, tape, computers, etc. simple, fast, and has low susceptibility to noise.
Converter is produced by Dymec, -hp-'s special-instrumenta
tion division.



P R I N T E D I N U . S . A . C O P Y R I G H T I 9 6 0 H E W L E T T - P A C K A R D C O .