P. BURNOS, J. GAJDA, P. PIWOWAR, R. SROKA, M. STENCEL,
T. ŻEGLEŃ

AGH - University of Science and Technology
Department of Measurement and Instrumentation
Kraków, Poland, e-mail: jgajda@agh.edu.pl

MEASUREMENTS OF ROAD TRAFFIC PARAMETERS USING INDUCTIVE LOOPS AND PIEZOELECTRIC SENSORS

The basic problems corresponding to traffic measurements have been presented in the paper. The Authors gave a general overview of the parameters and characteristics describing the vehicles and traffic flow. The current sensor technologies used in measuring systems have been presented. Moreover the measuring systems used in traffic measurements have been described. Special at tention has been paid to the more sophisticated problems like a vehicle's classification based on the analysis of its magnetic signature and to vehicle's weigh-in-motion technique. The presented results base on the Authors' experience in designing and exploitation of the measuring systems equipped with inductive loops and piezoelectric sensors.

Keywords: Traffic parameter measurements, Single loop detectors, WIM systems, Multi sensor WIM systems, Vehicle classification, Vehicle's magnetic signature

Full paper (437kB): M&MS_2007_187.pdf

ANDRZEJ KONSTANTY MUCIEK

Wrocław University of Technology, Poland
e-mail: andrzej.muciek@pwr.wroc.pl

ON IMPROVEMENT OF SAMPLING TECHNIQUE DESIGNED FOR PRECISE ROOT MEAN SQUARE MEASUREMENTS

A method for precise root mean square (RMS) measurement of periodic signals based on signal reconstruction is analysed. The RMS value of a signal under test is determined in three steps. In the first step, the Fourier coefficients are estimated from integrative samples, in the second step the estimators are corrected, using the method of least squares with constraints and precision measurement of rectified signal average, and in the third step the RMS value is calculated from the Fourier coefficient estimators. Properties of integrative samples are analysed and the problem of choosing the optimal integration time is discussed. It is shown that this approach, optimal reconstruction with correction, considerably increases the accuracy of the RMS measurements of low frequency signals.

Keywords: RMS measurements, signal reconstruction, integrative sampling

Full paper (117kB): M&MS_2007_205.pdf

BARBARA STAWARZ-GRACZYK, DARIUSZ ZAŁĘSKI,
ALICJA KONCZAKOWSKA

Gdańsk University of Technology
Faculty of Electronics, Telecommunications and Informatics
Department of Optoelectronics and Electronic Systems, Poland
e-mail: Alicja.Konczakowska@eti.pg.gda.pl

AN AUTOMATIC SYSTEM FOR IDENTIFICATION OF RANDOM TELEGRAPH SIGNAL (RTS) NOISE IN NOISE SIGNALS

In the paper the automatic and universal system for identi.cation of Random Telegraph Signal (RTS) noise as a non-Gaussian component of the inherent noise signal of semiconductor devices is presented. The system for data acquisition and processing is described. Histograms of the instantaneous values of the noise signals are calculated as the basis for analysis of the noise signal to determine the number of local maxima of histograms and to evaluate the number of RTS noise levels. The presented system does not need supervisor control of identi.cation results.

Keywords: RTS noise, semiconductor devices, Noise Scattering Pattern (NSP) method, histogram

Full paper (233kB): M&MS_2007_219.pdf

IRENEUSZ JABŁOŃSKI, JANUSZ MROCZKA

Wroclaw University of Technology
Chair of Electronic and Photonic Metrology, Poland
e-mail: ireneusz.jablonski@pwr.wroc.pl

A STATION FOR THE RESPIRATORY MECHANICS MEASUREMENT BY OCCLUSION TECHNIQUES

In the paper, the stage for the evaluation of the respiratory mechanics by occlusion techniques is described. It consists of the hardware-software module of post-interrupter data acquisition, numerical procedures of the collected signal analysis and computational models, enabling a quantitative/qualitative verification of the relations between the lung structure, pathology and measurement results. Flexibility of the designed set-up guarantees the possibility to test the classical versions of the interrupter technique, its modi.ed author's variant - enhanced interrupter technique and also the future developmental work in the appointed research area.

Keywords: pulmonary mechanics, occlusion techniques, interrupter technique, enhanced interrupter technique, indirect measurement

Full paper (265kB): M&MS_2007_229.pdf

PIOTR RUSZEL

Wroclaw University of Technology
Faculty of Fundamental Problems of Technology
Poland, e-mail: piotr.ruszel@pwr.wroc.pl

METROLOGICAL ASPECTS IN MEASUREMENTS OF A SPECTRUM GENERATED AS THE RESULT OF SWITCHING AN ELECTRIC CIRCUIT

This paper presents issues connected with experimentally specifying the envelope of spectral density of a signal which arises by the operation of switching an electric circuit. Furthermore, the paper discusses an applied method of dividing the spectra coming from the 'switch on' signal and the 'switch off' signal. Finally, there is also a description of results of numerical analyses and research work carried out by the author.

Keywords: electromagnetic compatibility, electric signal, frequency spectrum, measurements

Full paper (6514kB): M&MS_2007_241.pdf

ZDZISŁAW KACZMAREK, MAŁGORZATA DETKA

Kielce University of Technology
Division of Theoretical Electrical Engineering and Metrology
Poland, e-mail: m.detka@tu.kielce.pl

THE RECONSTRUCTION OF WAVEFORMS OF IMPULSIVE STRAIN OCCURING IN AN ELASTIC BAR BY MEANS OF DECONVOLUTION IN THE FREQUENCY DOMAIN

The paper presents a method of reconstruction of impulsive strain waveforms based on deconvolution in the frequency domain and the spectral transmittance of the bar, which was determined experimentally and given in an analytic form. A regularization of the deconvolution is obtained by means of limiting the frequency band of the inversion filter. In this method the one-point or the two-point measurement of strain waves in an elastic bar can be utilized.

Keywords: reconstruction, deconvolution, frequency domain, impulsive strain

Full paper (1299kB): M&MS_2007_257.pdf

M. G. AHMED, K. ALI

National Institute for Standards (NIS)
Thermal Measurements Laboratory
Giza, Egypt
e-mail: gamal70@yahoo.com, khalid_ali_nis@yahoo.com

PERFORMANCE OF A NEW SET OF IN, SN AND ZN TEMPERATURE FIXED-POINTS

A comparison of a new set of "In, Sn and Zn" temperature fixed-points on the International Temperature Scale of 1990 (ITS-90) was carried out at the National Institute of Standards (NIS - Egypt). The new set was manufactured by Hart Scientific - USA. The comparison was performed to measure their performance and capabilities in calibrating Standard Platinum Resistance Thermometers (SPRTs). This comparison was carried out using four calibrated SPRTs and the reference set of "In, Sn and Zn". The used reference set was manufactured by National Physical Laboratory (NPL-England). Full description and measurements made to the two sets are presented. Measurements showed good results and some agreement between the two sets. The differences between cells of the new set and reference cells were well within 2 mK. This showed their capabilities and the possibility of using them in calibrating SPRTs.

Keywords: ITS-90, SPRT, Fixed-Point

Full paper (75kB): M&MS_2007_269.pdf

MAGDALENA BOĆKOWSKA, ADAM ŻUCHOWSKI

Szczecin University of Technology
Poland
e-mail: Magdalena.Bockowska@ps.pl

AN OPTIMAL DEGREE OF COMPLEXITY OF A SIMPLIFIED MODEL

A simplified model can be created using one of the already known mathematical methods (series expansion of a function, truncating continued fraction expansion [1] and so forth) if the analytic form of the full model is known or using regression to determine the optimal parameters of the model with arbitrary assumed structure. If the measured accuracy of input variables can be obtained, the optimal degree of complexity of the model can be determined.

Keywords: simplified model, model complexity

Full paper (57kB): M&MS_2007_275.pdf

KRZYSZTOF DUDA, ANDRZEJ BIEŃ

AGH University of Science and Technology
Measurement & Instrumentation Department
Krakow, Poland
e-mail: kduda@agh.edu.pl, abien@agh.edu.pl

DIGITAL MEASUREMENT OF TRANSIENT DISTURBANCES IN ELECTRIC POWER NETWORK WITH ADDITIONAL LOWPASS ANALOG CIRCUIT

The paper presents a DSP-based system for measurement of the short-term transient distortions in electric power networks. These distortions typically possess short duration times and high amplitude values and thus they are very di.cult to acquire by standard digital data acquisition systems. We propose to apply an additional analog lowpass RC circuit before digital data acquisition. A properly chosen analog RC filter extends the duration time of transient distortion and simultaneously reduces its amplitude making it significantly simpler to acquire digitally. Next, digital signal processing is used for cancelling the analog convolution of the acquired signal with a RC filter. The paper discuses results obtained for di.erent con.gurations of the proposed measurement system including RC filter selection and digital deconvolution filter design. The algorithm was implemented in a Texas Instruments C617 DSK toolkit. Laboratory experiments with voltage signals are presented in the paper.

Keywords: transient distortion measurement, DSP system, Power Quality monitoring

Full paper (149kB): M&MS_2007_283.pdf

MARIUSZ R. RZĄSA

Technical University of Opole
Chair of Thermal Engineering and Industrial Facilities, Poland
e-mail: mrz@po.opole.pl

A NEW TRANSDUCER OF DOUBLE PROCESSING FOR CAPACITIVE TOMOGRAPHY

The paper presents a new solution of a system for the measurement of small capacities, applied in capacitive tomography. Some known versions of transducers have been discussed. Next, the author has presented his own solution, using a transducer of double processing. In the first step, capacity is changed into frequency, and next the frequency is changed into voltage. The change of capacity to frequency provides introduction of the measuring capacity into the resonant system of a generator. Small capacity changes in the capacitive tomograph influence the changes of the frequency generated by the generator. The proposed solution provides a far better stability of the measurement results related to typical solutions applied in capacitive tomography. The paper presents results of the tests performed for some systems and the obtained results were compared.

Full paper (405kB): M&MS_2007_291.pdf

KRZYSZTOF T. POŹNIAK

Warsaw University of Technology
Institute of Electronic Systems
Poland
e-mail: pozniak@ise.pw.edu.pl

MULTITASKING MEASURING SYSTEM OF THE BACKING CALORIMETER FOR THE ZEUS EXPERIMENT AT THE HERA ACCELERATOR

The paper is devoted to the subject of application of a complex measurement system in HEP experiments. The measurement system is electronic, FPGA-based, multi-channel and distributed. The application is the Backing Calorimeter (BAC) located in an international ZEUS experiment at the HERA ring accelerator of counter-propagating particles, DESY Hamburg. The hadron-electron ring accelerator HERA is concisely characterized in the introductory part of the paper. Actually, the HERA accelerates electrons or positrons and protons. The particle collision takes place in detectors. One of them is ZEUS. The structure of ZEUS is presented with emphasis on the metrological requirements. These requirements are to obtain a good space and time resolution of measurements for numerable physical values. The measurements are taken from images of particle collisions. The measurement subsystems of the BAC detector are described. The BAC is equipped with over 40000 nondependent channels for position measurement, over 2000 channels for energy measurement. It possesses a local functional block of position and energy trigger, as well as modules for data acquisition. The functional structure of the system is presented in the context of task requirement superimposed by the ZEUS. These requirements are: global triggering system of the whole experiment, data acquisition and tests. The hardware solutions are included for particular parts of the measurement systems. Examples are presented of measurement results obtained from the ZEUS experiment. An original author's idea is debated to integrate the functional layers of the complex measurement system with a superimposed diagnostic layer. The aim is to have operator's access to the current on-line quality assessment of TRIDAQ measurement system for ZEUS. This includes the ability to detect, localize and prevent randomly appearing irregularities in system software and hardware.

Keywords: High Energy Physics, particle detector, data acquisition, trigger, metrological systems, data quality monitoring, FPGA, AHDL, Altera, HEP experiment

Full paper (2519kB): M&MS_2007_307.pdf