Handheld Digital Altimeter

Former Member — Tue, 12 Apr 2011 14:21:19 GMT

Current Revision posted to Documents by Former Member on 4/12/2011 2:21:19 PM

Instrumentation & Measurement Solutions -
Handheld Digital Altimeter

Handheld digital altimeters are portable devices that measure altitude based on the change of atmospheric pressure. However, a variety of additional features such as clock, atmospheric pressure, compass and weather information (temperature, humidity etc.) can usually be implemented within a single device. This combination makes it an ideal choice for mountaineers, hikers, adventure enthusiasts and search & rescue staff working in the field.

A handheld digital altimeter is composed of sensors, signal conditioning circuit, ADCs, MCU, human-machine interface, and power supply. The sensors used in a single device may include barometric sensor, magnetic sensor, temperature sensor and humidity sensor. These sensors typically provide analog output, and therefore a signal conditioning circuit (of which amplifiers are the core components) is required to implement amplification and filtering of sensors’ small signals. The processed signals are then converted into digital signals by ADCs so that MCU can calculate based on digital input and certain algorithm to get results of altitude, atmospheric pressure, temperature, humidity, etc. The human-machine interface on a handheld digital altimeter includes several functional pushbuttons and a display for showing information. The power supply consists of battery, power management and battery management. The power management is used to convert battery power into different voltages to satisfy different requirements. The battery management provides control and protection during battery charge process.

In order to ensure that the handheld digital altimeters have a small size and capability of working properly for a long life even in harsh environment, the components with high integration, low power, wide temperature range and small package, and a large-capacity rechargeable battery that can work in a wide range of temperature should be selected. Meanwhile, the approaches that can reduce system’s power consumption should be adopted as many as possible during system design.

Application Notes

Manufacturer	Product Type	AN Title	AN Number	Part Number	URL
FREESCALE SEMICONDUCTOR	MCU	LCD Driver Specification	AN3796	MC9S08LL16	Click Here
FREESCALE SEMICONDUCTOR	MCU	Migrating from the MC9S08LL16 to MC9S08LL64 Microcontroller	AN3990	MC9S08LL16	Click Here
TEXAS INSTRUMENTS	MCU	Using power solutions to extend battery life in MSP430 applications		MSP430	Click Here
TEXAS INSTRUMENTS	MCU	Driving Large LCDs with LCD Peripheral of the MSP430		MSP430	Click Here
ANALOG DEVICES	ADC	Using the AD7328BRUZAD7328BRUZ 8-Channel ADC in Applications with Single-Ended Industrial-Level Signals		AD7328BRUZAD7328BRUZ	Click Here
MICROCHIP	MCU	Software Real-Time Clock and Calendar Using PIC16F1827	AN1303	PIC16F1827	Click Here
MICROCHIP	MCU	nanoWatt & nanoWatt XLP(TM) Technologies: An Introduction to Microchip's Low Power devices	AN1267		Click Here
MICROCHIP	MCU	Implementing an LCD Using the PIC16F1947 Microcontroller	AN1354	PIC16F1947	Click Here
TEXAS INSTRUMENTS	MCU	Using Two MSP430F4xx Devices to Drive Additional LCD Segments		MSP430F4xx	Click Here

WHITE PAPERS

Manufacturer	Product Type	White Paper Title	URL
TEXAS INSTRUMENTS	MCU	Debunking the Ultra-low Power Comparison: MSP430 vs. Microchip XLP Tech Brief	Click Here
FREESCALE SEMICONDUCTOR	MCU	Freescale's Next Generation 8-bit LCD Solutions	Click Here
FREESCALE SEMICONDUCTOR	MCU	Practical Power Comparison: MC9S08LL16 offers 70 percent reduction	Click Here
FREESCALE SEMICONDUCTOR	MCU	Freescale Low-Power Microcontroller Solutions Brochure	Click Here
ANALOG DEVICES	ADC	2011 Trends in Data Conversion	Click Here
TEXAS INSTRUMENTS	MCU	MSP430 Family Mixed-Signal Microcontroller Application Reports	Click Here
TEXAS INSTRUMENTS	MCU	MSP430(tm) Hardware Tools User's Guide	Click Here
FREESCALE SEMICONDUCTOR	MCU	MC9S08LL16 MCU offers 70 percent reduction	Click Here
TEXAS INSTRUMENTS	MCU	MSP430 Value Line LaunchPad Development Kit	Click Here

EVALUATION KITS

Manufacturer	Product Type	Evaluation Kits Title	EVKs Part Number	Part Number	URL
FREESCALE SEMICONDUCTOR	MCU	S08LL Demonstration Board	DEMO9S08LL16DEMO9S08LL16	MC9S08LL16	Click Here
FREESCALE SEMICONDUCTOR	MCU	TWR-S08LL64 Tower System 8-bit Segment LCD Module	TWR-S08LL64-KITTWR-S08LL64-KIT	MC9S08LL64	Click Here
FREESCALE SEMICONDUCTOR	MCU	MCF51QE128 Evaluation Board	EVBQE128EVBQE128	MCF51QE128	Click Here
FREESCALE SEMICONDUCTOR	MCU	MCF51QE128 Demonstration Board	DEMOQE128DEMOQE128	MCF51QE128	Click Here
FREESCALE SEMICONDUCTOR	MCU	QE8 Demonstration board	DEMO9S08QE8DEMO9S08QE8	MC9S08QE8CLCMC9S08QE8CLC	Click Here
FREESCALE SEMICONDUCTOR	MCU	DEMO9S08JM16DEMO9S08JM16 Lab tutorials	DEMO9S08JM16DEMO9S08JM16	MC9S08JM16	Click Here
FREESCALE SEMICONDUCTOR	MCU	DEMOJM Lab Supplement for the 8-bit Flexis™ JM60	DEMO9S08JM60	MC9S08JM60	Click Here
FREESCALE SEMICONDUCTOR	Sensor	Miniature SPI Digital Barometer Kit	KITMPL115A1SPIKITMPL115A1SPI	MPXM2102A	Click Here
MICROCHIP	MCU	MPLAB Starter Kit for PIC18F MCU	DM180021DM180021	PIC18F	Click Here
MICROCHIP	MCU	PIC18 Explorer Board	DV164136DV164136	PIC18F	Click Here
MICROCHIP	MCU	Explorer 16 Development Board	DM240001DM240001	PIC24F	Click Here
MICROCHIP	MCU	Explorer 16 Starter Kit	DV164033DV164033	PIC24F	Click Here
MICROCHIP	MCU	MPLAB Starter Kit for PIC24F	DM240011DM240011	PIC24F	Click Here
MICROCHIP	MCU	XLP 16-bit Development Board	DM240311DM240311	PIC24F16KA102	Click Here
MICROCHIP	MCU	PICDEM LCD 2 Demonstration Kit User's Guide	DM163030DM163030	PIC18F85J90-I/PTPIC18F85J90-I/PT	Click Here
MICROCHIP	MCU	PICDEM™ 4 Demonstration Board	DM163014DM163014	PIC18F1320	Click Here
MICROCHIP	MCU	PIC16F1937 Plug-in Module for PICDEM PIC18 Explorer Board	MA160012MA160012	PIC16F1937	Click Here
MICROCHIP	Temperature Sensor	MCP9700 Temperature-to-Voltage Converter PICtail? Demo Board	MCP9700DM-PCTLMCP9700DM-PCTL	MCP9700	Click Here
MICROCHIP	Temperature Sensor	MCP9700 Thermistor Demo Board User’s Guide	MCP9700DM-TH1MCP9700DM-TH1	MCP9700	Click Here
TEXAS INSTRUMENTS	MCU	MSP430FG4618/F2013 Experimenter Board	MSP-EXP430FG4618MSP-EXP430FG4618	MSP430FG4618	Click Here
TEXAS INSTRUMENTS	ADC	ADS1115 Performance Demonstration Kit	ADS1115EVM-PDKADS1115EVM-PDK	ADS1115	Click Here
NATIONAL SEMICONDUCTOR	Sensor	Sensor AFE Digital Controller Board	LMP90100EB/NOPBLMP90100EB/NOPB	LMP90100	Click Here
BOSCH	Pressure sensor	BMP085-0330SBO008BMP085-0330SBO008 - Daughter Board	BMP085-0330SBO008BMP085-0330SBO008	BMP085-0330SBO008BMP085-0330SBO008	Click Here
SENSIRION	Humidity and Temperature Sensor	Evaluation Kit EK-H2 for Humidity Sensors SHTxx	EK-H2	SHT75	Click Here
SENSIRION	Humidity and Temperature Sensor	Evaluation Kit EK-H4 for Humidity Sensors SHTxx	EK-H4	SHT75	Click Here
OLIMEX	MCU	MSP430-449STK2MSP430-449STK2	MSP430-449STK2MSP430-449STK2	MSP430-449STK2MSP430-449STK2	Click Here
OLIMEX	MCU	HEADER FOR MSP430F449	MSP430-H449MSP430-H449	MSP430-449STK2MSP430-449STK2	Click Here
HONEYWELL S&C	Compass sensor	SENSOR, DIGITAL IC COMPASS, DEMO	HMC5843-DEMOHMC5843-DEMO	HMC5843	Click Here
HONEYWELL S&C	Compass sensor	SENSOR, DIGITAL IC COMPASS, EVAL	HMC5843-EVALHMC5843-EVAL	HMC5843	Click Here
HONEYWELL S&C	Compass sensor	Magnetic Sensor Module	HMR3400HMR3400	HMR3400HMR3400	Click Here
HONEYWELL S&C	Compass sensor	Magnetic Sensor Module	HMR2300-D21-232	HMR2300	Click Here
HONEYWELL S&C	Compass sensor	Magnetic Sensor Module	HMR3000-D00-485HMR3000-D00-485	HMR3000	Click Here
HONEYWELL S&C	Compass sensor	Magnetic Sensor Module	HMC2003HMC2003	HMC2003HMC2003	Click Here
HONEYWELL S&C	Compass sensor	Magnetic Sensor Module	HMC5883L-DEMOHMC5883L-DEMO	HMC5883L	Click Here
HONEYWELL S&C	Compass sensor	Magnetic Sensor Module	HMC5883L-EVALHMC5883L-EVAL	HMC5883L	Click Here
HONEYWELL S&C	Compass sensor	Magnetic Sensor Module	HMR3500	HMR3500	Click Here

TRAINING

SUPPLIER

FREESCALE SEMICONDUCTOR	Sensor	Freescale APEX (altitude pressure experimental design)	MPL115A	Click Here
FREESCALE SEMICONDUCTOR	MCU	Freescale DEMO9S08LL16DEMO9S08LL16 Out of the Box Overview	MC9S08LL16	Click Here
FREESCALE SEMICONDUCTOR	MCU	Getting Started with RS08 MCUs		Click Here
FREESCALE SEMICONDUCTOR	MCU	LCD Introductory Video	MC9S08LL16	Click Here
FREESCALE SEMICONDUCTOR	MCU	Low End Microcontrollers and LCD - Alta performance	MC9S08LL16	Click Here
FREESCALE SEMICONDUCTOR	MCU	S08LL16 Thermostat Video	MC9S08LL16	Click Here
FREESCALE SEMICONDUCTOR	MCU	S08SF 8 Bit Microcontrollers and Development Kits		Click Here
FREESCALE SEMICONDUCTOR	MCU	Save your energy - Flexis™ Ultra-low-power 8-bit S08QE128 MCU	S08QE128	Click Here
FREESCALE SEMICONDUCTOR	MCU	Segment LCD MCU Solutions with Low Power Features	MC9S08LL	Click Here
FREESCALE SEMICONDUCTOR	MCU	Tower System: TWR-S08LL64 Kit Overview	MC9S08LL64	Click Here
FREESCALE SEMICONDUCTOR	Eva Kit	TWR-S08LL64 Quick Start Demo	MC9S08LL64	Click Here
MICROCHIP	MCU	8-Bit CMOS Microcontrollers With nanoWatt Technology		Click Here
MICROCHIP	MCU	An Introduction to nanoWatt XLP: PIC18F46J50		Click Here
MICROCHIP	MCU	Introducing nanoWatt XLP Technology	nanoWatt XLP	Click Here
MICROCHIP	Eva Kit	Introduction to the PIC24H Starter Kit	nanoWatt XLP	Click Here
MICROCHIP	MCU	nanoWatt XLP Demo Video	nanoWatt XLP	Click Here
MICROCHIP	MCU	PIC18F2XK20/4XK20 8-Bit Microcontroller Family		Click Here
MICROCHIP	Eva Kit	XLP 16-bit Development Board	DM240311DM240311	Click Here
TEXAS INSTRUMENTS	MCU	Getting Started with MSP430 MCUs		Click Here
TEXAS INSTRUMENTS	MCU	MSP430 Getting Started Workshop	MSP430	Click Here

Handheld Digital Altimeter

Handheld Digital Altimeter

Instrumentation & Measurement Solutions - Handheld Digital Altimeter

Instrumentation & Measurement Solutions -
Handheld Digital Altimeter