Integrated Smart Sensors

The calibration procedure that is required for manufacturing accurate sensors is, presently, time-consuming and difficult to automate. Hence, it contributes considerably to the sensor fabrication costs. This text explains how to include a digitally programmable calibration feature in an integrated smart sensor. Several related topics are discussed as well, including calibration and linearization techniques. Calibration circuits using analogue signal processing, digital signal processing, or a mixed-mode technique based on sigma-delta modulation are presented, as well as the other circuits needed in a smart sensor. The combination of a programmable calibration circuit and a digital bus interface, integrated together with the sensor, enables automation of the calibration procedure for a large batch of such integrated smart sensors at a time. This will help to reduce the costs of the sensor calibration, and, thus, to decrease the price per sensor, in particular for mass-produced sensors. The work should be of interest to analogue design engineers, researchers and students. It can also be used as an advanced text on the subject.