Power Measurement (Root Mean Square/RMS)

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POWER MEASUREMENT
(ROOT MEAN SQUARE/RMS)

by Bob Paddock

I had a need to make a power measure of an unusual high-frequency

wave form for an application I was working on. Because of the esoteric
nature the application had, I wanted to be sure I would not be hearing
the words "Measurement Errors".

Far to often I've seen others try to do high-frequency power

measurements by looking at the signal on their oscilloscope, or by
using their bench multimeter without understanding its specifications.
Looking at a complex high-frequency wave form with a multimeter
designed for 60-Hz sine waves simply does not give meaningful results.

Since I didn't have the equipment at hand to do power measurements, I

decided to take a look to see what I could build to get the job done.
What I wanted to accomplish was convert the complex wave form to a
DC voltage that I could view with the equipment I had available.

In discussing my application with Mr. Williams of Linear Technology, he

pointed out something so obvious that I over looked it. When doing
Power Measurements, the current and voltage measurements must be
done in phase. P = E*I gives meaningless results if E and I are not
measured at the same instant in time. For example, you can't feed your
current into one LT1088, your voltage into an other, and then multiply

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Power Measurement (Root Mean Square/RMS)

your results. You must do your E*I before you apply it to the LT1088
input. All of which we'll cover here in more detail, as well as RMS
conversion in RF/IF applications.

Root Mean Square is a fundamental measurement of the magnitude of

an AC signal. The RMS value assigned to an AC signal is the amount
of DC required to produce an equivalent amount of heat in the same
load.

The definitive document on RMS-to-DC conversion is RMS-to-DC

Conversion Application Guide, Second Edition, 1986. By Charles
Kitchen and Lew Counts, of Analog Devices, Inc. The down side is that
it is only available in printed format. It is well worth the effort to track
down a copy, perhaps from your library.

For example, the Guide gives a clear definition of "Crest Factor",

something none of the data sheets do:
"The crest factor of a wave form is a ratio of its peak value
to its RMS value. Signals such as amplitude symmetrical
squarewaves or DC levels have a crest factor of one.
Other waveforms, more complex in nature, have higher
crest factors."

Crest Factor For:

Undistorted Sinewave: 1.414
Symetrical Squarewave: 1.00
Undistorted Trianglewave: 1.73

Agilent Test & Measurement has anextremely detailed 26 part tutorial

on Measurements and Measurement Errors. For example, True RMS
AC Measurements and Crest Factor Errors (non-sinusoidal inputs).

Since Analog Devices, Inc. literally wrote the book, you would be
correct in your assumption that they have the technology needed to
solve your RMS-to-DC conversion problems.

Analog Devices Product Index: RMS-to-dc Converters

The difference-of-squares function is also used as the basis for a novel

rms-to-dc converter shown in Figure 14. The averaging filter is a true
integrator, and the loop seeks to zero its input. For this to occur,
(VIN)2 – (VOUT)2 = 0 (for signals whose period is well below the
averaging time-constant). Hence, VOUT is forced to equal the RMS
value of VIN. The absolute accuracy of this technique is very high, at
medium frequencies, and for signals near full scale, it is determined

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Power Measurement (Root Mean Square/RMS)

almost entirely by the ratio of the resistors in the inverting amplifier.

The AD637 is a complete, high-accuracy, monolithic rms-to-dc

converter that computes the true rms value of any complex wave form.
It offers performance that is unprecedented in integrated circuit
rms-to-dc converters, and comparable to discrete and modular
techniques in accuracy, bandwidth, and dynamic range. A crest factor
compensation scheme in the AD637 permits measurements of signals
with crest factors of up to 10 with less than 1% additional error. The
circuit's wide bandwidth permits the measurement of signals up to 600
kHz with inputs of 200 mV rms and up to 8 MHz, when the input levels
are above 1 V rms.

As with previous monolithic rms converters from Analog Devices, the

AD637 has an auxiliary dB output available to the user. The logarithm
of the rms output signal is brought out to a separate pin allowing direct
dB measurement with a useful range of 60 dB. An externally
programmed reference current allows the user to select the 0 dB
reference voltage to correspond to any level between 0.1 V and 2.0 V
rms.

The input circuitry of the AD637 is protected from overload voltages in

excess of the supply levels. The inputs will not be damaged by input
signals if the supply voltages are lost.

The AD737 is a low power, precision, monolithic true rms-to-dc

converter. It is laser trimmed to provide a maximum error of ±0.2 mV
±0.3% of reading with sine wave inputs. Furthermore, it maintains high
accuracy while measuring a wide range of input waveforms, including
variable duty cycle pulses and triac (phase) controlled sine waves. The
low cost and small physical size of this converter make it suitable for
upgrading the performance of non-rms “precision
rectifiers” in many applications. Compared to these circuits, the
AD737 offers higher accuracy at equal or lower cost.

There is also the AD 736 Low Cost, Low Power, True RMS-to-DC
Converter.

The AD834 is a monolithic laser-trimmed four-quadrant analog

multiplier intended for use in high-frequency applications, having a
transconductance bandwidth (RL = 50 W) in excess of 500 MHz from
either of the differential voltage inputs. In multiplier modes, the typical

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Power Measurement (Root Mean Square/RMS)

total full-scale error is 0.5%, dependent on the application mode and

the external circuitry. Performance is relatively insensitive to
temperature and supply variations, because of the use of stable biasing
based on a bandgap reference generator and other design features.

(Click here for figure)

POWER MEASUREMENT (MEAN SQUARE AND RMS)

The AD834 is well suited to measurement of average power in
high-frequency applications, connected either as a multiplier for
the determination of the V x I product, or as a squarer for use
with a single input. In these applications, the multiplier is followed
by a low-pass filter to extract the long term average value.

SECTION 3 RF/IF SUBSYSTEMS of Analog Devices Seminar Series

contains several tips and circuits on RMS conversion in RF/IF
applications.

The AD8361 is a True Power Detection™ (TruPwr™) RFIC, offering

RMS-responding power detection for the first time in integrated form.
The device is capable of converting a complex modulated RF signal,
from 0.1 to 2.5 GHz into a DC voltage representing the RMS level of the
signal. The device is highly linear and temperature stable. It is useful for
detection of CDMA, QAM, and other complex modulation schemes.

"Precise measurement of signal levels is critical to nearly all RF design

applications, such as radio links, cellular base stations and wireless
terminals, fiber-optic links, instrumentation and test equipment," said
John Greichen RF/IF marketing manager, Analog Devices. "In

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Power Measurement (Root Mean Square/RMS)

particular, this innovation solves a major challenge for CDMA and

Wideband-CDMA designers. The AD8361 is a revolutionary
achievement; a single, low-power IC that simplifies even the most
difficult RF signal measurements."

A new technology in energy measurement is starting to emerge, with

the intention of replacing the 100+ year old mechanical power meters
that we are all slaves to.

ADI - Energy Meter Solutions Overview.

Power Measurement Solutions offers insight into design solutions for

integrated power meter ICs, DSP-based systems, discrete solutions,
and a detailed reference library.

Energy Meter Solutions: SalemTM-3T Overview

The SALEM-3T energy meter has been certified for its accuracy by
National Physical Laboratory to meet IEC687 standard. The certificate
provides results for the meter under various power conditions, including
voltage, load, frequency, and power factor. The meter has also been
certified by Beijing Test Laboratory, and copies of this certificate are
available on request.

(Click here for figure)

Energy Meter Solutions: ADSST-EM-3010 SALEM-3T

Summary: OEMs only have the option of using the chip set, consisting
of the Digital Signal Processor + Analog-to-Digital Converter + metering
software, to design their own meter using any microcontroller–in

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Power Measurement (Root Mean Square/RMS)

addition to storing various parameters in each Tariff Reg's.

The ADSST-EM-3020 has harmonic analysis, which records reactive

energy in 2 forms.

ADI's Reference Library of Energy Meter Sites can be quite

educational.

The new Crystal® " power meter on-a-chip" (CS5460) facilitates the
transition from widely-used mechanical meters that yield limited data, to
electronic meters that provide extensive information on customer
energy usage. Furthermore, the new mixed-signal chip outperforms
higher-priced electronic meter solutions, often based on costly custom
chips or requiring many discrete components.

(Click here for figure)

Single Phase Bi-Directional Power/Energy IC

The CS5460 is a highly integrated DS Analog-to-Digital Converter

(ADC), which combines two DS ADCs, high-speed power calculation
functions, and a serial interface on a single chip. It is designed to
accurately measure and calculate: Energy, Instantaneous Power,
IRMS, and VRMS for single phase 2- or 3-wire power meter
applications.

(Click her for figure)

The Fairchild Semiconductor RC4200 analog multiplier has complete

compensation for nonlinearity, the primary source of error and
distortion. This multiplier also has three onboard operational amplifiers
designed specifically for use in multiplier logging circuits. These
amplifiers are frequency compensated for optimum AC response in a
logging circuit, the heart of a multiplier, and can therefore provide
superior AC response. The RC4200 can be used in a wide variety of
applications without sacrificing accuracy. Four-quadrant multiplication,
two-quadrant division, square rooting, squaring, and RMS conversion
can all be easily implemented with predictable accuracy.

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Power Measurement (Root Mean Square/RMS)

Overview of Code-Domain Power, Timing, and Phase Measurements

Telecommunications Industry Association standards specify various

measurements designed to ensure the compatibility of North American
CDMA (code division multiple access) cellular transmitters and
receivers. This paper is a tutorial overview of the operation of the
measurement algorithms in the HP 83203B CDMA cellular adapter,
which is designed to make the base station transmitter Charles Kitchen
and Lew Counts, RMS-to-DC Conversion Application measurements
specified in the standards, by Raymond A. Birgenheier.

US4943764: Wide dynamic range radio-frequency power sensor

A wide dynamic range radio-frequency power sensor having, a

low-power sensor portion and a high-power sensor portion, is
described. Both sensing portions are connected to an input signal at
the same time without the use of a signal splitter. In the preferred
embodiment, a single radio-frequency load serves both sensor
portions. Each sensor portion has its own output terminal. The
low-power sensor portion includes a pair of diodes. The high-power
sensor portion (which includes the radio-frequency load) may include a
pair of diodes preceded by an attenuator, or a pair of thermocouples.

Hewlett-Packard Company today introduces the HP E-series E9300

power sensors for the HP EPM series E4418 and E4419 power
meters. The HP E9300 sensors can measure the true-average power
of RF and microwave signals, regardless of their modulation format,
over a wide dynamic range. Engineers can now use a single HP
E-series power sensor to measure complex digital-modulation
formats–including those used in today's wireless communication,
satellite, and cable TV systems–at low and high power levels. The
same sensor also measures multi-tone and continuous-wave (CW)
signals. This capability allows manufacturers, R&D engineers, and
service providers to standardize on one power sensor for all of their
average-power measurements, simplifying measurement tasks and
minimizing the cost of equipment.

Linear Technology has several application notes and parts for RMS
conversion based on "first principles" of physics (i.e.; heat).

Conversion of AC waveforms to their equivalent DC power value is

usually accomplished by either rectifying and averaging or using analog
computing methods. Rectification-averaging works only for sinusoidal
inputs. A way to achieve wide bandwidth and high crest factor
performance is to measure the true power value of the wave form
directly. The circuit of Figure 6 does this by measuring the DC heating
power of the input wave form.

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Power Measurement (Root Mean Square/RMS)

(Click her for figure)

By using thermal techniques to intergrate the input wave form, 50-MHz

bandwidth is easily achieved with 2% accuracy. Additionally, because
the thermal integrator's output is at a low frequency, no wideband
circuitry is required. It is based on measuring the amount of power
required to maintain two similar, but thermally decoupled, masses at the
same temperature. See Application Note 5 Thermal Techniques in
Measurement and Control Circuitry by Jim Williams.

From AN5 - "Designers spend much time combating thermal effects in

circuitry. The close relationship between temperature and electronic
devices is the source of more design headaches than any other
consideration. In fact, instead of eliminating or compensating for
thermal parasitics in circuits, it is possible to utilize them. In particular,
applying thermal techniques to measurement and control circuits allows
novel solutions to difficult problems. The most obvious example is
temperature control. Familiarity with thermal considerations in
temperature control loops permits less obvious, but very useful,
thermally based circuits to be built."

Linear Technology has converted the above discrete circuit to a

monolithic form:

LT1088 Wideband RMS-DC Converter Building Block

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Power Measurement (Root Mean Square/RMS)

The LT1088 is a thermally based RMS-DC converter building block. It

converts the input wave form to heat. Using external circuitry, the
thermal signal is expressed as a DC output voltage.

Application Note 22 - A Monolithic IC for 100MHz RMS-DC

Conversion.

Application Note 67- Linear Technology Magazine Circuit Collection,

Volume III
Data Conversion, Interface and Signal Processing, compiled by Richard
Markell.

Application Note 67 is a collection of circuits from the first five years of

Linear Technology, targeting data conversion, interface, and signal
processing applications.

Relevant to our discussion here is the section: WIDEBAND RMS

NOISE METER by Mitchell Lee. Shown below is one of the sections of
the WIDEBAND RMS NOISE METER. It also shows a very important
consideration for this type of circuitry, overload protection. Nothing is
more annoying than having your heat-based meter over heat and toast
itself to death.

(Click her for figure)

Design Note 101- A Precision Wideband Current Probe for LCD

Backlight Measurement by Jim Williams. Accurate determination of
RMS operating current is important for electrical and emissivity
efficiency computations and to ensure long lamp life.

All product names and logos contained herein are the trademarks
of their respective holders.

The fact that an item is listed here does not mean we promotes its
use for your application. No endorsement of the vendor or
product is made or implied.

If you would like to add any information on this topic or request a

specific topic to be covered, contact Bob Paddock.

Circuit Cellar provides up-to-date information for engineers. Visit

www.circuitcellar.com for more information and additional articles.
©Circuit Cellar, The Magazine for Computer Applications. Posted with

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Power Measurement (Root Mean Square/RMS)

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