Based on time-to-digital conversion technology for precision time-of-flight measurement, the ultrasonic flow converters operate the analog front end to drive and read transducers, detect the zero crossing in the receive signal and measure the travel time of the ultrasonic bursts. The whole front-end is optimized for ultra-low power operation. Besides pure front-end devices, ams also offers flow converters which integrate a low-power 32-bit CPU to calculate the flow. Some are supplied with the flow firmware on-chip. The devices communicate via SPI, but for stand-alone applications the output may be provided via a pulse interface.
| PartNo | Description | Analog Frontend | First Wave Detection | Amplitude Measurement | Number of Hits | Resolution ps | Operating Supply Range | Interface | CPU | Firmware | Memory | GPIO | Ambient Temperature Range °C | Package | Datasheet | Demo | Buy | PartNo |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| TDC-GP21 | Time-to-digital converter with integrated analog front-end | Yes | - | - | 3 | 22 | 2.5 to 3.6 | SPI | - | - | - | - | -40 to +125 | QFN32 | TDC-GP21 | |||
| TDC-GP22 | Next generation time-to-digital converter with integrated analog front-end | Yes | Yes | - | 3 | 22 | 2.5 to 3.6 | SPI | - | - | - | - | -40 to +125 | QFN32 | TDC-GP22 | |||
| TDC-GP30 | System on chip solution for ultrasonic flow metering | Yes | Yes | Yes | 31 | 11 | 2.5 to 3.6 | SPI, UART, Pulse | 32-bit | - | 4k NVRAM, 4k ROM | 6 | -40 to +125 | QFN32, QFN40 | TDC-GP30 | |||
| TDC-GP30-F01 | Firmware supported intelligent ultrasonic flow converter | Yes | Yes | Yes | 31 | 11 | 2.5 to 3.6 | SPI, UART, Pulse | 32-bit | Volume, flow, and temperature calculation | 4k NVRAM, 4k ROM | 6 | -40 to +125 | QFN32, QFN40 | TDC-GP30-F01 |
The TDC-GP30 is an Ultrasonic Flow Converter which can be used for water metering in communities, cities or industrial applications. At Electronica we showcased how it can be used in cost-effective non legal for trade applications with small spool piece.