This week, I revised the electrical schematic and continued improving the DRL circuit design to support better system operation. I also integrated ADCs and added filtering stages to help reduce noise and improve signal quality. During this process, I reviewed the circuit layout to make sure the components worked together effectively and improved the reliability of the system. I also started working on designing the PCB for the circuit.

This week, I focused on understanding the configuration register map for the ADS1220, which is the analog-to-digital converter used in the project. The register map comes from the device’s datasheet and explains how the chip’s registers and individual bits are organized so that they can be configured through communication with the microcontroller. Each register (such as 00h, 01h, 02h, and 03h) contains eight bits, and different groups of these bits control specific functions of the device. For example, certain bits determine which input channel is selected, the gain of the amplifier, the data rate of the converter, and the reference voltage being used. Other bits control additional features such as current sources and data-ready modes. Learning how these registers work is important because it allows the microcontroller to correctly configure the ADC so it can accurately read voltage signals from the circuit. Understanding this register structure will help when implementing communication through the Serial Peripheral Interface and integrating the ADS1220 with the rest of the system.

This image shows the configuration register map for the ADS1220, which explains how the device’s registers and individual bits are organized. Each register controls specific settings such as input selection, gain, data rate, and reference voltage, allowing the microcontroller to properly configure the ADC.