Instrumentation Reference Book, 4th Edition

Chapter 19. Microprocessor-Based and Intelligent Transmitters

E.H. Higham and J. Berge

19.1. Introduction

The evolution in the design of transmitters has been influenced, on one hand, by the requirements of users for improved performance coupled with reduced cost of ownership and, on the other, by developments that have taken place in adjacent technologies such as computer-aided design (CAD), microelectronics, materials science, and communication technologies. The most significant advances have resulted from the emergence of low-power microprocessors and analog-to-digital converters that, in conjunction with the basic sensor circuits, can function on the limited power (typically less than 40 mW) available at the transmitter in a conventional 4–20 ...