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Electronic test instruments. Theory and applications
Book Reviews adjustable control goal. Reference model decomposition permits the incorporation of knowledge of the unmodelled dynamics into the controller, while still maintaining a lower-order controller. Senior-year control students, first-year graduate students, and practising engineers should benefit from this book. This is a very accessible text as it does not require an extensive control math background and is very readable. However, the control math purist will find some satisfaction from the bibliography, which he may use for further study. The index and detailed table of contents permit its use as a reference text. In summary, this book is valuable as an introduction to MRAC. It identifies the problems of MRAC applications, suggests solutions to them, and provides case studies and examples for clear understanding.
Electronic Test Instruments. Theory and Applications, by Robert A. WITTE; Hewlett-Packard Professional Books Series; Prentice Hall; Englewood Cliffs, NJ, USA; 1993; 283 pp.; $46; ISBN: 0-13-253147-X Reviewed by: Duane MATTERN NASA Lewis Research Center, Cleveland, OH, USA This book reviews basic measurement theory and how it relates to practical measurements using a variety of standard test equipment including multimeters, oscilloscopes, and frequency counters. Most of the book is devoted to the measurement of analog signals, but one chapter is dedicated to the analysis of digital signals with logic probes and logic analyzers. Frequency response in several forms is revisited numerous times throughout the book. The book's preface appropriately defines a wide audience, stating that, "This book is for the student, technician, or engineer who understands basic electronics and wants to learn more about electronic measurements." This audience will obtain a full presentation of the fundamentals of measurement principles. The book is an excellent reference text for any laboratory (trade school, undergra~_!ate engineering or science class, or research facility), where electronic measurements are required. The author is successful at presenting the fundamentals of measurement theory. The book is excellently written and the material is well organized. The book begins with basic electronics related to measurements, like AC/DC voltages and currents, RMS (root-mean square) and average voltage measurements, frequency bandwidth, decibel
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values, measurement errors, impedances and the loading effect. Once the electrical basics have been defined, fundamental measurement devices are described (voltmeters, ammeters and ohmmeters). Some of the descriptions include AC and DC voltmeters, true RMS meters, and 4-wire ohm measurements. The author next discusses signal sources such as arbitrary signal generators (sine, triangle, and square wave) and the basics of oscilloscope operation, before jumping into twochannel analysis such as frequency response. After covering oscilloscope operation (analog vs. digital, AC and DC coupling, trigger holdoff, and various types of oscilloscope probes), the book uses the x-y plotting capabilities of the oscilloscope to introduce frequency response via the Lissajons method. At this point in the book the number of topics that the author addresses is numerous. Swept sinewave frequency response, square wave tests, low-lmSS and high-pass filters, FFT (fast Fourier transform) spectrum analyzers and aliasing are all briefly addressext A chapter on frequency counters introduces clocked signals, which, along with a discussion of the limitations of using an oscilloscope to measure digital signals, helps to introduce the last chapter on "Logic Probes and Analyzers". The appendices include abbreviations, a list of instrument manufacturers, several derivations including RMS value of arbitrary waveform and the resonant frequency calculation for passive RLC circuits, and an ASCII table. The index at the back of the book is complete, and helps to make the book a valuable quick reference. The book is extremely accurate and free of typographical and factual errors. Only one mistake was found, in a Bode frequency response plot of both an LC low-pass and CL high-pass filters, but these filters are analyzed and the frequency responses are correctly plotted in the Appendix. There is one confusing point where the author's footnote to an equation makes the last term in the equation appear to be cubed, which could be easily corrected. During the review of this book, this reviewer learned something new regarding the Fourier harmonics of a pulse train with other than a 50% duty cycle, which happens to be related to his current work. Also, an interesting point to learn is that BNC connectors were named for the two inventors of the connector: Paul Neill and Carl Concelman (BNC = Bayonet Neill-Concelman). The material in this book has a broad extent and, as the material is of a fundamental nature, it will not become out of date when new electronic measurement equipment is introduced to the market. Because of this, the book is a good reference text for anyone who has occasion to use test equipment to take actual measurements.
Electronic Test Instruments. Theory and Applications, by Robert A. WITTE; Hewlett-Packard Professional Books Series; Prentice Hall; Englewood Cliffs, NJ, USA; 1993; 283 pp.; $46; ISBN: 0-13-253147-X Reviewed by: Duane MATTERN NASA Lewis Research Center, Cleveland, OH, USA This book reviews basic measurement theory and how it relates to practical measurements using a variety of standard test equipment including multimeters, oscilloscopes, and frequency counters. Most of the book is devoted to the measurement of analog signals, but one chapter is dedicated to the analysis of digital signals with logic probes and logic analyzers. Frequency response in several forms is revisited numerous times throughout the book. The book's preface appropriately defines a wide audience, stating that, "This book is for the student, technician, or engineer who understands basic electronics and wants to learn more about electronic measurements." This audience will obtain a full presentation of the fundamentals of measurement principles. The book is an excellent reference text for any laboratory (trade school, undergra~_!ate engineering or science class, or research facility), where electronic measurements are required. The author is successful at presenting the fundamentals of measurement theory. The book is excellently written and the material is well organized. The book begins with basic electronics related to measurements, like AC/DC voltages and currents, RMS (root-mean square) and average voltage measurements, frequency bandwidth, decibel
1093
values, measurement errors, impedances and the loading effect. Once the electrical basics have been defined, fundamental measurement devices are described (voltmeters, ammeters and ohmmeters). Some of the descriptions include AC and DC voltmeters, true RMS meters, and 4-wire ohm measurements. The author next discusses signal sources such as arbitrary signal generators (sine, triangle, and square wave) and the basics of oscilloscope operation, before jumping into twochannel analysis such as frequency response. After covering oscilloscope operation (analog vs. digital, AC and DC coupling, trigger holdoff, and various types of oscilloscope probes), the book uses the x-y plotting capabilities of the oscilloscope to introduce frequency response via the Lissajons method. At this point in the book the number of topics that the author addresses is numerous. Swept sinewave frequency response, square wave tests, low-lmSS and high-pass filters, FFT (fast Fourier transform) spectrum analyzers and aliasing are all briefly addressext A chapter on frequency counters introduces clocked signals, which, along with a discussion of the limitations of using an oscilloscope to measure digital signals, helps to introduce the last chapter on "Logic Probes and Analyzers". The appendices include abbreviations, a list of instrument manufacturers, several derivations including RMS value of arbitrary waveform and the resonant frequency calculation for passive RLC circuits, and an ASCII table. The index at the back of the book is complete, and helps to make the book a valuable quick reference. The book is extremely accurate and free of typographical and factual errors. Only one mistake was found, in a Bode frequency response plot of both an LC low-pass and CL high-pass filters, but these filters are analyzed and the frequency responses are correctly plotted in the Appendix. There is one confusing point where the author's footnote to an equation makes the last term in the equation appear to be cubed, which could be easily corrected. During the review of this book, this reviewer learned something new regarding the Fourier harmonics of a pulse train with other than a 50% duty cycle, which happens to be related to his current work. Also, an interesting point to learn is that BNC connectors were named for the two inventors of the connector: Paul Neill and Carl Concelman (BNC = Bayonet Neill-Concelman). The material in this book has a broad extent and, as the material is of a fundamental nature, it will not become out of date when new electronic measurement equipment is introduced to the market. Because of this, the book is a good reference text for anyone who has occasion to use test equipment to take actual measurements.