
Technical Manual
15
Microprocessor Clock
The clock for the processor is generated by X1. This is a single 3 pin ceramic resonator with internal
capacitors running at 7.3828 MHz. The microcontroller, U1, drives this component into oscillation by
incorporating an internal inverter.
Temperature Measurement and Display
The thermometer uses probes which incorporate negative temperature coefficient thermistors. When
the temperature of the probe is increased, its electrical resistance decreases. Earlier products (M600,
M650) use “10K” thermistors which means that, at room temperature (25°C), their value is
approximately 10 Kohms. Model 767 Thermometer probes use “20K” thermistors so they are
approximately 20 Kohms at room temperature. At 37°C (patient temperatures) they are near 12
Kohms. The change in resistance is nonlinear with temperature and an equation describing this curve
is programmed into the thermometer.
The thermometer contains three high precision calibration resistors (0.1% tolerance) R20, R21 and
R23. Their values are programmed into the instrument so that A/D conversions from these can be
done to “calibrate” the electronics. This allows results from the unknown probe resistance to be
compared to the known resistance’s. These three resistors are referred to as “hi cal”, “low cal” and
“PTB” resistors. They are equivalent to temperatures in that if the probe were at a high temperature
41.6°C (106.8°F), its resistance would equal the hi cal resistor value. Similarly if the probe were at a
low temperature 33.8°C (92.9°F) its resistance would equal the low cal resistor value. The PTB
resistor is in the middle of the range and equivalent to 36.8°C (98.3°F). Use of these resistors in the
A/D process allows the probe resistance readings to be “ratioed” against known resistance readings
and thus “absolute” readings, which can be affected by drift in the electronics due to aging and
temperature, are eliminated.
The actual A/D conversion consists of converting resistance to a timed pulse width. The components
involved are C6 (the timing capacitor), Q7 (the constant current transistor), any one of R20, R21, R23
or the actual probe resistance, and the associated FET transistors Q3, Q5, Q6, or Q8.
Due to U4 design, on power up R24 and R26 bootstrap U4 to begin the charge of C6. Once a small
voltage is developed on C6, U4 takes over and maintains C6 at 2.4 volts via pin 7 of U4. When an
A/D conversion is to start, prior to the trigger from the processor, it turns on one of the four FETs.
This establishes a constant current through the associated resistor. The current flowing is supplied
from U4 pin 7 while maintaining its voltage at 2.4 volts. Throughout the A/D process, U4 pin 4 is held
at 1.2 volts. This means that while current is flowing through Q7, its emitter sits at 0.6 volts. Since this
is a constant voltage, the current through the selected resistor and FET is also constant. The next
event is to trigger the start of the pulse measurement which occurs via processor control into U4 pin 5.
This makes U4 pin seven go to high impedance ending its supply of current for the selected resistor.
Therefore current must now be supplied by C6. Since it is still a constant current situation, C6
discharges linearly with time. Its voltage is monitored by an internal comparator in U1 and when it
drops to 1.2 volts the A/D OUT line (U4 pin 2) goes active stopping the timer in the processor. The
constant current value is inversely proportional to the resistance value selected so that small
resistance values produce high currents and therefore fast discharges. Since small resistance’s are
related to high temperatures, short pulse widths are also related to high temperatures. L3 is in series
with the discharge current but constitutes a very small constant DC resistance so it has no effect on
results. Its only purpose is for RFI suppression. C9, C10, C11, and C12 are also only for RFI, and
ESD purposes.