Engineering training program

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USTF
COLLEGE OF ENGINEERING & INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY
210400 ENGINEERING TRAINING I (INTERNAL TRAINING)
DATASHEETS & SEARCHING INFORMATION
Reading Datasheets
Datasheets are instruction manuals for electronic components. They (hopefully) explain exactly what
a component does and how to use it. Unfortunately these documents are usually written by engineers for
other engineers, and as such they can often be difficult to read, especially for newcomers. Nevertheless,
datasheets are still the best place to find the details you need to design a circuit or get one working.
A datasheet’s contents will vary widely depending on the type of part, but they will usually have most of
the following sections:
The first page is usually a summary of the part’s function and features. This is where you can quickly find
a description of the part's functionality, the basic specifications (numbers that describe what a part needs
and can do), and sometimes a functional block diagram that shows the internal functions of the part. This
page will often give you a good first impression as to whether potential part will work for your project or
not:

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A pinout lists the part’s pins, their functions, and where they’re physically located on the part for various
packages the part might be available in. Note the special marks on the part for determining where pin 1
is (this is important when you plug the part into your circuit!), and how the pins are numbered (the below
parts are numbered counterclockwise). You'll find some acronyms here: VCC is the supply voltage
(commonly 5V or 3.3V), CLK is clock, CLR is clear, OE is output enable, etc. These acronyms should be
spelled out later in the datasheet, but if not, try Google or Wikipedia. If a pin has a star next to it or a line
over the name, that's an indication that the pin is active low which means that you'll pull the pin low (0V)
to activate it, rather than H (VCC):

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Detailed tables of electrical specifications follow. These will often list the absolute maximum ratings a
part can withstand before being damaged. Never exceed these or you'll be replacing a possibly expensive
part!
You'll also see the more normal recommended operating conditions. These may include voltage and
current ranges for various functions, timing information, temperature ranges, bus addresses, and other
useful performance information. The below excerpt contains a good example where the fine print can

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help you out: "Note 3" in this set of specifications states that "All unused inputs of the device must be
held at VCC or GND to ensure proper device operation." This is a reminder to tie all unused inputs H or L
to prevent them from "floating" between H and L which can make your circuit malfunction and be difficult
to debug:
Some parts will have one or more graphs showing the part’s performance vs. various criteria (supply
voltage, temperature, etc.) Keep an eye out for "safe zones" where reliable operation is guaranteed:

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Truth tables show how changing the inputs to a part will affect its output. Each line has all the part's
inputs set to specific states, and the resulting output of the part. "H" means that input is a logical high
(usually VCC), "L" means a logical low (usually GND), "X" means the chip doesn't care what the input is
(could be H or L), and an arrow means that that you should change the state of that pin from L to H or H
to L depending on the arrow direction. This is called "clocking" an input, and many chips rely on this for
proper operation:
Timing diagrams show how data should be sent to and received from the part, and what speed it should
be sent / received. These are typically laid out with various inputs and outputs as horizontal lines, showing
the logic transitions that happen to those lines over time. If the trace dips down, that's a L input or output.
If the line rises higher, that's a H input our output. Timing specifications are laid out as arrows between
transitions (names are referenced back to timing numbers in the electrical specs), and vertical bars or
arrows will link related transitions:

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Complex parts will have extensive application information. This varies depending on the part, but may
include detailed descriptions of pin functions, how to communicate with the part, lists of commands,
memory tables, etc. This is often very useful information, so read through it carefully:

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Some datasheets will include example schematics for various circuits that can be built around the part.
These are often very useful building blocks for interesting projects, so be sure to look through them:

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Some parts are sensitive to the way they’re built into a circuit, and the datasheet will provide layout
considerations. These can range from noise-reduction techniques, to dealing with thermal issues, to
mechanical mounting considerations as with the accelerometer below. This all tends to be very good
advice, that if followed from the start will lead to the most trouble-free circuits. Likewise, if you don't
follow this advice, your circuit may have problems later on that can be hard to diagnose, and harder to
fix:
At the end of many datasheets is packaging information, which provides accurate dimensions of the
packages a part is available in. This is very useful for PCB layout.

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know that datasheets are subject to having errors just like anything else, and running into one of these
errors can be frustrating to say the least. To reduce this possibility, be sure you have the latest version of
a datasheet before doing any serious work. These are available at the manufacturer's website.
When working with a new part for the first time, or when deciding which part to use for your project, it’s
a very good idea to read that part’s datasheet from beginning to end, paying close attention to the fine
print. You’ll often come up with a bit of knowledge or a shortcut that will save you hours of grief later on.
Searching Information
Information Search Process
Stage 1: Initiation
During the first stage, initiation, the information seeker recognizes the need for new information to
complete an assignment. As they think more about the topic, they may discuss the topic with others and
brainstorm the topic further. This stage of the information seeking process is filled with feelings of
apprehension and uncertainty.
Stage 2: Selection
In the second stage, selection, the individual begins to decide what topic will be investigated and how to
proceed. Some information retrieval may occur at this point. The uncertainty associated with the first
stage often fades with the selection of a topic, and is replaced with a sense of optimism.
Stage 3: Exploration
In the third stage, exploration, information on the topic is gathered and a new personal knowledge is
created. Students endeavor to locate new information and situate it within their previous understanding
of the topic. In this stage, feelings of anxiety may return if the information seeker finds inconsistent or
incompatible information.
Stage 4: Formulation
During the fourth stage, formulation, the information seeker starts to evaluate the information that has
been gathered. At this point, a focused perspective begins to form and there is not as much confusion and
uncertainty as in earlier stages. Formulation is considered to be the most important stage of the process.
The information seeker will here formulate a personalized construction of the topic from the general
information gathered in the exploration phase.
Stage 5: Collection

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During the fifth stage, collection, the information seeker knows what is needed to support the focus. Now
presented with a clearly focused, personalized topic, the information seeker will experience greater
interest, increased confidence, and more successful searching.
Stage 6: Search Closure
In the sixth and final stage, search closure, the individual has completed the information search. Now the
information seeker will summarize and report on the information that was found through the process.
The information seeker will experience a sense of relief and, depending on the fruits of their search, either
satisfaction or disappointment.
Web Search
Though web searches have become an integral part of the academic research landscape, the art of the
internet search is an increasingly lost one. A recent study at Illinois Wesleyan University found that fewer
than 25% of students could perform a "reasonably well-executed search." Wrote researchers, "The
majority of students — of all levels — exhibited significant difficulties that ranged across nearly every
aspect of the search process."
The following shows some search tricks that can save your time when searching online for your projects,
reports, or anything you need.
- Convert units
Whether you want to convert currency, American and metric units, or any other unit, try typing in
the known unit and the unknown unit to find your answer (like “how many teaspoons in a
tablespoon” or “10 US dollars in Euros”). This could definitely come in handy for numbers-heavy
courses, like engineering.
- Use the image search
Type in your search word, then select Images to use the image search when trying to put a picture to
your term.
- Get a definition
If you want a definition without having to track down an online (or a physical) dictionary, just type
“definition:word” to find the definition of the word in your results (i.e.: “definition: serendipity” will
track down the definition of the word “serendipity”).
- Search within a specific website
If you know you want to look up Babe Ruth in Wikipedia, type in “site:wikipedia.org Babe Ruth” to go
directly to the Wikipedia page about Babe Ruth. It works for any site, not just Wikipedia.
- Search within a specific kind of site

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If you know you only want results from an educational site, try “site:edu” or for a government site,
try “site:gov” and your search term to get results only from sites with those web addresses.
- Search for a specific file type
If you know you want a PDF (or maybe an MP3), just type in “filetype:pdf” and your search term to
find results that are only in that file type.
- Time
Enter “what time is it” and any location to find out the local time.
- Find a term in a URL
This handy trick is especially useful when searching blogs, where dates are frequently used in the
URL. If you want to know about a topic for that year only and not any other year, type “inurl:2009″
and your keyword to find results with your keyword in URLs with 2009 in them.
References:
-" How to Read a Datasheet", https://www.sparkfun.com
-" 100+ GOOGLE TRICKS THAT WILL SAVE YOU TIME IN SCHOOL", http://onlinecolleges.net
-" Information Search Process", http://en.wikipedia.org

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Task 1: Datasheets
- Get the datasheet for 74LS32.
- Draw the pin diagram
- Fill in the following table:
74LS32
Name of the IC
The Difference 74LS32J 74LS32N 74LS32D
Maximum Allowable
Supply Voltage
Minimum Supply
Voltage
Typical Supply
Voltage
Operating
Temperature Range
Typical Operating
Temperature
Task 2: Searching Information
- What is the name of the author of "Introduction to Signals and Systems Analysis , Cengage Learning,
Oct 1, 2008 " book ?
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- What is the name of the publisher of " Advanced PIC Microcontroller Projects in C: From USB to
RTOS with the PIC 18F Series "?
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- What are the gain, weight, and the cost of "Antenna GPS 3V Magnetic Mount MCX"?
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- How much it will cost to get a 500 1.2k Ω 1/4W 5% Carbon Film Resistor? ( from futurlec.com)
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- If you want to buy a multimeter for your lab, which one you will choose, why? , and how much it will
cost you? ( from sparkfun.com)
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Task 3: Using Google Search
- What is the definition of "OFDM"? ( Use Google search )
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- How many miles in a 5000 km? ( Use Google search )
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- What time is it now in Toronto?( Use Google search )
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