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Pulse Width Modulation (PWM)
Last Updated : 10 May, 2024
Phase Modulation
In Electronic Engineering, Pulse Width Modulation, or
What is Demodulation ? PWM, is a commonly used technique for effectively
controlling the power supplied to electrical devices. In
Pulse Position
Modulation (PPM) order to attain a desired average voltage or power
level, the principle of pulse width modulation (PWM)
Pulse Amplitude is used for a periodic signal, which is usually a square
Modulation
wave.
What is Modulation? A key component of pulse width modulation (PWM)
is the duty cycle, which is defined as the ratio of the
CSS Pulse animation
pulse width to the whole time period. An increase in
Semantic-UI Static the duty cycle translates into an increase in average
Pulse Animation power output. Basically, PWM is used to obtain
analog signals from digital services- for instance, the
Periodic Function:
Formulas with microcontrollers and it represents the amplitude of an
Examples analog signal input signal.
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What is Adaptive What is Pulse Width Modulation?

Modulation? How is a Pulse Width Modulation Generated ?
Important Parameters associated with PWM signal
Types of PWM
Difference Between PPM (Pulse Position
Modulation) And PWM (Pulse Width Modulation)
Applications of PWM
Advantages and Disadvantages of PWM

What is Pulse Width Modulation?

Pulse-width modulation, commonly known as PWM,
is a modulation method that changes the pulse
signal's width in electrical systems to regulate the
average power supplied to a load. PWM is
particularly helpful for effectively regulating the
output of audio amplifiers, the speed of motors, and
the brightness of light. They are frequently Used in
microcontrollers and specialist PWM controller
integrated circuits (ICs).

How is a Pulse Width Modulation

Generated ?
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A comparator is used to create a signal that

modulates pulse width. One component of the
comparator's input is the modulating signal, while
the other component is either a sawtooth wave or
a non-sinusoidal wave. The comparator creates an
output waveform of a PWM signal after comparing
two signals.
One possible output of a monostable multivibrator
is a PWM signal. When an external trigger is
DSA Practice Problems C applied,
C++ Java aPython
monostable multivibrator
JavaScript Data SciencewillMachine
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produce one output pulse and have one stable
state. An operational amplifier comparator can be
used to build a monostable multivibrator circuit.
One portion of the input to the comparator is
structured by the modulating signal, and the other
portion is wave formed non-sinusoidally. After
analyzing two signals, the comparator generates a
PWM signal as the output waveform. The output
is in a "High" condition when the sawtooth or non-
sinusoidal signal exceeds the modulating signal.

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PWM Signal Generator

The output signal is in a "High" condition if the

sawtooth signal exceeds the modulating signal. The
comparator output, which establishes the pulse width
produced at the output, is determined by the
magnitude value.

Important Parameters Associated with

PWM Signal
An analog circuit can be controlled using digital
pulses produced by a PWM signal. The behavior of a
PWM signal is determined by these factors:

Duty Cycle of PWM

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The fraction of a second that a signal or system is

operational is called a duty cycle. A duty cycle is
usually expressed as a percentage or ratio. The
amount of time a signal takes to complete an ON-OFF
cycle is called a period. The proportion of time a
digital signal is on throughout a period of time or
interval is precisely described by the percentage duty
cycle. The waveform's time is equal to its inverse
frequency.

Duty Cycle : On Time / On Time + Off Time

We would say a digital signal has a 50% duty cycle

and looks like a perfect square wave if it is on for half
of the time and off for the other half. The digital
signal spends more time in the high state than the
low state if the percentage is greater than 50%, and
vice versa if the duty cycle is lower than 50%. Here is
a graph depicting the three scenarios.:

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Duty Cycle of PWM

A 100% duty cycle is equivalent to a 5 volt (high)

voltage setting. Grounding the signal would be
equivalent to 0% duty cycle.

Frequency of PWM

The Speed at which something occurs over a specific

time period is known as its frequency. In another way,
the rate at which a vibration occurs that results in a
wave, such as radio, light, or sound waves; this rate is
usually measured in seconds.It is easy to define a
frequency or period for regulating a particular servo.

Data is currently transmitted over communication

channels using PWM's duty cycle in an unambiguous
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for converting high-frequency pulses into low-

frequency output signals.

Frequency : 1 / Time Period

Frequency of PWM

Output Voltage of PWM signal

It is the percentage of the duty cycle and can be

calculated in that way only by calculating its
percentage also. Let's say the duty cycle is 100%
then the output voltage will be 5V.
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Types of PWM
There are seven types of Pulse Width Modulation,
such as

Single-pulse width modulation

Multiple-pulse width modulation
Sinusoidal pulse width modulation
Hysteresis band pulse width modulation
Trail Edge pulse width modulation
Lead Edge pulse width modulation
Pulse Centre Two Edge pulse width modulation

Single-Pulse Width Modulation (PWM)

A single pulse is produced at each switching cycle in

single-pulse width modulation. The average power
applied to the load is controlled by varying the
pulse's width. Single-PWM is straightforward and
simple to use, although it could have a larger
harmonic content and be unsuitable for applications
that need precision control at low power levels.

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Single-pulse width modulation

Multiple-Pulse Width Modulation (MPWM)

Multiple pulses are generated during each switching

cycle in multiple-pulse width modulation. This
method seeks to lower harmonic distortion while
raising the output waveform's general quality.

Two-level and three-level MPWM are frequently

used; in these implementations, the number of pulses
in each cycle is increased to improve waveform
fidelity, which makes MPWM especially helpful in
high-power applications.

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Multiple-pulse width modulation

Sinusoidal Pulse Width Modulation (SPWM)

The process of altering pulse width to resemble a

sinusoidal waveform is known as sinusoidal pulse
width modulation. Through the use of a sine wave
reference to alter the pulse widths, SPWM minimizes
harmonic distortion and yields a smoother output.

Inverters and motor control systems, where a high-

quality output waveform is crucial for lowering
harmonic interference and raising system efficiency,
are two common applications for this technology.

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Sinusoidal pulse width modulation

Hysteresis Band Pulse Width Modulation

Hysteresis Band Pulse Width Modulation is the

comparison of the erroneous signal with a
predetermined band, called hysteresis. The pulse
width is changed to put the system back into balance
when the erroneous signal rises above the hysteresis
range.

This approach provides a straightforward and reliable

control strategy, especially in applications where
sudden variations in load or disturbances are
frequent. Power converters and voltage regulators
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Hysteresis band pulse width modulation

Trail Edge Pulse Width Modulation

A typical modulation method in digital

communication systems is called "trail edge
modulation." With this technique, the signal
waveform's trailing or falling edge is where the
modulation happens. This indicates that when a
signal moves from a higher voltage level to a lower
voltage level, its amplitude or frequency changes.

Applications for trail edge modulation include data

transmission and modulation techniques including
pulse width modulation (PWM) and pulse amplitude
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according on the needs of the system, bandwidth

constraints, and noise robustness, among other
things.

Lead Edge Pulse Width Modulation

It is also known as the rising edge, of the signal

waveform is where the modulation process takes
place in lead edge modulation. This suggests that
when the signal moves from a lower voltage level to
a higher voltage level, modulation changes occur.

Lead Edge modulation offers flexibility in adjusting to

particular application requirements and is employed
in various communication systems and modulation
schemes. It is frequently used in a variety of digital
communication protocols, where it modulates signals
near the beginning of their waveform to facilitate the
effective transfer of information.

Pulse Centre Two Edge Pulse Width

Modulation
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A particular kind of modulation called "Pulse Center

Two Edge Modulation" entails modifying a signal at
the pulse waveform's leading and trailing edges. This
method is frequently used in pulse modulation
schemes, in which the data to be sent is represented
by pulses. Pulse Center Two Edge modulation
increases the capacity for encoding information and
provides greater flexibility in signal representation by
modulating at both edges.

In situations where exact time and effective

bandwidth utilization are critical, this approach may
prove beneficial. Particularly in pulse modulation
techniques like pulse width modulation (PWM) or
pulse position modulation (PPM), it finds use in digital
communication systems.

Difference Between Pulse Position

Modulation And Pulse Width
Modulation
Given below is the table for PPM and PWM

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Pulse Position Pulse Width

Modulation Modulation

Changes the position of

Changes the pulse width
pulses to encode
to encode information.
information.

Adjusts the pulse's

Alters the pulse's
location within a time
breadth or duration
interval.

It is highly sensitive to It is less sensitive to

timing variations timing variations

It is usually calls for It can required more

more bandwidth than bandwidth-efficient in
PWM certain scenarios

Example : Optical Example : Motor Control

communication systems System, Audio System

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Modulation in electronics refers to the application

of a regulating or shifting force on an object.
Similar to the human voice, we also refer to it as a
variation in the pitch, intensity, or tone of a
frequency.
We frequently witness the usage of modulation
techniques to operate devices such as LEDs or DC
motors.
Maximum power point tracking (MPPT) in
conjunction with PWM is a crucial technique for
reducing a solar panel's output in order to align it
with a battery's use.
By adjusting the duty cycle, an LED's brightness
can be somewhat controlled. By diluting each of
the three hues with varying amounts, an RGB (red,
green, and blue) LED allows you to regulate the
quantity of each color you require in the blend of
variety.
The PWM process regulates the fan within the
PC's CPU, which effectively disperses heat.

Advantages and Disadvantages of

PWM
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Given Below are Advantages and Disadvantages of

PWM :

Advantages

PWM technology keeps LEDs from overheating

while preserving their brightness.
PWM technology responds quickly and with
accuracy.
A high input power factor is provided by the PWM
technique.
Motors may provide their full torque even at lower
speeds thanks to the PWM technology

Disadvantages

The significant switching losses are a result of the

high PWM frequency.
Radio Frequency Interference is caused by it (RFI).

Conclusion
In conclusion, Pulse Width Modulation, or PWM, is an
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modifying duty cycles and frequencies, combined

with its effective control over power delivery via
pulse width modulation, has made it an essential part
of many applications.

PWM is essential for obtaining accurate and energy-

efficient control in a variety of applications, including
audio amplification, lighting systems, motor control,
and power regulation. Applications for pulse width
modulation (PWM) are numerous and include lighting
systems, motor control, audio signal modulation, and
electronic device power management.

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