Available Workflows

1. Datatype → Range

Use this when you already know the datatype and scaling and want to compute the resulting physical range.

Inputs

• Datatype (uint8, sint16, etc.)

• Resolution (LSB)

• Bias (optional)

Outputs

• Raw integer range

• Physical range

• Quantization error

• Q-format

• C implementation macros

This is useful when validating an existing scaling definition.

2. Range → Scaling

Use this when you know the physical minimum and maximum values and want to determine the scaling parameters for a chosen datatype.

Inputs

• Datatype

• Physical minimum

• Physical maximum

Outputs

• Resolution (LSB)

• Bias

• Quantization error

• Q-format

• Example implementation code

The tool automatically snaps resolution to the nearest power of two, which is commonly required for efficient fixed-point implementation.

3. Range → Best Datatype

Use this when you know the physical range and desired resolution, but want the tool to select the smallest suitable datatype.

Inputs

• Physical minimum

• Physical maximum

• Desired resolution (LSB)

Outputs

• Recommended datatype

• Utilization percentage of the integer range

• Resolution and bias

• Q-format

This helps ensure efficient memory usage while maintaining the required precision.

Implementation Output

The calculator also generates example C macros for converting between fixed-point values and physical values:

• TO_REAL(x) – Convert raw integer to physical value

• TO_FIXED(x) – Convert physical value to integer representation

These macros can be directly used in embedded C code.

Tip

For best numerical stability in embedded systems, power-of-two resolutions are recommended, since they allow implementations using bit shifts instead of divisions.