Patent · US Expired

Sensor amplification and enhancement apparatus using digital techniques

US4644570A · kind A · utility

13Cited by
1References
20Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateSep 20, 1985
Grant dateFeb 17, 1987
Priority date
Expiry dateSep 20, 2005

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC G)Physics
  • CPC primaryG01D5/243
  • WIPO fieldMeasurement
  • WIPO sectorInstruments

Abstract

There is disclosed a digital enhancement circuit which responds to the complementary inductance provided by a planar coil sensor which inductance varies in a complementary manner according to the position of a movable member associated with the planar coil configuration. The complementary inductance is coupled to an oscillator whereby the period of the oscillator is varied in a first mode according to a first inductance value and in a second mode according to a second inductance value. These signals are then processed by means of digital processing circuitry to develop a signal indicative of the difference of the periods as divided by the sum of the periods. This signal is a ratiometric signal, and by employing digital counters, one can provide an output signal having a predetermined gain factor and having the above noted ratiometric characteristic which signal is indicative of the position of the movable member as further enhanced by the gain factor.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.