Optically powered sensor system with improved signal conditioning
US4963729A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Mar 3, 1989 |
| Grant date | Oct 16, 1990 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Mar 3, 2009 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC G)Physics
- CPC primaryG01D5/2405
- WIPO fieldMeasurement
- WIPO sectorInstruments
Abstract
An optically powered sensor system with improved signal conditioning includes a plurality of sensors connected to a system optical bus that communicates with a system controller. Optical energy is transmitted along the bus for distribution to all sensor in the system with return pulses from the various sensors transmitted on the bus to the system controller. Each sensor includes a photodiode array for converting optical energy transmitted system-wide by the controller into electrical energy for storage in a storage capacitor associated with each sensor. A capacitance probe transducer and a fixed-value reference capacitor are connected to a resettable integrating pulse encoder that produces a series of short-duration pulses having a pulse spacing that is dependent upon the fixed value of the reference and the parameter-affected value of the transducer. The pulses are used to drive an optical source for transmitting optical pulses from the sensor to the system controller.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.