Patent · US Expired

Digital position encoder and data optimizer

US5126948A · kind A · utility

48Cited by
17References
23Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateNov 8, 1989
Grant dateJun 30, 1992
Priority date
Expiry dateNov 8, 2009

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC G)Physics
  • CPC primaryG05B19/4207
  • WIPO fieldControl
  • WIPO sectorInstruments

Abstract

A digitizing system for automatically recording data points representative of, for example, sheet metal templates having varying shapes is disclosed. A stylus connected to a tracing arm is guided along the edge of a template. As the arm moves, digital scales generate a stream of encoded electrical pulses which yield direction and distance information. These pulses are then decoded, counted, and stored. If the operator has selected the automatic digitize mode, a data point is automatically stored each time the stylus moves a predetermined distance in the X, Y, or Z direction. The present invention also provides an improved method of optimizing or compressing the stored set of data points.

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