Through-wall position sensor

US7394244B2 · kind B2 · utility

Assignee

• Parker-Hannifin Corporation · US

Inventors

• William R. Schley · Mission Viejo, US
• Eric Chapman · Brea, US
• Dan Nguyen · Irvine, US
• Lawrence P. Flesch · Westminster, US
• Sandra L. Harper · Dana Point, US
• Curtis E. Stevens · Irvine, US

Key dates

• Filing date: Oct 22, 2004
• Grant date: Jul 1, 2008
• Expiry date: Jul 4, 2025

Classification

• Technology area (CPC G): Physics
• CPC primary: G01D5/252
• WIPO field: Measurement
• WIPO sector: Instruments

Abstract

A system and method for measuring the position of at least one field producing element (e.g., a magnet) without a direct electrical or physical connection between the field producing element and one or more sensors. In one embodiment, the output from an array of sensors (e.g., Hall Effect sensors) is curve fit using an algorithm having a characteristic bell curve (e.g., curve fit tracking algorithm, center of gravity algorithm, etc.) to determine at least one of an absolute or relative position associated with the field producing element and/or a property associated with the field producing element (e.g., magnetic flux). Another embodiment is directed to detecting errors in one or more of the sensors and excluding the output of the faulty sensors in determining the position associated with the field producing element.