Process for determining a time interval between two impulses by converting a measured analog impulse into a digital impulse

US7619405B2 · kind B2 · utility

Assignee

• ASM Automation Sensorik Messtechnik GmbH · DE

Inventors

• Klaus Manfred Steinich · Straubing, DE
• Peter Wirth · Winsen, DE

Key dates

• Filing date: Oct 19, 2006
• Grant date: Nov 17, 2009
• Expiry date: Nov 27, 2027

Classification

• Technology area (CPC G): Physics
• CPC primary: G01D5/485
• WIPO field: Measurement
• WIPO sector: Instruments

Abstract

To improve the measurement precision and the robustness of the time measurement in spite of low installation size and cost, e.g. at a magnetostrictive position sensor, according to the invention a specific process for determining a time interval between a start impulse and a position impulse of a position sensor according to the travel time principle is proposed. The start impulse is generated by the position sensor and the position impulse is generated by a position magnet as response to the start impulse depending on the position of the position magnet. According to the invention the process comprises emitting of the start impulse, receiving an analog position impulse as a response to the start impulse in dependency of the position of the position magnet, generating from the analog position impulse at least one digital position impulse with defined time width such so that the middle of the position impulse of the digital position impulse is located at the middle of the position impulse of the analog position impulse and determining a time interval as the time difference between the starting impulse and the position impulse middle value of the digital position impulse.