Systems, methods and apparatus for position sensor digital conditioning electronics

US8098060B1 · kind B1 · utility

Assignee

• The United States of America as represented by the Administrator of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration · US

Inventors

• David E. Howard · Hazel Green, US
• Dean C. Alhorn · Huntsville, US
• Dennis A. Smith · Athens, US
• Kenneth R. Dutton · Athens, US

Key dates

• Filing date: Jul 15, 2008
• Grant date: Jan 17, 2012
• Expiry date: Sep 29, 2030

Classification

• Technology area (CPC G): Physics
• CPC primary: G01B7/14
• WIPO field: Measurement
• WIPO sector: Instruments

Abstract

Systems, methods and apparatus are provided through which in some implementations determine the amplitude of an amplitude modulated signal, modulated by the position of an object being sensed. In some aspects, the apparatus accepts an excitation signal and the amplitude modulated signal and divides the amplitude modulated by the excitation signal to produce an output signal that is proportional to the position of the object being sensed. In other aspects, the division is performed only when the excitation signal is non-zero, such as close to the peaks in the excitation signal. In other aspects, the excitation signal and amplitude modulated signal are degraded due to an air gap and the degraded signals are used to correct for amplitude fluctuations due to the air gap, and produce an output signal, tolerant of the air gaps, that is proportional to the position of the object being sensed.