Method for multiplexing wheatstone bridge measurements
AssigneeHalliburton Energy Services, Inc.
InventorsOleg Bondarenko, Wei Zhang, Timothy S. Glenn
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A system, method, and circuit for determining signals. A bridge output is received from a Wheatstone bridge sensing a slow signal and a fast signal. A slow output associated with the slow signal and a fast output associated with the fast signal are determined from the bridge output utilizing a microcontroller. The microcontroller generates the offset signal in response to the slow output. Other systems, methods, and circuits are disclosed.
Claims18
A method for determining signals, the method comprising:
- receiving a bridge output from a Wheatstone bridge sensing a slow signal with slow sensors and a fast signal with fast sensors, an operational amplifier connected to the Wheatstone bridge configured to receive the bridge output and generate an output, and an analog-to-digital converter connected to the operational amplifier and configured to convert the output to a single digital output;
- and
- demultiplexing the single digital output to determine a slow output associated with the slow signal and a fast output associated with the fast signal from the bridge output utilizing a microcontroller, wherein the microcontroller generates an offset signal in response to only the single digital output, wherein the offset signal ensures that the fast output is not clipped by an operational amplifier.
A circuit in a downhole tool, the circuit comprising:
- a Wheatstone bridge comprising first sensors for detecting a fast signal and second sensors for detecting a slow signal;
- an operational amplifier connected to the Wheatstone bridge configured to receive a bridge output from the Wheatstone bridge and generate an output, wherein the operational amplifier offsets the output based on an offset signal;
- an analog-to-digital converter (ADC) connected to the operational amplifier and configured to convert the output to a digital output;
- a microcontroller connected to the ADC configured to demultiplex the digital output to determine a fast output and a slow output, wherein only the digital output is utilized to generate the offset signal, and the offset signal ensures that the fast output is not clipped by the operational amplifier.
An application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC) comprising:
- a Wheatstone bridge sensor for detecting a fast signal and a slow signal, wherein the Wheatstone bridge includes a first set of sensors for sensing the slow signal and a second set of sensors for sensing the fast signal and wherein the Wheatstone bridge sensor outputs a sum of the slow signal and the fast signal as a bridge output;
- a processor in communication with the Wheatstone bridge for executing a set of instructions;
- and
- a memory in communication with the processor for storing the set of instructions to configure a logic, wherein the logic is operable to:
- receive the bridge output;
- demultiplex the bridge output to determine a slow output associated with the slow signal and a fast output associated with the fast signal;
- and
- generate an offset signal in response to only the bridge output, wherein the offset signal ensures that the fast output is not clipped by an operational amplifier.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.