Method and apparatus for use in measurement data acquisition

A sensor for use in measurement data acquisition, the sensor comprising:

• a Sigma-Delta modulator operative to derive a Sigma-Delta modulated digital sense signal from an analog sense signal,
• a control circuit configured to derive a status data signal from status information, wherein the control circuit is configured to derive a select signal based on operational information, and
• a multiplexer configured to receive the select signal,
• wherein the multiplexer is configured, based on the select signal, to selectively output a transmit digital signal indicative of (i) the status data signal when data values associated with a physical quantity detected by the sensor are not valid, or (ii) the Sigma-Delta modulated digital sense signal when data values associated with a physical quantity detected by the sensor are valid, the data values being determined as valid based upon a comparison of the data values to a predetermined threshold value.

An apparatus configured to control a measurement data acquisition, comprising:

• a discriminator configured to be coupled to an interface that is configured for communication with a sensor, wherein the discriminator is configured to receive a digital signal from the interface,
• wherein the digital signal is an output signal of a multiplexer which receives a Sigma-Delta modulated digital sense signal and a status data signal, the multiplexer providing the Sigma-Delta modulated digital sense signal as the output signal when data values associated with a physical quantity detected by the sensor are valid, and otherwise providing the status data signal as the output signal, the data values being determined as valid based upon a comparison of the data values to a predetermined threshold value,
• wherein the discriminator is further configured to discriminate the status data signal from the Sigma-Delta modulated digital sense signal comprised in the digital signal, and
• a processor coupled to the discriminator and configured to process the Sigma-Delta modulated digital sense signal.

A measurement system for use in measurement data acquisition, comprising:

• at least one sensor configured to form, based on a detected quantity, an analog sense signal, wherein the at least one sensor comprises:
• a Sigma-Delta modulator configured to convert the analog sense signal into a digital sense signal, and
• a multiplexer configured to output a digital data signal by selecting between the digital sense signal and a status data signal to provide a Sigma-Delta modulated version of the digital sense signal as the digital data signal when data values associated with the detected quantity formed by the sensor are valid, and otherwise providing the status data signal as the digital data signal, the data values being determined as valid based upon a comparison of the data values to a predetermined threshold value;
• an interface coupled to the at least one sensor and configured to receive the digital data signal,
• a controller coupled to the interface and configured to receive the digital data signal from the interface, and
• a discriminator coupled to the controller and configured to extract the digital sense signal from the digital data signal,
• wherein the discriminator is configured to extract status data from the status data signal comprised in the digital data signal received at the discriminator.

A non-transitory computer-readable medium incorporating a sequence of operation acts that, when executed, perform a method for use in a measurement system for data acquisition, the method comprising:

• at a controller, receiving a data receive signal provided by a sensor configured to detect a quantity and form a sensor data signal corresponding to the data receive signal, wherein the data receive signal is an output signal of a multiplexer which receives a Sigma-Delta modulated version of the sensor data signal and another data signal, the multiplexer providing the Sigma-Delta modulated version of the sensor data signal as the output signal when data values associated with a quantity detected by the sensor are valid, and otherwise providing the another data signal as the output signal, the data values being determined as valid based upon a comparison of the data values to a predetermined threshold value, and
• interpreting the data receive signal to represent one of at least:
• the sensor data signal and another data signal,
• wherein the interpreting is based on attribute information intrinsic to the data receive signal,
• wherein the attribute information is duration of an interval between a point in time, when a control signal was sent to the sensor, and a point in time, when the data receive signal was received at the controller, and
• wherein a difference is predetermined sufficiently large for the sensor to transit from a low power mode to a high power mode.