Back to results
US 2003/0141917 A1Published application
System and method for processing a signal
AssigneeGoodrich Pump & Engine Control Systems, Inc.
InventorGary M. McBrien
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Analog circuitry is disclosed for conditioning a signal from linear and rotary variable differential transformers having a primary winding, a pair of secondary windings and a movable core. The circuitry includes a unique closed loop negative feedback mechanism which, over time, adjusts the frequency of a voltage controlled oscillator so that a steady-state condition is achieved within the circuitry, whereby the total integrated value of the secondary winding voltages at an integrator remains equal to a reference voltage, thereby reducing the computational burden associated with solving an equation to determine the position of the movable core of the transformer.
Claims22
A system for processing a signal comprising:
- a) a frequency generator for providing an excitation signal to a primary winding of a variable differential transformer;
- b) means for sampling output voltages from a pair of secondary windings of the variable differential transformer for use in determining the position P of a movable core of the variable differential transformer as a solution to the equation
- 4 P = ( S1 - S2 ) ( S1 + S2 )
- where S1 and S2 represent the output voltages of the secondary windings of the variable differential transformer;
- and
- c) means for conditioning the sampled S1 and S2 output voltages in such a manner so that the sum of the conditioned S1 and S2 output voltages is equal to a constant reference voltage, whereby the position P is equal to the difference between the S1 output voltage and the S2 output voltage.
3 more elements
A system for conditioning a signal comprising:
- a) a frequency generator for providing an excitation signal to a primary winding of a variable differential transformer;
- b) a voltage controlled oscillator for supplying a reference frequency to a time indexer adapted and configured to set output times at discrete time intervals;
- c) means for sampling output voltages from a pair of secondary windings of the variable differential transformer for use in determining the position P of a movable core of the variable differential transformer as a solution to the equation:
- 5 P = ( S1 - S2 ) ( S1 + S2 )
- where S1 and S2 represent the output voltages of the secondary windings of the variable differential transformer;
- d) a first integrator operatively associated with the sampling means for integrating the S1 output voltage during a first time interval and the S2 output voltage during a second time interval;
- e) means for determining a sampling error during the second time interval based upon the total integrated value of the S1 output voltage and the S2 output voltage;
- f) a second integrator for integrating the sampling error during a third time interval so as to generate a value for adjusting the reference frequency supplied by the voltage controlled oscillator so that the total integrated value of the S1 output voltage and the S2 output voltage remains equal to a constant reference voltage;
- and
- g) means for resetting the first integrator during a fourth time interval, whereby the first integrator integrates the S1 output voltage during a fifth time interval and a negative S2 output voltage during a sixth time interval, such that the output of the first integrator during a seventh time interval is the integrated value of the difference between the S1 output voltage and the S2 output voltage of the secondary windings which is used in the solution of the equation, the denominator of which is equal to the constant reference voltage.
7 more elements
A method of conditioning a signal comprising the steps of:
- a) generating an excitation signal to a primary winding of a variable differential transformer;
- b) sampling output voltages from a pair of secondary windings of the variable differential transformer for use in determining the position P of a movable core of the variable differential transformer as a solution to the equation
- 6 P = ( S1 - S2 ) ( S1 + S2 )
- where S1 and S2 represent the output voltages of the secondary windings of the variable differential transformer;
- and
- c) conditioning the sampled S1 and S2 output voltages in such a manner so that the sum of the S1 and S2 output voltages is equal to a constant reference voltage, whereby the position P is equal to the difference between the S1 output voltage and the S2 output voltage.
3 more elements
A method of conditioning a signal comprising the steps of:
- a) providing an excitation signal to a primary winding of a variable differential transformer;
- b) supplying a reference frequency to a time indexer adapted and configured to set output times at precise time intervals;
- c) sampling output voltages from a pair of secondary windings of the variable differential transformer for use in determining the position P of a movable core of the variable differential transformer as a solution to the equation:
- 7 P = ( S1 - S2 ) ( S1 + S2 )
- where S1 and S2 represent the output voltages of the secondary windings of the variable differential transformer;
- d) integrating the S1 output voltage during a first time interval;
- e) integrating the S2 output voltage during a second time interval;
- f) determining a sampling error based upon the S1 and S2 output voltages during the second time interval;
- g) integrating the sampling error during a third time interval;
- h) adjusting the frequency of the voltage controlled oscillator based on the integrated value of the sampling error so that the total integrated value of the S1 output voltage and the S2 output voltage remains equal to a constant reference voltage;
- i) resetting the first integrator during a fourth time interval;
- j) integrating the S1 output voltage during a fifth time interval;
- k) integrating the negative S2 output voltage during a sixth time;
- interval;
- l) providing the output of the first integrator during a seventh time interval which is the integrated value of the difference between the S1 output voltage and the S2 output voltage of the secondary windings which is used in the solution of the equation, the denominator of which is equal to the constant reference voltage;
- and
- m) resetting the first integrator during an eighth time interval.
14 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.