Digital potentiometer device
AssigneeElectro-Sensors, Inc.
InventorsBradley D. Slye, George W. Edwards JR., Daniel E. Bisila
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A digital potentiometer device has a potentiometer, coupled to a reference voltage, that generates a voltage that can be varied. A programmable scaling function scales the reference voltage and the potentiometer's wiper voltage depending on stored user variables. An analog-to-digital converter converts the scaled potentiometer voltage to a digital value readable by a controller circuit. The controller circuit controls the scaling function and display of the potentiometer position with the user variables.
Claims19
A digital potentiometer device comprising:
- a potentiometer for generating a variable voltage in response to a reference voltage;
- a programmable, voltage scaling function coupled to the variable voltage and the reference voltage for generating a scaled variable voltage and a scaled reference voltage;
- an analog-to-digital converter for generating a digital signal representative of the relationship between the scaled reference voltage and the scaled variable voltage;
- an input switch for entering user variables;
- and
- a controller circuit that reads the digital signal and controls the programmable, voltage scaling function in response to the user variables.
A digital potentiometer device comprising:
- a potentiometer for generating a variable voltage in response to a reference voltage;
- a programmable voltage scaling circuit that generates a scaled reference voltage and a scaled variable voltage;
- an analog-to-digital converter that generates a digital signal in response to the scaled variable voltage and the scaled reference voltage;
- a first input switch for entering user variables;
- memory for storing the user variables;
- a controller circuit coupled to the analog-to-digital converter, the first input switch, and the programmable scaling circuit, the controller circuit capable of accepting and writing the user variables to memory, and programming the programmable voltage scaling circuit in response to the user variables;
- and
- a display having at least one digit coupled to the controller circuit for displaying the digital signal in units selected by the user variables.
A method for operation of a digital potentiometer device having a reference voltage, the method comprising:
- entering user variables;
- generating a variable voltage in response to the reference voltage;
- generating a scaled variable voltage and a scaled reference voltage in response to the user variables;
- converting the scaled variable voltage to a digital signal;
- and
- displaying the digital signal in units responsive to the user variables.
A method for operation of a digital potentiometer device having a reference voltage, the method comprising:
- reading user variables from memory;
- generating a variable voltage in response to the reference voltage;
- generating a scaled variable voltage and a scaled reference voltage in response to the user variables;
- converting the scaled variable voltage to a digital signal;
- and
- displaying the digital signal in units responsive to the user variables.
A method for operation of a digital potentiometer device having a reference voltage, a plurality of input switches, and memory, the method comprising:
- reading a state of each of the plurality of input switches;
- if the state of the plurality of input switches indicates a reset condition, reading default user variables from memory and storing in a predetermined memory location;
- reading the user variables from the predetermined memory location;
- adjusting a voltage scaling function in response to the user variables;
- if the device is in a normal display mode, converting a position of the potentiometer to a digital signal;
- and
- displaying the position of the potentiometer in units indicated by the user variables.
A method for replacing a conventional potentiometer comprising:
- removing the conventional potentiometer from a circuit;
- and
- installing a digital potentiometer device in place of the conventional potentiometer
- wherein the digital potentiometer device comprises:
- a device potentiometer that generates a variable voltage in response to a reference voltage;
- a programmable, voltage scaling function coupled to the variable voltage and the reference voltage for generating a scaled variable voltage and a scaled reference voltage;
- an analog-to-digital converter for generating a digital signal representative of a relationship between the scaled reference voltage and the scaled variable voltage;
- input switches for entering user variables;
- and
- a controller circuit that reads the digital signal and controls the programmable, voltage scaling function in response to the user variables, and displays a potentiometer position in user units.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.