Two wire resistive sensor
AssigneeSSI Technologies, Inc.
InventorsGregory Murphy, Lawrence Reimer
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A circuit with two terminals that receive an input current. The circuit includes a sensor, and a controller to generate a modulated signal. The circuit also includes a flyback circuit that receives the modulated signal. The flyback circuit generates a first output voltage based on the modulated signal, shunts or redistributes at least a portion of the input current, and enables the controller to regulate the input current in proportion to the modulated signal.
Claims38
A circuit having two terminals, the two terminals configured to receive an input current, the circuit comprising:
- a sensor;
- a controller coupled to the sensor, and configured to generate a modulated signal;
- and
- a flyback circuit coupled to the controller to receive the modulated signal, and operable to generate a first output voltage based on the modulated signal, to shunt at least a portion of the input current, and to enable the controller to regulate the input current in proportion to the modulated signal.
A circuit having two terminals, the circuit comprising:
- a means for receiving a current signal;
- a means for sensing a condition indicative of a distance;
- a means for generating a modulated signal from the condition indicative of the distance;
- and
- a means for shunting at least a portion of the current signal, for enabling the means for generating the modulated signal to regulate the current signal in proportion to the modulated signal.
A method of emulating a two-wire resistive sensor, the two-wire resistive sensor having two terminals and a processor, the method comprising:
- receiving a current signal at the two terminals;
- generating a modulated signal at the processor;
- shunting at least a portion of the current signal;
- and
- regulating the current signal in proportion to the modulated signal.
A method of emulating a two-wire resistive sensor, the two-wire resistive sensor having two terminals, the two terminals receiving an input current, the method comprising:
- sensing a distance;
- generating a modulated signal based on the distance;
- redistributing at least a portion of the input current based on the modulated signal;
- and
- regulating the input current in proportion to the modulated signal.
A circuit comprising:
- a sensor;
- a controller coupled to the sensor, and configured to generate a modulated signal;
- a flyback circuit coupled to the controller to receive the modulated signal, and operable to generate a first output voltage based on the modulated signal, and to power the sensor with the first output voltage;
- and
- a regulator configured to produce a second output voltage based on the first output voltage, and to power the controller with the second output voltage.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.