Detecting angular position of a rotating device
AssigneeContinental Automotive Systems, Inc.
InventorsPatrick A. O'Gorman, Rene Vivanco, Alex Kurnia
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Abstract
An angular position of a rotating device is detected by sensing and counting high-resolution transitions of high-resolution digital sensors in response to the rotating device rotating; sensing low-resolution transitions of a low-resolution digital sensor in response to the rotating device rotating, the low-resolutions transitions being unevenly spaced apart; determining an angular position of the rotating device in response to determining a number of high-resolution transitions between pairs of low-resolution transitions.
Claims12
A method for detecting angular position of a rotating device, the method comprising:
- sensing low-resolution transitions of a low-resolution digital sensor in response to the rotating device rotating;
- sensing and counting high-resolution transitions of a high-resolution digital sensor in response to the rotating device rotating;
- sensing and counting other high-resolution transitions of another high-resolution digital sensor in response to the rotating device rotating;
- determining an angular position of the rotating device in response to determining a number of high-resolution transitions between pairs of low-resolution transitions;
- and
- comparing the low-resolution transitions, the high-resolution transitions, and the other high-resolution transitions to determine a direction of rotation of the device, wherein each pair of consecutive low-resolution transitions defines a respective low-resolution pulse that is in either a high state or a low state, and wherein each low-resolution pulse has a respective duration that is specified by a number of high-resolution transitions that occurs during each respective low-resolution pulse, and wherein the respective durations of any three consecutive low-resolution pulses differ from one another by at least two high-resolution transitions.
A system for detecting an angular position of a rotating device, the system comprising:
- a low-resolution digital sensor positioned such that it senses rotation of the rotating device;
- a high-resolution digital sensor positioned such that it senses rotation of the rotating device;
- another high-resolution sensor positioned such that it senses rotation of the rotating device;
- a control circuit electrically coupled to the low-resolution digital sensor and the high-resolution digital sensors;
- the control circuit being configured to:
- receive low-resolution transitions from the low-resolution digital sensor in response to the rotating device rotating;
- receive and count high-resolution transitions from the high-resolution digital sensors in response to the rotating device rotating;
- and
- determine an angular position of the rotating device in response to determining a number of high-resolution transitions between pairs of low-resolution transitions;
- compare the low-resolution transitions and the high-resolution transitions to determine a direction of rotation of the device, wherein each pair of consecutive low-resolution transitions defines a respective low-resolution pulse that is in either a high state or a low state, and wherein each low-resolution pulse has a respective duration that is specified by a number of high-resolution transitions that occurs during each respective low-resolution pulse, and wherein the respective durations of any three consecutive low-resolution pulses differ from one another by at least two high-resolution transitions.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.