# US 2021/0239494 A1 · Duty cycle for inductive position sensors > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2021/0239494 A1 - Document ID: US20210239494A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 17/233,875 - Filed: 2021-04-19 - Published: 2021-08-05 - Earliest claimed: 2016-11-02 - Assignees: KSR IP Holdings, LLC - Applicants: KSR IP Holdings, LLC - Inventors: Ryan W. Elliott - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20210239494A1 ## CPC - G01D 3/028: mitigating undesired influences, e.g. temperature, pressure - G01D 5/20: by varying inductance, e.g. by a movable armature - G01D 5/204: {by influencing the mutual induction between two or more coils (G01D5/22 takes precedence)} - H03K 5/1565: {the output pulses having a constant duty cycle} - G01D: MEASURING NOT SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR A SPECIFIC VARIABLE; ARRANGEMENTS FOR MEASURING TWO OR MORE VARIABLES NOT COVERED IN A SINGLE OTHER SUBCLASS; TARIFF METERING APPARATUS; MEASURING OR TESTING NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR - H03K: PULSE TECHNIQUE (measuring pulse characteristics G01R; modulating sinusoidal oscillations with pulses H03C; transmission of digital information H04L; discriminator circuits detecting phase difference between two signals by counting or integrating cycles of oscillation H03D3/04; automatic control, starting, synchronisation or stabilisation of generators of electronic oscillations or pulses where the type of generator is irrelevant or unspecified H03L; coding, decoding or code conversion, in general H03M) ## Abstract A duty cycle is used in conjunction with a powered oscillator to electronically reduce the current draw by reducing the average current and thus reducing the sensor radiated emissions without altering an inductive position sensor. The duty cycle and the switching of the oscillation drive enable an on and an off cycling of the inductive position sensor such that an oversampling may occur without altering the hardware, but providing the improvements. As such, the inductive position sensor may only have an oscillation signal long enough to capture a stable sample and remain off for the duration of the sampling period. As such, a reduction in radiated emissions is achieved. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A position sensor system comprising: at least one inductive position sensor assembly having: a transmitting coil; and at least one receiving coil; a coupler configured to move relative to the transmitting coil and the at least one receiving coil; a first electronic control unit having: a oscillator drive, the oscillator drive enables an oscillation signal configured to enable the at least one inductive position sensor assembly at a predetermined time; a pulse-width modulation controlled by the first electronic control unit, the pulse-width modulation having a start duty cycle and a stop duty cycle controlled by the first electronic control unit at a predetermined period of time, the pulse-width modulation operating at a predefined frequency and at a predefined ratio; a second electronic control unit, wherein: the first and second electronic control units operate simultaneously without a synchronization mechanism such that an electrical interference occurs between the first and second electronic control units, the second electronic control unit is inhibited such that the at least one inductive position sensor assembly transmits a sample to the first electronic control unit when the oscillation signal and the start duty cycle are both enabled, the sample being a position of the coupler relative to the transmitting coil and the at least one receiving coil, and the start duty cycle and the stop duty cycle are configured to reduce an average radiated emission of the at least one inductive position sensor assembly. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The position sensor system of claim 1, wherein the second electronic control unit comprises: a second oscillator drive, the second oscillator drive enables a second oscillation signal configured to enable the at least one inductive position sensor assembly at a second predetermined time; and a second pulse-width modulation controlled by the second electronic control unit, the second pulse-width modulation having a second start duty cycle and a second stop duty cycle controlled by the second electronic control unit at a second predetermined period of time, the second pulse-width modulation operating at a second predefined frequency and at a second predefined ratio. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The position sensor system of claim 1, wherein the predetermined time is a minimum time required for the at least one inductive position sensor assembly to transmit a stable sample. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The position sensor system of claim 1, wherein the sample is held by the first electronic control unit until a second sample is taken during a next period of time when the oscillation signal and the start duty cycle are both enabled. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The position sensor system of claim 1, wherein the pulse-width modulation is at the predefined frequency of 200 hertz, 400 hertz or 800 hertz. ### Claim 6 (depends on 2) The position sensor system of claim 2, wherein the second pulse-width modulation is at the second predefined frequency of 200 hertz, 400 hertz or 800 hertz. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The position sensor system of claim 1, wherein the predetermined period of time between the start duty cycle to the stop duty cycle is either equal to 10 percent, greater than 10 percent or less than 10 percent. ### Claim 8 (depends on 2) The position sensor system of claim 2, wherein the second predetermined period of time between the second start duty cycle to the second stop duty cycle is either equal to 10 percent, greater than 10 percent or less than 10 percent. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The position sensor system of claim 1, wherein the coupler is spaced apart from the transmitting coil and the at least one receiving coil so to form an airgap. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The position sensor system of claim 9, wherein the airgap between the transmitting coil and the coupler is greater than 1.0 millimeter. ### Claim 11 (depends on 9) The position sensor system of claim 9, wherein the airgap between the transmitting coil and the coupler is less than or equal to 1.0 millimeter. ### Claim 12 A sensor system comprising: at least one inductive position sensor assembly having: a transmitting coil; and at least one receiving coil; a coupler configured to move relative to the transmitting coil and the at least one receiving coil; a first electronic control unit having: an oscillator drive that enables an oscillation signal configured to enable the at least one inductive position sensor assembly at a predetermined time; a pulse-width modulation controlled by the first electronic control unit, the pulse-width modulation having a start duty cycle and a stop duty cycle controlled by the first electronic control unit at a predetermined period of time, the pulse-width modulation operating at a predefined frequency and at a predefined ratio; a second electronic control unit, wherein the first and second electronic control units operate simultaneously without a synchronization mechanism such that an electrical interference occurs between the first and second electronic control units, wherein a sample of the at least one inductive position sensor assembly is obtained when the oscillation signal and the start duty cycle are both enabled and the second electronic control unit is disabled such that only a single sample is required for the predetermined period of time, the sample being a position of the coupler relative to the transmitting coil and the at least one receiving coil, and wherein the oscillator drive is inhibited a remaining time of the predetermined period of time so to reduce power consumption and emissions of the at least one inductive position sensor assembly. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The sensor system of claim 12, wherein the second electronic control unit comprises: a second oscillator drive, the second oscillator drive enables a second oscillation signal configured to enable the at least one inductive position sensor assembly at a second predetermined time; and a second pulse-width modulation controlled by the second electronic control unit, the second pulse-width modulation having a second start duty cycle and a second stop duty cycle controlled by the second electronic control unit at a second predetermined period of time, the second pulse-width modulation operating at a second predefined frequency and at a second predefined ratio. ### Claim 14 (depends on 12) The sensor system of claim 12, wherein the predetermined time is a minimum time required for the at least one inductive position sensor assembly to transmit a stable sample. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The sensor system of claim 14, wherein the sample is held by the first electronic control unit until a second sample is taken during a next period of time when the oscillation signal and the start duty cycle are both enabled. ### Claim 16 (depends on 12) The sensor system of claim 12, wherein the coupler is spaced apart from the transmitting coil and the at least one receiving coil so to form an airgap. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) The sensor system of claim 16, wherein the airgap between the transmitting coil and the coupler is greater than 1.0 millimeter. ### Claim 18 (depends on 17) The sensor system of claim 17, wherein the airgap between the transmitting coil and the coupler is less than or equal to 1.0 millimeter. ### Claim 19 (depends on 12) The sensor system of claim 12, wherein the duty cycle is a periodic clock signal, the predetermined period of time of the periodic clock signal is 10 percent, greater than 10 percent, or less than 10 percent. ### Claim 20 (depends on 12) The sensor system of claim 12, wherein repeat multiples of the sample of the at least one inductive position sensor assembly are processed by the first electronic control unit until the oscillation signal or the duty cycle change states.