High resolution sensing protocol

An electronic circuit for transmitting packets of data that pertain to a target, the circuit comprising:

• at least one sensing element for repeatedly sensing a signed magnitude of an electromagnetic property of the target;
• an output signal generator for transmitting packets of data;
• and
• a controller for responding, to the at least one sensing element sensing the property of the target, by causing the output generator to transmit a plurality of packets of data, each packet of data having a header that encodes a sensed, signed magnitude followed by payload pulses that encode a respective portion of a message associated with the target;
• wherein the message comprises a concatenation of the respective portions.

A method of transmitting packets of data that pertain to a target, the method comprising:

• sensing a signed magnitude of an electromagnetic property of the target;
• and
• transmitting a packet of data, the packet of data having a header that encodes the signed magnitude, followed by payload pulses that encode a message associated with the target;
• wherein the header comprises three consecutive, uninterrupted digital electrical pulses, each pulse having the same fixed duration;
• wherein the first pulse has a first current level and encodes the sensed magnitude;
• wherein the second pulse has a second current level when the sensed sign is negative and the second pulse has a third current level when the sensed sign is positive;
• and
• wherein the third pulse has the second current level when an error has occurred and the third pulse has the third current level when no error has occurred.

An electronic circuit for transmitting packets of data that pertain to a target, the circuit comprising:

• at least one sensing element for sensing a signed magnitude of an electromagnetic property of the target;
• and
• an output signal generator for transmitting packets of data;
• and
• a controller for responding, to the at least one sensing element sensing the property of the target, by causing the output generator to transmit a packet of data, the packet of data having a header that encodes the signed magnitude, followed by payload pulses that encode a message associated with the target;
• wherein the header comprises three consecutive, uninterrupted digital electrical pulses, each pulse having the same fixed duration;
• wherein the first pulse has a first current level and encodes the sensed magnitude;
• wherein the second pulse has a second current level when the sensed sign is negative and the second pulse has a third current level when the sensed sign is positive;
• and
• wherein the third pulse has the second current level when an error has occurred and the third pulse has the third current level when no error has occurred.

A method of transmitting packets of data that pertain to a target, the method comprising:

• repeatedly (a) sensing a signed magnitude of an electromagnetic property of the target and (b) responsively transmitting a packet of data that encodes the sensed signed magnitude followed by payload pulses that collectively encode a message associated with the target;
• after beginning to responsively transmit a given packet of data, receiving an indication that an error has occurred;
• and
• after finishing transmission of the given packet of data but before subsequently sensing the signed magnitude of the electromagnetic property, beginning to transmit an error data packet encoding data that indicate the error has occurred.

An electronic circuit for transmitting packets of data that pertain to a target, the circuit comprising:

• at least one sensing element for sensing a signed magnitude of an electromagnetic property of the target;
• an output signal generator for transmitting packets of data;
• and
• a controller for:
• responding, to the at least one sensing element sensing the property of the target, by causing the output generator to transmit a packet of data that encodes the sensed signed magnitude followed by payload pulses that collectively encode a message associated with the target;
• after beginning to transmit a given packet of data, receiving an indication that an error has occurred;
• and
• after finishing transmission of the given packet of data but before subsequently sensing the signed magnitude of the electromagnetic property, causing the output generator to begin to transmit an error data packet encoding data that indicate the error has occurred.

An electronic circuit for transmitting packets of data that pertain to a target, the circuit comprising:

• at least one sensing element for sensing a signed magnitude of an electromagnetic property of the target;
• an output signal generator for transmitting packets of data;
• and
• a controller for responding, to the at least one sensing element sensing the property of the target, by causing the output generator to transmit a packet of data that encodes the sensed signed magnitude followed by payload pulses that encode a message associated with the target;
• wherein transmitting the packet of data includes encoding the sensed signed magnitude according to a first current level, and encoding the message according to second, third, and fourth current levels.