Synchro-to-digital converter employing common processing apparatus

In combination in apparatus for characterizing the angular position of a rotating shaft, a programmable variable frequency oscillator, means for signaling the rate of rotation of the shaft and for supplying a digital word signalling such rate to said variable frequency oscillator thereof, and a counter connected to the output of said variable frequency oscillator, wherein said variable frequency oscillator includes a rate multiplier controlled by said shaft rotational rate signalling means, and a pulse source connected as an input to said rate multiplier.

In combination in apparatus for providing digital measures of the orientation of a plurality of rotatable shafts, plural shaft position output processor means each for reporting the current position of an associated shaft, said shaft position outputting processor means each including a programable variable frequency oscillator and a counter connected to the output of said variable frequency oscillator, plural shaft position monitoring means, sampling shaft movement determining means sequentially connected to said plural shaft position monitoring means for controlling the variable frequency oscillator associated with each shaft to perform at a frequency proportional to the rotational rate of the shaft.

In combination in apparatus for providing digital measures of the orientation of a plurality of rotatable shafts, plural shaft position output processor means each for reporting the current position of an associated shaft, said shaft position outputting processor means each including a programmable variable frequency oscillator and a counter connected to the output of said variable frequency oscillator, plural shaft position monitoring means, sampling shaft movement determining means sequentially connected to said plural shaft position monitoring means for controlling the variable frequency oscillator associated with each shaft to perform at a frequency proportional to the rotational rate of that shaft, wherein said programmable variable frequency oscillator in each of said output processing means includes a rate multiplier and pulse source connected to said rate multiplier.

In combination in apparatus for providing digital measures of the orientation of a plurality of rotatable shafts, plural shaft position outputting means each for reporting the current position on an associated shaft, said shaft position outputting means each including bidirectional accumulator means, and programmable variable incrementing means connected to the input of said accumulating means for cycling said accumulating means at a variable rate, plural shaft position monitoring means, sampling shaft movement determining means sequentially connected to said plural shaft position monitoring means for controlling the variable incrementing means associated with each shaft to perform at an incremental value dependent upon the rotational rate of that shaft.