Position detector utilizing gray code format
AssigneeWestinghouse Electric Corp.
InventorDavid A. Fox
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A position detector is provided with an encoded element having indicia representative of a bit pattern of a pair of bits of a Gray code and a pair of sensors responsive to this indicia. The encoded element is capable of being mechanically coupled to a movable member and the sensors are spaced apart by a distance corresponding to a shift in the bit pattern between two bits of the Gray code such that movement of the encoded element past the sensors is used to produce two bits of the Gray code. Additional encoded elements and sensors are used to produce additional bits of the Gray code.
Claims9
A position detector for providing an indication of the position of a movable member, said detector comprising:
- a first encoded element, having first indicia representative of a first bit sequence of a first pair of bits of a Gray code and capable of being mechanically coupled to a movable member;
- first and second sensors positioned adjacent to said first encoded element, said first and second sensors producing digital signals in response to said first indicia of said first encoded element and being mechanically spaced from each other by an amount corresponding to a shift of said first bit sequence between said first pair of bits;
- a second encoded element, having second indicia representative of a second bit sequence of a second pair of bits of said Gray code and capable of being mechanically coupled to said movable member;
- and
- third and fourth sensors positioned adjacent to said second encoded element, said third and fourth sensors producing digital signals in response to said second indicia of said second encoded element and being mechanically spaced from each other by an amount corresponding to a shift of said second bit sequence between said second pair of bits.
A position detector for providing an indication of the position of a movable member, said detector comprising:
- a first encoded element, having first indicia representative of a first bit sequence of a first pair of bits of a Gray code and capable of being mechanically coupled to a movable member;
- first and second sensors positioned adjacent to said first encoded element, said first and second sensors producing digital signals in response to said first indicia of said first encoded element and being mechanically spaced from each other by an amount corresponding to a shift of said first bit sequence between said first pair of bits;
- a second encoded element, having second indicia representative of a second bit sequence of a third bit of said Gray code and capable of being mechanically coupled to said movable member;
- and
- a third sensor positioned adjacent to said second encoded element, said third sensor producing digital signals in response to said second indicia of said second encoded element.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.