Magnetostrictive position transducer having square-wave-in-quadrature-output

A magnetostrictive transducer for generating an indication of a magnet position along a magnetostrictive gauge comprising:

• a magnetostrictive waveguide delay line;
• pulse generator means for generating interrogation pulses on said delay line, in response to interrogation pulses on said delay line, in response to interrogate signals;
• said magnet proximate said delay line, for converting interrogation pulses into acoustic pulses in said delay line, at the location of said magnet means;
• mode converter means coupled to said waveguide for converting said acoustic pulses into corresponding echo signals;
• time interval measuring means for measuring the time interval from interrogation signals to the reception of corresponding echo signals, and for generating a raw count value corresponding to said time measurement;
• index position means for determining the count value for a defined index location along said waveguide and for producing an index value corresponding to said index location;
• output conversion means for generating an index pulse each time said magnet moves past said index location.

A magnetostrictive transducer for generating an indication of a magnet position along a magnetostrictive gauge comprising:

• a magnetostrictive waveguide delay line;
• pulse generator means for generating interrogation pulses on said delay line, in response to interrogation pulses on said delay line, in response to interrogate signals;
• said magnet proximate said delay line, for converting interrogation pulses into acoustic pulses in said delay line, at the location of said magnet means;
• mode converter means coupled to said waveguide for converting said acoustic pulses into corresponding echo signals;
• time interval measuring means for measuring the time interval from interrogation signals to the reception of corresponding echo signals, and for generating a raw count value corresponding to said time measurement;
• index position means for determining the count value for a defined location along said waveguide and for producing an index value corresponding to said index location;
• output conversion means for generating a fixed burst of output pulses corresponding to the distance of said magnet from said index location.

A magnetostrictive transducer for generating an indication of a magnet position along a magnetostrictive gauge comprising:

• a magnetostrictive waveguide delay line;
• pulse generator means for generating interrogation pulses on said delay line, in response to interrogation pulses on said delay line, in response to interrogate signals;
• said magnet proximate said delay line, for converting interrogation pulses into acoustic pulses in said delay line, at the location of said magnet means;
• mode converter means coupled to said waveguide for converting said acoustic pulses into corresponding echo signals;
• time interval measuring means for measuring the time interval from interrogation signals to the reception of corresponding echo signals, and for generating a raw count value corresponding to said time measurement;
• gradient measuring means for computing the transmission gradient of said waveguide for establishing a gradient value;
• output conversion means for converting said raw count value and said gradient value, to an output signal indicative of the position of said magnet on said waveguide.

A magnetostrictive transducer for generating an indication of a magnet position along a magnetostrictive gauge comprising:

• a magnetostrictive waveguide delay line;
• pulse generator means for generating interrogation pulses on said delay line, in response to interrogation pulses on said delay line, in response to interrogate signals;
• said magnet proximate said delay line, for converting interrogation pulses into acoustic pulses in said delay line, at the location of said magnet means;
• mode converter means coupled to said waveguide for converting said acoustic pulses into corresponding echo signals;
• time interval measuring means for measuring the time interval from interrogation signals to the reception of corresponding echo signals, and for generating a raw count value corresponding to said time measurement;
• index position means for determining the count value for a defined index location at an arbitrarily selected position along said waveguide and for producing an index value corresponding to said index location;
• output conversion means for generating an index output pulse each time said magnet moves past said index location.