Remote addressable transducer provided with automatic calibration and digital compensation

Automatic calibrating and digitally compensated remote addressable transducer comprising:

• a measuring and frequency conversion circuit including a physical quantity sensor for detecting a physical quantity to be measured and a frequency generator for outputting a frequency signal having a frequency which is indicative of a level of the physical quantity detected by said physical quantity sensor;
• an addressing circuit for assigning a specific address to the transducer;
• a timing circuit for determining an energizing time of said measuring and frequency conversion circuit;
• a clock generator connected to said addressing circuit;
• a power supply for supplying an energizing voltage to said addressing circuit, said timing circuit and said measuring and frequency conversion circuit;
• a single line for supply the frequency signal output by said frequency generator;
• and
• a switch, coupled between said power supply and said measuring and frequency conversion circuit, for switching said measuring and frequency conversion circuit on and off;
• wherein said measuring and frequency conversion circuit further includes (a) a microcontroller, (b) a temperature sensor for sensing temperature and supplying a voltage which is indicative of a value of the temperature sensed by said temperature sensor, (c) memory means connected to said microcontroller for storing compensation parameters used during a calibration process carried out by said microcontroller, and (d) A/D converters connecting said temperature sensor and said physical quantity sensor to said microcontroller;
• wherein said microcontroller is programmed to receive the compensation parameters of the transducer and to store the compensation parameters in said memory means, and
• wherein said microcontroller is further programmed to use said compensation parameters stored in said memory means and the temperature sensed by said temperature sensor during the operation of transducer for calculating corrections to be made to a measurement obtained by the physical quantity sensor before said measurement is supplied to said frequency generator.