Induced current position transducer having a low power electronic circuit

An inductive position transducing system including a low power electronic circuit, the inductive position transducing system comprising:

• a first member;
• a second member having a measuring axis the first member movable relative to the second member along the measuring axis;
• a low power energy supply source that provides a power supply;
• a signal generator circuit that inputs the power supply from the low power energy supply source and that outputs an intermittent drive signal and comprises a capacitor discharged through the inductive transducer;
• an inductive transducer, comprising:
• a first portion located on one of the second member and the first member, and
• a second portion located on the other of the second member and the first member,
• wherein the inductive transducer inputs the intermittent drive signal and outputs at least one sensed signal responsive to a relative position along the measuring axis between the first member and the second member;
• and
• an analyzing circuit that inputs the at least one sensed signal and outputs an output signal indicative of the relative position between the first member and the second member along the measuring axis.

An inductive position transducing system including a low power electronic circuit the inductive position transducing system comprising:

• a first member;
• a second member having a measuring axis, the first member movable relative to the second member along the measuring axis;
• a low power energy supply source that provides a power supply;
• a signal generator circuit that inputs the power supply from the low power energy supply source and that outputs an intermittent drive signal, the signal generator circuit and drive signal drive the inductive transducer such that the inductive transducer produces a changing magnetic flux which changes at a rate equivalent to an oscillation frequency of at least 1 MHz;
• an inductive transducer, comprising:
• a first portion located on one of the second member and the first member, and
• a second portion located on the other of the second member and the first member,
• wherein the inductive transducer inputs the intermittent drive signal and outputs at least one sensed signal responsive to a relative position along the measuring axis between the first member and the second member;
• and
• an analyzing circuit that inputs the at least one sensed signal and outputs an output signal-indicative of the relative position between the first member and the second member along the measuring axis.

An inductive position transducing system including a low power electronic circuit, the inductive position transducing system comprising:

• a first member;
• a second member having a measuring axis, the first member movable relative to the second member along the measuring axis;
• a low power energy supply source that provides a power supply and is carried solely on one of the first and second members;
• a signal generator circuit that inputs the power supply from the low power energy supply source and that outputs an intermittent drive signal
• an inductive transducer, comprising:
• a first portion located on one of the second member and the first member, and
• a second portion located on the other of the second member and the first member,
• wherein the inductive transducer inputs the intermittent drive signal and outputs at least one sensed signal responsive to a relative position along the measuring axis between the first member and the second member;
• and
• an analyzing circuit that inputs the at least one sensed signal and outputs an output signal indicative of the relative position between the first member and the second member along the measuring axis.

An inductive position transducing system including a low power electronic circuit, the inductive position transducing system comprising:

• a first member;
• a second member having a measuring axis, the first member movable relative to the second member along the measuring axis;
• a low power energy supply source that provides a power supply, wherein a maximum supply voltage of the low power energy supply source is at most 3.5 volts;
• a signal generator circuit that inputs the power supply from the low power energy supply source and that outputs an intermittent drive signal;
• an inductive transducer, comprising:
• a first portion located on one of the second member and the first member, and
• a second portion located on the other of the second member and the first member,
• wherein the inductive transducer inputs the intermittent drive signal and outputs at least one sensed signal responsive to a relative position along the measuring axis between the first member and the second member;
• and
• an analyzing circuit that inputs the at least one sensed signal and outputs an output signal indicative of the relative position between the first member and the second member along the measuring axis.

An inductive position transducing system including a low power electronic circuit, the inductive position transducing system comprising:

• a first member:
• a second member having a measuring axis, the first member movable relative to the second member along the measuring axis;
• a low power energy supply source that provides a power supply;
• a signal generator circuit that inputs the power supply from the low power energy supply source and that outputs an intermittent drive signal;
• an inductive transducer, comprising:
• a first portion located on one of the second member and the first member, and
• a second portion located on the other of the second member and the first member,
• wherein the inductive transducer inputs the intermittent drive signal and outputs at least one sensed signal responsive to a relative position along the measuring axis between the first member and the second member;
• and
• an analyzing circuit that inputs the at least one sensed signal and outputs an output signal indicative of the relative position between the first member and the second member along the measuring axis,
• wherein a feature of one of the first member and the second member forms one of the first and second portions of the inductive transducer.

A method for operating an inductive position transducing system, comprising:

• providing a power supply from a low power energy supply source to a signal generator circuit;
• intermittently outputting a drive signal from the signal generator to an inductive transducer;
• driving the inductive transducer with the intermittent drive signal to produce a changing magnetic flux,
• producing a spatially modulated changing magnetic flux based on a relative position between first and second members of the inductive transducer along a measuring axis;
• sensing the spatially modulated changing magnetic flux to produce at lease one sensed signal corresponding to the relative position between the first and second members along the measuring axis;
• monitoring the at least one sensed signal output by the inductive transducer;
• and
• determining, in response to the at least one monitored sensed signal, the relative position between the first and second members.

A method for operating an inductive position transducing system positioned in a portable measuring device and having a self-contained low power energy supply source, the method comprising:

• providing a power supply from the self-contained low power energy supply source to a signal generator circuit;
• intermittently outputting a drive signal from the signal generator circuit to an inductive transducer;
• driving the inductive transducer with the intermittent drive signal to produce a changing magnetic flux;
• producing a spatially modulated changing magnetic flux based on a relative position between first and second members of the inductive transducer along a measuring axis;
• sensing the spatially modulated changing magnetic flux to produce at lease one sensed signal corresponding to the relative position between the first and second members along the measuring axis;
• monitoring the at least one sensed signal output by the inductive transducer;
• and
• determining, in response to the at least one monitored sensed signal, the relative position between the first and second members.