Bi-directional signal converter

A method for converting signals comprising:

• receiving direction indicia and position indicia corresponding to a distance as an input to a converter;
• generating a count each time the position indicia corresponds to a predetermined distance;
• changing a count value when a count is generated as a function of the direction indicia;
• generating a count output from the converter and resetting the count value to zero when another, count is generated after a maximum number of counts has been reached while the direction signal input is at a first value;
• and
• generating the count output from the converter and resetting the count value to the maximum number of counts when another count is generated after a count value of zero has been reached while the direction signal input is at a second value of thereby producing the count output as a converted signal from the converter.

A signal converter comprising:

• means for receiving position indicia corresponding to a distance as a position indicia signal input to a converter;
• means for receiving direction indicia as a direction signal input to the converter;
• and
• means operationally coupled to the receiving position indicia means and receiving direction indicia means for generating an output signal based on the position indicia and direction signal inputs that is on average a non-integral multiple of the position indicia.

A signal converter comprising:

• means for receiving direction indicia and position indicia corresponding to a distance as an input to a converter;
• means for generating an output which is a non-integral multiple of position indicia input;
• means operationally coupled to the converter for generating a count each time the position indicia corresponds to a predetermined distance;
• means operationally coupled to the converter for changing a count value when a count is generated as a function of the direction indicia;
• means operationally coupled to the converter for generating a count output from the converter and resetting the count value to zero when another count is generated after a maximum number of counts has been reached while the direction signal input is at a fist level;
• and
• means operationally coupled to the converter for generating a count output from the converter and resetting the count value to the maximum number of counts when another count is generated after a count value of zero has been reached while the direction signal input is at a second level, thereby producing a converted signal as the count output from the converter.

A signal converter comprising:

• means for receiving direction indicia and position indicia corresponding to a distance as an input to a converter;
• means operationally coupled to the converter for generating a count each time the position indicia corresponds to a predetermined distance;
• means operationally coupled to the converter for changing a count value when a count is generated as a function of the direction indicia;
• means operationally coupled to the converter for generating a count output from the converter and resetting the count value to zero when another count is generated after a maximum number of counts has been reached while the direction signal input is at a first level;
• means operationally coupled to the converter for generating a count output from the converter and resetting the count value to the maximum number of counts when another count is generated after a count value of zero has been reached while the direction signal input is at a second level, thereby producing a converted signal as the count output from the converter;
• means operationally coupled to the converter for activating a maximum count signal output of the converter when a maximum number of counts has been reached;
• means operationally coupled to the converter for activating a count zero signal output of the converter when a count value of zero has been reached;
• means operationally coupled to the converter for receiving a count control signal input into the converter;
• means operationally coupled to the converter for receiving a reload signal input into the converter;
• means operationally coupled to the converter for setting the maximum number of counts to a first value of a set of maximum number of counts when either the count control signal input becomes active or the reload signal input becomes active;
• and
• means operationally coupled to the converter for setting the maximum number of counts to a second value in the set of maximum number of counts when either the count control signal input becomes inactive or the reload signal input becomes inactive.

An apparatus for converting signals comprising:

• a position indicia input to a converter operational for receiving position indicia corresponding to a distance;
• a count generator operationally coupled to the converter operative for generating a count each time the position indicia corresponds to a predetermined distance, where the generated count is a non-integral multiple of the count input;
• a directional signal input to the converter, said converter operative for incrementing a count value in the event the count is generated while the direction signal input is at a first value until a current maximum number of counts has been reached and then resetting the count value to zero when another count is generated, and operative for decrementing the count value in, the event the count is generated while the direction signal input is at a second value until a count value of zero has been reached and then resetting the count value to the current maximum number of counts when another count is generated;
• and
• a count output from the converter operative for generating a count output when another count is generated after the current maximum number of counts has been reached while the direction signal input is at the first value, and operative for generating a count when count is generated by the position indicia signal input after a count value of zero has been reached while the direction signal input is at the second value, thereby producing a converted signal as the count output from the converter.

An apparatus for converting signals comprising:

• a position indicia input to a converter operational for receiving position indicia corresponding to a distance;
• a count generator operationally coupled to the converter operative for generating a count each time the position indicia corresponds to a predetermined distance;
• a directional signal input to the converter, said converter operative for incrementing a count value in the event the count is generated while the direction signal input is at a first value until a current maximum number of counts has been reached and then resetting the count value to zero when another count is generated, and operative for decrementing the count value in, the event the count is generated while the direction signal input is at a second value until a count value of zero has been reached und then resetting the count value to the current maximum number of counts when another count is generated;
• a count output from the converter operative for generating a count output when another count is generated after the current maximum number of counts has been reached while the direction signal input is at the first value, and operative for generating a count when count is generated by the position indicia signal input after a count value of zero has been reached while the direction signal input is at the second value, thereby producing a converted signal as the count output from the converter;
• a count control signal input to the converter operative for selecting a first or second value of a set of maximum number of counts as the current maximum number of counts while the direction signal input is at the first value;
• and
• a reload signal input to the converter operative for selecting the first or the second value of a set of maximum number of counts as the current maximum number of counts while the direction signal input is at the second value.