Adaptive input-cell circuitry useful in configurable electronic controllers

A method of acquiring a plurality of signals comprising the steps of:

• providing a synchronization control module, configuring a plurality of configurable signal acquisition modules connected with said synchronization control module;
• providing a control logic connected with said plurality of signal acquisition modules;
• providing a plurality of input-cells respectively connected with said plurality of signal acquisition modules, each operable to convert input signal parameters into a plurality of time-based parameters;
• providing a synchronization signal generator connected with said plurality of input-cells acquiring a plurality of input signals, each said input signal acquired by one of said plurality of input-cells;
• converting said acquired input signal into a plurality of time-based parameters;
• and
• converting said plurality of time-based parameters into a digital form, wherein said converting of said acquired input signals into a plurality of time-based parameters is controlled by first and second electromagnetically controlled switches within the plurality of input-cells.

A method for operating an input-cell, the method comprising the steps of:

• receiving a sensor input signal, a digital-bias first control input and second control input;
• using a first resistor network to apply an analog pull-up bias to the sensor input signal when the bias of the first control input is in a first digital state and, to provide a path for at least a portion of the first resistor network to a ground to cause the first resistor network to apply a pull-down bias to the sensor input signal when the bias of the first control input is in a second digital state;
• receiving a voltage reference and a synchronization input;
• using a second resistor network to apply a synchronization input to a comparator when the bias of the second control input is in a first digital state and, to apply a biased and attenuated input waveform signal to the comparator when the bias of the second control input is in a second digital state;
• and
• comparing the biased sensor input signal to the waveform applied by the second resistor network to determine an input-cell output, so that the input-cell can convert the sensor input signal to a time-based parameter.

An input-cell comprising:

• a comparator having a first input, a second input and an output, said comparator generating an output signal based upon a comparison of the signals at the first comparator input and the second comparator input;
• a sensor signal acquisition circuit having:
• a sensor signal input to receive a signal from a sensor and to provide the sensor signal to the first input of the comparator;
• a resistor network comprising a plurality of bias resistors connected in series between a first reference voltage and the sensor signal input;
• a first electromagnetically controlled switch connected between at least two of the plurality of bias resistors and a ground, said first electromagnetically controlled switch transitioning in response to a first bias control signal between a condition wherein the first electromagnetically controlled switch provides an electrical connection between the first resistor network and the ground and, a condition wherein the first electromagnetically controlled switch does not provide such an electrical connection;
• and
• an externally controllable reference control circuit comprising:
• a synchronization input connected to the second input of the comparator with a first reference resistor connected therebetween;
• and
• a second electromagnetically controlled switch connected between a second reference voltage source and the second input of the comparator with a second reference resistor therebetween, said second electromagnetically controlled switch transitioning in response to a second bias control signal between a condition that defines an electrical connection between the second reference voltage, the second reference resistor and the second input of the comparator and a condition that does not define such an electrical connection, so that the synchronization input at the second input of the comparator can be biased and attenuated.

An input-cell comprising:

• an analog comparator having a first comparator input, a second comparator input and an output said comparator adapted to generate a comparator output signal at an output that indicates whether an amplitude of a signal at the first input is greater than an amplitude of the signal at the second input;
• a first switch having a first control line adapted to receive a first digital control signal, and to transition between an open state and a closed state in response to the first digital control signal, said first switch connected to the first comparator input and to a first resistor network to apply a pull-up bias at the first input when the switch is in one of the open states or the closed states, and to apply a pull-down bias at said input signal when the switch is in a different state;
• and
• a second switch having a second control line adapted to receive a second digital control signal and to transition between an open state and a closed state in response to the second digital control signal;
• said second switch being electrically connected to a synchronization input, the second comparator input and a second resistor network to subject a waveform provided by the synchronization input to a different bias and attenuation when the second switch is in the closed state than when the second switch is in the open state.

An input-cell comprising:

• a comparator having a first comparator input, a second comparator input and an output, said comparator generating a comparator output signal based upon comparison of signals at the first and second input;
• a first resistor and second resistor connected in series between a first voltage reference source and a sensor input connected to the first input of the comparator;
• a first switch connected to the first and second resistors and a ground, said first switch adapted to receive a signal from a first control line and to switch in response to the signal received from the first control line so that the first and second resistors provide different biases to the sensor input on the first input when the first switch is closed and when the first switch is open;
• a third resistor and fourth resistor connected in series between a second reference voltage source;
• and
• a second switch and a synchronization input, said third resistor and fourth resistor connected to said second comparator input;
• said second switch being connected to a second control line and to receive a signal from the second control line to either apply the waveform input to the second comparator input or apply a biased and attenuated waveform input to said second comparator input, so that a control circuit logic of the input-cell but connected thereto can selectively adjust the bias applied to the sensor input and adaptively define the signal to which the sensor input is compared.