Marking gauge for electronic measurement and display

Method to mark a distance from an edge of a work-piece, comprising:

• sliding a fence assembly along a shaft to position a marking blade affixed to the shaft a distance from the fence assembly;
• sensing graduations on the shaft with a graduation sensor coupled to the fence assembly;
• communicating a sensor signal associated with the sensed graduations from the graduation sensor to a monitoring circuit coupled to the fence assembly;
• receiving the sensor signal with the monitoring circuit;
• associating the sensor signal with the distance by referencing the sensor signal with a memory of the monitoring circuit;
• providing, with the monitoring circuit, a distance signal associated with the sensor signal, the distance signal including information associated with the distance;
• receiving the distance signal including the information with a display;
• and
• displaying the distance with the display;
• and
• sliding a collar onto the shaft, with the fence assembly disposed between the marking blade and the collar, locking a position of the collar with respect to the shaft, and adjusting the position of the fence assembly with respect to the shaft by turning a ring threaded onto the collar.

A system to mark a distance from an edge of a work-piece, comprising:

• a shaft extending along a longitudinal axis and including a graduations disposed in alignment with the longitudinal axis, wherein the graduations comprise a stator formed as a portion of a printed circuit affixed to the shaft;
• a marking blade affixed to an end portion of the shaft substantially transverse to the longitudinal axis of the shaft, wherein the marking blade is at least partially circular, nonrotably fixed to the shaft, is substantially planar and disk shaped, wherein a centerline of the marking blade, perpendicular to a marking edge of the marking blade, is substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis of the shaft, wherein the marking blade is fastened to the shaft with a fastener;
• a fence assembly coupled to the shaft movable along the longitudinal axis of the shaft, the fence assembly including a face configured to abut the edge of the work-piece, wherein the fence assembly comprises an edge circumscribing the face, the edge is at least partially circular and including a straight portion;
• a lock screw disposed in the fence assembly to lock the fence assembly in position with respect to the shaft, wherein the lock screw is configured to engage a channel disposed in the shaft;
• a graduation sensor coupled to the fence assembly and configured to monitor the graduations and provide a sensor signal associated with a distance between the fence assembly and the marking blade, wherein the graduation sensor includes a hall effect sensor to monitor the stator;
• a monitoring circuit coupled to the fence assembly in communication with the graduation sensor and configured to receive the sensor signal and to provide a distance signal including information associated with the distance wherein the monitoring circuit is in communication with a calibration circuit to receive a calibration input to calibrate the distance signal in association with the calibration input;
• a battery coupled to the monitoring circuit to power the monitoring circuit, wherein the monitoring circuit is configured to power the graduation sensor;
• at least one hand-actuable switch configured to control electrical communication between the battery and the monitoring circuit;
• at least a second switch in communication with the monitoring circuit and configured to program the monitoring circuit;
• and
• a digital display affixed to the fence assembly in communication with the monitoring circuit to receive the distance signal and display the information associated with the distance.