US 8,788,233 B2Granted

Diagnostic system and method for a thermistor amplifier circuit

AssigneeGeneral Electric Company

InventorsNataniel Barbosa Vicente, Todd Elliott Greenwood, Craig Benjamin Williams

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Abstract

A diagnostic system and a diagnostic method for a thermistor amplifier circuit are provided. The system includes a transistor electrically coupled to a controllable variable resistor having a predetermined resistance. The transistor applies a test voltage signal to the circuit indicative of a first temperature value. An amplitude of the test voltage value is indicative of a simulated thermistor temperature value. The microprocessor determines a test temperature value based on the amplitude of an output voltage of the circuit. The microprocessor also determines an inaccuracy value based on the test temperature value and the simulated thermistor temperature value.

Claims20

Dependent claims

A diagnostic system for a thermistor amplifier circuit, comprising:

a transistor being electrically coupled in series with a controllable variable resistor, the transistor having an input terminal, a first output terminal, and a second output terminal, the first output terminal being electrically coupled to the thermistor amplifier circuit, the controllable variable resistor being electrically coupled between the second output terminal and electrical ground;
the controllable variable resistor configured to have a first predetermined resistance in response to receiving a first control signal from a microprocessor;
the transistor configured to apply a first test voltage signal to the thermistor amplifier circuit in response to receiving a second control signal from the microprocessor, an amplitude of the first test voltage signal being indicative of a first simulated thermistor temperature value;
the microprocessor configured to determine an amplitude of a first output voltage output by the thermistor amplifier circuit in response to the first test voltage, and to determine a first test temperature value based on the amplitude of the first output voltage;
and
the microprocessor further configured to determine a first inaccuracy value based on the first test temperature value and the first simulated thermistor temperature value.

3 more elements

A diagnostic method for a thermistor amplifier circuit utilizing a diagnostic system, the diagnostic system having a transistor being electrically coupled in series with a controllable variable resistor, the transistor having an input terminal, a first output terminal, and a second output terminal, the input terminal being electrically coupled to a microprocessor, the first output terminal being electrically coupled to the thermistor amplifier circuit, the controllable variable resistor electrically coupled between the second output terminal and electrical ground, the diagnostic method comprising:

setting a resistance of the controllable variable resistor to a first predetermined resistance in response to the controllable variable resistor receiving a first control signal from the microprocessor;
applying a first test voltage signal to the thermistor amplifier circuit utilizing the transistor in response to the transistor receiving a second control signal from the microprocessor, an amplitude of the first test voltage signal being indicative of a first simulated thermistor temperature value;
outputting a first output voltage by the thermistor amplifier circuit in response to the first test voltage signal;
determining an amplitude of the first output voltage of the thermistor amplifier circuit utilizing the microprocessor;
determining a first test temperature value based on the amplitude of the first output voltage utilizing the microprocessor;
determining a first inaccuracy value based on the first test temperature value and the first simulated thermistor temperature value, utilizing the microprocessor;
and
storing the first inaccuracy value in a memory device utilizing the microprocessor.

5 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 13/008,571Filed 18 Jan 2011
Published: US 2012/0185196 A119 Jul 2012
Granted: 22 Jul 2014
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification6 codes

G01K 15/00
Testing or calibrating of thermometers
G01K 7/24
The element being a non-linear resistance, e.g. thermistor: in a specially-adapted circuit, e.g. bridge circuit
G01K 15/007
Testing or calibrating of thermometers: testing
G01R 31/2829
Testing of electronic circuits specially adapted for particular applications not provided for elsewhere: testing of circuits in sensor or actuator…

Family

US 2012/0185196 A1Pre-grant publication · published 19 Jul 2012
US 8,788,233 B2This patent

From the US filing history. Foreign family members aren’t listed.

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