Multi-channel rotary encoder

Method for operating a multi-channel rotary encoder comprising at least one printed circuit board on which one or a plurality of functional units (1, 1a, 1b, 1c, 2, 3, 4) are arranged as integrated components and are interconnected, at least one position transducer (6, 7) generating absolute and incremental measurement values which are each fed to a control unit (5) by means of at least one channel (37, 38), the control unit being disposed as a management and safety monitoring unit and controlling a downstream-connected machine, characterized in that the rotary encoder consists of at least three functional units (1a, 1b, 2), that a first position transducer (6) is arranged in a first functional unit (1a) and generates absolute location-position values (9) in this functional unit (1a), which are fed by a second functional unit (2), which is connected as an interface, as first secure data (39) by means of the first secure channel (37) to the control unit (5), and that a second position transducer (7) is arranged in a second functional unit (1b) and detects third absolute location positions (16) and feeds said absolute location positions (16) to the control unit (5) by means of a third secure channel (38), and that the incremental position values (42) from the first functional unit (1a) are converted to absolute location-position values (9) in the second functional unit (2), which is connected as an interface, said absolute location-position values (9) being fed to the control unit (5) as second secure data (40) (FIGS. 5, 6).

Method for operating a multi-channel rotary encoder comprising at least one printed circuit board on which one or a plurality of functional units (1, 1a, 1b, 1c, 2, 3, 4) are arranged as integrated components and are interconnected, at least one position transducer (6, 7) generating absolute and incremental measurement values which are each fed to a control unit (5) by means of at least one channel (37, 38), the control unit being disposed as a management and safety monitoring unit and controlling a downstream-connected machine, characterized in that the rotary encoder consists of at least four functional units (1a, 1b, 1c, 2), that a first position transducer (6) is arranged in a first functional unit (1a) and generates absolute location-position values (9) in this functional unit (1a), which are fed by a second functional unit (2), which is connected as an interface, as first secure data (39) by means of the first secure channel (37) to the control unit (5), and that a second position transducer (7) is arranged in a second functional unit (1b) and detects and processes third absolute location positions (16) and feeds said absolute location positions (16) to a third functional unit (1c) designed as signal processor unit, which calculates an absolute location position (16) and feeds said absolute location position (16) to the control unit (5) by means of a third secure channel (38), and that the incremental position values (42) from the first functional unit (1a) are converted to absolute location-position values (9) in the second functional unit (2), which is connected as an interface, said absolute location-position values (9) being fed to the control unit (5) as second secure data (40) (FIG. 7).