US 9,429,491 B2Granted

Compensating a sensor having thermal gradients

AssigneeKulite Semiconductor Products, Inc.

InventorsAndrew Bemis, Timothy Nunn, Joseph VanDeWeert

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Abstract

Example embodiments of the disclosed technology methods, devices, and systems for compensating a sensor having thermal gradients. In one embodiment, a system is provided that includes a sensor, including a first half-bridge transducer configured to output a first pressure signal associated with a first received pressure; a first set of span resistors coupled to the first half-bridge transducer, and configured generate a first compensated pressure signal; a second half-bridge transducer, configured to output a second pressure signal associated with a second received pressure; and a second set of span resistors coupled to the second half-bridge transducer and configured to generate a second compensated pressure signal. The system includes an output port that is configured to output a signal associated with a difference between the first compensated pressure signal and the second compensated pressure signal.

Claims16

Dependent claims

A system, comprising:

a sensor, including:
a first half-bridge transducer comprising a first voltage divider network having a first upper portion and a first lower portion, wherein the first half-bridge transducer is configured to:
receive a first pressure;
measure the first pressure;
and
output a first pressure signal associated with the first pressure;
a first set of span resistors coupled to the first half-bridge transducer to provide a compensated first half-bridge transducer, wherein the first set of span resistors is configured to:
compensate the first pressure signal for a thermal sensitivity shift associated with the first half-bridge transducer to generate a first compensated pressure signal;
a second half-bridge transducer comprising a second voltage divider network having a second upper portion and a second lower portion, wherein the second half-bridge transducer is configured to:
receive a second pressure;
measure the second pressure;
and
output a second pressure signal associated with the second pressure;
a second set of span resistors coupled to the second half-bridge transducer to provide a compensated second half-bridge transducer, wherein the second set of span resistors is configured to:
compensate the second pressure signal for a thermal sensitivity shift associated with the second half-bridge transducer to generate a second compensated pressure signal;
a first shunt resistor coupled to the first upper portion of the first voltage divider network of the first half-bridge transducer;
a second shunt resistor coupled in parallel to the second lower portion of the second voltage divider network of the second half-bridge transducer;
and
an output port disposed between the compensated first half-bridge transducer and the compensated second half-bridge transducer wherein an output signal associated with the output port comprises a difference between the first compensated pressure signal and the second compensated pressure signal.

16 more elements

A method, comprising:

in a sensor comprising:
a first half bridge transducer characterized by a first voltage divider network having a first upper portion and a first lower portion, with a first shunt resistor coupled to the first upper portion, the first half bridge transducer further coupled to a first set of span resistors;
and
a second half bridge transducer characterized by a second voltage divider network having a second upper portion and a second lower portion, with a second shunt resistor coupled to the second lower portion, the second half-bridge transducer further coupled to a second set of span resistors, receiving, at the first half-bridge transducer, a first pressure;
measuring, by the first half-bridge transducer, the first pressure;
outputting, by the first half-bridge transducer, a first pressure signal associated with the first pressure;
compensating, by the first set of span resistors, the first pressure signal for a thermal sensitivity shift associated with the first half-bridge transducer to generate a first compensated pressure signal;
receiving, at the second half-bridge transducer, a second pressure;
measuring, by the second half-bridge transducer, the second pressure;
outputting, by the second half-bridge transducer, a second pressure signal associated with the second pressure;
compensating, by the second set of span resistors, the second pressure signal for a thermal sensitivity shift associated with the second half-bridge transducer to generate a second compensated pressure signal;
and
outputting, by the sensor, an output signal associated with a difference between the first compensated pressure signal and the second compensated pressure signal.

10 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.