Apparatus for increasing resolution of resistance sensing
AssigneeSiemens Industry, Inc.
InventorDonald E. Charles
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An apparatus is provided that increases resolution of a resistance sensor. The apparatus may include a variable current source that produces a variable current in response to a current value. The apparatus may also include a variable resistance device that generates a variable voltage associated with the variable current. The variable resistance may have a low resistance value and a high resistance value. In addition, the apparatus may include a controller that receives a voltage value associated with the variable voltage and controls the current value in order to result in an increase in resolution of a range between the low resistance value and a high resistance value.
Claims9
An apparatus that increases resolution of resistance sensing, comprising:
- a controller;
- a variable current source that produces a variable current in response to a current value set by the controller;
- a variable resistance device that produces a variable resistance and that generates a variable voltage based on both the variable current and on the variable resistance;
- and
- an analog to digital (A/D) converter that produces a voltage value based on the variable voltage,
- wherein the controller is configured to:
- receive the voltage value;
- control the current value via a digital to analog (D/A) converter based on the received voltage value such that the controller causes the current value to be increased and/or decreased to cause the variable voltage to be in a voltage range as the variable resistance changes that is less than a maximum range of voltages capable of being converted by the A/D converter to the voltage value;
- and
- determine the variable resistance based on the received voltage value and the controlled current value.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.