Patent ID: 6218831
Filing Date: 2001-04-17
Classification: G01C,G01R

Abstract:
A system for cyclically driving an electrical current through a non-linear inductor in alternating directions so as to produce a substantially periodic current waveform, and for producing an output signal representative of said current waveform, comprising:a capacitive node for storing electrical energy provided by a voltage source, said capacitive node being electrically coupled to said inductor;a switching network electrically coupled to said capacitive node and said inductor, said switching network being operative, responsive to a controllers to alternately transfer said electrical energy from said capacitive node through said inductor in a first direction for a first time interval until said inductor saturates, and to said capacitive node through said inductor in a second direction until said inductor saturates;a signal processor being electrically coupled to said capacitive node and said inductor, and producing said output signal, wherein said output signal is a predetermined function of said first time interval and said second time interval.