Patent ID: 7701203
Filing Date: 2010-04-20
Classification: F16H,G01B,Y10T

Abstract:
1. A method of sensing a position of a movable component of an operator interface, comprising: receiving a first signal from a first Hall effect sensor which is based at least in part on proximity of the first Hall effect sensor to a magnet and a second signal from a second Hall effect sensor which is based at least in part on proximity of the second Hall effect sensor to the magnet, wherein the magnet is movable relative to the first Hall effect sensor and the second Hall effect sensor in response to movement of the movable component; determining the position of the movable component based on each of the first signal and the second signal if the first and second signals represent expected values, the expected values including signal values for the first signal and the second signal which are equal to expected signal values or within a range of expected signal values; and determining the position of the movable component based on only one of the first and second signals if the one of the first and second signals represents an expected value and the other of the first and second signals represents an unexpected value indicative of a fault, wherein the fault represents a signal value which is neither equal to an expected signal value nor within a range of expected signal values.