PARAMETER MEASURING CIRCUIT

Abstract: A circuit for measuring a parameter, which parameter is adapted to switch the switching elements of an array of switching elements between open and closed states, each of the switching elements being connected to a common line and to a respective intermediate point of a series resistance, the circuit comprising means for connecting the array to a threshold voltage; first measurement means for identifying the closest closed switching element to a first end of the array by use of a first voltage greater than the threshold voltage; second measurement means for identifying the closest closed switching elements to a second end of the array by use of a second voltage less than the threshold voltage; and processing means 60 for obtaining a measure of the parameter on the basis of the switching elements identified to be closed. The sensor circuit provides increased resolution measurements from the sensor 19 by using two or more separately applied driving voltages. Only two connections to the sensor 19 are required, the sensor 19 having one or more switches closed in relation to the parameter being measured.

Description: This invention relates to a circuit for measuring a parameter using an array of switching elements. An array of switches can be used as a sensor to measure a parameter. In implementing the array of switches as a measuring device, the array is designed so that the electrical state of the switches are altered in relation to the measurement of the parameter. To limit the number of connection terminals to the array, resistors may be connected between the switches so that, with the individual closing of each switch, the array circuit has a different impedance. With this arrangement, the array can be used with just two connecting terminals. One problem with this arrangement, however, is that the resolution of the sensor is limited by the number of switches in the array. One known way to increase sensor resolution is to allow more than one switch to be closed at certain times, and take the impedance measurements of two circuits created by the state of the switches. This approach, however, requires three or more connections to the sensor. Another method of increasing the resolution of the sensor is increasing the number of switches and resistors in the array. This, however, increases the cost of the sensor. Because of the above limitations, other types of sensors are often used in place of switch-array sensors. FR-A-2,328,265 discloses a circuit for measuring a parameter having the features given in the pre-characterising portion of claim 1. The circuit disclosed in this document is intended to measure the relative positions of two elements, specifically a plunger and drive means of a remotely disengageable control rod assembly. In this device, first measurement means measure a first voltage indicative of the position of one of the plunger and the drive means, this first voltage being compared to a second voltage measured by second measurement means and indicative of the position of the other of the plunger and the drive means. The result of the comparison is used to determine whether the plunger and the drive means are engaged or disengaged. The first and second voltages are produced from respective first and second current sources and the respective resistance or resistances up to the closest closed switch. US-A-3,976,963 also discloses a sensing element formed of a plurality of series-connected resistors and a plurality of switches connected in parallel between the resistors and a common line. A magnet is designed to move along the array of switches to close one or more of the switches at a time, thereby indicating the position of the magnet and of the parameter being measured. The present invention seeks to provide an improved sensor circuit. According to an aspect of the present invention, there is provided a circuit for measuring a parameter characterised over FR-A-2,,328,265 by the features in the characterising portion of claim 1. The circuit can be implemented using only two connections to the sensor, and can also provide increased resolution. Preferably for each state of the switching elements, (one specific switching element or two specific adjacent switching elements being closed), the combination of the impedance measurements above and below the threshold are unique. Thus, for a sensor with an array of five individual switching elements, where one switching element or two consecutive switching elements are continuously closed, nine unique switching combinations exist, each combination having a unique set of output impedances. Using previous circuits, without increasing the number of connections, only five unique measurements were available for an array of five switches. Now, higher resolution measurements can be made with only two connections to the sensor as a result of the increased number of combinations. An embodiment of the invention is described below, by way of illustration only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figures 1(a) and 1(b) are circuit drawings illustrating two embodiments of sensor circuit; Figure 2 is a circuit diagram of an embodiment of circuit for driving the sensor circuits of Figures 1a and 1b; and Figure 3 is a timing diagram showing the relationships of certain line voltages for the circuit of Figure 2. Figures 1(a) and 1(b) show two embodiments of sensor assembly. Each sensor assembly contains a serial array of switches (32, 34, 36, 38 in Figure 1(a) and 81, 85, 91, 95 in Figure 1(b)), such as magnetic reed switches. For magnetic reed switches, the state of the switches is controlled by a tripping mechanism, such as a magnetic float, which travels between the ends of the switch array in relation to the parameter being measured. The tripping mechanism closes either one switch or two consecutive switches in the array at any one point in time. As shown in Figures 1(a) and 1(b) the switches are connected at one end to a common line, and at the other end to intermediate points in a series of resistors (20, 22, 24, 26, 28, 30 in Figure 1(a), and 79, 83, 87, 89, 93, and 97 in Figure 1(b)). These resistors are not necessarily the same values. The values can be optimised for each particular application, as will be apparent to the person skilled in the art. Figure 2 shows a driving circuit which can be connected to the circuit in Figure 1(a), and with slight modification, can be connected to the circuit in Figure 1(b). For purposes of clarity, some of the boxes in Figure 2 will be explained first, then the general operation of the illustrated embodiments will be explained. The tapped reference 12 comprises four series combinations of zener diodes and resistors connected between a positive voltage supply and ground. The zener voltages of the diodes match the tapped reference voltages and regulate the voltages 1-4. For the implementation utilizing the sensor assembly in Figure 1(a), exemplary voltages are: voltage 1 = 2 volts, voltage 2 = 3 volts, voltage 3 = 8 volts and voltage 4 = 9 volts. For the implementation utilizing the sensor assembly in Fig. 1(b), there would have to be a positive and a negative voltage supply (or the ground reference would have to be moved up above voltage 1 and voltage 2) to utilize the signal diodes, and exemplary voltages are: voltage 1 = -9 volts, voltage 2 = -6 volts, voltage 3 = +6 volts and voltage 4 = +9 volts. The state regulator 66 can be built a number of different ways, but the most straight forward implementation comprises a counter and a Read-Only- Memory (ROM), with the counter resetting to zero for every cycle. The clock 68 increments the counter output with every pulse, and the counter output is used as an address for the ROM. The data stored in the ROM at each address corresponds to the data needed to drive each of the control lines at the time that address is accessed. One bit of memory corresponds to each control line 11, 13, 43, 45, 47, 49, 55, 57, 59, 63, and 67. The counter is reset when line 61 indicates an invalid conversion has occurred due to noise, or invalid switch signals. For this application the memory may be two 27512 EPROM's and the clock 68 a Motorola K1158AM Crystal Oscillator. The latches, 46, 48, 52, 54, 58, and 62, may all be 74HC373 latches. The function lookup table 56 may be a 27512 EPROM preprogrammed with the solutions to the function specified below. The 4-line to 1-line multiplexer 14 and the 2-line to 1-line multiplexer 42 are each one half of a DG509A analog multiplexer. The A/D converter 44 may be an ADC674. The other components in the circuit are of common type. The circuit applies four different voltages to the sensor assembly 19 to determine the magnitude of the parameter being measured. The circuit uses two voltages above the threshold voltage of the sensor 19 and two voltages below the threshold voltage of the sensor 19 to determine the state of the sensor 19, and therefore the magnitude of the parameter. By using the ratio of the change in current to the change in voltage for two sets of measurements above the threshold and two sets of measurements below the threshold, error in the measurements of voltages and currents caused by the signals passing through Multiplexer 42, the A/D converter 44, or variations in the zener voltage of diode 18 and reference 12 (Figure 1(a)), can be substantially eliminated. By means of the resistor 16, the circuit in Figure 2 does not measure current directly. Instead the circuit measures the voltage on each side of the resistor by means of the multiplexer 42. The ratio of the change in current to the change in voltage can be determined using the following function: delta-I/delta-V=(1/R)(((delta-VA)/(delta-VB))-1) where delta-I equals the change in current through the sensor, delta-V equals the change in voltage across the sensor, R equals the value of resistor 16, delta-VA equals the change of voltage in line 15, and delta-VB equals the change in voltage in line 17. The solutions to this function are programmed into the ROM serving as the function lookup table 56. The clock 68 controls the frequency of the circuit through the state regulator 66. The state regulator 66 controls which voltage is applied to the sensor assembly 19 through the select lines 11 and 13. The tapped reference unit 12 supplies the four reference voltages through lines 7, 8, 9 and 10. The reference voltage lines 7, 8, 9 and 10 are connected to the 4 to 1 multiplexer 14 and, based on the state of the select lines 11 and 13 which control the multiplexer 14, one of the reference voltages from lines 7, 8, 9 or 10 appears on line 15. The state regulator 66 controls the select lines 11 and 13 so that line 15 carries a sequence of voltages, 2 volts, 3 volts, 8 volts and 9 volts (if the sensor assembly 19a in Figure 1(a) is used), then the series repeats. Line 15 is connected to one end of the resistor 16. At the other end of the resistor 16, line 17 supplies the voltage to the sensor assembly 19a or 19b. Both sensor assemblies shown draw current as a function of the input voltage and the state of the switches in the arrays. For the sensor 19a shown in Figure 1(a), the first two voltages of the sequence (2V and 3V) are both below the zener voltage of zener diode 18. The zener voltage here serves as the threshold voltage of the sensor assembly 19a. Since the 2 volts and 3 volts are both below the zener voltage, no current flows through the zener diode 18 when these two voltages are applied at line 15. The current therefore flows through resistor 30, and up through the other resistors in the series array until it comes to a closed switch, which provides a direct circuit path to ground. The signal at reference point A (referred to below as voltage A) is equal to the voltage on line 15 and, because of resistor 16, the signal at reference point B (referred to below as voltage B), line 17, depends on the current drawn by the sensor assembly 19a. When the voltage applied to the sensor assembly 19a is less than the threshold voltage of zener diode 18, the signal in line 17 is a function of the voltage applied to line 15 and of the combined resistance of the resistors in the sensor 19a up to the first closed switch. The next two voltages that are applied to the sensor assembly 19a, 8V and 9V, are both greater than the threshold voltage of zener diode 18. When these voltages are applied to the sensor assembly, current flows through two paths, the first path including the zener diode 18 and resistor 20, and the second path including resistor 30. The current flows through each of these paths and the series of resistors in each path until it comes to a closed switch which provides a direct path to ground. As above, the signal at point A is equal to the voltage on line 15 and, because of the resistor 16, the signal on line 17 depends on the current drawn by the sensor assembly 19a. Thus, when the voltage applied to the sensor assembly 19a is greater than the threshold voltage of the zener diode 18, the signal in line 17 is a function of the voltage applied to line 15 and of the effective resistance of the two parallel paths through the sensor 19a, the resistances of each of which are governed by which sensor switch closest to the ground 40 is closed, and which sensor switch closest to the zener diode 18 is closed, respectively. The voltage values on lines 15 and 17 are fed into the 2-line to 1-line multiplexer 42, which is controlled by the state regulator 66 through select line 43. The output of the multiplexer 42 is supplied to the input of the A/D converter 44, which is controlled by the state regulator 66 through line 45. The output of the A/D converter 44 is connected through line 51 to the voltage B1 value latch 46, the voltage A1 value latch 48, and the subtractor 50. When the value of the first voltage B appears on line 51, it is latched into the voltage B1 value latch 46, which is controlled by the state regulator 66 through control line 47. When the value of the first voltage A appears on line 51, it is latched into the voltage A1 value latch 48, which is controlled by the state regulator 66 through control line 49. The outputs of the voltage B1 value latch 46 and the voltage A1 value latch 48 are connected to the subtractor 50. When the value of the second voltage B appears on line 51, the subtractor 50 subtracts the value of the first voltage B, latched in the output of the voltage B1 value latch 46, from the value of the second voltage B. The subtractor 50 outputs the signal representing the difference between the value of the second voltage B and the value of the first voltage B in line 53. This signal in line 53 gets latched in the delta-VB latch 52, which is controlled by the state regulator 66 through line 55. When the value of the second voltage A appears on line 51, the subtractor 50 subtracts the value of the first voltage A which is latched into the output of the voltage A1 value latch 48 from the value of the second voltage A. The subtractor 50 outputs the signal representing the difference between the value of the second voltage A and the value of the first voltage A in line 53. This signal in line 53 gets latched into the delta-VA latch 54, which is controlled by the state regulator 66 through line 57. The outputs of the delta-VB latch 52 and delta-VA latch 54 are connected to the input of the function lookup table 56. The state regulator 66 controls the function lookup table 56 through line 59. The function lookup table 56 performs the following function on the inputs: (1/R)(((delta-VA)/(delta-VB))-1) where R is the value of the resistor 16. The function lookup table 56 supplies the result on line 61 to the input of the Z1 latch 58, to the disable update line of the state regulator 66, and also to the parameter lookup table 60. The Z1 latch 58 is controlled by the state regulator 66 through line 63. The Z1 latch 58 latches the result from the function lookup table result for the first and second A voltages and supplies their values to the parameter lookup table 60 through line 65. When the value of the third voltage B appears on line 51, it is latched into the voltage B1 value latch 46. When the value of the third voltage A appears on line 51, it is latched into the voltage A1 value latch 48. When the value of the fourth voltage B appears on line 51, the subtractor 50 subtracts the value of the third voltage B, latched in the output of the voltage B1 value latch 46, from the value of the fourth voltage B. The subtractor 50 outputs the difference in line 53. This signal in line 53 gets latched in the delta-VB latch 52. When the value of the fourth voltage A appears on line 51, the subtractor 50 subtracts the value of the third voltage A which is latched into the output of the voltage A1 value latch 48 from the value of the fourth voltage A. The subtractor 50 outputs the difference in line 53. This signal in line 53 gets latched in the delta-VA latch 54. The outputs of the delta-VB latch 52 and delta-VA latch 54 are connected to the input of the function lookup table 56. The function lookup table 56 performs the following mathematical function on the inputs: (1/R)(((delta-VA)/(delta-VB))-1) where R is the value of the resistor 16. The function lookup table supplies the result on line 61. The value of the function lookup table output for voltages 3 and 4 on line 61, and the value of the function lookup table output for voltages 1 and 2 on line 65 are used together as an address input to the parameter lookup table 60. The combination of these values is unique for every switch combination in the sensor assembly. For each combination, the corresponding measure of the parameter is programmed into the ROM at the specified address. The contents of the specific address being accessed are sent to the display latch 62. The display latch 62 is controlled by the state regulator 66 through line 67 and provides the signal used to drive the display 64. However, if the signal on line 61 indicates to the state regulator that the switch array is in a state of all switches being open, the state regulator resets the counter, restarting the cycle, so the display will not be updated until valid data is received. A condition of all switches being open could come from a broken switch or an in between state in the switch array. Figure 3 is a timing diagram of the state of each of the control lines of state regulator 66 during one entire cycle of the circuit. From this diagram, the state regulator can easily be programmed by one skilled in the art. For the implementation utilizing the sensor assembly 19b of Figure 1(b), the first two voltages of the sequence, -9 volts and -6 volts are both below the ground reference which serves as the threshold voltage of the sensor assembly. Since the -9 volts and -6 volts are both below ground, no current flows through the diode 75 when these two voltages are applied at line 17. The current flows through diode 77, from resistor 97, down from the other resistors in the series starting at the first closed switch, which provides a direct circuit path from ground. The resistor 16 provides a signal in line 17 representing the amount of current drawn by the sensor assembly. When the voltage applied to the sensor assembly is less than ground, the signal in line 17 is a function of the voltage in line 15 and which sensor switch closest to resistor 97 is closed. The next two voltages that are applied to the sensor assembly, +6 volts and +9 volts, are both greater than ground. When these voltages are applied to the sensor assembly, current flows through diode 75, resistor 79, and on down through the series of resistors until it comes to the first closed switch, which provides a direct circuit path to ground. As above, the resistor 16 provides a signal in line 17 representing the amount of current drawn by the sensor assembly 19b. When the voltage applied to the sensor assembly 19b is greater than ground, the signal in line 17 is a function of the voltage in line 15 and which sensor switch closest to resistor 79 is closed. The rest of the circuit functions in the same general manner as identified above in relation to the embodiment of Figure 1(a). Another implementation of the invention utilizes an AC voltage source to drive the sensor. The output of the AC voltage source is connected directly to line 15. In this case, the state regulator 66 controls the 2-line to 1-line multiplexer 42 to latch in and send the values on lines 15 and 17 to the A/D converter 44 at the times when the value of the AC source on line 15 corresponds to the predetermined voltage values 1-4, rendering the control lines 11 and 13 unnecessary. The cycle of the state regulator is timed to match the cycle of the AC voltage source. The remainder of the circuit operates as identified above. The above-described embodiments provide increased resolution measurements from a switch array sensor without increasing the number of switches.

Claims: A circuit for measuring a parameter, which parameter is adapted to switch the switching elements (22-30) of an array of switching elements (19) between open and closed states, each of the switching elements being connected to a common line and to a respective intermediate point of a series resistance, the circuit comprising first measurement means for identifying the closest closed switching element to a first end of the array; second measurement means for identifying the closest closed switching element to a second end of the array; and processing means (60) for obtaining a measure of the parameter on the basis of the switching elements identified to be closed; characterised by means (21,17) for connecting the array to a threshold voltage; in that the first measurement means is adapted to identify the closest closed switching element to the first end of the array by use of a first voltage greater than the threshold voltage; and in that the second measurement means is adapted to identify the closest closed switching element to the second end of the array by use of a second voltage less than the threshold voltage. A circuit according to Claim 1, wherein the first and second voltages are provided by an AC voltage source. A circuit according to Claim 1 or 2, wherein the first measurement means includes a first voltage source (12,9,10) for supplying the first voltage to the array (19b), and a first diode (75) connected between the first voltage source and the first end of the array disposed so as to allow positive current to pass from the first voltage source to the array; the second measurement means includes a second voltage source (12,7,8) for supplying the second voltage to the array (19b), and a second diode (77) connected between the second voltage source and the second end of the array disposed so as to allow positive current to pass from the array to the second voltage source; and wherein the first and second voltage sources are connected to the array through a switch (14), adapted to be intermittently switched. A circuit according to Claim 3, wherein the first and second voltages are provided by an AC voltage source, the first diode (75) being disposed so as to allow positive current to pass from the AC voltage source to the array; and the second diode (77) being disposed so as to allow positive current to pass from the array to the AC voltage source. A circuit according to Claim 1 or 2, wherein the first measurement means comprises a zener diode (18) for providing the threshold voltage and a first voltage source (12,9,10) for supplying the first voltage, the zener diode (17) being connected between the first voltage source (12) and the first end of the array; and the second measurement means comprises a second voltage source (12,7,8) connected to the second end of the array for supplying the second voltage. A circuit according to Claim 5, wherein the first and second voltage sources are connected to the array through a switch (14) adapted to be intermittently switched. A circuit according to Claim 5, wherein the first and second voltage sources are supplied by an AC voltage source having components above and below the threshold voltage. A circuit according to any preceding Claim, wherein the parameter is adapted to switch one or more of the switching elements in dependence upon the measure thereof to be obtained. A circuit according to Claim 8, wherein the switching elements (22-30) are magnetically activated reed switches and the parameter to be measured is obtained from a tripping device including a magnet adapted to move along the array in relation to the measure of the parameter.

Inventors: CHINTYAN, JAMES ROBERT, LIPPMANN, RAYMOND, SCHNARS, MICHAEL JOHN
Applicants: DELCO ELECTRONICS CORPORATION
Application year: 1990
Main classification: G01D5
IPC codes: G01F23, G01D5, G01R15, G01D3, G01D21