Patent ID: 7577539

Claim:
A sensor signal conditioner, for a sensor having a predetermined sensing function, comprising: an analog-to-digital converter for converting the analog output of the sensor to digital data; a state machine, coupled to the analog-to-digital converter, for controlling the flow of digital data from the analog-to-digital converter, and for placing the sensor signal conditioner into a plurality of different modes having a normal operation mode and a raw mode, wherein the state machine comprises a math engine having an adder and a plurality of temporary storage registers; an interface circuit including both an analog interface and a digital serial interface, responsive to the state machine, for inputting and outputting data to the sensor signal conditioner; and a programmable memory, responsive to the state machine, for storing coefficient data for calibrating the sensor; and wherein: during the raw mode the state machine causes the output of the sensor to be output through the digital serial interface to a calibration host system which calculates calibration coefficients and writes the calibration coefficients to the programmable memory; and during the normal mode the state machine calculates calibrated output data from the calibration coefficients stored in the programmable memory and causes the calibrated data to be output through either the analog interface or the digital serial interface.