Patents Examined by Thomas J. Bloyan
  • Patent number: 4306220
    Abstract: An apparatus is disclosed for processing the output of an incremental measuring device of the type which provides a periodic analog output signal. The analog output signal is applied to a trigger circuit to produce a square wave signal which is applied as an input to an updown counter. This counter operates to count the number of complete cycles of the analog signal associated with the measurement. The analog signal is also applied to a circuit which acts to generate a coded intermediate value in response to the sign and amplitude of the analog signal. The counter value and the coded intermediate value are both applied as inputs to a computer which combines these two values to produce a composite reading in which the coded intermediate value supplies the high precision component of the reading and the counter value supplies the low precision component. In this way increased precision readings can be attained without increasing the maximum counting rate of the counter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 1978
    Date of Patent: December 15, 1981
    Assignee: Dr. Johannes Heidenhain GmbH
    Inventors: Ernst Schwefel, Alfons Baumgartner