Abstract: A contactless encoder is disclosed. The encoder comprises a selector configured to select one of a plurality of states associated with the encoder. The encoder furthermore comprises an integrated circuit comprising a finite state machine configured to detect a currently selected state by the selector and generate an output signal corresponding to the detected currently selected state, wherein the currently selected state is detected based on a capacitive coupling between the selector and a portion of the encoder associated with the currently selected state.

Abstract: A calibration system for a rotary encoder comprises a rotary encoder disposed on a manufacturing substrate, the rotary encoder including an encoder pattern. The calibration system also includes a calibration pattern written onto a surface of the substrate, the calibration pattern comprising a ring that includes a grating pattern, where a radial position of the grating pattern corresponds to an error value of the position of the encoder pattern. A method of calibrating the errors of a rotary encoder and a method of fabricating a high resolution rotary encoder on a surface of a manufacturing substrate are also provided.

Abstract: An encoder has a scale having an optical, magnetic or electrostatic displacement detection pattern. An encoder head detects the displacement detection pattern and generates at least two periodic signals that differ in phase, thereby to determine a displacement with respect to the scale. A center-voltage detecting unit detects only the center voltage of each periodic signal. A reference-voltage adjusting unit adjusts the center voltage detected by the center-voltage detecting unit to a predetermined reference voltage.

Abstract: To provide encoder count error detection circuitry and an encoder count error detection method capable of realizing a highly reliable encoder by providing detection of the count errors of count signals used to measure displacement, an encoder count error detection circuitry and detection method configured as count error detection circuitry for an encoder outputting pulse trains according to the displacement of a measured object, doubles, triples, or quadruples one or more fundamental signals used for measuring displacement to convert to count signals, and compares the output signals of the counter counting these count signals with the level of these fundamental signals to detect count errors in the count signals.

Abstract: In an absolute angle detection apparatus, sectors are obtained by dividing 360° by an even number, each sector having combinations of first and second code lines. The first code lines are Gray codes including third code lines that do not appear the same even when a digit from which they are read is changed and fourth code lines that appear the same when a digit from which they are read is changed. The first code lines at adjacent steps and the first code lines at the first and last steps differ from each other at one bit. Each first code line is shifted by one digit at every predetermined number of steps, and the first code line without shift is obtained when the first code line corresponding to the maximum shift is further shifted by one digit. The second code lines identify the fourth code lines.

Abstract: A Low-Cost Absolute Linear Optical Encoder (“LALOE”) for determining the absolute position of a read-head within the LALOE relative to a codestrip is disclosed. The LALOE may include an emitter module within the read-head, the emitter module having a plurality of light sources arranged in an light source pattern and a 90° Out-Of-Phase light source; and a detector module within the read-head, the detector module having a plurality of photo-detectors arranged in a photo-detector pattern corresponding to the light source pattern and a 90° Out-Of-Phase photo-detector corresponding to the 90° Out-Of-Phase light source.

Abstract: An encoding system for determining position and position changes of a moving member has a sequence of encoder marks forming incremental patterns and at least one index pattern. Two subsequent incremental patterns are indicative of an incremental position-change of the moving member and the index pattern is indicative of a reference position of the moving member. A sensor arrangement views a section of the encoder-mark sequence, the length of which is greater than one position-change increment. An analyzer is arranged to analyze an encoder-mark pattern in the viewed section with regard to the incremental patterns and the index pattern and to generate, in response to a pattern match found, at least one of an incremental-position-change signal and an index signal.

Abstract: A position detection apparatus including a detection unit for an absolute track including a plural number of ABS heads for absolute track, in which the separation between neighboring heads is broadened.

Abstract: A method for the absolute determination of the position of two objects, which are movable in relation to each other over a defined measuring distance. The method includes scanning a first measuring graduation with a first graduation period so as to generate a first periodic scanning signal and scanning a second measuring graduation with a second graduation period so as to generate a second periodic scanning signal, wherein the second graduation period is finer than the first graduation period. Correcting the first scanning signal with respect to its ideal phase position, in that a phase correction value is applied to the first periodic scanning signal and determining the phase correction value for at least a partial section of the measuring distance, wherein the phase correction value is a mean value from a maximum and a minimum phase position deviation of an actual phase position from a setpoint phase position in the at least one partial section.

Abstract: A method, a selector switch and selector device, is provided for secure position detection of a selector switch, which can be operated in at least two positions, particularly in a vehicle. In the method, a code word composed of a data part and a test part is assigned to each selector switch position. The code word is generated in each selector switch position by a number of switches corresponding to the number of bits of the code word. The data part already indicates an unambiguous selector switch position. In each code word, the test part is determined corresponding to a defined imaging rule from the data part. The test part generated by the switches is compared with the test part formed on the basis of the imaging rule from the data part, and, from a comparison of the two test parts, a conclusion is drawn with respect to a correct or erroneous position detection of the selector switch.

Abstract: A magnetic encoder includes a magnetic drum having, on the outer peripheral surface thereof, magnetized portions spaced at equal pitches; a magnetic sensor unit opposed to the outer peripheral surface of the magnetic drum; magnetic sensors are provided in the magnetic sensor unit spaced at a distance smaller than one pitch of the magnetized portions; a calculation device for calculating two sets of vectorial signals, from detection-signal output levels of the magnetic sensors generated upon rotation of the magnetic drum or the magnetic sensor unit, using the following equations (1) and (2):

Abstract: A method, an apparatus and a computer program product are provided for accurately determining the vertical speed of an aircraft in a manner independent of signals provided by an air data computer, an inertial reference system and an inertial navigation system. Initially, a first vertical velocity of the aircraft is determined based upon a pressure altitude value associated with the aircraft. A second vertical velocity of the aircraft is also obtained from a GPS receiver carried by the aircraft. The first and second vertical velocities are then combined to determine the vertical speed of the aircraft. In this regard, the first and second vertical velocities are combined by complimentarily filtering the first and second vertical velocities. More particularly, the first vertical velocity is typically low pass filtered to remove high frequency noise that is attributable to the relatively low resolution of the first vertical velocity value.

Abstract: An absolute-value encoder device for detecting a plurality of rotation quantities is disclosed. An A/B phase forming portion 610 forms an A-phase pulse signal and a B-phase pulse signal, based on light passing through a slit rotating together with a rotary shaft. One period of each of those pulse signals corresponds to one revolution of a rotary shaft. The A- and B-phase pulse signals are displaced in phase by 90° from each other. When an A/B-phase state detecting portion 640 detects a state change of each of those pulse signals, a clock forming portion 66 changes a frequency of a clock pulse signal to another frequency.

Abstract: A position measuring system for the determination of the relative positions of two objects which can be moved with respect to each other, as well as a process for operating the same are disclosed, which in case of a relative movement provides at least one pair of phase-shifted analog incremental signals, and which makes possible a definite variation of the signal periods (SP) by at least one signal period variation factor (n) of the analog incremental signals transmitted to an evaluation unit arranged behind it by a signal period variation unit. The signal period variation unit furthermore comprises correction means for eliminating most varied errors in the output signals (SIN′, COS′). Among these are counted errors possibly resulting during the signal period variation, as well as measurement arrangement-specific errors.

Abstract: A rotor position encoder is provided for an electrical machine having a rotor and a stator, the encoder including a coded disc having teeth of widths that vary in a repeating sequence and being arranged to rotate with the rotor past a sensor which outputs a signal corresponding to the coded sequence. By comparing the coded signal with an internally generated signal the position of the rotor can be determined at a first resolution level. In addition, a counter is enabled as each tooth is sensed and provides a second output signal at a higher resolution level indicative of the rotor position between successive teeth. For a multi-phase machine, a value representative of the rotor position relative to each phase is combined with the value representative of the incremental position common to all phases. High resolution rotor position encoding with simplified logic is thus provided.

Abstract: A position measuring system for the determination of the relative positions of two objects which can be moved with respect to each other, as well as a process for operating the same are disclosed, which in case of a relative movement provides at least one pair of phase-shifted analog incremental signals, and which makes possible a definite variation of the signal periods (SP) by at least one signal period variation factor (n) of the analog incremental signals transmitted to an evaluation unit arranged behind it by a signal period variation unit. The signal period variation unit furthermore comprises correction means for eliminating most varied errors in the output signals (SIN', COS'). Among these are counted errors possibly resulting during the signal period variation, as well as measurement arrangement-specific errors.

Abstract: A device for detecting faults including sensor failure in a sensor that outputs a substantially binary output signal is described. For fault detection, the various terminals of the sensor are supplied with substantially binary voltages from a fault detection circuit and the changes in the output signal of the sensor that occur as a consequence of the supplied voltages are evaluated for fault detection.

Abstract: A position detecting apparatus and method of determining the detected position utilizing a motor driven incremental encoder to provide a signal indicative of a plurality of reference points and a moving mechanism connected to the output shaft of the motor with a sensor for detecting a plurality of division points wherein the sensor and the detected division points are moved relative to each other. The plurality of division points may be provided at equal intervals, the range of output shaft motion can be detected in the form of interval positions by detecting and measuring the output pulse count from the incremental encoder and detecting the amount of movement via the division points detected by the sensor. Using the relation between the predetermined positions of the division points of the moving mechanism and the known positions of the reference points of the incremental encoder, the absolute value of the position of the output shaft can be precisely determined.

Abstract: An electromagnetic induction type coordinate reader composed of a main peak signal group detecting circuit for detecting a group of main peak signals out of induced signals which include a maximum-amplitude main peak signal, are close to one another, and are of the same phase; first and second secondary peak detecting circuits for detecting first and second secondary peak signals present before and after the group of main peak signals which are opposite in phase to the maximum-amplitude main peak signal and are taking maximal values of the induced signals; a main peak signal group adding circuit for obtaining the sum of amplitude of the group of main peak signals; a secondary peak subtracting circuit for obtaining the difference between the first and second secondary peaks; an inclination information calculating circuit for dividing the difference of the secondary peaks by the sum of amplitude of the group of main peak signals to deliver the inclination information of a coordinate pointer; and an inclination

Abstract: An encoder device encodes angular position in the form of electrical signals in dependence on the position of a rotatable member in relation to a series of discrete fixed contacts disposed about the axis of rotation of a rotatable member. A series of discrete fixed contacts 2a, 2b, carried by a panel 1, form a first group of contacts of a flexible switch structure which also has a second group of contacts 9 carried by a flexible sheet 7 and arranged such that each contact of the second group is located opposite to, but spaced from, one of the series forming the first group of contacts. An intermediate sheet 8 is sandwiched between the panel 1 and flexible sheet 7 and is apertured at 10 in the region of the contact sets 2a, 2b and 9.