Abstract: In accordance with one embodiment of the present disclosure, an inductive position sensor assembly is provided. The inductive sensor assembly includes a sensor and a coupler element. The sensor includes a transmitter coil having an inner diameter and an outer diameter and a receiver coil positioned within the outer diameter of the transmitter coil. The coupler element has a geometric continuous curve shape. The coupler element is positioned within the outer diameter of the transmitter coil such that a maximum diameter of the geometric continuous curve shape is the outer diameter of the transmitter coil. When the coupler element is moved, the geometric continuous curve shape of the coupler element modify an inductive coupling between the transmitter coil and the receiver coil.

Abstract: A rotational angle sensor includes a stator element, and rotor element. The stator element has a stator transmitting coil and a stator receiving coil. The rotor element is mounted rotatably about a rotation axis relative to the stator element, and has a rotor receiving coil and a rotor transmitting coil electrically connected with each other. The rotor receiving coil is inductively coupled to the stator transmitting coil such that an electromagnetic field produced by the stator transmitting coil induces a current in the rotor receiving coil that flows through the rotor transmitting coil and causes the rotor transmitting coil to produce a further electromagnetic field. The stator receiving coil is inductively coupled to the rotor transmitting coil such that the inductive coupling is configured with reference to a rotational angle between the stator element and the rotor element so that the further electromagnetic field induces at least one angle-dependent alternating voltage in the stator receiving coil.

Abstract: A first capacitor and a second capacitor are each arranged such that their first ends are coupled to a first node. A first switch is arranged between a second end of the first capacitor and a high voltage terminal. A second switch is arranged between the second end of the second capacitor and a low voltage terminal. A fifth switch is arranged between the second end of the first capacitor and a first input of a comparator. A sixth switch is arranged between the second end of the second capacitor and the first input of the comparator.

Abstract: Disclosed are methods for performing threshold voltage (VT)-type transistor sensitive and/or fan-out sensitive selective voltage binning (SVB) to improve SVB accuracy and, thereby product yield and reliability. In the methods, a process distribution for an integrated circuit chip design is divided into process windows, each associated with a corresponding performance range and a corresponding minimum supply voltage. First performance measurements are acquired from first performance monitors associated with first transistors on chips manufactured according to the design. Based on the first performance measurements, the chips are assigned to groups corresponding to the process windows. Second performance measurements are also be acquired from second performance monitors associated with second transistors, which are on the chips and which have either a different VT-type or a different maximum fan-out than the first transistors.

Abstract: A semiconductor module includes a case, a semiconductor component provided in the case for switching a current, encapsulating resin provided in the case for covering the semiconductor component, a magnetic shield contacting the encapsulating resin and containing a magnetic material, and an embedded magnetic shield embedded in the case, the embedded magnetic shield containing a magnetic material.

Abstract: A sensor system for providing control of an electric motor having an inductive angle sensor system including a first inductive coil configured for affixation to a rotor shaft of the electric motor wherein rotation of the rotor shaft causes corresponding rotation of the first inductive coil. A second inductive coil fixedly mounted in spaced relationship to the first inductive coil. An evaluation circuit coupled to the second inductive coil and to the electric motor operative to determine a rotor shaft angle for the rotor shaft of the electric motor through evaluation of an induced magnetic field between the first and second inductive coils.

Abstract: A position sensor comprising a primary winding (26) for generating a magnetic flux, a first secondary winding (24.1) the number of turns of which increases in one direction, a second secondary winding (24.2) the number of turns of which increases in the opposite direction to that of the first secondary winding. Both secondary windings (24.1, 24.2) are subjected to the magnetic flux generated by the primary winding (26) whereby voltages are induced in the secondary windings. The sensor further comprises an element movable with respect to the secondary windings. The element is of a magnetic or conductive material and distorts, in its vicinity, the magnetic flux generated by the primary winding (26). By providing third and fourth secondary windings at right angles to the first and secondary windings it is possible to detect position in two dimensions.

Abstract: A control apparatus for a machine that can be operated at high precision in a stable control state is provided by driving a movable body with control parameters suited to the mechanical state. A control parameter calculation circuit is provided to obtain control parameters for a drive apparatus control circuit for driving actuators in accordance with the conditions of actuator rotational velocity, the orientation of the movable body, and the position of the movable body, and a control parameter K for the drive apparatus control circuit is varied.

Abstract: Described is an inductive position sensor, in particular for a motor vehicle, which has an oscillator circuit that generates a periodic alternating voltage signal and couples into an exciting coil, several receiving coils each of which forms a periodically repeating lap winding structure and whose overall arrangement forms a receiving geometry, an evaluation circuit for evaluating the signals induced in the receiving coils, and a movable inductive coupling element which influences the strength of the inductive coupling between the excitation coil and the receiving coils. The position sensor exhibits two receiving geometries and two coupling elements, the periodicity of the loop structures of the receiving coils is different in the two receiving coils, and over the total measuring range of the position sensor the numbers of periodic repetitions in the lap winding structures of the receiving coils of the two receiving geometries exhibit a non-integer ratio in relation to one another.

Abstract: A resolver system and method is provided for determining the angle position of a shaft. The resolver system includes a resolver having first and second output windings and an input or reference winding spaced apart from the first and second output windings, where either the input winding or the output windings are connected to the shaft. When a drive signal is introduced into the input winding, it generates first and second output signals on the output windings representing the angle position of the shaft. The resolver system of the present invention further includes a processor connected to the output windings for receiving the first and second data signals from the resolver and determining the angle position of the shaft. For generating the drive signal, the resolver system further includes a drive circuit connected to the input winding of the resolver. The drive circuit generates a pulsed drive signal for input into the resolver.

Abstract: A non-contact angular position sensor has juxtaposed transmit and receive disks with a coupler disk, carrying a conductive attenuating pattern interposed therebetween. A pattern of inductive coils, which completely encircle both the transmit and receive disks have their inductive coupling individually attenuated in accordance with the angular position of the symmetrical conductive pattern on the intermediate coupling disk. The transmit disk is driven by a signal source which when received and demodulated by the receive coils and summed together provides a unique sinusoidal signal whose phase is indicative of the angular position of the intermediate coupler. The conductive pattern on the coupler is designed to provide a linear output.

Abstract: The present invention provides a capacitive resolver (100). The capacitive resolver (100) includes a charge plate (102), a sensing plate (106), and an interrupter plate (400) positioned between the charge plate (102) and the sensing plate (106). The front surface of the sensing plate (500) has a sinusoidal pattern (502). The back surface of the sensing plate (600) includes charge detectors (602), charge collectors (608), and rectifiers (618). The capacitive resolver (100) also includes a signal generator (110) which is electrically connected to the charge plate (102) and a signal analyzer which is electrically connected to the sensing plate (106). The capacitive resolver (100) may additionally include a non-conductive support (112).

Abstract: A control circuit and method for controlling a switched reluctance motor are provided. The control circuit includes a tone wheel and a Hall effect sensor for generating a position feedback signal indicative of the position of the motor. The control circuit also includes a sensing resistor for generating a current feedback signal indicative of a level of current in a phase coil of the motor. Finally, the control circuit includes first and second switches connected to opposite ends of the phase coil for controlling the level of current in the phase coil responsive to the position feedback signal and the current feedback signal.

Abstract: The known arrangements have at least one rotor coil (RS) arranged on the rotor and at least one stator coil (SS) arranged on the stator. The rotor coil (RS) and the stator coil (SS) respectively have at least one winding (WI) and there is a magnetic coupling between the rotor coil (RS) and the stator coil (SS). With an arrangement of this sort, it is possible for example to transmit measurement signals of a measurement pickup (MA) arranged on the rotor (RO) for the contactless measurement of torques. The additional acquisition of the respective angular position and/or of the respective angular speed (.omega.

Abstract: A position sensor is provided with a displacement signal output circuit 1 that amplifies an electromagnetically induced and detected current signal from a slider and converts the result to a rectangular wave signal; a phase difference detection circuit that compares the output signal from the displacement signal output circuit with a clock signal employed for producing the alternating current component from the scaler and detects the phase difference; and an interpolation pulse counter that determines digital displacement data from the phase difference detected at phase difference detection circuit using interpolation pulses. Further, an averaging circuit is provided at the output stage of this interpolation pulse counter which calculates and outputs an average value of a plurality of instances of digital displacement data successively calculated by the interpolation pulse counter.

Abstract: A pulse excitation circuit applies a constant voltage to windings, each of which is wound around a respective one of four magnetic poles of a resolver stator. In each of the respective windings, a voltage is generated corresponding to the rotation of the resolver rotor. From the generated voltage, it is possible to detect two flows of electrical currents which have different phases from each other. Values of the electrical currents after a lapse of time 2*Lav/r from the start of pulse excitation (Lay is an average inductance of the windings, while r is a DC resistance of a winding, including an electrical current detection resistance) are converted into two digital values. A micro computer calculates a rotation angle signal .theta. on the basis of the two digital values.

Abstract: A stepping motor control device for an automobile air-conditioning system has a key-off home-position setting unit of a stepping motor for driving an air-conditioning door in response to switching of a key switch of the automobile off. The key-off home-position setting unit, responsive to switch of the key switch off, drives the stepping motor so that the air-conditioning door comes to a full-close position or a full-open position, stores data indicative of the full-close or full-open positions, as a current position of the air-conditioning door in a memory, and thereby finishes a home-position setting of the stepping motor. The key-off home-position setting unit is supplied with power from a power source under control of a timer for a prescribed time within which a home-position setting can be finished.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a resolver excitation signal generating apparatus for supplying a reference excitation signal to a resolver attached to a motor for driving a robot or a computer numerical control machine. When a sine-wave signal is transferred from a signal generator to the resolver, the signal is filtered by a low pass filter, amplified up to the rated voltage by means of a line driver and supplied to the resolver, thereby allowing the position of the motor to be controlled exactly.

Abstract: An improved servomotor control method where a multiplier ratio DMR is computed in advance by an arithmetic unit (20) from a traveling distance L of a movable machine element per revolution of a servomotor, a traveling distance R per pulse of a move command, and a number N of incremental pulses generated by an absolute position-detecting pulse coder (18) per revolution of the servomotor. A move command (.DELTA.R.sub.n) is accumulated by a move command accumulator (11), an absolute position (P.sub.A ') output by the absolute position-detecting pulse coder (18) is multiplied by the multiplier ratio DMR. A difference (E.sub.r) between a value (P.sub.c) obtained by accumulating the move commands and the result (P.sub.A) of the multiplication operation is computed as a position error, and rotation of the servomotor (17) is controlled by using the position error.

Abstract: A waveform generator for a resolver transducer or the like is described. Such generator forms two 3-level waveforms which approximate sinusoidal waveforms for the excitation and/or output detection of such a resolver. Each of the sinusoidal waveforms is formed by combining a pair of digitally programmed bi-state signals which have their phases shifted relative to one another by an amount proportional to an angular input variable. The result is that the amplitude of these sinusoidal waveforms which are formed are representative of the sine and cosine of such variable.

Abstract: A rotational position detection encoder includes at least two detection heads located along a slit string of a code plate. The detection signals of one of the detection heads are processed to generate a plurality of phase offset signals having successively differing phases with respect to each other. The phase offset signals are compared with the detection signals of another of the detection heads, and the phase offset signals having a phase closest to that of the detection signals of the other detection head are selected and added to the detection signals of the other detection head. As such, detection signals having conforming phases are obtained without minute positional adjustment of the detection heads.

Abstract: Angular position and rotation rate of a function generator having stator windings and rotor windings are determined by first amplitude modulating a carrier oscillation to form a sine signal and a cosine signal and then feeding the sine signal and cosine signals to opposite stator windings and thereby inducing in the rotor winding an analog function-generator signal. In turn this analog function-generator signal is converted into a digital function-generator signal from which is derived by means of an algorithm a digital rotation-rate signal which is numerically integrated to obtain an angular-position signal. This angular-position signal is itself used to modulate the carrier oscillation.

Abstract: For enabling a resolver to have absolute position sensing over a wide displacement range while still obtaining the resolution, accuracy and precision obtainable by operation in an incremental mode, the resolver is provided with a number of terminals for providing offset pitch phase indications as a function of position. A microcomputer is programmed to execute a decoding procedure for reading the offset pitch phase indications and from them computing the absolute position. This method is applicable to linear as well as rotary position sensing. By using multiplexing, digital signal processing and large-scale circuit integration of interfacing the resolver to the microcomputer, the method can achieve absolute position sensing with high reliability and low cost. The offset pitch phase indications are readily provided by inductive coupling between a multiplicity of windings, including a set of offset pitch windings connected to the terminals.

Abstract: Phase information in a multiple-coil indictive displacement sensor is retained by summing the excitation signal with each of the secondary signals to provide augmented secondary signals which may then be converted to a digital format. A signal processor may then be employed to extract both the magnitude and phase information from the augmented secondary signals by subtracting the magnitude of the primary excitation signal from each of the augmented secondary signals. The resulting signals retain both phase and magnitude information.

Abstract: A position control system of closed-loop configuration in which a position detector is provided on a motor-driven machine element for sensing the position thereof and a rotary encoder is provided on the motor shaft for detecting the rotational speed thereof by producing pulses of a frequency proportional to the rotational speed. The system includes a device for controlling position based on a position detection signal from the position detector and a motor position signal from the rotary encoder, and a device for controlling speed based on a rotational speed signal from the rotary encoder and an output from the position control device.

Abstract: Disclosed is a microcomputer controlled system in which the resolver reference voltage is generated through microcomputer interrupts and the analog-to-digital conversion of the resolver outputs ratio is also timed by the microcomputer to match peaks of the resolver reference voltage. To improve accuracy and resolution, the resolver outputs are synchronously fullwave rectified to the polarity of the amplitude modulation voltage. The microcomputer uses the digital resolver shaft angle to control programmable limit switches.

Abstract: A servo motor system including a position sensor located within the motor air gap to virtually eliminate mechanical compliance in the servo loop. The transducer is of a capacitive type including interleaved capacitive plates and is designed to be substantially insensitive to the magnetic field of the motor.

Abstract: A digitizer for receiving sine and cosine encoder signals and providing a digital output representative of the phase angle of the encoder. A counter is used to generate a variable reference angle, and memories are used to generate digital signals representing the sine and cosine of the output of the counter. These signals are multiplied by the analog cosine and sine inputs, respectively, in order to determine the direction of the difference between the encoder phase angle and the counter angle. The counter is incremented or decremented so as to make the digital angle output provided by the counter equal to the phase angle of the encoder. A velocity indication may be provided by the addition of a low pass filter to the circuit.

Abstract: For each axis, a cyclic transducer has a scale supplied with a sinusoidal signal from a timing unit and a cursor which provides two output signals which are proportional to the sine and to the cosine, within the elementary interval of the transducer. Sin .alpha. and cos .alpha. and the corresponding inverted signals are supplied to squaring circuits and logic which generates a three-bit number in a register defining the octant (000 to 111, i.e. 0 to 7) within which the electric angle .alpha. lies. The three-bit number controls multiplexers each having inputs for quadrants 0 to 7 and feeding respective sample and hold circuits and whose signals are NUM and DEN. An analog-to-digital converter system forms the digital value n=NUM/DEN and n along with the lowest order octant bit address a ROM which outputs the value of .alpha. within the range of a quadrant. A microprocessor responds to the higher two bits to create the final value of .alpha..

Abstract: The number of data tracks or positions that a transducer can access or track is increased, beyond that conventionally permitted by the transducer conductor spacing, by first providing a plurality of signals corresponding in number to the factor by which the tracking capacity of the transducer is to be increased, with all signals having a common frequency equal to that of the drive signals applied to the transducer stator windings and with each signal being phase delayed relative to the other signals by one or more clock increments, then accessing the signal having a phase corresponding to the data track to be tracked, providing from that accessed signal a plurality of additional relatively phase delayed signals, and applying each of the later phase delayed signals to one of a plurality of phase detectors each of which also receives an input corresponding to the squared transducer rotor signal whereby the phase detectors provide at their output width modulated signals having a low frequency component correspon

Abstract: An apparatus for accurately controlling the rotary position of a high speed position control servo system having a servo motor which is fed by a conventional servo amplifier and drive amplifier means with a tachometer feedback to the drive amplifier. Incorporated in the system is a high frequency quadrature phasing network which receives timing signals from the servo amplifier and conditions these signals into a balanced sine cosine function which excites a rotary position transducer that is directly coupled to the motor. The high frequency sine cosine signal produces a reference feedback signal which is the difference between the actual rotor position of the motor and the sine cosine field of the position transducer stator. The error signal is fed back to the servo amplifier and is conditioned through a transformer, pre-amp and filter means and then fed into the servo amplifier means to tract the servo motor.

Abstract: A numerical control system is provided for a table having a relatively stationary member, a relatively movable member and a position transducer, such as an inductosyn, operatively positioned between them. The numerical control system comprises a high frequency clock which generates a pair of sinusoidal waves to the inductosyn at a lower frequency and the phase of the output signal from the inductosyn is representative of the position of the movable and stationary members. A direction and speed control circuit generates an output signal the frequency and polarity of which is indicative of the desired speed and direction of movement of the movable member, respectively, and this output signal is combined with the high frequency signal from the clock by a signal combiner.

Abstract: A system for duplicating a master part includes a gauge for measuring changes in the dimension therein of a master part to be duplicated and for providing control signals representative of changes from a predetermined dimension. The control signals are applied to a control circuit for controlling an adjustable tool block associated with a machine tool for machining a workpiece in response to the control signals from the gauge to assure that the workpiece dimension conforms to that of the master part.

Abstract: A method for making an improved member of a position measuring transducer is disclosed, wherein the member has a pattern of uniformly pitched bars thereon. The method comprises the steps of superimposing a plurality of positionally shifted latent images of an initial pattern of bars having approximately uniform pitch upon a photo-sensitive material, and then processing the photo-sensitive material to produce a production pattern of bars having a significantly more uniform pitch than the initial pattern. The production pattern is used to produce an improved member of a position measuring transducer having a correspondingly greater accuracy than a transducer incorporating a member made directly from the initial pattern. A procedure for selection of the processing parameters to control the uniformity of spacing between bars and to adjust the width and relative position of the "gray" transition region at the bar edges is also taught. Finally, the production of improved scale members of INDUSTOSYN.RTM.

Abstract: A device employing the inherent self-torquing properties of a torque repeater to position its rotor. In the present invention, the torque repeater or synchro may have three stator windings and an output rotor. It is contemplated that the electrical input to the device will be digital signals. However, the invention will perform equally well with time varying or analogue input signals. A plurality of electronic switching means are connected to the stator terminals of the synchro converter and they operate under the control of a programmable switch control to short-circuit predetermined stator windings to provide the desired positional output signals. A sectant detector connected to the stator windings detects signals on the stator windings and determines the present position of the rotor. From this information, the desired positioning of the rotor is attained from the signals from the sectant detector.

Abstract: A position-measuring system in which an improved digital to analog converter accepts an error signal from a position measuring transducer, the error signal being processed to be a digital signal representation of the magnitude and two-state direction of a positional error. The system is constructed to operate as if the error signal input had three states, two directional states and an intermediate "dead zone.

Abstract: A device for precisely positioning a movable member along a rectilinear path, wherein a plane conductive winding is attached to and moves with said member, wherein sensors are spaced apart along said path opposite to said winding, and wherein a control circuit responds to the signals generated by said sensors for servoing the motor that drives said movable member.

Abstract: A transducer coupled to a motor shaft provides both position and velocity information for use in a closed loop control system. The transducer includes a disk with deposited metallic parallel conductors each conductor carrying current in a direction opposite to the adjacent conductor. Relative movement of one disk with respect to another produces a position signal in a manner well known in the art. However, multiple windings are used to provide multiple position signals displaced in space phase which are then processed by differentiation and commutation to provide a velocity signal used as a control voltage in the control loop. A reference signal is also derived by commutation from the position signal.