A/D CONVERSION PROCESSING APPARATUS PROVIDING IMPROVED ELIMINATION OF EFFECTS OF NOISE THROUGH DIGITAL PROCESSING, METHOD OF UTILIZING THE A/D CONVERSION PROCESSING APPARATUS, AND ELECTRONIC CONTROL APPARATUS INCORPORATING THE A/D CONVERSION PROCESSING APPARATUS
First Claim
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1. An A/D conversion processing apparatus comprising:
- A/D (analog-to-digital) converter means for converting an analog signal to a series of digital values expressing successive voltage values of said analog signal;
converted data memory means for storing a most recently derived set of m of said digital values, where m is an integer of value 3 or more, and final result memory means for holding at least one final result value that is derived by said apparatus from said analog signal;
data detection means for operating on said m digital values each time that said digital values are updated in said converted data memory means, to detect a specific-rank value within said set of digital values, having a magnitude that is intermediate between a greatest-magnitude one and a smallest-magnitude one of said digital values in said set; and
data processing means for storing said specific-rank value in said final result memory means as an updated final result value.
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Abstract
In an A/D conversion control apparatus for use in an electronic controller such as an engine ECU of a vehicle, each of successive sets of A/D converted values of an analog signal (each set comprising 3 or more values) is processed to obtain a median value of the set, and the median values are subjected to digital smoothing processing to obtain successive final result values, with effects of noise contained in the analog signal being effectively excluded. The final result values are suitable as control data, supplied to a control device such as a microcomputer of an ECU.
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38 Claims
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1. An A/D conversion processing apparatus comprising:
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A/D (analog-to-digital) converter means for converting an analog signal to a series of digital values expressing successive voltage values of said analog signal;
converted data memory means for storing a most recently derived set of m of said digital values, where m is an integer of value 3 or more, and final result memory means for holding at least one final result value that is derived by said apparatus from said analog signal;
data detection means for operating on said m digital values each time that said digital values are updated in said converted data memory means, to detect a specific-rank value within said set of digital values, having a magnitude that is intermediate between a greatest-magnitude one and a smallest-magnitude one of said digital values in said set; and
data processing means for storing said specific-rank value in said final result memory means as an updated final result value. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22)
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4. An A/D conversion processing apparatus comprising:
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A/D (analog-to-digital) converter means for converting an analog signal to a series of digital values expressing successive voltage values of said analog signal, converted data memory means for storing a most recently derived set of m of said digital values, where m is an integer of value 4 or more, and final result memory means for storing at least one result value derived by said apparatus from said analog signal, as a final result value;
data detection means for operating on said m digital values each time that said digital values are updated in said converted data memory means, to detect a plurality of specific-rank value within said set of digital values, each of said specific-rank values having a magnitude that is intermediate between a greatest-magnitude one and a smallest-magnitude one of said digital values in said set, and for deriving an average value of said plurality of specific-rank values, and data processing means for storing said average value in said final result memory means as an updated one of said final result values. - View Dependent Claims (5, 6)
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23. A method of processing an analog signal containing electrical noise to derive a series of final result values, representing said analog signal, as respective digital values that are substantially unaffected by said electrical noise, the method comprising:
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performing A/D (analog-to-digital) conversion of said analog signal to derive successive A/D converted values, storing, in a memory, a set of A/D converted values comprising a currently derived one of said A/D converted values and a fixed plurality of precedingly derived ones of said A/D converted values, performing sorting processing to arrange at least a part of said set of A/D converted values in order of magnitude, and selecting a one of said set of A/D converted values having a magnitude that is intermediate between a maximum magnitude and a minimum magnitude of said set of A/D converted values;
wherein said selected one of the set of A/D converted values constitutes a currently derived one of said final result values. - View Dependent Claims (24, 25, 26)
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27. A method of processing an analog signal containing electrical noise to derive a series of final result values, representing said analog signal, as respective digital values that are substantially unaffected by said electrical noise, the method comprising:
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performing A/D (analog-to-digital) conversion of said analog signal to derive successive A/D converted values, storing, in a memory, a set of A/D converted values comprising a currently derived one of said A/D converted values and a fixed plurality of precedingly derived ones of said A/D converted values, performing sorting processing to arrange at least a part of said set of A/D converted values in order of magnitude, selecting a plurality of said set of A/D converted values, each having a magnitude that is intermediate between a maximum magnitude and a minimum magnitude of said set of A/D converted values, and calculating an average value of said selected plurality of A/D converted values;
wherein said average values constitutes a currently derived one of said final result values. - View Dependent Claims (28, 29, 30, 31)
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32. An electronic control apparatus for controlling a control object, with information conveyed by at least one analog signal being utilized in effecting said control, the electronic control apparatus comprising:
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an A/D (analog-to-digital) conversion processing apparatus for processing said analog signal to derive a series of final result values, said final result values comprising respective digitized values representing successive voltage values of said analog signal with effects of electrical noise excluded therefrom, said processing being performed based upon respective values of a set of variables comprising at least one variable, and said A/D conversion processing apparatus comprising register means for storing said values of said variables; and
a control apparatus coupled for communication with said A/D conversion processing apparatus, for receiving said final result values and controlling said control object based upon control input data that include said final result values, for determining appropriate respective values for said variables based upon a status of said control object, and for supplying said values for said variables to said A/D conversion processing apparatus to be stored in said register means. - View Dependent Claims (33, 34, 35, 36, 37)
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38. An A/D conversion processing apparatus comprising:
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A/D (analog-to-digital) converter means for converting an analog signal to a series of digital values expressing successive voltage values of said analog signal, said analog signal being utilized in controlling a control object;
memory means for storing a most recently derived set of m of said digital values, where m is an integer of value 3 or more;
data detection means for operating on said m digital values each time that said digital values are updated in said memory means, to detect a value within said set of digital values, having a magnitude that is intermediate between a greatest-magnitude one and a smallest-magnitude one of said digital values in said set; and
processing means for deriving control data that are used in controlling said control object, based on said values detected by said data detection means.
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Specification