FULL FUNCTION TEST FOR IN SITU TEST OF SENSORS AND AMPLIFIERS
First Claim
1. A method for test of a transducer comprising a sensing element and an associated conditioning preamplifier by means of introduction of a test signal into the input of said preamplifier, characterized in that said test signal is concomitant to a control signal which is superposed on the same transducer terminal and constituting test signalling, and said control signal is decoded in a local circuit in said preamplifier and enables routing of said test signal into said input of said preamplifier, whereby the electrical properties of said transducer can be analyzed in detail from a remote location.
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Abstract
The present invention provides a method and an apparatus for in situ test of transducers comprising sensing elements and associated conditioning preamplifiers. The invention makes it possible to evaluate the characteristics of the complete transducer by means of higher integration of the transducer circuitry. Tests can be performed from a remote central location without additional wiring and while the transducer is in operating environment. Testing is performed by superposing test signals and test sequence control signals on the wiring for the transducer output signal, hereby offering flexibility without sacrificing simplicity. Test signalling is by additional circuitry in the transducer interpreted and routed to the input of the conditioning preamplifier based on signalling from the remote test generator, and the signals engendered from the test signals can be analyzed from a remote analyzing system for complete qualifications of the transducer under test.
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Citations
10 Claims
- 1. A method for test of a transducer comprising a sensing element and an associated conditioning preamplifier by means of introduction of a test signal into the input of said preamplifier, characterized in that said test signal is concomitant to a control signal which is superposed on the same transducer terminal and constituting test signalling, and said control signal is decoded in a local circuit in said preamplifier and enables routing of said test signal into said input of said preamplifier, whereby the electrical properties of said transducer can be analyzed in detail from a remote location.
- 6. An apparatus comprising a sensor and a matching conditioning preamplifier characterized in that said conditioning preamplifier comprises additional circuitry in order to be able self-supportingly to accept and decode test signalling comprising test signals and test signalling sequences, and route the decoded test signals into an input terminal of said conditioning preamplifier in accordance with the decoded test signalling sequences.
Specification