Magnetic Rotation Sensing
First Claim
1. A rotation sensing device, comprising:
- a magnet apparatus comprising a first magnet and a second magnet, the magnet apparatus configured to be coupled to a dial apparatus of a meter;
a first magnetic field sensor configured to be coupled to a dial cover, wherein when the first magnetic field sensor is coupled to the dial cover, a distance between the first magnet of the magnet apparatus and the first magnetic field sensor being a function of a magnetic field strength of the first magnet and a sensitivity of the first magnetic field sensor; and
a second magnetic field sensor configured to be coupled to a dial cover, wherein when the second magnetic field sensor is coupled to the dial cover, a distance between the second magnetic field sensor and the first magnet being a function of the magnetic field strength of the first magnet and the sensitivity of the second magnetic field sensor, andwherein the first magnetic field sensor is configured to generate a first signal based upon the sensed magnetic field of the first magnet and the second magnetic field sensor is configured to generate a second signal based upon the sensed magnetic field of the first magnet.
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Accused Products
Abstract
Embodiments for rotation sensing are provided. A device may include a magnet apparatus including a first and a second magnet. The magnet apparatus may be configured to be coupled to a dial apparatus of a meter. The device may include a first magnetic field sensor and a second magnetic field sensor configured to be coupled to a dial cover. The magnetic field sensors may generate signals based upon the sensed magnetic fields. In some embodiments, the device may include logic for counting rotations and/or logic for detecting abnormal conditions such as a missing dial hand, missing dial cover, magnetic tampering and/or malfunctioning magnetic field sensors.
12 Citations
21 Claims
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1. A rotation sensing device, comprising:
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a magnet apparatus comprising a first magnet and a second magnet, the magnet apparatus configured to be coupled to a dial apparatus of a meter; a first magnetic field sensor configured to be coupled to a dial cover, wherein when the first magnetic field sensor is coupled to the dial cover, a distance between the first magnet of the magnet apparatus and the first magnetic field sensor being a function of a magnetic field strength of the first magnet and a sensitivity of the first magnetic field sensor; and a second magnetic field sensor configured to be coupled to a dial cover, wherein when the second magnetic field sensor is coupled to the dial cover, a distance between the second magnetic field sensor and the first magnet being a function of the magnetic field strength of the first magnet and the sensitivity of the second magnetic field sensor, and wherein the first magnetic field sensor is configured to generate a first signal based upon the sensed magnetic field of the first magnet and the second magnetic field sensor is configured to generate a second signal based upon the sensed magnetic field of the first magnet. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
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10. A system for rotation sensing, comprising:
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a dial apparatus; a magnet apparatus comprising a first magnet and a second magnet, the magnet apparatus coupled to the dial apparatus; a first magnetic field sensor coupled to a dial cover, the dial cover covering the dial apparatus, a distance between the first magnet of the magnet apparatus and the first magnetic field sensor being a function of a magnetic field strength of the first magnet and a sensitivity of the first magnetic field sensor, wherein the first magnetic field sensor is configured to generate a first signal based upon the sensed magnetic field; and a second magnetic field sensor coupled to the dial cover, wherein a distance between the second magnetic field sensor and the first magnet is a function of the magnetic field strength of the first magnet and the sensitivity of the second magnetic field sensor, wherein the second magnetic field sensor is configured to generate a second signal based upon the sensed magnetic field of the first magnet. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18)
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19. A method for sensing the rotation of a dial apparatus of a metering device, comprising:
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generating a first magnetic field and a second magnetic field that varies according to the rotation of a dial apparatus; sensing, using a first magnetic field sensor, the generated first magnetic field when the first magnetic field sensor is within a magnetic field sensing distance of the generated first magnetic field; sensing, using a second magnetic field sensor, the generated first magnetic field when the second magnetic field sensor is within a magnetic field sensing distance of the generated first magnetic field; receiving a first signal corresponding to the sensing of the first magnetic field sensor; and receiving a second signal corresponding to the sensing of the second magnetic field sensor. - View Dependent Claims (20, 21)
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Specification