OPTICAL ENCODER HAVING CONTAMINATION AND DEFECT RESISTANT SIGNAL PROCESSING
First Claim
1. An encoder configuration usable to determine a relative position between a scale element and a detector along a measuring axis direction with reduced influence from the effects of scale track defects and contaminants, the encoder configuration comprising:
- an illumination portion;
a scale element including at least a first scale track including a first scale track pattern extending along the measuring axis direction and arranged to receive light from the illumination portion and output a first periodic spatially modulated light pattern corresponding to the first scale track pattern along a first light path; and
a signal processing electronics comprising a first detector portion and a valid signal selection portion, the first detector portion configured to receive the first periodic spatially modulated light pattern along the first light path, and to spatially filter the received first periodic spatially modulated light pattern and output signals that depend on the relative position,wherein;
the first detector portion comprises a first set of at least three respective sub-portions, the at least three respective sub-portions producing a first set of signals comprising at least three respective sub-portion signal subsets that have nominally the same signal characteristics when the first scale track is not contaminated or defective; and
the signal processing electronics is configured to;
input the first set of signals to the valid signal selection portion;
analyze the first set of signals and identify a least-similar sub-portion signal subset that has a corresponding signal characteristic value that is least similar to comparable signal characteristic values associated with other more-similar sub-portion signal subsets of the first set of signals; and
perform operations to determine a first scale track position-indicating signal based on a set of valid signals, the valid set of signals including;
a plurality of the more-similar sub-portion signal subsets of the first set of signals; and
not including the least-similar sub-portion signal subset if the signal characteristic value of the least-similar sub-portion signal subset is significantly different than the comparable signal characteristic values associated with the other more-similar sub-portion signal subsets.
1 Assignment
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Accused Products
Abstract
An encoder configuration comprises an illumination portion, a scale comprising a scale track, and a signal processing electronics. The signal processing electronics may include a detector comprising a first set of three detector sub-portions that provide a first set of signals comprising three respective sub-portion signal subsets that have nominally the same signal characteristics when the scale track is not contaminated or defective. The processing electronics analyze the first set of signals and identify a least-similar sub-portion signal subset that has a corresponding signal characteristic value that is least similar to comparable signal characteristic values associated with more-similar sub-portion signal subsets of the first set of signals. Position measurements are based on valid signals including a plurality of the more-similar sub-portion signal subsets and not including the least-similar sub-portion signal subset if it is significantly different. Accurate measurement may be provided despite significant scale contamination or defects.
15 Citations
20 Claims
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1. An encoder configuration usable to determine a relative position between a scale element and a detector along a measuring axis direction with reduced influence from the effects of scale track defects and contaminants, the encoder configuration comprising:
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an illumination portion; a scale element including at least a first scale track including a first scale track pattern extending along the measuring axis direction and arranged to receive light from the illumination portion and output a first periodic spatially modulated light pattern corresponding to the first scale track pattern along a first light path; and a signal processing electronics comprising a first detector portion and a valid signal selection portion, the first detector portion configured to receive the first periodic spatially modulated light pattern along the first light path, and to spatially filter the received first periodic spatially modulated light pattern and output signals that depend on the relative position, wherein; the first detector portion comprises a first set of at least three respective sub-portions, the at least three respective sub-portions producing a first set of signals comprising at least three respective sub-portion signal subsets that have nominally the same signal characteristics when the first scale track is not contaminated or defective; and the signal processing electronics is configured to; input the first set of signals to the valid signal selection portion; analyze the first set of signals and identify a least-similar sub-portion signal subset that has a corresponding signal characteristic value that is least similar to comparable signal characteristic values associated with other more-similar sub-portion signal subsets of the first set of signals; and perform operations to determine a first scale track position-indicating signal based on a set of valid signals, the valid set of signals including; a plurality of the more-similar sub-portion signal subsets of the first set of signals; and not including the least-similar sub-portion signal subset if the signal characteristic value of the least-similar sub-portion signal subset is significantly different than the comparable signal characteristic values associated with the other more-similar sub-portion signal subsets. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
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15. A method for determining a relative position between a scale element and a detector along a measuring axis direction with reduced influence from the effects of scale track defects and contaminants, the method comprising:
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outputting light from an illumination portion; receiving the light from the illumination portion with a scale element including at least a first scale track including a first scale track pattern extending along the measuring axis direction, and outputting a first periodic spatially modulated light pattern corresponding to the first scale track pattern along a first light path; receiving the first periodic spatially modulated light pattern along the first light path with a signal processing electronics comprising a first detector portion and a valid signal selection portion, and spatially filtering the received first periodic spatially modulated light pattern and outputting signals that depend on the relative position, wherein the first detector portion comprises a first set of at least three respective sub-portions, the at least three respective sub-portions operate to produce a first set of signals comprising at least three respective sub-portion signal subsets that have nominally the same signal characteristics when the first scale track is not contaminated or defective; and processing the first set of signals with the signal processing electronics, comprising; inputting the first set of signals to the valid signal selection portion; analyzing the first set of signals and identify a least-similar sub-portion signal subset that has a corresponding signal characteristic value that is least similar to comparable signal characteristic values associated with other more-similar sub-portion signal subsets of the first set of signals; and performing operations to determine a first scale track position-indicating signal based on a set of valid signals, the valid set of signals including; a plurality of the more-similar sub-portion signal subsets of the first set of signals; and not including the least-similar sub-portion signal subset if the signal characteristic value of the least-similar sub-portion signal subset is significantly different than the comparable signal characteristic values associated with the other more-similar sub-portion signal subsets. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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Specification