PRESSURE MONITORING CIRCUITS AND METHODS
First Claim
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1. A pressure monitoring system, comprising:
- a pressure sensor to output an analog signal, wherein the analog signal has a signal level indicative of an ambient pressure sensed by the pressure sensor;
an analog-to-digital converter (ADC) to convert the analog signal to an N-bit digital signal representing one of 2N unique output codes at a given time;
a control element to provide a control signal to the ADC, wherein the control signal causes the ADC to change from a first state in which the 2N unique output codes are spaced over a first pressure range to a second state in which the 2N unique output codes are spaced over a second pressure range.
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Abstract
In order to provide better resolution over a wider pressure range the previously available, the techniques disclosed herein set an output precision of an analog-to-digital converter (ADC) based on a control signal provided by a control element. The control signal sets the output precision of the ADC to a first level to measure an ambient pressure within a first pressure range; and signal sets the output precision of the ADC to a second level to measure an ambient pressure within a second pressure range.
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Citations
21 Claims
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1. A pressure monitoring system, comprising:
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a pressure sensor to output an analog signal, wherein the analog signal has a signal level indicative of an ambient pressure sensed by the pressure sensor; an analog-to-digital converter (ADC) to convert the analog signal to an N-bit digital signal representing one of 2N unique output codes at a given time; a control element to provide a control signal to the ADC, wherein the control signal causes the ADC to change from a first state in which the 2N unique output codes are spaced over a first pressure range to a second state in which the 2N unique output codes are spaced over a second pressure range. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. A method of pressure monitoring, comprising:
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receiving an analog pressure signal corresponding to an ambient pressure; providing a control signal to convert the analog pressure signal to an N-bit digital signal, wherein when the control signal in a first state the N-bit digital signal represents 2N unique output codes that are spaced over a first pressure range and wherein when the control signal in a second state the N-bit digital signal represents 2N unique output codes that are spaced over a second pressure range. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13)
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14. A pressure monitoring system, comprising:
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a pressure sensor to output an analog signal, wherein the analog signal has a signal level indicative of an ambient pressure sensed by the pressure sensor; an analog-to-digital converter (ADC) to convert the analog signal to an N-bit digital signal representing one of 2N unique output codes at a given time; a controller to provide a control signal to the ADC, wherein the control signal causes the ADC to change from a first state in which the ambient pressure is attempted to be measured in a first pressure range to a second state in which the ambient pressure is attempted to be measured in a second pressure range; and a variable gain stage between the pressure sensor and the ADC, wherein the control signal causes the variable gain stage to change from a first gain to a second gain, thereby causing the ADC to change from the first state to the second state, respectively. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17)
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18. A pressure monitoring system, comprising:
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a pressure sensor to output an analog signal, wherein the analog signal has a signal level indicative of an ambient pressure sensed by the pressure sensor; a comparator to compare the analog signal with a pressure threshold and provide a control signal based on the comparison; and an analog-to-digital converter (ADC) to convert the analog signal to an N-bit digital signal, wherein the control signal causes the ADC to change from a first state in which the ambient pressure is attempted to be measured in a first pressure range to a second state in which the ambient pressure is attempted to be measured in a second pressure range. - View Dependent Claims (19, 20, 21)
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Specification