METHODS AND SYSTEMS FOR CONDITIONING SIGNALS FROM A SPEED SENSOR

• US 20140214352A1
• Filed: 01/31/2013
• Published: 07/31/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 01/31/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Baker Hughes, a GE Company, LLC (Baker Hughes Company)
• Original Assignee: General Electric Company
• Inventors: Tart, Michael Alan, Evans, Michael Dean
• Granted Patent: US 9,342,485 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 702/88
• CPC Class Codes: G01P 21/02 of speedometers
• CPC Class Codes: G01P 3/481 of pulse signals
• CPC Class Codes: G01P 3/489 Digital circuits therefor
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 17/00 Digital computing or data processing equipment or methods, specially adapted for specific functions information retrieval, database structures or file system structures therefor G06F16/00

Abstract

A circuit for use in conditioning a signal from a speed sensor. The circuit is configured to receive an analog signal from a speed sensor coupled to the circuit, acquire a threshold of the analog signal, generate a digital signal corresponding to the analog signal, based on the threshold, and output the digital signal.

Claims

1. A circuit for use in conditioning a signal from a speed sensor, said circuit configured to perform the steps of:

receive an analog signal from a speed sensor coupled to the circuit;

acquire a threshold of the analog signal;

generate a digital signal corresponding to the analog signal, based on the threshold; and

output the digital signal.

2. The circuit of claim 1, wherein the circuit is further configured to acquire the threshold of the analog signal by receiving an input threshold value.

3. The circuit of claim 1, wherein the circuit is further configured to acquire the threshold of the analog signal by determining a variance in the analog signal.

4. The circuit of claim 1, wherein the circuit is further configured to invert the digital signal.

5. The circuit of claim 1, wherein the circuit is further configured to:

receive a hysteresis value;

generate an upper threshold by adding the hysteresis value to the threshold;

generate a lower threshold by subtracting the hysteresis value from the threshold; and

apply hysteresis to the analog signal using the upper threshold and the lower threshold.

6. The circuit of claim 1, wherein the circuit is further configured to:

determine an apparent rotational speed of a device based on the analog signal or the digital signal; and

generate an error if the apparent rotational speed is above a speed threshold.

7. The circuit of claim 1, wherein the circuit comprises a memory and is further configured to:

determine whether an error exists in the analog signal or the digital signal; and

generate an error code, after determining that an error exists in the analog signal or the digital signal; and

store the error code in said memory.

8. A system for use in conditioning a signal from a speed sensor, said system comprising:

a device rotatably mounted in a machine;

a speed sensor mounted proximal to the device;

a circuit coupled to the speed sensor; and

a computing device coupled to the circuit,

wherein said circuit is configured to;

receive an analog signal from said speed sensor;

acquire a threshold of the analog signal;

generate a digital signal corresponding to the analog signal, based on the threshold; and

output the digital signal to said computing device.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein said circuit is further configured to acquire the threshold of the analog signal by receiving, from said computing device, an input threshold value.

10. The system of claim 8, wherein said circuit is further configured to acquire the threshold of the analog signal by determining a variance in the analog signal.

11. The system of claim 8, wherein said circuit is further configured to invert the digital signal.

12. The system of claim 8, wherein said circuit is further configured to:

receive a hysteresis value from said computing device;

generate an upper threshold by adding the hysteresis value to the threshold;

generate a lower threshold by subtracting the hysteresis value from the threshold; and

apply hysteresis to the analog signal using the upper threshold and the lower threshold.

13. The system of claim 8, wherein said circuit is further configured to:

determine an apparent rotational speed of said device based on the analog signal or the digital signal; and

generate an error if the apparent rotational speed is above a speed threshold.

14. The system of claim 8, wherein said circuit includes a memory and is further configured to perform the steps of:

determine whether an error exists in the analog signal or the digital signal; and

generate an error code, after determining that an error exists in the analog signal or the digital signal; and

store the error code in said memory.

15. A method for use in conditioning a signal from a speed sensor, the method comprising:

receiving, at a circuit, an analog signal from a speed sensor coupled to the circuit;

acquiring, at the circuit, a threshold of the analog signal;

generating, at the circuit, a digital signal corresponding to the analog signal, based on the threshold; and

outputting the digital signal from the circuit.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein said acquiring the threshold of the analog signal includes receiving, at the circuit, an input threshold value.

17. The method of claim 15, wherein said acquiring the threshold includes determining, at the circuit, a variance in the analog signal.

18. The method of claim 15, further comprising inverting the digital signal.

19. The method of claim 15, further comprising applying hysteresis to the analog signal.

20. The method of claim 15, further comprising determining, at the circuit, an apparent rotational speed of a device based on the analog signal or the digital signal and generating an error if the apparent rotational speed is above a speed threshold.