Method of and apparatus for automatic measurement of circuit parameters with microprocessor calculation techniques
First Claim
1. An apparatus for the automatic instrument measurement of a desired parameter comprising input switch means for supplying a plurality of voltages, the voltage values of which do not directly measure the desired parameter but which are related thereto by theoretical formulae;
- a phase-sensitive detector connected to the switch means for phase detecting the voltages;
means for converting the phase-detected voltages to digital signals;
control means for controlling the switch means; and
microprocessor means for controlling the control means and for processing the digital signals in accordance with said formulae to automatically electronically calculate a quantity which is a measure of the desired parameter, said microprocessor means controlling the control means to cause the voltages to be successively supplied to the detector during a sufficiently short period of time to insure relatively constant stability of the detector and converting means during phase-detecting and converting.
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Abstract
This disclosure is concerned with a new technique for automatically measuring impedance (though the process is also applicable to other parameters and characteristics as well) wherein a series of voltages are sequentially presented to a common detector and analog-to-digital converter, the numerical values of which voltages are of themselves meaningless, but from which, with the aid of microprocessor calculating equipment, ratios may be calculated that indicate impedance (or other parameters).
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Citations
22 Claims
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1. An apparatus for the automatic instrument measurement of a desired parameter comprising input switch means for supplying a plurality of voltages, the voltage values of which do not directly measure the desired parameter but which are related thereto by theoretical formulae;
- a phase-sensitive detector connected to the switch means for phase detecting the voltages;
means for converting the phase-detected voltages to digital signals;
control means for controlling the switch means; and
microprocessor means for controlling the control means and for processing the digital signals in accordance with said formulae to automatically electronically calculate a quantity which is a measure of the desired parameter, said microprocessor means controlling the control means to cause the voltages to be successively supplied to the detector during a sufficiently short period of time to insure relatively constant stability of the detector and converting means during phase-detecting and converting. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
- a phase-sensitive detector connected to the switch means for phase detecting the voltages;
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8. A method of automatic instrument measurement of a desired parameter of a device to be tested comprising generating in an instrument an electrical current that is applied to the device;
- producing, in response to that current, and successively phase detecting a plurality of voltages in a single phase-sensitive detector, the voltage values of the voltages not being a measure of the desired parameter but being related by theoretical formulae to the desired parameter;
converting the phase-detected voltages into corresponding digital signals in an analog-to-digital converter, said phase detecting and converting being performed during a period of time sufficiently short to ensure relatively constant stability of the phase detector and converter; and
employing a microprocessor for automatically electronically calculating a quantity from said digital signals in accordance with said formulae, said quantity being a measure of the desired parameter. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10, 11)
- producing, in response to that current, and successively phase detecting a plurality of voltages in a single phase-sensitive detector, the voltage values of the voltages not being a measure of the desired parameter but being related by theoretical formulae to the desired parameter;
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12. An apparatus for automatic instrument measurement of a desired parameter of a device to be tested comprising means for generating a current and for applying the current to the device;
- means for successively supplying a plurality of voltages from predetermined locations of the device, the values of the voltages not directly measuring the desired parameter but being related thereto by theoretical formulae, said voltages being produced in response to said current;
a phase-sensitive detector for detecting the successive voltages;
an analog-to-digital converter connected to the detector for converting the voltages to digital signals;
the supplying means including means for supplying the voltages to the phase detector over a sufficiently short period of time to ensure relatively constant stability of the phase detector and converter during phase detecting and converting; and
microprocessing means connected to the converter for processing said digital signals in accordance with said formulae to automatically electronically calculate a quantity which is a measure of the desired parameter. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15, 16)
- means for successively supplying a plurality of voltages from predetermined locations of the device, the values of the voltages not directly measuring the desired parameter but being related thereto by theoretical formulae, said voltages being produced in response to said current;
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17. A method of automatic instrument measurement of a desired parameter of a device being tested comprising successively detecting a plurality of voltages, the voltage values of which are related to the desired parameter by theoretical formulae;
- converting the voltages into corresponding digital signals;
all of said detecting and converting being performed using the same detector and converter and during a period of time sufficiently short to ensure that the stability of the detector and the converter is substantially constant during said detecting and converting; and
processing the digital signals in a microprocessor in accordance with said formulae to calculate a quantity which is a measure of the desired parameter. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19)
- converting the voltages into corresponding digital signals;
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20. An apparatus for automatic instrument measurement of a desired parameter of a device being tested comprising a single detector for successively detecting all of the voltages of a plurality of voltages, the voltage values of which are related to the desired parameter by theoretical formulae;
- a single converter for converting all of the voltages into corresponding digital signals;
said detector and converter being constructed for performing said detecting and converting, respectively, during a period of time sufficiently short to ensure that the stability of the detector and the converter is substantially constant during the detecting and converting; and
microprocessing means connected to the converter for processing said digital signals in accordance with said formulae to automatically calculate a quantity which is a measure of the desired parameter. - View Dependent Claims (21, 22)
- a single converter for converting all of the voltages into corresponding digital signals;
Specification