Scaling circuit for remote measurement system

• US 4,571,588 A
• Filed: 05/23/1983
• Issued: 02/18/1986
• Est. Priority Date: 05/23/1983
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Varian Semiconductor Equipment Associates Incorporated (Applied Materials Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Varian Associates, Inc. (Siemens AG)
• Inventors: Vora, Mahasukh, Lee, Jenson K. S.
• Primary Examiner(s): Brigance, Gerald L.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Brier, Jeffery A.
• Application Number:
  US06/497,291
• Time in Patent Office: 1,002 Days
• Field of Search: 340/715, 340/753, 340/286 M, 340/870.13, 340/870.27, 340/870.12, 340/870.11, 324/115, 324/116, 324/140 R
• US Class Current: 340/870.13
• CPC Class Codes: G01D 3/024 for range change; Arrangements for substituting one sensing member by another
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 15/12 the signals being represented by pulse characteristics in transmission link

Abstract

Apparatus for displaying a plurality of remotely measured parameters. The data words representing the parameters have different scale factors and include a parameter identifier and a parameter value. The apparatus includes a decoder for determining from the parameter identifier the scale factor associated with a data word and a scaling circuit for scaling the parameter value. The scaling circuit can include binary dividers, one of which is selected by the decoder output. The scaled parameter value addresses a ROM which provides BCD digits for energizing a display unit associated with the parameter.

Claims

1. Apparatus for measurement and display of parameter values comprising:

means for sensing a plurality of different parameters and generating a digital parameter data word for each measured parameter value, each parameter data word including a parameter identifier and parameter data;

means responsive to said parameter identifier for determining a scale factor associated with said parameter;

means for multiplying or dividing said parameter data by said scale factor to provide scaled parameter data;

data storage means for providing display data in response to said scaled parameter data; and

display means responsive to said display data for displaying the measured parameter values.

2. The apparatus as defined in claim 1 wherein said data storage means includes a read-only-memory which is addressed by said scaled parameter data.

3. The apparatus as defined in claim 2 wherein said means for determining said scale factor includes decoder means.

4. The apparatus as defined in claim 3 wherein said means for multiplying or dividing includes a plurality of binary dividers, which are enabled for operation one at a time by said decoder means.

5. Apparatus for displaying the values of a plurality of measured parameters comprising:

register means for temporary storage of a data word representing one of said parameters, said data word including a parameter identifier and parameter data;

decoder means responsive to said parameter identifier for determining a scale factor associated with said data word;

binary divider means for dividing said parameter data by said scale factor to provide scaled parameter data;

display means for display of said measured parameters;

data storage means for providing parameter values to said display means in response to said scaled parameter data,

whereby parameters having different ranges of values can be displayed and said data storage means is required to store only one set of parameter values.

6. The apparatus as defined in claim 5 wherein said means for temporary storage includes means for converting said data word from serial data received from a remote location to parallel data.

7. The apparatus as defined in claim 6 wherein said means for dividing includes a plurality of binary dividers, which are enabled for operation one at a time by said decoder means.

8. The apparatus as defined in claim 7 wherein said data storage means includes a read-only-memory which is addressed by said scaled parameter data.

9. The apparatus as defined in claim 5 wherein said display means includes a plurality of display units which are enabled one at a time by said decoder means in accordance with said parameter identifier for display of each parameter value.

10. A method for remotely displaying a plurality of measured parameter values comprising the steps of:

converting each measured parameter value to a digital parameter data word including a parameter identifier and parameter data;

transmitting each digital parmeter data word to a desired remote location;

receiving each digital parameter data word at said remote location;

identifying each parameter type received from said parameter identifier;

scaling the parameter data for each parameter value in accordance with the identified parameter type by multiplying or dividing said parameter data by the appropriate scale factor associated with said parameter type so as to provide scaled parameter data;

accessing stored display data with said scaled parameter data for each parameter value; and

providing said stored display data corresponding to each parameter value to a display unit.