Microcomputerized force transducer
First Claim
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1. A transducer apparatus, comprising:
- a means for producing an electrical output signal related to force;
a means for supplying electrical power to the producing means;
a switching means for modulating the power supplied to the producing means by the supplying means by repetitively connecting and disconnecting the supplying means to and from the producing means; and
a means synchronized with the modulating means for sampling the electrical output signal related to force at a predetermined time during the time the modulating means connects the supplying means to the producing means.
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Abstract
An apparatus for measuring force has a resistive element which has an electrical resistance which varies as a function of force applied to the transducer. An electrical output signal related to the resistance of the element has a sufficient magnitude so that it can be fed directly to processing circuitry without any amplification. This is accomplished by modulating the electrical power supplied to the resistive element to enhance the electrical output signal.
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Citations
14 Claims
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1. A transducer apparatus, comprising:
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a means for producing an electrical output signal related to force; a means for supplying electrical power to the producing means; a switching means for modulating the power supplied to the producing means by the supplying means by repetitively connecting and disconnecting the supplying means to and from the producing means; and a means synchronized with the modulating means for sampling the electrical output signal related to force at a predetermined time during the time the modulating means connects the supplying means to the producing means. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
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10. An apparatus for measuring pressure, comprising:
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a resistive element, the electrical resistance of which varies as a function of pressure on the resistive element; a switching means connected in series with the resistive element; an electrical power supply means connected in series with the resistive element and the switching means; and a microcomputer connected to the switching means, comprising; means for connecting the power supply means to the resistive element for predetermined intervals; an analog to digital conversion means for sampling a voltage related to the electrical resistance of the resistive means during one or more of the predetermined intervals; an electrically eraseable read only memory storing coefficients relating to the linearity, zero offset, and span of the resistive element; and a microprocessor means responsive to the analog to digital conversion means and the electrically eraseable read only memory for computing the pressure on the resistive element. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14)
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Specification