System and method for generating signal changes when determining an amount of fuel dispensed from a fuel pump unit

• US 6,363,795 B1
• Filed: 10/28/1999
• Issued: 04/02/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 04/30/1997
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Dresser Wayne AB (GE Aerospace)
• Original Assignee: Dresser Wayne AB (GE Aerospace)
• Inventors: Bergqvist, Anders, Lundby, Fredrik, Larsson, Bengt I.
• Primary Examiner(s): Fuller, Benjamin R.
• Assistant Examiner(s): PATEL, JAGDISH C
• Application Number:
  US09/428,365
• Time in Patent Office: 887 Days
• Field of Search: 738/617.7, 738/617.8, 738/618.8, 738/119.4, 324/207.2, 324/207.21, 324/207.22, 324/207.25, 324/174, 324/175, 324/163, 324/165, 324/207.12, 324/207.13, 324/207.11
• US Class Current: 73/861.77
• CPC Class Codes: B67D 7/08 Arrangements of devices for controlling, indicating, metering or registering quantity or price of liquid transferred arrangement of flow- or pressure-control valves B67D7/36; computing, calculating, counting G06; coin-freed apparatus for dispensing fluids G07F13/00; prepayment devices for metering liquids G07F15/00
• CPC Class Codes: B67D 7/221 using electrical or electro-mechanical means B67D7/224 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01D 5/145 influenced by the relative movement between the Hall device and magnetic fields see G01R33/06
• CPC Class Codes: G01D 5/24404 Interpolation using high frequency signals
• CPC Class Codes: G01D 5/2451 Incremental encoders G01D5/2454 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01F 1/075 with magnetic or electromagnetic coupling to the indicating device
• CPC Class Codes: G01F 1/115 with magnetic or electromagnetic coupling to the indicating device

Abstract

A system including a pulse-generating device can comprise of at least one analog sensor and at least one unit for signal-processing is arranged to detect the analog signal and to generate signal changes having a higher frequency. When generating signal changes in connection with the determination of the amount of fuel dispensed from a fuel pump unit and a frequency generator for generating a periodic analog signal having a frequency is generated, which corresponds to a fuel volume flow in the pump unit. The amplitude of the analog signal is detected and then signal changes having a higher frequency are emitted, which is dependent on and higher than the frequency.

Claims

1. An apparatus for generating signal changes when determining an amount of fuel dispensed from a fuel pump unit, comprising:

a frequency generator having a circumference and a plurality of poles on the circumference, the frequency generator which is adapted to generate a periodic signal having a frequency emitted in dependence on a volume flow of the fuel and from the plurality of poles on only the circumference of the frequency generator; and

a pulse-generating device adjacent to the plurality of poles and includes at least analog sensor and at least signal processing unit, the pulse generating device which is adapted to detect the signal from the frequency generator and to emit at least one signal in dependence on the frequency, wherein the frequency generator is adapted to emit an analog signal, the at least one analog sensor for detecting an amplitude of the analog signal and the at least one signal-processing unit is adapted to compare an amplitude of the analog signal with a number of predetermined amplitude values, and to perform a signal change when a predetermined amplitude value has been reached to generate, based on the amplitude of the analog signal, signal changes having a frequency, which is dependent on and higher than the frequency of the analog signal.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the pulse-generating device includes at least two analog sensors which are adapted to detect the analog signal with a relative phase shift in relation to a quarter period.

3. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the frequency generator includes a frequency disc having a circumference, the frequency disc which is adapted to rotate in dependence on the fuel volume flow, and the at least two analog sensors being arranged at the circumference of the frequency disc, at a relative distance in a direction of rotation of the frequency disc.

4. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein the frequency disc includes a plurality of pairs of poles for generating, during rotation, the analog signal, each pair of poles having an extension along the circumference of the frequency disc, and the relative distance between the analog sensors in the direction of rotation of the frequency disc being approximately one quarter of the extension of each of the pairs of poles.

5. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein the circumference of the frequency disc includes a number of magnets.

6. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the signal-processing unit is adapted to control detection of the analog signal such that the signal change during a period are based on detection of a first analog sensor and during an intermediate period are based on detection of the second analog sensor, that one of the two sensors which senses a greatest absolute derivative being used during each period.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the detecting of the amplitude of the analog signal includes simultaneously detecting a first phase angle position and a second phase angle position, which are phase-shafted relative to each other.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein detecting a first phase angle position and a second phase angle position includes phase shifting the first phase angle position and the second phase angle position relative to each other by about a quarter of a period.

10. The method of claim 8, wherein the effecting the signal change is alternatingly based on detection of the amplitude of the analog signal in the first phase angle position and in the second phase angle position.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the effecting the signal change occasionally detecting is based on detection of the amplitude of the analog signal in that phase angle position of the first phase angle position and the second phase angle position where the analog signal has a greatest absolute derivative.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the detection of the analog signal includes detecting the analog signal with a periodically varying magnetic field.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the effecting the signal change includes detecting a frequency of the signal change 16 times higher than the frequency of the analog signal.

7. A method of generating signal changes when determining an amount of fuel dispensed from a fuel pump unit, comprising the steps of:

generating a periodic analog signal having a frequency corresponding to a fuel volume flow in the pump unit and emitted from a plurality of poles at only a circumference of a frequency generator;

detecting an amplitude of the analog signal;

comparing the amplitude of the analog signal with a plurality of predetermined amplitude values; and

effecting a signal change when at least one of the plurality of predetermined amplitude values has been reached for emitting, based on the amplitude of the analog signal, signal change having a frequency which is dependent on and higher than the frequency of the periodic analog signal.