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Digital electronic control unit

  • US 6,549,866 B1
  • Filed: 07/27/2000
  • Issued: 04/15/2003
  • Est. Priority Date: 07/05/1999
  • Status: Expired due to Fees
First Claim
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1. A digital electronic control unit for an appliance, comprising:

  • a plurality of sensor drive circuits, each driving one of a plurality of sensing elements external to said digital electronic control unit, each sensing element converting a sensed parameter to an electrical signal;

    an analog multiplexer that receives the electrical signal from each external sensing element and selectively routes a selected electrical signal to a multiplexer output;

    an analog-to-digital converter connected to the output of said analog multiplexer and converting the selected electrical signal to digital values;

    a linearity, sensitivity and offset correction circuit connected to the output of said analog-to-digital converter for correcting the digital values received from it, using sensor calibration data stored in a non-volatile memory;

    a central control unit that receives corrected output from said linearity, sensitivity and offset correction circuit, and generates control signals for operating the appliance, as well as selection signals for controlling said analog multiplexer, using control data supplied by the non-volatile memory;

    a digital de-multiplexer connected to an output of said central control unit for selecting one of a plurality of de-multiplexer outputs to which a de-multiplexer input coupled to said central control unit is to be connected;

    a plurality of control latches, each connected at one of said de-multiplexer outputs, for storing the digital data received from it and actuating a part of the appliance to adjust the sensed parameter;

    a non-volatile memory that stores data and control parameters for the operation of said central control unit, linearity, sensitivity and offset correction circuit.

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