Multiple sensor system

• US 7,333,912 B2
• Filed: 03/21/2006
• Issued: 02/19/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 09/19/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Omron Corporation
• Original Assignee: Omron Corporation
• Inventors: Inoue, Yuichi, Ishikawa, Nobuharu, Iida, Yusuke, Hosoda, Toru
• Primary Examiner(s): Barlow; John
• Assistant Examiner(s): Kundu; Sujoy
• Application Number:
  US11/384,439
• Publication Number:
  US 20060224354A1
• Time in Patent Office: 700 Days
• Field of Search: 702/155, 700/303, 700/177
• US Class Current: 702/155
• CPC Class Codes: G01B 11/14 for measuring distance or clearance between spaced objects or spaced apertures G01B11/26 takes precedence; rangefinders G01C3/00
• CPC Class Codes: G01B 11/245 using a plurality of fixed, simultaneously operating transducers G01B11/2408 - G01B11/2425, G01B11/255 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 17/48 Active triangulation systems, i.e. using the transmission and reflection of electromagnetic waves other than radio waves

Abstract

An extension unit provided adjacent to an amp unit comprises a measurement data accumulation memory, a measurement data acquiring part for acquiring measurement data coming through a transmission line and accumulating it in the above memory, a data analyzing part for analyzing an accumulated series of measurement data according to predetermined algorithm, a determining part for determining a data analyzed result, and an output part for outputting a control signal corresponding to a determined result to the outside. A plurality of process programs in which measurement algorithm is segmentalized are incorporated in the extension unit and a process program is selected according to a command from a personal computer and the selected process program is performed in a predetermined order.

Claims

1. A displacement sensor system comprising a displacement sensor having a measurement value acquisition unit for acquiring a displacement measurement value, a measurement value processing unit for processing the displacement measurement value acquired by the measurement value acquisition unit, and a process result output unit for outputting a result provided in the measurement value processing unit, and a high-order apparatus such as a personal computer which is connected to the displacement sensor through communication, wherein

the high-order apparatus comprises a display unit and a process program set unit,

the process program set unit performs a display process in which information necessary for setting the process program is displayed on the display unit,

the display process comprises:

a process for displaying at least three processes such as waveform shaping, characteristic point extraction and calculation in process categories in this order,

a process for displaying a process program number list in which the process programs can be registered in process execution sequence in each process category, and

a process for displaying a process program option list for each process category, and

the measurement value processing unit of the displacement sensor performs measurement value processes registered in the process program number list in sequence of the list, and in sequence of the process program numbers in each process category.

2. A displacement sensor system according to claim 1, wherein a displacement sensor comprises:

a storing part for storing one or more process programs in which measurement algorithm is sectionalized, together with their identification information and execution addresses by measurement stage in which execution sequence is predetermined,

an input part for inputting the identification information and the execution sequence of the process programs to be executed by measurement stage,

a table creating part for creating a measurement process table comprising the execution sequence input by the input part and the execution addresses read by the storing part, and

a measurement stage based program executing part for reading and executing one or more process programs by measurement stage based on the measurement process table.

3. An extension unit applied to a multiple displacement sensor system comprising an amp unit row in which one or more amp units constituting an amp isolated type of displacement sensor are adjacently provided, and a transmission line connected to each amp unit constituting the amp unit row and transmitting measurement data generated in each amp unit in one direction,

connected to and provide adjacent to the amp unit positioned at an end on the downstream of the transmission line in the amp unit row similar to the amp unit, and

comprising a storing part for storing one or more process programs in which measurement algorithm is sectionalized together with their identification information and execution addresses by measurement stage in which execution sequence is predetermined,

an input part for inputting the identification information and the execution sequence of the process programs to be executed by measurement stage,

a table creating part for creating a measurement process table comprising the execution sequence input by the input part and the execution addresses read by the storing part, and

a measurement stage based program executing part for reading and executing one or more process programs by measurement stage based on the measurement process table.

4. The extension unit according to claim 3, wherein the input part can receive communication from a high-order apparatus such as a personal computer.

5. The extension unit according to claim 3, wherein the process program is constituted such that a predetermined parameter can be set.

6. The extension unit according to claim 4, wherein the high-order apparatus is provided with a first setting system in which programs to be executed by measurement stage can be registered or deleted, and the setup parameter of the program can be changed, and a second setting system in which the setup parameter of the program can be changed.

7. The extension unit according to claim 4, further comprising a rewritable storing part for storing identification information of the process program received from the high-order apparatus and its execution sequence.

8. The extension unit according to claim 7, wherein predetermined measurement algorithm is stored in the rewritable storing part.

9. The extension unit according to claim 3, comprising:

a first step of defining start and finish of a measurement process according to a signal from the outside or a self-trigger,

a second step of removing a noise from waveform data output from a detection end,

a third step of extracting a characteristic point from a shaped waveform, and

a fourth step of performing a predetermined calculation based on the extracted characteristic point.

10. An extension unit comprising an amp unit row in which one or more amp units constituting an amp isolated type of displacement sensor are adjacently provided, and a transmission line connected to each amp unit constituting the amp unit row and transmitting measurement data generated in each amp unit in one direction, and connected to a transmission line similar to the amp unit and provided adjacent to the amp unit positioned at an end on the downstream of the transmission line in the amp unit row

wherein the extension unit comprises:

a storing part for storing one or more process programs in which measurement algorithm is sectionalized together with their identification information and execution addresses by measurement stage in which execution sequence is predetermined,

an input part for inputting the identification information and the execution sequence of the process programs to be executed by measurement stage,

a table creating part for creating a measurement process table comprising the execution sequence input by the input part and the execution addresses read by the storing part, and

a measurement stage based program executing part for reading and executing one or more process programs by measurement stage based on the measurement process table.