Calibration circuits and methods for a proximity detector using a first rotation detector for a determined time period and a second rotation detector after the determined time period

• US 7,982,454 B2
• Filed: 06/26/2007
• Issued: 07/19/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 06/26/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Allegro Microsystems Incorporated (Sanken Electric Company Limited)
• Original Assignee: Allegro Microsystems Incorporated (Sanken Electric Company Limited)
• Inventors: Fernandez, Devon, Drouin, Mathew, Eagen, Jeff, Forrest, Glenn A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Assouad; Patrick J
• Assistant Examiner(s): Schindler; David M.
• Application Number:
  US11/768,370
• Publication Number:
  US 20090001972A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,484 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 324/207.25
• CPC Class Codes: G01D 18/001 Calibrating encoders
• CPC Class Codes: G01D 5/2448 Correction of gain, threshold, offset or phase control
• CPC Class Codes: G01D 5/2451 Incremental encoders G01D5/2454 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01P 3/481 of pulse signals
• CPC Class Codes: G01P 3/487 delivered by rotating magnets
• CPC Class Codes: G01V 3/081 the magnetic field is produced by the objects or geological structures characterised by the method of magnetic field measurement G01R33/00

Abstract

A proximity detector employs a first peak detector circuit and a second peak detector circuit, both responsive to a magnetic field signal. The second peak detector circuit includes a positive peak detector circuit and a negative peak detector circuit, each of which have a predetermined excursion limit in an outward direction away from a center voltage of the magnetic field signal so as to be less affected by a large signature region in the magnetic field signal. The proximity detector also includes an output control circuit. The output control circuit is configured to provide an output signal, which, during a determined time period, changes state in response to the first peak detector circuit, and which, after the determined time period, changes state in response to the second peak detector circuit.

Claims

1. A proximity detector, comprising:

a magnetic field transducer for providing a magnetic field signal indicative of a changing magnetic field;

a first peak detector circuit responsive, during a determined time period, to the magnetic field signal, for providing a first tracking signal, which, at a first time, holds a first value corresponding to a positive peak of the magnetic field signal, and which holds, at a second different time, a second value corresponding to a negative peak of the magnetic field signal;

a second peak detector circuit responsive, during the determined time period and also after the determined time period, to the magnetic field signal, for providing a second tracking signal, which holds a third value corresponding to a positive peak of the magnetic field signal, and for providing a third tracking signal, which holds a fourth value corresponding to a negative peak of the magnetic field signal, wherein the second tracking signal has an upward excursion limit and a downward excursion limit, wherein the upward excursion limit of the second tracking signal is smaller than the downward excursion limit of the second tracking signal, and wherein the third tracking signal has an upward excursion limit and a downward excursion limit, wherein the upward excursion limit of the third tracking signal is larger than the downward excursion limit of the third tracking signal; and

an output control circuit coupled to the first and second peak detector circuits and coupled to receive the magnetic field signal, wherein the output control circuit is configured to provide an output signal, which, during the determined time period, changes state in response to the first peak detector circuit, and which, after the determined time period, changes state in response to the second peak detector circuit.

2. The proximity detector of claim 1, wherein the output control circuit is configured to provide the output signal, which, during the determined time period, changes state when the magnetic field signal varies from the first tracking signal by a predetermined amount, and which, after the determined time period, changes state when the magnetic field signal varies from the second tracking signal by a first predetermined percentage of a difference between the second and third tracking signals, and which, also after the determined time period, changes state again when the magnetic field signal varies from the third tracking signal by a second predetermined percentage of the difference between the second and third tracking signals.

3. The proximity detector of claim 2, wherein the first and second predetermined percentages are the same.

4. The proximity detector of claim 1, wherein the determined time period begins when the second tracking signal and the third tracking signal differ by a predetermined amount.

5. The proximity detector of claim 4, wherein the determined time period ends when the output signal has changed state a predetermined number of times.

6. The proximity detector of claim 1, wherein the determined time period ends when the output signal has changed state a predetermined number of times.

7. The proximity detector of claim 1, wherein the first peak detector circuit comprises:

a first counter configured to count in a first direction during rising portions of the magnetic field signal and configured to count in a second different direction during falling portions of the magnetic field signal; and

a first digital-to-analog converter having an input coupled to the first counter and having an output coupled to the output control circuit.

8. The proximity detector of claim 7, wherein the second peak detector circuit comprises:

a second counter configured to count up and down so that the second tracking signal reaches the third value, wherein the second counter has an upward count number limit associated with the upward excursion limit of the second tracking signal and a downward count number limit associated with the downward excursion limit of the second tracking signal, wherein the upward count number limit of the second counter is smaller than the downward count number limit of the second counter;

a third counter configured to count up and down so that the third tracking signal reaches the fourth value, wherein the third counter has an upward count number limit associated with the upward excursion limit of the third tracking signal and a downward count number limit associated with the downward excursion limit of the third tracking signal, wherein the upward count number limit of the third counter is larger than the downward count number limit of the third counter;

wherein the input of the first digital-to-analog converter is further coupled to the second counter; and

a second digital-to-analog converter having an input coupled to the third counter and having an output coupled to the output control circuit.

9. The proximity detector of claim 7, wherein the second peak detector circuit comprises:

a second counter configured to count up and down so that the second tracking signal reaches the third value, wherein the second counter has an upward count number limit associated with the upward excursion limit of the second tracking signal and a downward count number limit associated with the downward excursion limit of the second tracking signal, wherein the upward count number limit of the second counter is smaller than the downward count number limit of the second counter;

a third counter configured to count up and down so that the third tracking signal reaches the fourth value, wherein the third counter has an upward count number limit associated with the upward excursion limit of the third tracking signal and a downward count number limit associated with the downward excursion limit of the third tracking signal, wherein the upward count number limit of the third counter is larger than the downward count number limit of the third counter;

a second digital-to-analog converter having an input coupled to the second counter and having an output coupled to the output control circuit; and

a third digital-to-analog converter having an input coupled to the third counter and having an output coupled to the output control circuit.

10. The proximity detector of claim 1, wherein, during the determined time period, the output signal changes to a lower state when a negative peak of the magnetic field signal varies from the first tracking signal by the first a predetermined amount, and wherein, also during the determined time period, the output signal changes state again to a higher state when a positive peak of the magnetic field signal varies from the first tracking signal by the first predetermined amount.

11. A method of detecting a ferromagnetic article, comprising:

generating a magnetic field signal indicative of changing magnetic field;

generating, with a first peak detector circuit, during a determined time period, a first tracking signal, which holds, at a first time, a first value corresponding to a positive peak of the magnetic field signal, and which holds, at a second different time, a second value corresponding to a negative peak of the magnetic field signal;

generating, with a second peak detector circuit, during the determined time period and also after the determined time period, a second tracking signal, which holds a third value corresponding to a positive peak of the magnetic field signal, wherein the second tracking signal has an upward excursion limit and a downward excursion limit, wherein the upward excursion limit of the second tracking signal is smaller than the downward excursion limit of the second tracking signal;

generating, with the second peak detector circuit, during the determined time period and also after the determined time period, a third tracking signal, which holds a fourth value corresponding to a negative peak of the magnetic field signal, wherein the third tracking signal has an upward excursion limit and a downward excursion limit, wherein the upward excursion limit of the third tracking signal is larger than the downward excursion limit of the third tracking signal; and

generating an output signal, which, during the determined time period, changes state in response to the first peak detector circuit, and which, after the determined time period, changes state in response to the second peak detector circuit.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the output signal, during the determined time period, changes state when the magnetic field signal varies from the first tracking signal by a predetermined amount, and, after the determined time period, changes state when the magnetic field signal varies from the second tracking signal by a first predetermined percentage of a difference between the second and third tracking signals, and, also after the determined time period, changes state again when the magnetic field signal varies from the third tracking signal by a second predetermined percentage of the difference between the second and third tracking signals.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the first and second predetermined percentages are the same.

14. The method of claim 11, wherein the determined time period begins when the second tracking signal and the third tracking signal differ by a predetermined amount.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the determined time period ends when the output signal has changed state a predetermined number of times.

16. The method of claim 11, wherein the determined time period ends when the output signal has changed state a predetermined number of times.

17. The method of claim 11, wherein the generating, during the determined time period, the first tracking signal comprises:

counting with a first counter configured to count in a first direction during rising portions of the magnetic field signal and configured to count in a second different direction during falling portions of the magnetic field signal to provide a first counter signal;

converting the first counter signal with a first digital-to-analog converter to provide the output signal during the determined time period.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the generating, during the determined time period and also after the determined time period, the second tracking signal comprises:

counting with a second counter configured to count up and down so that the second tracking signal reaches the third value, wherein the second counter has an upward count number limit associated with the upward excursion limit of the second tracking signal and a downward count number limit associated with the downward excursion limit of the second tracking signal, wherein the upward count number limit of the second counter is smaller than the downward count number limit of the second counter; and

wherein the generating, during the determined time period and also after the determined time period, the third tracking signal comprises;

counting with a third counter configured to count up and down so that the third tracking signal reaches the fourth value, wherein the third counter has an upward count number limit associated with the upward excursion limit of the third tracking signal and a downward count number limit associated with the downward excursion limit of the third tracking signal, wherein the upward count number limit of the third counter is larger than the downward count number limit of the third counter; and

wherein the generating the output signal comprises;

converting the second counter signal with the first digital-to-analog converter to provide a second converted signal;

converting the third counter signal with a second digital-to-analog converter to provide a third converted signal; and

combining the second converted signal and the third converted signal to provide the output signal after the determined time period.

19. The method of claim 17, wherein the generating, during the determined time period and also after the determined time period, the second tracking signal comprises:

counting with a second counter configured to count up and down so that the second tracking signal reaches the third value, wherein the second counter has an upward count number limit associated with the upward excursion limit of the second tracking signal and a downward count number limit associated with the downward excursion limit of the second tracking signal, wherein the upward count number limit of the second counter is smaller than the downward count number limit of the second counter; and

wherein the generating, during the determined time period and also after the determined time period, the third tracking signal comprises;

counting with a third counter configured to count up and down so that the third tracking signal reaches the fourth value, wherein the third counter has an upward count number limit associated with the upward excursion limit of the third tracking signal and a downward count number limit associated with the downward excursion limit of the third tracking signal, wherein the upward count number limit of the third counter is larger than the downward count number limit of the third counter; and

wherein the generating the output signal comprises;

converting the second counter signal with a second digital-to-analog converter to provide a second converted signal;

converting the third counter signal with a third digital-to-analog converter to provide a third converted signal; and

combining the second converted signal and the third converted signal to provide the output signal after the determined time period.

20. The method of claim 11, wherein, during the determined time period, the output signal changes to a lower state when the negative peak of the magnetic field signal varies from the first tracking signal by a predetermined amount, and wherein, also during the determined time period, the output signal changes state again to a second different state when the positive peak of the magnetic field signal varies from the first tracking signal by the predetermined amount.