Sensor assembly and method
First Claim
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1. A sensor assembly for detecting a required variable, comprising:
- a plurality of sensors with digital outputs, each of the plurality of sensors configured to detect an output responsive to a required variable and to detect a reference output representative of a reference characteristic independent of the required variable to compensate for an effect of the reference characteristic on the detected output responsive to the required variable, anda microcontroller coupled to the output of each sensor, to control whether the reference output or the output responsive to the required variable of at least a selected one of the plurality of sensors is detected and when.
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Abstract
Described herein is the sensor assembly and method for rapidly obtaining accurate readings of a variable. The sensor assembly comprises a plurality of sensors which are connected to a microcontroller that processes the signals of the individual transducers to the microcontroller. The microcontroller contains software that maximizes the refresh rate and/or minimizes the time it takes to process the outputs of each of the transducers. The microcontroller that is coupled to the sensor assembly selectively measures the outputs of each transducer so as to speed up the refresh rate of the sensor.
8 Citations
12 Claims
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1. A sensor assembly for detecting a required variable, comprising:
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a plurality of sensors with digital outputs, each of the plurality of sensors configured to detect an output responsive to a required variable and to detect a reference output representative of a reference characteristic independent of the required variable to compensate for an effect of the reference characteristic on the detected output responsive to the required variable, and a microcontroller coupled to the output of each sensor, to control whether the reference output or the output responsive to the required variable of at least a selected one of the plurality of sensors is detected and when. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6)
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7. A pressure sensor assembly, comprising:
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a plurality of pressure sensors, each capable of detecting a pulse responsive to pressure and a reference pulse representative of one or more environmental effects independent of the pressure; and a microcontroller configured to measure the two pulses detected by each of the plurality of pressure sensors, such that the reference pulse of a particular sensor is used to compensate for the environmental effects on the pressure pulse detected by that same sensor to determine the pressure on a particular sensor; wherein the microcontroller is configured to determine which pulses of which sensors are measured. - View Dependent Claims (8)
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9. A method for detecting pressure in an automatic transmission having a plurality of clutches and an engine control unit (ECU), the method comprising:
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coupling each of the plurality of clutches to a respective sensor of a plurality of sensors located within a pressure assembly comprising the plurality of sensors; detecting the pressure of each clutch as needed by detecting the pressure on a corresponding sensor a selected number of times and thereafter using a reference output detected by that sensor, the reference output representative of one or more environmental effects independent of the pressure, to compensate for the environmental effects of the detected pressure on that sensor so that a true pressure may be obtained. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12)
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Specification