Angular position sensor assembly for use with steering column
First Claim
1. An angular position sensor assembly for use with a vehicle steering column assembly, comprising:
- a digitally encoded disk that includes a first axial end face, a second axial end face, an aperture for receiving a steering column shaft, a first set of data tracks that include one or more absolute angular position bits, and a second set of data tracks that include one or more error correction bits;
an optical output device positioned adjacent said first axial end face such that said device is capable of emitting light that strikes at least one of said first set of data tracks and at least one of said second set of data tracks;
an optical input device positioned adjacent said second axial end face such that said device is capable of receiving light from said optical output device through at least one of said first set of data tracks and at least one of said second set of data tracks, and;
a signal output electrically coupled to said optical input device, wherein said angular position sensor assembly is capable of providing an angular position signal that is representative of both absolute angular position information and error correction information.
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Accused Products
Abstract
An absolute angular position sensor assembly for use with a vehicle steering column that generally includes a digitally encoded disk, an optical output device and an optical input device. The encoded disk has numerous circumferentially extending, concentric data tracks; some of these tracks include cutouts representing absolute angular position bits and some include cutouts representing error correcting bits. Preferably, the absolute angular position bits are arranged according to a grey-code type arrangement, while the error correction bits include Reed-Solomon error detecting and correcting information. The optical output device shines light against the encoded disk such that a pattern, generally determined by the cutouts, is formed on the optical input device. The optical input device, in turn, utilizes that pattern to generate an angular position signal representative of the absolute angular position of the steering wheel and having error correction information.
14 Citations
15 Claims
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1. An angular position sensor assembly for use with a vehicle steering column assembly, comprising:
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a digitally encoded disk that includes a first axial end face, a second axial end face, an aperture for receiving a steering column shaft, a first set of data tracks that include one or more absolute angular position bits, and a second set of data tracks that include one or more error correction bits;
an optical output device positioned adjacent said first axial end face such that said device is capable of emitting light that strikes at least one of said first set of data tracks and at least one of said second set of data tracks;
an optical input device positioned adjacent said second axial end face such that said device is capable of receiving light from said optical output device through at least one of said first set of data tracks and at least one of said second set of data tracks, and;
a signal output electrically coupled to said optical input device, wherein said angular position sensor assembly is capable of providing an angular position signal that is representative of both absolute angular position information and error correction information. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
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14. An angular position sensor assembly for use with a vehicle steering column assembly, comprising:
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a digitally encoded disk that includes a first axial end face, a second axial end face, a keyed aperture for fixedly receiving a steering column shaft, a first set of circumferentially extending data tracks that include a series of cutouts and solid sections representing absolute angular position information, a second set of circumferentially extending data tracks that include a series of cutouts and solid sections representing Reed-Solomon error correction bits, and a plurality of data slices that include both angular position information and error correction information;
an optical output device that includes a separate light emitting component for each of said first and second data tracks, said optical output device is positioned adjacent said first axial end face and is aligned with a first data slice such that said light emitting components are capable of emitting light that strikes each of said first and second set of data tracks;
an optical input device that includes a separate light detecting component for each of said first and second data tracks, said optical input device is positioned adjacent said second axial end face and is aligned with said first data slice such that said light detecting components are capable of receiving light from said corresponding light emitting device through said cutouts;
a signal output electrically coupled to said optical input device, wherein said angular position sensor assembly is capable of providing an angular position signal that is representative of both absolute angular position information and Reed-Solomon error correction information.
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15. A method for determining the absolute angular position of a vehicle steering wheel, comprising the steps of:
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(a) providing a digitally encoded disk that includes an aperture for receiving a steering column shaft, a first set of data tracks that include one or more absolute angular position bits, and a second set of data tracks that include one or more error correction bits;
(b) providing an optical output device positioned adjacent said digitally encoded disk;
(c) providing an optical input device positioned adjacent said digitally encoded disk;
(d) providing a signal output electrically coupled to said optical input device;
(e) causing said optical output device to emit light such that it strikes at least one of said first set of data tracks and at least one of said second set of data tracks;
(f) causing said optical input device to receive light such that it receives light from said optical output device through at least one of said first set of data tracks and at least one of said second set of data tracks, and;
(g) generating an angular position signal that is representative of both said absolute angular position information and said error correction information.
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Specification