Magnetostrictive Position Sensor Timing Circuit
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Solution Overview
Problem
Magnetostrictive position sensors face challenges in achieving high precision with minimal energy consumption and hardware complexity, particularly due to the need for fast timing clocks that increase energy consumption and heat generation, and existing solutions either introduce imprecision or require complex computation.
Innovation Solution
A method using a single slow-timed clock for position determination, where the system timing is initiated before the measurement, allowing for coarse and fine time interval calculation with minimal hardware and computation effort, utilizing a coarse counter and analog fine time measurement to achieve precise position detection without the need for high-speed timing devices.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If a fast-timed clock is used for time measurement to achieve high precision, then measurement precision is improved, but energy consumption and heat generation increase
Solution Approach 1:
The time measurement task is divided into two segments: coarse time measurement using a slow-timed clock operating in the MHz range, and fine time difference measurement using a fast-timed clock operating in the GHz range. This segmentation allows each clock to operate at its optimal speed for its specific measurement duration, minimizing overall energy consumption while maintaining high precision.
Solution Approach 2:
The coarse time measurement is performed first using the slow-timed clock to establish a preliminary time interval. This preliminary action reduces the remaining time interval that requires high-precision measurement, thereby reducing the operational duration and energy consumption of the fast-timed clock.
2Measurement precision
If a fast-timed clock is used for time measurement to achieve high precision, then measurement precision is improved, but heat generation increases
Solution Approach 1:
The time measurement task is divided into two segments: coarse time measurement using a slow-timed clock operating in the MHz range, and fine time difference measurement using a fast-timed clock operating in the GHz range. This segmentation allows each clock to operate at its optimal speed for its specific measurement duration, minimizing overall energy consumption while maintaining high precision.
Solution Approach 2:
The coarse time measurement is performed first using the slow-timed clock to establish a preliminary time interval. This preliminary action reduces the remaining time interval that requires high-precision measurement, thereby reducing the operational duration and energy consumption of the fast-timed clock.
3Use of energy by moving object
If a coarse-timed clock is used to reduce energy consumption, then energy consumption is reduced, but measurement precision deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The time measurement task is divided into two segments: coarse time measurement using a slow-timed clock operating in the MHz range, and fine time difference measurement using a fast-timed clock operating in the GHz range. This segmentation allows each clock to operate at its optimal speed for its specific measurement duration, minimizing overall energy consumption while maintaining high precision.
Solution Approach 2:
The coarse time measurement from the slow-timed clock and the fine time difference measurement from the fast-timed clock are merged to compute the total time interval. This combining approach achieves high precision without requiring the fast-timed clock to operate continuously, thus maintaining low energy consumption.
4Measurement precision
If system timing is initiated before measurement to avoid transient response errors, then measurement precision is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system timing is initiated before the measurement process to ensure that the timing system is in a stable state and ready for accurate measurement. This preliminary action eliminates transient response errors and ensures precise position determination from the start of measurement.
Solution Approach 2:
The system timing mechanism serves multiple functions: it provides coarse time measurement, establishes the measurement window, and ensures the system is ready for precise measurement. This multi-functionality reduces the need for separate components and minimizes overall hardware complexity.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This approach enables precise position determination with reduced energy consumption and hardware complexity, achieving a precision of 1/1000th of a second in distance measurement with a simple and cost-effective implementation, while avoiding transient response errors and minimizing computation effort.
Implementation Method 1
a magnetostrictive and electrically conductive wave conductor extends along the measuring range relative to which the position of the position indicator is to be determined. The position indicator is particularly a permanent magnet. As it is well known, the position is determined through an electrical impulse being imparted into the wave conductor from an input position, which generates a mechanical-elastic wave at the position of the magnetic position indicator through its magnetic field
Data Source
AI summary
In order to be able to perform a measurement of the run time of an electrical impulse in a position sensor through a single slow timed timing generator, while still capable to achieve a high precision of the measurement result, the entire run time is determined, so that the number of the completely performed system timings is counted as a coarse time value, and the fractions thereof are counted as a fine time value, in which the electrical impulse is started at a fixed point in time of the system timing, e.g. at the beginning of the timing, and the difference value is measured between the end of the coarse time interval and the arrival of the wave as a fine time interval, which is then digitized and computed with the coarse time value.