Position Detector Redundancy for Power Interruption
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional position detectors face issues with ensuring desired output behavior when power supply voltage drops or memory malfunctions, as they lack redundancy in storage circuits, leading to potential failures in detecting the position of detection bodies.
Innovation Solution
A position detector is designed with a magnetic field detection element, signal processing circuit, first and second storage circuits, power supply circuits, malfunction determination circuit, and signal route changing circuit, which allows for redundancy by preventing signal transmission between storage circuits during power interruptions and switching to a secondary storage circuit for output, ensuring continuous operation even when the primary storage circuit fails.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a single storage circuit is used to store processed signals, then the device complexity is reduced, but the reliability deteriorates because the position detector cannot ensure desired output behavior when power supply voltage drops or memory malfunctions
Solution Approach 1:
The storage function is segmented into two separate storage circuits (first storage circuit and second storage circuit) with different power supply connections. The first storage circuit is connected to the first power supply circuit, while the second storage circuit is connected to the second power supply circuit. This segmentation allows the system to maintain output reliability by switching between storage circuits depending on power supply status, resolving the contradiction between reliability and complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The system prepares a second storage circuit powered by a second power supply circuit as a backup before the first power supply fails. The malfunction determination circuit monitors the first power supply voltage and switches to the second storage circuit when voltage drop or malfunction is detected. This beforehand cushioning ensures continuous operation and maintains output reliability without requiring complex real-time fault detection and recovery mechanisms.
2Productivity
If the memory is disposed between the A/D converter circuit and the D/A converter circuit to maintain output during instantaneous power interruption, then the productivity is improved, but the reliability deteriorates because malfunction in the memory may cause failure in ensuring desired output behavior
Solution Approach 1:
The storage function is segmented into two separate storage circuits with different power supply connections. The first storage circuit handles normal operation, while the second storage circuit serves as a backup powered by a separate second power supply circuit. This segmentation isolates the risk of memory malfunction to one circuit while maintaining productivity through the other circuit, resolving the contradiction between continuous operation capability and output reliability.
Solution Approach 2:
The malfunction determination circuit acts as an intermediary that monitors the first power supply voltage and controls the switching between the first and second storage circuits. When voltage drop or malfunction is detected, it switches the output to the second storage circuit, ensuring continuous operation while maintaining reliability by preventing malfunction propagation from the first storage circuit to the output.
3Reliability
If redundancy is introduced by adding a second storage circuit and second power supply circuit, then the reliability is improved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The first and second power supply circuits are merged into a single integrated power supply unit with a shared voltage generation section. This merging approach reduces the overall complexity of the power supply system while maintaining the redundancy benefits of having two separate power supply paths. The shared voltage generation section eliminates the need for completely separate power supply circuits, thus improving reliability without proportionally increasing 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
The solution ensures redundancy of storage circuits and maintains normal output behavior during power supply voltage drops or memory malfunctions, effectively preventing failures in position detection.
Implementation Method 1
a position detector detects a position of a detection body by detecting a magnetic field generated from a magnet attached to the detection body using a magnetic detection IC such as a Hall IC
Data Source
AI summary
In a position detector for detecting a position of a detection body, a signal processing circuit processes a signal outputted from a magnetic field detection element. A first storage circuit stores the signal outputted from the magnetic field detection element and outputs a signal to an external device through an output circuit in a normal operation mode. A second storage circuit stores an output value of the first storage circuit. When a malfunction determination circuit determines an instantaneous power interruption mode, a signal route changing circuit prevents a signal transmission between the first storage circuit and the second storage circuit and a signal transmission between the first storage circuit and the output circuit, prevents the second storage circuit from updating data for a certain period of time, and permits the second storage circuit in which updating is prevented to output a signal to the output circuit.