Resistive Sensor Sensitivity Adjustment via Opposing Pairs
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Solution Overview
Problem
Resistive sensors face challenges in maintaining accuracy and dynamic range due to the introduction of noise and increased circuit area and power consumption when using passive dividers or active circuits to amplify or attenuate electrical signals, which can lead to catastrophic output signal range limits.
Innovation Solution
A resistive sensor system with pairs of sensors of opposite sensitivity directions, utilizing noninverting and inverting switch elements and voltage buffers to adjust bias voltages, allowing for sensitivity control without increasing thermal noise or output impedance, thereby attenuating signals passively using existing sensor circuitry.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If passive dividers or active circuits are used to amplify or attenuate electrical signals, then signal range limits are mitigated, but additional error sources (noise, nonlinearity) are introduced and integrated circuit area and power consumption increase
Solution Approach 1:
The resistive sensor system uses its own internal sensor pairs with opposite sensitivity directions to perform signal attenuation without external active circuits. The sensors self-regulate the output signal range by exploiting their differential resistance characteristics, eliminating the need for separate attenuation circuitry and reducing overall system complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The system changes the resistance parameters of the sensor pairs by applying different bias voltages to adjust sensitivity. By varying the bias voltage applied to each sensor in the pair, the system can dynamically adjust the output signal range and sensitivity without introducing additional noise or requiring complex active circuits.
2Reliability
If passive dividers or active circuits are used to amplify or attenuate electrical signals, then signal range limits are mitigated, but thermal noise increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system uses the inherent differential characteristics of the sensor pairs to perform signal conditioning without external active components. This self-service approach avoids introducing additional thermal noise from external circuits while maintaining signal accuracy through the natural opposition of the sensor pairs.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention extracts and eliminates the noisy active attenuation circuitry from the system, replacing it with a passive sensor-based approach. By removing the harmful active components that generate thermal noise, the system achieves signal range mitigation without the detrimental noise effects.
3Reliability
If passive dividers or active circuits are used to amplify or attenuate electrical signals, then signal range limits are mitigated, but power consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The sensor pairs perform signal attenuation and range mitigation using their own resistance characteristics and bias voltages without requiring external power-consuming active circuits. The system self-regulates the output signal using minimal power, eliminating the need for additional power-hungry attenuation or amplification stages.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention replaces active electronic circuits (which consume significant power) with a passive sensor-based mechanism. By using the natural electrical resistance properties of the sensor pairs and simple voltage dividers, the system achieves signal range control without the power consumption penalties of active amplification or attenuation circuits.
4Measurement precision
If sensitivity is increased to improve measurement precision, then measurement precision improves, but output signal may reach range limits causing catastrophic failure
Solution Approach 1:
The system segments the sensor output by using pairs of sensors with opposite sensitivity directions. This segmentation allows the high-sensitivity sensors to be paired with compensating sensors, creating a differential output that maintains measurement precision while preventing the output from reaching catastrophic range limits through natural signal cancellation.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention introduces asymmetry in the bias voltage application to sensor pairs with opposite sensitivity directions. By applying different bias voltages to each sensor in the pair, the system can optimize sensitivity for specific measurement ranges while preventing output saturation, effectively managing the trade-off between precision and range.
Data Source
AI summary
A resistive sensor system includes resistive sensor pairs formed of first and second sensors of opposite sensitivity directions to a measured property. Each resistive sensor pair includes one of the first sensors having a first terminal and a second terminal, and one of the second sensors having a third terminal and a fourth terminal. The fourth terminal is coupled to the second terminal of the first sensor. The system further includes multiple noninverting switch elements, each having a noninverting output coupled to the first terminal of one the first sensors, and multiple inverting switch elements, each having an inverting output coupled to the third terminal of one of the second sensors. For each resistive sensor pair, the noninverting and inverting switch elements receive a switch signal for controlling the noninverting and inverting switch elements such that the first and second sensors are biased in opposition to one another.