Method and apparatus for monitoring signals from transducers and optical encoders

• Main Author: JOHNSON, HAROLD LEE JR
• Format: Patent
• Language: English; French; German
• Published: 18.01.1995
• Edition: 6
• Subjects: ARRANGEMENTS FOR MEASURING TWO OR MORE VARIABLES NOT COVEREDIN A SINGLE OTHER SUBCLASS; FLEXIBLE MATERIALS NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; LAUNDERING; MEASURING; MEASURING NOT SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR A SPECIFIC VARIABLE; MEASURING OR TESTING NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; PHYSICS; TARIFF METERING APPARATUS; TESTING; TEXTILES; TREATING TEXTILE MATERIALS BY LIQUIDS, GASES OR VAPOURS; TREATMENT OF TEXTILES OR THE LIKE

An apparatus and method for monitoring an incoming transducer signal or a synchronising signal from an optical encoder in real time and displaying the degree of stability. The incoming transducer signal or optical encoder signal comprises of a certain number of voltage pulses. The number of pulses for a set period of time is measured to develop an actual frequency of voltage pulses per set unit of time. Furthermore, a representative numerical value for the time between two adjacent pulses is also developed. This time between adjacent pulses is altered by means of a look-up table to develop an average pulse frequency for that same set period of time. The average value for this period of time is then compared against the actual frequency of voltage pulses per set period of time. This comparative value can then be outputted to a display. Furthermore, the actual frequency of voltage pulses per set period of time can be compared to percentages of the average pulse frequency to determine process control conditions.