Regulated negative calibration pulse generator

• Main Authors: KLEMCZAK; KENNETH M, PAYE; JAMES R, CAMPBELL; JAMES A
• Format: Patent
• Language: English
• Published: 26.04.1994
• Edition: 5
• Subjects: INDICATING PRESENCE, ABSENCE, OR DIRECTION, OF MOVEMENT; MEASURING; MEASURING LINEAR OR ANGULAR SPEED, ACCELERATION, DECELERATION,OR SHOCK; PHYSICS; TESTING

A circuit for generating a regulated negative voltage output pulse for use in calibrating a transducer, such as used in sensing an acceleration profile of a moving object, comprises a transistor responsive to a periodically generated control pulse for reversing the polarity charge on a capacitor. A negative voltage charge on the capacitor activates a negative voltage regulator to generate the desired regulated negative voltage calibration pulse. A pair of resistors are series connected to the regulated negative voltage output and a positive voltage reference source to provide an output for an external monitoring device to verify the generation of an accurate regulated negative voltage calibration pulse. The pair of resistors also provide a bypass of the negative voltage regulator when no external control pulse is present, thereby establishing a positive voltage output for the calibration pulse generating circuit when a regulated negative voltage calibration pulse is not being generated. The present invention is able to use a positive voltage power supply, or battery, to generate the desired regulated negative voltage calibration pulse output.