Brown & Sharpe Tesa Sa

Acqiris

Jean-Luc Bolli

Alex Bezinge

Pascal Jordil

Viktor M Hungerbuehler

Jean-Pierre Vittet

Jean-François Goumaz

Yves Maumary

Didier Lavanchy

In a modular data acquisition system (), a module comprises at least one analog-to-digital converter () for converting an analog input signal (IN, IN, IN, IN) into a digital signal (OUT, OUT, OUT, OUT), and a clock generating circuit () for supplying an internal clock signal (). The module further comprises a connector for plugging in a removable connecting element () on the front side of the module () in order to connect it to a synchronization bus connecting several modules in said system. A clock selecting circuit () enables the selection of either a slave-clock status, wherein the converters () are synchronized by an external synchronization signal supplied by said synchronization bus, or of a master-clock status, wherein the converters are synchronized by said internal clock signal which is also used a external synchronization signal on said synchronization bus. Trigger signals can also be transmitted by the synchronization bus and by the connecting elements.

Modular data acquisition system

Portable precision caliper comprising a slide (,) and a shaft (,) each fitted with a jaw (,respectively,). The slide is further equipped with electronic means (,) which enable the distance between the jaws (,) to be displayed on an electronic display (,). The electronic means are powered by a battery (,). The shaft (,) is fitted with a magnetized scale (,) with a period of magnetization &lgr;. The electronic means (,) include a sensor (,) equipped with an array of magnetoresistive electrodes disposed opposite said scale (,). The resistance values of the magnetoresistive electrodes are a sinusoidal function of the longitudinal position of the sensor (,) along the scale (,). The set of magnetoresistive electrodes includes at least certain sets of magnetoresistive electrodes formed of at least 8 electrodes connected in series, so as to increase the electric resistance of the sets and to reduce the electricity consumption of the whole device.

Portable precision electronic caliper

The electronic circuit (,) comprises an electric feed circuit (,) supplying at least one feed voltage (E,E,) intended to feed a network of magnetoresistive electrodes (,) and a measuring circuit (,) including two differential inputs (C, C&prime;, S, S&prime;) connected to the network. The measuring circuit uses a rough counter and a fine interpolation circuit to determine the position of the sensor along the scale on the basis of the two sinusoidal input signals received. The feed circuit periodically reduces the electric feed voltage supplied so as temporarily to lessen the dissipation of energy in the magnetoresistive electrodes.

Electronic circuit and method for a dimension-measuring device

Magnetoresistive sensor for high precision measurements of lengths and angles

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Genève, Switzerland

Jean-Luc Bolli