Honeywell G.m.b.h.

Honeywell International Inc.

Other

Peter G Hancock

Lamar Floyd Ricks

Carl Stewart

Jason Chilcote

Fred Hintz

Wayne A Lamb

Greg R Furlong

Joseph K Murdock

Jason M Chilcote

Fred W Hintz

A semiconductor-based pressure sensor adapted for enhanced operation with controls electronics includes a pressure transducer having an output formed on a silicon die and an amplifier having an input and an output and fabricated on the silicon die next to the pressure transducer. The pressure transducer's output is provided to the amplifier's input via electrical connection. Output from the amplifier is connectable to a controller such as an ASIC.

Pressure transducer with differential amplifier

Methods and systems for detecting a rotating target are disclosed herein, wherein a biasing magnet is associated with a rotating target in association with a dual peak detector. The rotating target generally comprises a plurality of teeth and at least one slot formed between at least one tooth of the rotating target. In general, the biasing magnet and the rotating target generate a magnetic signal having positive and negative peaks thereof. The dual peak detector includes a tooth detector and a slot detector, such that the dual peak detector detects a minimum and maximum peak of the magnetic signal generated by the biasing magnet and the rotating target. Additionally, a clamping circuit can be associated with the dual peak detector, wherein the clamping circuit can provide a true power on (TPO) functionality.

Adaptive geartooth sensor with dual peak detectors and true power on capability

A voltage driver having a pass transistor using a sensing diode and disabling transistor to sense and disable the driver during a short circuit condition. No current sense resistors or other devices in series with the pass transistor are used. During a short circuit condition, the collector-emitter (or drain-source) voltage of the pass transistor prevents the sensing diode from conducting which causes the disabling transistor to remove the control signal to the pass transistor. This latches the driver output off, protecting the driver from the short circuit condition. Recycling the control signal unlatches the protection, allowing another attempt to turn on the driver.

Short circuit protection for a high or low side driver with low impact to driver performance

A geartooth sensor utilizes an algorithm for establishing an adaptive threshold for the switch point of the sensor to minimize drift in the point at which the sensor output changes in relation to the target features it is tracking. The algorithm utilizes measured waveform peak and average outputs and applies a separate empirically derived constant to each value to quickly obtain the major portion of the adaptive threshold value from the product of the first constant and the peak output, and to refine the threshold value further with the product of the second constant and the average output.

Method of operating or constructing a geartooth sensor

A magnetic sensor is operated by a method which provides a magnetic field extending through a preselected detection zone. A permanent magnet can be used to provide the magnetic field. The method disposes a magnetically sensitive component within the magnetic field and the magnetically sensitive component, such as a Hall effect element, provides a first signal that is responsive to a portion of the magnetic field imposed on the magnetically sensitive component. The sensor also determines a base value and measures a maximum magnitude of the first signal during a preselected period of time, such as the time required for a gear to rotate so that all of its ferromagnetic teeth pass through the detection zone. The sensor also determines a reference value as a function of the base value and the maximum magnitude. The sensor compares the first signal to the reference value and provides a second signal that is a function of the relative magnitudes of the first signal and the reference value, whereby the second signal is representative of the position of the ferromagnetic object relative to the detection zone.

Method and apparatus for sensing the position of a ferromagnetic object

A magnetic detection circuit is provided which creates a reference signal that varies with temperature in a manner that is generally identical to the temperature induced variation of a Hall element. By providing a temperature sensitive reference signal, the Hall output signal can be compared to the reference signal without errors being induced by temperature change. One embodiment of the present invention provides a first resistor connected in parallel with the diode which, in turn, is connected between a Hall cell and a point of ground potential. Another embodiment of the present invention comprises a second resistor that is connected in series with the first resistor and in parallel with the Hall cell. Another embodiment of the present invention also incorporates a temperature sensitive resistor that is made of the same material as the Hall cell and used in conjunction with a trimmable resistor to provide inputs to an operational amplifier.

Temperature compensated magnetically sensitive circuit

A subcircuit for discharging a capacitor at a preselected rate incorporates a first transistor and a second transistor connected with the emitter of the first transistor providing current to the collector of the second transistor. The base of the first transistor is connected to a capacitor to be discharged at a preselected rate. The base current of the first transistor discharges the capacitor as a function of the base current provided to the second transistor. In order to provide a current of very small magnitude to the base of the second transistor, a plurality of lateral PNP transistors are connected in a plural stage arrangement in order to take advantage of the current dividing characteristic of lateral PNP transistors. A collector of one lateral PNP transistor is connected to the emitter of another so that each stage of the subcircuit reduces the output current by a very precise ratio.

Circuit for accurately discharging a capacitor

A resistor network is provided which significantly reduces the total number of resistors required to achieve a given resolution. It comprises a cell of resistors that consists of a nonbinary number of resistors that is not evenly divisible by an integer power of two and is specifically selected to permit the group of resistors to be sequentially reduced to subgroups, or combinations, of resistors which yield a plurality of subgroup resistances that differ from preceding or subsequent subgroup resistances by a generally equivalent differential. The cell of resistors is combined with a plurality of resistor cells that consist of binary numbers of resistors in a conventional resistor ladder format. When combined with the binary resistor cells, the cell consisting of a nonbinary number of resistors provides a substantially similar resolution with a significant reduction in the number of resistors required. One embodiment of the present invention permits the resolution of a sixty-two resistor ladder to be simulated by a ladder that comprises only twenty-three resistors.

High resolution resistor ladder network with reduced number of resistor

A trimmable resistor is provided which can be trimmed with a single movement of a laser beam without requiring intermitted deenergizations of the beam accompanied by measurements of the resistance to determine additional material removal steps. The procedure of the present invention begins the material removal at a location within the body of the resistor and displaced from all edges of the resistor body by a predetermined amount. The energization of the laser immediately begins to remove material at its initial location and, as the laser is moved to a second location, a single cut is made to calibrate the resistor wherein the entire cut is located within the body of the resistor and no part of the cut intersects any edge of the resistor body. The length of the cut is calculated prior to initiation of the trimming procedure and the technique of the present invention permits the movement of the laser beam to be precisely made without positioning error being induced by the normal initiation point which is located outside of the body of the resistor in trimming techniques known to those skilled in the art.

Growing community of inventors

Plano, TX, United States of America

Peter G Hancock