The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Jan. 22, 1991
Filed:
Aug. 01, 1989
John Ofori-Tenkorang, Cambridge, MA (US);
David Otten, Newton, MA (US);
Leo Casey, Briarcliff Manor, NY (US);
Lutron Electronics Co., Inc., Coopersburg, PA (US);
Abstract
A circuit for sensing the state of a potentiometer includes a capacitor that is connected to the potentiometer wiper and that is successively charged by applying a voltage to each end of the potentiometer resistive element. The capacitor is discharged between successive chargings. The times needed to charge the capacitor to a predetermined voltage in each case are used to determine the position of the wiper along the resistive element. The circuit can be connected to a plurality of potentiometers, any one of which can be selected and the wiper position determined. A similar circuit can determine the state of an inductive or capacitive voltage divider.