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:
Oct. 20, 1998
Filed:
Feb. 05, 1997
John Titus, Prior Lake, MN (US);
Paul R Meyer, St. Paul, MN (US);
Perception Incorporated, Prior Lake, MN (US);
Abstract
An absolute linear encoder includes an index channel and at least two counter channels. The spacing between markings on the index channel is constant, and the spacing between markings on the first and second channels is predetermined so that the positions of the markings in the first and second channels vary so as to provide a unique signature for each position along the encoder. The linear encoder includes quadrature channels to provide increased resolution and to determine the direction of translation. The encoder is provided with a detector unit to detect positions of the markings in each channel, and a processing unit to calculate an absolute position from the detected marking positions. A method of producing the absolute linear encoder includes selecting spacings for markers in the quadrature, index, first and second channels in order to provide a desired resolution and encoder length.