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:
Feb. 23, 1999
Filed:
Apr. 18, 1997
Harold Ryan Macks, Detroit, MI (US);
Ford Motor Company, Dearborn, MI (US);
Abstract
Two electronic modules are connected to share and to independently read the sensed value from a single environmental sensor element, by communicating between each other when a particular module is reading the sensor output signal. The sensor output signal is a function of the value of the reference voltage being applied by the reading module and the characteristics of the environment being sensed. A module provides a toggle signal when it completes its reading of the sensor so that the other (non-reading) module will know when it may apply its reference voltage to the sensor and complete its reading of the sensor. The modules alternate the reading of the sensor in order to eliminate the need for a plurality of corresponding sensors.