Appliance Design - February 2008 - (Page 28) CONTROLS & SENSORS Direct and Digital The inGen Direct sensor output is a read-only signal that can be ported directly to any processor. Sensing technology eliminates need for signal conditioning. T by derek weber Derek Weber is president of Inprox Technology Corp., Boston, Mass. 28 applianceDESIGN February 2008 he ongoing revolution in electronics technology has spurred a demand for advanced digital sensors. To help meet this demand, Inprox Technology Corp., Boston, has developed advanced inductivebased and capacitive-based digital sensor technology. The technology was originally, developed for advanced aerospace engine controls, but has since evolved from these specialized engine and flight-control systems into designs and products for a diversified set of critical applications involving measurements based on inductive and capacitive platforms including: position, pressure, vibration, torque, level, speed, deposition and temperature. Applications now include high-volume products in the home appliance and consumer electronics segments. Branded as inGen Direct™, this technology suite provides a real time, continuously variable-frequency output in the form of a square wave. The ITC sensor circuit produces this square wave in one step, without the need for signal conditioning electronics, a digital simplification that often bridges the divide between analog devices and digital networks. The inGen Direct sensor output is a readonly signal that can be ported directly to the Generic I/O port (GIO) of any processor. (See Fig. 1.) In this methodology, the speed and accuracy of the processor is part of the sensor performance equation. The square-wave output is recognized as demonstrating stability to 6 significant figures, so accuracy of better than 0.25 percent of full scale is typically achievable. The output frequency is entirely scaleable and can be adjusted for the particulars of any system requirements. Some of the key features to ITC’s digital sensor technology designs are: increased bandwidth and mean dynamic response rates (operating ranges and rates set between 10 – 700 kHz or 1-20 MHz); elimination of all signal conditioning electronics from design; the utilization of a distinct time-based measurement system; high accuracy; the use of novel targets and target materials; the acquisition of expanded sets of secondary data; high sensor operating temperatures of –100 DegC to 650 DegC (-76 DegF to 1,200 DegF); and a lower cost metric in production and accompanying systems-level reductions. The widespread use of low-cost microprocessors allows digital sensor technology companies like ITC to offer attractive cost equations that are able to offload hardware and electronics burdens onto lower cost software implementations. This transition from hard solutions to soft solutions is a trend that continues in multiple markets, including those related to commercial products. For companies where software implementation and architecture www.applianceDESIGN.com http://www.appliancedesign.com
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