Abstract:
An analog-to-digital converter that eliminates dynamic coupling errors in a system where the measured signal and the reference signal are subject to such variations. This device sequentially samples an analog unknown voltage and a reference voltage and converts the sampled signals into digital information representative of the unknown voltage. Sampling and conversion is achieved in a three step process which alternates the reference and unknown signal inputs to an integrator and level holding circuits. The integrator output controls the duration of a digital counter which runs until the integrator output crosses a zero value. The result in the digital counter provides the binary value representative of the analog unknown signal. Dynamic coupling errors which occur during the reference and unknown signal sample times are eliminated by dividing the sample time of the unknown signal in two segments, a first sampling segment prior to sampling the reference signal, and a second sampling segment after the reference signal.
Abstract:
A capacitive voltage divider arrangement for driving a position transducer. Individual ones of a first plurality of individual capacitor plates are respectively capacitively coupled to individual ones of a second like plurality of capacitance plate areas, the second plurality of capacitive areas being conductively connected together and varying in area from plate area to plate area. Individual ones of a third plurality of capacitance plate areas, which are conductively connected together, are likewise respectively capacitively coupled to individual ones of the first plurality of plates. The voltage distribution on a plurality of position sensing grid lines, individual ones of which are connected to respective individual ones of the first plurality of plates, varies in accordance with the varying in areas from plate area to plate area of the second plurality of plate areas.
Abstract:
A position measuring system of the writing tablet-stylus type employs a sampling control circuit which acts to sample tablet voltage in a manner to provide an output linearly representative of stylus position independent of the coupling admittance between the stylus and voltage carrying surface of the tablet. A first tablet voltage, which is a composite function of both the stylus position and the coupling admittance between the stylus and the voltage carrying surface of the tablet, is sampled and integrated over a set time interval. A second reference voltage, which is a function of only the coupling admittance, is integrated in time until it reaches the level of integration reached by the first integrated voltage. The time of integration of the second voltage is linearly related to stylus position independent of coupling admittance.