Velocity deviation detector

Claim 1

An apparatus for detecting deviations of velocity, where the input to said apparatus is a correction voltage linearly proportional to the velocity being monitored, comprising: a variable gain control amplifier containing means for calibrating said apparatus to eliminate errors due to the source of the correction voltage, the input to said variable gain control amplifier being the correction voltage; a power driving stage comprising a current amplifier and a power current amplifier coupled in cascade, said cascading and current amplifiers coacting to provide an output signal from said power driving stage, the input to said power driving stage being the output from said variable gain control amplifier; an AC coupling capacitor for passing the AC components of said output signal from said power driving stage; a squelching network to provide a low impedance discharge path for said AC coupling capacitor to prevent a bias buildup condition across said AC coupling capacitor, said squelching network being selectively activated; a low pass filter for filtering undesired AC components existing in the output signal passed by said AC coupling capacitor; a bidirectional voltage comparator stage, the input to said bidirectional voltage comparator stage being the output of said low pass filter, said bidirectional voltage comparator stage comprising: a reference means for establishing a positive and negative reference for said bidirectional voltage comparator stage; a comparing means for comparing the input to said bidirectional voltage comparator stage against said reference means; an output signal generating means for generating an output signal whenever the input to said bidirectional voltage comparator stagE is outside of the references established by said reference means; and said output from said bidirectional voltage comparator stage being the output from said apparatus.

Claim 2

An apparatus for detecting deviations of velocity, where the input to said apparatus is a correction voltage linearly proportional to the velocity being monitored, comprising: a variable gain control amplifier containing means for calibrating said apparatus to eliminate errors due to the source of the correction voltage, the input to said variable gain control amplifier being the correction voltage; a power driving stage comprising a current amplifier and a power current amplifier coupled in cascade, said cascading and current amplifiers coacting to provide an output signal from said power driving stage, the input to said power driving stage being the output from said variable gain control amplifier; an AC coupling capacitor for passing the AC components of said output signal from said power driving stage; a squelching network to provide a low impedance discharge path for said AC coupling capacitor to prevent a bias buildup condition across said AC coupling capacitor, said squelching network being selectively activated; a low pass filter for filtering undesired AC components existing in the output signal passed by said AC coupling capacitor; a bidirectional voltage comparator stage, the input to said bidirectional voltage comparator stage being the output of said low pass filter, said bidirectional voltage comparator stage comprising: a reference means for establishing a positive and negative reference for said bidirectional voltage comparator stage; a comparing means for comparing the input to said bidirectional voltage comparator stage against said reference means; an output signal generating means for generating an output signal whenever the input to said bidirectional voltage comparator stagE is outside of the references established by said reference means; and said output from said bidirectional voltage comparator stage being the output from said apparatus.

Claim 3

An apparatus for detecting deviations of an input signal to said apparatus, comprising: an input amplifier for monitoring the input signal; an AC coupling means for AC coupling the output from said input amplifier to a bidirectional voltage comparator; a bidirectional voltage comparator having means for establishing a minimum and maximum reference, said bidirectional voltage comparator stage comparing the output from said input amplifier against said minimum and maximum references to determine if the correction voltage being monitored by said input amplifier is within the boundaries dictated by said minimum and maximum references, said bidirectional voltage comparator stage generating an output signal whenever said voltage is outside the boundaries dictated by the minimum and maximum references; and a squelching network to provide a low impedance discharge path for said AC coupling means to prevent a bias buildup condition across said AC coupling means, said squelching network being selectively activated.

Claim 4

An apparatus for detecting deviations of an input signal to said apparatus, comprising: an input amplifier for monitoring the input signal; an AC coupling means for AC coupling the output from said input amplifier to a bidirectional voltage comparator; a bidirectional voltage comparator having means for establishing a minimum and maximum reference, said bidirectional voltage comparator stage comparing the output from said input amplifier against said minimum and maximum references to determine if the correction voltage being monitored by said input amplifier is within the boundaries dictated by said minimum and maximum references, said bidirectional voltage comparator stage generating an output signal whenever said voltage is outside the boundaries dictated by the minimum and maximum references; and a squelching network to provide a low impedance discharge path for said AC coupling means to prevent a bias buildup condition across said AC coupling means, said squelching network being selectively activated.