US3728607A
Expired / Lapsed
US
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Phase analog numerical control system employing a laser digitized position feedback
Assignee: General Electric Co
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Filing: 1968-02-29
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Granted: 1973-04-17
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Expires: 1988-02-29
Abstract
Abstract A digitally operable phase analog numerical control is described which comprises position measuring means for producing a train of pulses wherein the individual pulses represent increments of movement of apparatus being controlled and hence is representative of the position of the apparatus in standard measurement units. Variable rate feedback counter means are coupled to the output from the conversion circuit for producing a variably phase shifted, phase analog actual position output signal in accordance with the digitized position signal. Phase discriminator means are also provided having one input coupled to the output from the feedback phase counter and a digitally operable command phase counter means is provided for producing an output phase analog command signal of substantially the same base frequency and waveshape as the feedback phase counter. The output of the command phase counter is supplied to a second input of the phase discriminator and serves as a command phase analog signal against which the actual position phase analog signal represented by the output of the feedback phase counter, is compared. The output from the phase discriminator represents the difference between the actual and desired positions of the apparatus being controlled, and is utilized to control the position of such apparatus. In practice, the position measuring means preferably comprises an interferometer position gauging device and the predetermined conversion factor is a function of the space measured in microinches or micrometers between fringes of the fringe count produced by the interferometer.
Inventors
- 👤 C Isak
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-23 23:49
CPC Classifications
H; H03; H03K; H03K21/00; G; G06; G06F; G06F7/00; G06F7/60; G06F7/68; H03K21/02; Y; Y10; Y10T; Y10T409/00; Y10T409/30; Y10T409/30084; Y10T409/300896
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 6
Claim 1
Independent Claim
239 words
A digitally operable phase analog numerical control comprising digitally operable position measuring means for producing a digitized pulsed waveform output signal indicative of the position of an apparatus being controlled measured along at least one axis of movement of the apparatus, conversion circuit means for converting the digitized output signal from said position measuring means by multiplying the same by a predetermined conversion factor to produce a corresponding second digitized signal representative of the position in desired measurement units, variable rate feedback counter means coupled to the output from the conversion circuit means for producing a variably phase shifted, phase analog actual position output signal in accordance with the digitized position input signal supplied thereto, phase discriminator means having one input coupled to the output from said feedback phase counter, digitally operable command phase counter means for producing an output phase analog commanded position signal of substantially the same base frequency and waveshape as said feedback phase counter means and having its output supplied to a second input to the phase discriminator means, the output of said command phase counter means serving as a command phase analog signal against which the actual position phase analog signal represented by the output of the feedback phase counter means is compared, the output from said phase discriminator means representing the difference between the actual and desired positions of the apparatus being controlled and being utilized to control the position of such apparatus.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
239 words
A digitally operable phase analog numerical control comprising digitally operable position measuring means for producing a digitized pulsed waveform output signal indicative of the position of an apparatus being controlled measured along at least one axis of movement of the apparatus, conversion circuit means for converting the digitized output signal from said position measuring means by multiplying the same by a predetermined conversion factor to produce a corresponding second digitized signal representative of the position in desired measurement units, variable rate feedback counter means coupled to the output from the conversion circuit means for producing a variably phase shifted, phase analog actual position output signal in accordance with the digitized position input signal supplied thereto, phase discriminator means having one input coupled to the output from said feedback phase counter, digitally operable command phase counter means for producing an output phase analog commanded position signal of substantially the same base frequency and waveshape as said feedback phase counter means and having its output supplied to a second input to the phase discriminator means, the output of said command phase counter means serving as a command phase analog signal against which the actual position phase analog signal represented by the output of the feedback phase counter means is compared, the output from said phase discriminator means representing the difference between the actual and desired positions of the apparatus being controlled and being utilized to control the position of such apparatus.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
33 words
A phase analog numerical control according to claim 1 further including means for changing the value of the conversion factor by which the input measurement pulses are multiplied in the conversion circuit means.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
75 words
A phase analog numerical control according to claim 2 wherein the digitally operable position measuring means comprises an interferometer position gauging device for deriving fringe count, direction indicating, pulsed waveform electric signals representative of the position of a machine tool being controlled measured with respect to a reference position, and wherein the conversion factor is a value in desired measurement units representative of the space between fringe counts derived by the interferometer position gauging device.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
237 words
An arrangement for controlling the positioning of an object by an analogue servomechanism comprising a source of command information digitally encoded in a plurality of discrete electrical signals, means to produce in a predetermined time interval a train of pulses consisting of a number of pulses determined by said information, a source of clock pulses, first and second countdown circuits coupled to said clock source to product first and second output signals, means to apply said train of pulses to one of said countdown circuits to phase modulate its output signal to a degree proportional to the number of pulses in said train, said servomechanism responsive to the phase difference between said first and second output signals to control the position of said object in accordance with said information, means responsive to the position of said object to produce first digitized pulses indicative of the measured position of said object in nonstandard measuring units, means for converting said first digitized pulses to second digitized pulses indicative of the measured position of said element in standard measuring units, means responsive to said second pulses to provide a train of feedback pulses whose number is representative of said measured position of said element, means to apply said train of feedback pulses to the other of said countdown circuits to phase modulate its output signal to a degree proportional to the number of pulses in said train of feedback pulses.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
237 words
An arrangement for controlling the positioning of an object by an analogue servomechanism comprising a source of command information digitally encoded in a plurality of discrete electrical signals, means to produce in a predetermined time interval a train of pulses consisting of a number of pulses determined by said information, a source of clock pulses, first and second countdown circuits coupled to said clock source to product first and second output signals, means to apply said train of pulses to one of said countdown circuits to phase modulate its output signal to a degree proportional to the number of pulses in said train, said servomechanism responsive to the phase difference between said first and second output signals to control the position of said object in accordance with said information, means responsive to the position of said object to produce first digitized pulses indicative of the measured position of said object in nonstandard measuring units, means for converting said first digitized pulses to second digitized pulses indicative of the measured position of said element in standard measuring units, means responsive to said second pulses to provide a train of feedback pulses whose number is representative of said measured position of said element, means to apply said train of feedback pulses to the other of said countdown circuits to phase modulate its output signal to a degree proportional to the number of pulses in said train of feedback pulses.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
US3320501A
Cited
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1976-04-16 | 1976-10-16 | 1977-04-17 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1980-04-16 | 1980-10-16 | 1981-04-17 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1984-04-16 | 1984-10-16 | 1985-04-17 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |