US3848185A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Circuit arrangement for determining the voltage fraction ratio of a voltage divider
Assignee: SINA AG fur INSTRUMENTIERUNG U
•
Filing: 1973-08-01
•
Granted: 1974-11-12
•
Expires: 1993-08-01
Abstract
Abstract A circuit arrangement for determining the ratio of a voltage divider including two impedances joined at a junction and said impedances including reactance components and including resistance components at least one of which can be varied to represent a physical magnitude, said circuit arrangement comprising an oscillator circuit including an oscillation amplifier, a feedback loop coupled between an input and the output of the amplifier and contributing attenuation to the general circuit attenuation included in the oscillator circuit, and said loop having said voltage divider inserted as an attenuator in the feedback loop, means for adjusting the gain of the amplifier to a level at which oscillation is sustained by overcoming said general circuit attenuation and the attenuation of said voltage divider, and indicator means coupled to said amplifier output and operative to indicate the state of oscillation or non-oscillation of the oscillator circuit.
Inventors
- 👤 M Hentschel
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-30 16:14
CPC Classifications
G; G01; G01R; G01R17/00; G01R17/02; G01R17/20
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 27
Claim 1
Independent Claim
143 words
A circuit arrangement for determining the ratio of a voltage divider including two impedances joined at a junction and said impedances including reactance components and including resistance components at least one of which can be varied to represent a physical magnitude, said circuit arrangement comprising an oscillator circuit including an oscillation amplifier, a feedback loop coupled between an input and the output of the amplifier and contributing attenuation to the general attenuation included in the oscillator circuit, and said loop having said voltage divider inserted as an attenuator in the feedback loop, means for adjusting the gain of the amplifier to a level at which oscillation is sustained by overcoming said general circuit attenuation and the attenuation of said voltage divider, and indicator means coupled to said amplifier output and operative to indicate the state of oscillation of non-oscillation of the oscillator circuit.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
143 words
A circuit arrangement for determining the ratio of a voltage divider including two impedances joined at a junction and said impedances including reactance components and including resistance components at least one of which can be varied to represent a physical magnitude, said circuit arrangement comprising an oscillator circuit including an oscillation amplifier, a feedback loop coupled between an input and the output of the amplifier and contributing attenuation to the general attenuation included in the oscillator circuit, and said loop having said voltage divider inserted as an attenuator in the feedback loop, means for adjusting the gain of the amplifier to a level at which oscillation is sustained by overcoming said general circuit attenuation and the attenuation of said voltage divider, and indicator means coupled to said amplifier output and operative to indicate the state of oscillation of non-oscillation of the oscillator circuit.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
30 words
A circuit arrangement as in claim 1, wherein said amplifier gain adjustment means comprises an attenuator coupled to form a negative feedback loop between an amplifier input and its output.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
56 words
A circuit arrangement as in claim 2, wherein said amplifier gain adjustment means comprises a potentiometer calibrated by a scale and cooperating pointer, and wherein said indicator means comprises a two state indicator operative to assume one state when the oscillator circuit is not oscillating and to assume the other state when the oscillator is oscillating.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
58 words
A circuit arrangement as in claim 1, wherein said amplifier gain adjustment means comprises a multiplier circuit having two inputs and a product output comprising the product of the two inputs, one of its inputs and its ouput being coupled in said feedback loop, and the other of its inputs being coupled to a variable direct current source.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
47 words
A circuit arrangement as in claim 4, wherein said indicator means comprises voltage responsive means coupled to the output of the amplifier and driving a two-state indicator which assumes one state when the oscillator circuit is not oscillating and the other state when the oscillator is oscillating.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
21 words
A circuit arrangement as in claim 1, wherein said feedback loop includes a frequency control circuit comprising a Wien bridge circuit.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
70 words
A circuit arrangement as in claim 6, wherein said oscillator amplifier comprises a differential amplifier, said voltage divider being coupled across its output, and said Wien bridge circuit being coupled between said junction of the voltage divider and one input of the differential amplifier, and said amplifier gain adjustment means comprising a second voltage divider connected across the amplifier output and connected to the other input of the differential amplifier.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
23 words
A circuit arrangement as in claim 7, wherein an impedance changer is interposed between said voltage divider junction and said Wien bridge circuit.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
80 words
A circuit arrangement as in claim 6, wherein said oscillator amplifier comprises a differential amplifier, said Wien bridge circuit having an input connected to the output of the amplifier and having an output, the voltage divider being connected across the latter output and having its junction coupled to one input of the differential amplifier, and said amplifier gain adjustment means comprising a second voltage divider connected across the amplifier output and connected to the other input of the differential amplifier.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
28 words
A circuit arrangement as in claim 7, wherein said second voltage divider comprises a potentiometer having an adjustable tap connected to said other input of the differential amplifier.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
28 words
A circuit arrangement as in claim 9, wherein said second voltage divider comprises a potentiometer having an adjustable tap connected to said other input of the differential amplifier.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
88 words
A circuit arrangement as in claim 7, wherein said amplifier gain adjustment means includes a multiplier circuit having two inputs and a product output, and said second voltage divider including a fixed tap and a variable tap, the variable tap being connected to one of the inputs of the multiplier circuit and the product output of the multiplier circuit being connected to the other input of the differential amplifier, and the fixed tap of the second voltage divider being connected to the other input of the multiplier circuit.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
88 words
A circuit arrangement as in claim 9, wherein said amplifier gain adjustment means includes a multiplier circuit having two inputs and a product output, and said second voltage divider including a fixed tap and a variable tap, the variable tap being connected to one of the inputs of the multiplier circuit and the product output of the multiplier circuit being connected to the other input of the differential amplifier, and the fixed tap of the second voltage divider being connected to the other input of the multiplier circuit.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
106 words
A circuit arrangement as in claim 1, wherein said oscillator amplifier and said feedback loop together comprise an oscillatory loop, an amplitude-responsive component in the oscillatory loop operative to change the amplification from a first higher amplification factor to a second lower amplification factor in response to oscillations occurring in the oscillatory loop within a range resulting from circuit amplification greater than unity but less than the ratio of said first to said second amplification factors, whereby within this range the amplitude of oscillation is stabilized to a predetermined level, above this range the oscillation amplitude increases rapidly, and below this range there is no oscillation.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
18 words
A circuit arrangement as in claim 14, wherein above said range said oscillator amplifier oscillates to saturation levels.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
22 words
A circuit arrangement as in claim 14, wherein said first amplification factor is at most 5 percent greater than said second factor.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
22 words
A circuit arrangement as in claim 14, wherein said first amplification factor is at most 3 percent greater than said second factor.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
30 words
A circuit arrangement as in claim 14, wherein said amplitude responsive component comprises a non-linear circuit whose attenuation increases as the amplitude of oscillation rises in said range of amplitudes.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
26 words
A circuit arrangement as in claim 14, wherein said amplitude responsive component has an attenuation extending from the vicinity of zero to a higher finite value.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
63 words
A circuit arrangement as in claim 14, wherein said indicator means includes an evaluator having two threshold level circuits respectively having values marking the upper and lower limits of said range of amplitudes, and further includes means for indicating oscillation amplitudes distinguished by these levels as being at zero level, at a level within said range, and at a level above said range.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
34 words
A circuit arrangement as in claim 20, wherein said means for indicating said levels comprises comparison means for comparing the oscillation level with said threshold levels, and indicator lamps controlled by said comparison means.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
71 words
A circuit arrangement as in claim 20, wherein said evaluator means comprises comparison means comparing the oscillation level with the lower threshold level, and an indicator lamp actuated by the comparison means when the oscillation level is below the lower threshold, and comparison means comparing the oscillation level with the upper threshold level and an iNdicator lamp actuated by the comparison means when the oscillation level is above the upper threshold.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
67 words
A circuit arrangement as in claim 20, including drive means for adjusting the amplifier gain adjustment means, the drive means being coupled for control by said means for indicating said levels and operated thereby to increase the gain of the oscillation amplified when the circuit is not oscillating and to reduce the oscillator amplifier gain toward unity when the oscillation amplitude is above said range of amplitudes.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
30 words
A circuit arrangement as in claim 23, wherein said means for adjusting the gain is a potentiometer, and said drive means is an electric motor coupled to drive the potentiometer.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
97 words
A circuit arrangement as in claim 23, said amplifier gain adjustment means includes a multiplier circuit having two inputs and a product output comprising the product of the two inputs, one of its inputs and its product output being coupled in said feedback loop, and the other of its inputs being coupled to a variable direct-current source comprising a capacitor, and means for charging the capacitor when the oscillator is not oscillating, and substractive means coupled to the oscillation circuit and operative to reduce the charge in the capacitor when the oscillation amplitude is above said range.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
96 words
A circuit arrangement as in claim 20, wherein at least one of said reactance components of said voltage divider includes means for regulating it to a desired value, and wherein said means for indicating oscillation amplitudes with respect to said range includes means for varying the regulating means such that when the oscillator circuit is not oscillating the resistance component is varied to reduce the attenuation of the voltage divider and when the oscillator circuit is oscillating at an amplitude above said range the resistance component is varied to increase the attenuation of the voltage divider.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1977-11-11 | 1978-05-13 | 1978-11-12 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1981-11-11 | 1982-05-13 | 1982-11-12 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1985-11-11 | 1986-05-13 | 1986-11-12 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |