US4199719A — Instrument for measuring the speed in RPM of a ro…

Claim 1

Independent Claim 151 words

In a speed measuring system having means for sensing rotation of a gear or the like, said means generating T pulses per revolution and means including a counter with a periodic time base for displaying the speed of rotation in terms of revolutions per unit of time, an improved circuit for converting the generated pulses T to a series of display counter drive pulses, comprising: a source of signal at a reference frequency; means connected with said sensing means for establishing a sample period of N generated pulses T; means for deriving from said reference frequency signal a series of pulses having a rate of directly proportional to T and inversely proportional to N; a counter for counting the derived pulses which occur during a sampling period; and means responsive to the count of said last mentioned counter and to said reference signal frequency for generating the display counter drive pulses.

Claim 2

Dependent Claim 151 words

In a speed measuring system having means for sensing rotation of a gear or the like, said means generating T pulses per revolution and means including a counter with a periodic time base for displaying the speed of rotation in terms of revolutions per unit of time, an improved circuit for converting the generated pulses T to a series of display counter drive pulses, comprising: a source of signal at a reference frequency; means connected with said sensing means for establishing a sample period of N generated pulses T; means for deriving from said reference frequency signal a series of pulses having a rate of directly proportional to T and inversely proportional to N; a counter for counting the derived pulses which occur during a sampling period; and means responsive to the count of said last mentioned counter and to said reference signal frequency for generating the display counter drive pulses.

Claim 3

Dependent Claim 13 words

The circuit of claim 1 including: means for selecting the value of N.

Claim 4

Dependent Claim 15 words

The circuit of claim 2 wherein the selecting means includes: a thumb wheel switch unit.

Claim 5

Dependent Claim 54 words

The circuit of claim 1 wherein the means for establishing a sample period includes: a flip-flop coupled to the sensing means for starting the sample period upon the detection of a first generated pulse; and a divider coupled to the sensing means for ending the sample period upon the detection of the Nth pulse.

Claim 6

Dependent Claim 53 words

The circuit of claim 1 wherein the means for deriving a series of pulses includes: a divide-by-sixty circuit for dividing the reference signal by sixty to provide a divided series of reference pulses; and a phase lock loop for multiplying the divided series of reference pulses by the number of pulses per revolution.

Claim 7

Dependent Claim 13 words

The circuit of claim 5 including means for selecting the value of N.

Claim 8

Dependent Claim 15 words

The circuit of claim 6 wherein the selecting means includes a thumb wheel switch unit.

Claim 9

Dependent Claim 67 words

The circuit of claim 1 wherein the means responsive to the counter includes: a latch for storing the count at the end of the sample period; a programmed divider for counting down from the count to zero at said reference signal frequency for providing a display counter drive pulse when zero is reached; and means for resetting the programed divider to the count when zero is reached.

Claim 10

Dependent Claim 23 words

The circuit of claim 8 wherein means are provided for updating the count in the latch at the end of each sample period.

Claim 11

Dependent Claim 150 words

A circuit for converting a first series of pulses into a second series of pulses proportional to the first series by a predetermined ratio, said circuit including: a source of a first series of pulses; means connected with said pulse source for establishing successive sample periods of N pulses each; means for generating a series of equally spaced reference pulses having a rate related to said predetermined ratio; means for counting the reference pulses which occur during each sample period; means operative at the end of each sample period to store the count from the counting means; programmed divider means for counting down from the stored count to zero at a regular rate and for providing output pulses each time zero is reached to provide the second series of pulses; and means for resetting the programed divider means to the stored count upon the occurrence of an output pulse therefrom.

Claim 12

Dependent Claim 150 words

A circuit for converting a first series of pulses into a second series of pulses proportional to the first series by a predetermined ratio, said circuit including: a source of a first series of pulses; means connected with said pulse source for establishing successive sample periods of N pulses each; means for generating a series of equally spaced reference pulses having a rate related to said predetermined ratio; means for counting the reference pulses which occur during each sample period; means operative at the end of each sample period to store the count from the counting means; programmed divider means for counting down from the stored count to zero at a regular rate and for providing output pulses each time zero is reached to provide the second series of pulses; and means for resetting the programed divider means to the stored count upon the occurrence of an output pulse therefrom.

Claim 13

Dependent Claim 75 words

The pulse conversion circuit of claim 10 wherein said means for establishing a sample period include: a flip-flop responsive to the first pulse in the first series of pulses for starting the sample period; and a divide-by-N counter which counts down from N upon the reception of said first series of pulses and provides an output pulse when N pulses N in said first series of pulses have been counted to end said sample period.

Claim 14

Dependent Claim 20 words

The pulse conversion circuit of claim 11 further including thumb wheel switch means for entering N into said divide-by-N counter.

Claim 15

Dependent Claim 64 words

The pulse conversion circuit of claim 10 wherein means for generating the series of equally spaced reference pulses includes: a source of signal at a frequency F; means for dividing said signal by a number equal to the preselected number of pulses N to provide pulses at a rate F/N; and means for multiplying the pulses at the rate F/N by said predetermined ratio.

Claim 16

Dependent Claim 135 words

A circuit for converting pulses representing the rotation of a member at T pulses per revolution to a series of equally spaced output pulses at the frequency of pulses representing rotation of said member at T o pulses per revolution, comprising: a source of signal at a reference frequency F; means for multiplying said signal at frequency F by the ratio T/T o ; means responsive to N pulses from the rotating member for establishing a sampling period; a counter responsive to said sampling period establishing means for counting the pulses at the frequency FT/T o which occur during the sampling period; and means connected with said reference frequency source and said counter for establishing a series of output pulses at a rate representing the relation of said member at T o pulses per revolution.

Claim 17

Dependent Claim 135 words

A circuit for converting pulses representing the rotation of a member at T pulses per revolution to a series of equally spaced output pulses at the frequency of pulses representing rotation of said member at T o pulses per revolution, comprising: a source of signal at a reference frequency F; means for multiplying said signal at frequency F by the ratio T/T o ; means responsive to N pulses from the rotating member for establishing a sampling period; a counter responsive to said sampling period establishing means for counting the pulses at the frequency FT/T o which occur during the sampling period; and means connected with said reference frequency source and said counter for establishing a series of output pulses at a rate representing the relation of said member at T o pulses per revolution.

Claim 18

Dependent Claim 19 words

The circuit for converting pulses of claim 14 wherein the pulses counted have a frequency of FT/NT o .

Claim 19

Independent Claim 116 words

A method of generating equally spaced pulses representative of the speed of a rotating element comprising: detecting a pulse each time a tooth on the element passes a point; starting a sample period when a first pulse is detected; stopping the sample period when the last pulse of N number of pulses is detected; generating a series of equally spaced output pulses representative of the number of pulses that would be detected if a gear having sixty teeth were rotating at the same speed as the rotating gear during the sample period; and applying the series of equally spaced output pulses to a digital counter having a one-second time base to display the speed in RPM.

Claim 20

Independent Claim 116 words

A method of generating equally spaced pulses representative of the speed of a rotating element comprising: detecting a pulse each time a tooth on the element passes a point; starting a sample period when a first pulse is detected; stopping the sample period when the last pulse of N number of pulses is detected; generating a series of equally spaced output pulses representative of the number of pulses that would be detected if a gear having sixty teeth were rotating at the same speed as the rotating gear during the sample period; and applying the series of equally spaced output pulses to a digital counter having a one-second time base to display the speed in RPM.

Claim 21

Dependent Claim 93 words

The method of claim 16 wherein the step of generating a series of equally spaced output pulses includes: providing a reference signal; dividing the reference signal by a number inversely proportional to N number of pulses; multiplying the divided reference signal by a number equal to the number of gear teeth on the rotating gear divided by sixty to provide a series of pulses; counting the pulses which occur during the sample period; and removing the reference signal to provide the equally spaced output pulses indicative of the RPM of the rotating gear.

Annuity Stage	Window Opens	Payment Deadline	Surcharge Period Until	Estimated Fee	Status
3.5 Years (Year 4)	1983-04-22	1983-10-22	1984-04-22	$2000.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8)	1987-04-22	1987-10-22	1988-04-22	$3760.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12)	1991-04-22	1991-10-22	1992-04-22	$7700.00	Window Closed / Lapsed

Instrument for measuring the speed in RPM of a rotating gear

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