Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 12
Claim 1
Independent Claim
141 words
A two-wire transmitter for tramsitting information via a pair of wires having an external power supply connected thereto, said transmitter comprising; means for receiving a predetermined amount of power via said pair of wires from said external power supply; means for storing a portion of said received power during spaced apart first time intervals; means for exciting an external sensor with said stored power during second tie intervals that are substantially shorter than said first time intervals and are spaced between respective ones of said first time intervals; means for sampling and holding the excitation output of said sensor in synchronization with said excitation thereof; and variable resistance means for insertion in series with said pairs of wires and responsive to said held excitation output from said sensor to allow a current representative thereof to flow through said pairs of wires.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
141 words
A two-wire transmitter for tramsitting information via a pair of wires having an external power supply connected thereto, said transmitter comprising; means for receiving a predetermined amount of power via said pair of wires from said external power supply; means for storing a portion of said received power during spaced apart first time intervals; means for exciting an external sensor with said stored power during second tie intervals that are substantially shorter than said first time intervals and are spaced between respective ones of said first time intervals; means for sampling and holding the excitation output of said sensor in synchronization with said excitation thereof; and variable resistance means for insertion in series with said pairs of wires and responsive to said held excitation output from said sensor to allow a current representative thereof to flow through said pairs of wires.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
17 words
A transmitter according to claim 1 wherein said predetermined amount of power is less than 50 milliwatts.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
28 words
A transmitter according to claim 2 wherein said means for receiving is a DC-DC converter having a low loss core that is operable at less than 50 milliwatts.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
42 words
A transmitter according to claim 2 wherein said means for storing is a capacitor, and wherein said means for exciting is comprised of programmable amplifier means for gating charge from said capacitor to said external sensor in response to first control signals.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
58 words
A transmitter according to claim 2 wherein said means for sampling and holding includes differential DC amplifier means for receiving said output from said sensor, and also includes a capacitor coupled through a field effect transistor means to the output of said amplifier for sampling and holding signals on said amplifier output in response to second control signals.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
28 words
A transmitter according to claim 5 and further including means for zeroing the output of said amplifier during said first time intervals in response to third control signals.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
57 words
A transmitter according to claim 2 wherein said variable resistance means includes a transistor and a fixed resistor for connection in series with said pair of wires, and further includes differential amplifier means for varying the conductance of said transistor in proportion to the difference between said held excitation output and the voltage across said fixed resistor.
Claim 9
Independent Claim
121 words
A method of transmitting information via a two-wire transmitter comprised of the steps of: receiving a predetermined amount of power from a pair of wires having an external power supply connected thereto; storing a portion of said received power during spaced apart first time intervals; exciting an external sensor with said stored power during second time intervals that are substantially shorter than said first time intervals and are spaced between respective ones of said first time intervals; sampling and holding the response of said sensor in synchronization with said excitation thereof; and varying the resistance of a device in series with said pair of wires such that a current representative of said held response from said sensor flows through said wires.
Claim 10
Independent Claim
121 words
A method of transmitting information via a two-wire transmitter comprised of the steps of: receiving a predetermined amount of power from a pair of wires having an external power supply connected thereto; storing a portion of said received power during spaced apart first time intervals; exciting an external sensor with said stored power during second time intervals that are substantially shorter than said first time intervals and are spaced between respective ones of said first time intervals; sampling and holding the response of said sensor in synchronization with said excitation thereof; and varying the resistance of a device in series with said pair of wires such that a current representative of said held response from said sensor flows through said wires.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
17 words
A method according to claim 8 wherein said predetermined amount of power is less than 50 milliwatts.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
40 words
A method according to claim 9 wherein said external sensor is excited at a power level during said second time intervals which is substantially greater the level at which power is drawn from said supply during said first time intervals.