Rotary position indicating circuit

Claim 2

Apparatus for indicating angular position of a rotary member over a selected angular range comprising means adapted to be coupled to a said rotary member for providing a d.c. first output signal at a level which varies as a function of angular position of said rotary member over said angular range, a plurality of threshold means responsive to said first output signal for indicating passage of said first output signal through a plurality of thresholds corresponding to preselected angular positions of said angular member within said range, each of said plurality of threshold means providing a d.c. second output signal indicative of passage of said first output signal through a corresponding said threshold, priority means for assigning a selected order of priority among said second output signals corresponding to a selected order of preselected angular positions within said range from a nominal zero position, and means operatively coupled to said threshold means and to said priority means and responsive to said second output signals for indicating a one of said output signals of highest priority corresponding to a one of said preselected angular positions farthest from said nominal zero reached by said rotary member.

Claim 3

The apparatus set forth in claim 1 further comprising means for selecting a said nominal zero position within said range such that said first output signal traverses a range which includes d.c. voltage levels greater than and less than a level corresponding to said nominal zero position, and wherein said priority indicating means includes a plurality of threshold direction means comprising first means operatively coupled to first ones of said threshold means corresponding to angular positions in one direction from said nominal zero position for indicating when said first output signal is greater than said corresponding thresholds of said first ones of said threshold means, and second means operatively coupled to second ones of said threshold means corresponding to angular positions in the other direction from said nominal zero position for indicating when said first output signal is less than said corresponding thresholds of said second ones of said threshold means.

Claim 4

The apparatus set forth in claim 2 further comprising means for varying said nominal zero position within said angular range by selectively programming individual ones of said threshold direction means so as to constitute one of said first and second means.

Claim 5

The apparatus set forth in claim 3 wherein said threshold means comprises a plurality of comparators each having one input for receiving said first output signal, a second input receiving a reference voltage and an output for providing a digital signal as a function of whether said first output signal is greater or less than said threshold, wherein said threshold direction means comprises a plurality of exclusive-OR gates each having one gate input connected to receive to a corresponding said digital output and a second gate input, and wherein said means for selectively programming said threshold direction means comprises programming switch means for selectively applying a logic one or a logic zero to each said second gate input such that the output of each said exclusive-OR gate selectively inverts or tracks the output of the corresponding comparator.

Claim 6

The apparatus set forth in claim 1 wherein said threshold means comprises a plurality of variable resistance means for providing a corresponding plurality of selectable reference voltages and a plurality of comparators each connected to compare said first output signal to a corresponding one of said reference voltages, and wherein said apparatus further comprises a voltmeter and means for selectively connecting said first output signal and said plurality of selectable reference voltages to said voltmeter, said last-named means comprising a plurality of switches corresponding in number to said plurality of variable resistance means and each having a normally open contact, a normally closed contact and a common contact, the normally open contact of each said switch being connected to the corresponding said variable resistance means, the normally closed contact of a first of said switches being connected to receive said first output signal, the normally closed contact of each succeeding switch being connected to the common contact of the next preceding switch, and the common contact of the last said switch being connected to said voltmeter, such that said voltmeter is normally connected to receive said first output signal through the common and normally closed contacts of said plurality of switches, and is connected to receive a said reference voltage upon actuation of the corresponding said switch through the common and normally open contacts of the said corresponding said switch and the common and normally closed contacts of the succeeding said switches.

Claim 7

The apparatus set forth in claim 5 wherein said voltmeter comprises a digital voltmeter calibrated in degrees of angular rotation of said rotary member, such that said digital voltmeter is adapted to read said reference voltages as reference angles when the corresponding said switches are actuated and to read said first output signal in degrees of angular position of said rotary member when all of said switches are unactuated.