Transducer linearizing system

Claim 3

The system of claim 1 including amplifier means, said means operative to receive said non-linear transducer signal and provide an amplified non-linear electrical signal therefrom for receipt by said storage means and said linearization means.

Claim 4

The system of claim 1 wherein the non-linear transducer signal is an analog signal and said system includes analog to digital converter means operative to receive said non-linear analog signal and provide a corresponding digital signal therefrom, said storage means is a digital storage means operative to receive said digital signal from said converter means and provide a digital correction signal corresponding thereto, said linearization means is operative to receive and combine said transducer non-linear analog signal with an analog correction signal corresponding thereto, and said system includes digital to analog converter means operative to receive said storage means digital correction signal and convert said signal to said analog correction signal for receipt by the linearization means.

Claim 5

The system of claim 1 wherein the non-linear transducer signal is an analog signal and said system includes an analog to digital converter operative to receive said non-linear analog signal and provide a corresponding digital signal therefrom, said storage means is a digital storage means operative to receive said digital signal from said converter means and provide a digital correction signal corresponding thereto, said linearization means is operative to receive and combine said non-linear digital signal and said corresponding digital correction signal and provide a linearized digital signal therefrom, and said system includes digital to analog converter means operative to receive said linearization means linearized digital signal and convert said signal to a corresponding linearized analog signal

Claim 6

The system of claim 1 wherein the predetermined set of correction quantities is determined by a process including the steps of: (a) determining an equation substantially depicting the profile of the non-linear transducer output signal over the prescribed range; (b) determining a second equation having a linear profile and which approximates the non-linear equation of step (a); (c) using the equations of steps (a) and (b) for determining the difference between the non-linear profile of step (a) and the linear profile of step (b) for selected locations therealong.

Claim 7

The system of claim 5 wherein the equation is determined by means of a series expansion formula.

Claim 8

The system of claim 1 wherein the variable is force and the linearized transducer signal provided by the linearization means is related to the force by the relationship: ##EQU8## where V 1 ' is the linearized signal provided by the linearization means; V 1 is the non-linear transducer voltage signal at a particular location within said range; V max and V min are respectively the maximum and minimum non-linear transducer voltage signal for said range; F max and F min are respectively the maximum and minimum forces for said range; and e(V 1 ) is the difference between the force necessary to cause the actual non-linear transducer to provide a signal of value V 1 and the force of the desired linearized profile at the same signal value V 1 ; where the product ##EQU9## is the correction signal corresponding to the particular transducer non-linear voltage signal to be combined with said transducer non-linear voltage signal by said linearization means, and at least the quantity e(v 1 ) of the product: ##EQU10## is stored by said storage means.

Claim 9

The system of claim 1 wherein the storage means is a read-only-memory storage means.

Claim 10

The system of claim 1 wherein the storage means is an erasable read-only-memory storage means.

Claim 11

Within an apparatus employing a single memory device, a method of effecting a high resolution linearization of an analog input voltage signal having a characteristic profile over a predetermined voltage range, said profile varying from an idealized profile by an error component, said error component equaling the arithmetic difference between the input and idealized profiles at finite points within said range, said method comprising: digitizing said input signal; addressing predetermined correction quantity data within said single memory device with said digitized input signal, said data comprising a finite number of constants, each constant correlating with an error component; outputting said addressed constant as a digital error signal; arithmetically adding said digital error signal with said digitized input voltage signal in a summing junction; outputting the resultant sum of said digital error an digitized input voltage signals; converting said resultant sum as an equivalent analog signal; and outputting said equivalent analog signal as an approximation of said idealized profile.

Claim 12

Within an apparatus employing a single memory device, a method of effecting a high resolution linearization of an analog input voltage signal having a characteristic profile over a predetermined voltage range, said profile varying from an idealized profile by an error component, said error component equaling the arithmetic difference between the input and idealized profiles at finite points within said range, said method comprising: digitizing said input signal; addressing predetermined correction quantity data within said single memory device with said digitized input signal, said data comprising a finite number of constants, each constant correlating with an error component; outputting said addressed constant as a digital error signal; arithmetically adding said digital error signal with said digitized input voltage signal in a summing junction; outputting the resultant sum of said digital error an digitized input voltage signals; converting said resultant sum as an equivalent analog signal; and outputting said equivalent analog signal as an approximation of said idealized profile.

Claim 13

The method of claim 10, further comprising the step to amplifying said analog signal prior to digitization.