Claims
- 1. A physical quantity detection device for detecting a physical quantity comprising:
- first pulse generating means for generating first successive pulse signals, wherein intervals between said first successive pulse signals change in response to a change in said physical quantity being detected;
- first pulse dividing means comprising:
- first counting means for counting said first successive pulse signals having a first counting pulse signal output and a first counting initiating signal input, and
- first decoding means having a first decoding signal input from said first counting pulse signal output and a first decoding pulse signal output for generating a first pulse signal when a counted value of said first counting means reaches a first predetermined value, said first decoding means further having a synchronization signal output for generating a synchronization signal, a first reset signal output for generating a first reset signal to the first counting initiating signal input for initiating said first counting means, and a second reset signal output for generating a second reset signal when a counted value of said first counting means reaches a second predetermined value;
- second pulse generating means for generating second successive pulse signals, an interval between said second successive pulse signals being one of constant and changing in response to said change in said physical quantity being detected, said second pulse generating means having a synchronization signal input from said first decoding means synchronization signal output for controlling said second pulse generating means by said synchronization signal so that a phase of said first successive pulse signals is synchronized with a phase of said second successive pulse signals;
- second pulse dividing means comprising:
- second counting means for counting said second successive pulse signals having a second counting pulse signal output, said second counting means further having a second initiating signal input for receiving said second reset signal from said first decoding means for initializing said second counting means, and
- second decoding means having a second decoding signal input from said second counting pulse signal output and a second decoding pulse signal output for generating a second pulse signal when a counted value of said second counting means reaches a third predetermined value; and
- pulse phase difference detecting means having a plurality of phase difference inputs from said first and second decoding pulse signal outputs for detecting a pulse phase difference between said first pulse signals and second pulse signals, and for outputting a resultant signal representing said physical quantity based upon said pulse phase difference.
- 2. A physical quantity detection device according to claim 1, wherein:
- said first pulse generating means and said second pulse generating means are each provided with at least one of a resistor, a capacitor and an inductor, a value of said at least one of said resistor, said capacitor, and said inductor being changed with respect to said change in said physical quantity.
- 3. A physical quantity detection device for detecting a physical quantity comprising:
- first pulse generating means for generating first successive pulse signals, wherein intervals between said first successive pulse signals change in response to a change in said physical quantity being detected;
- first pulse dividing means comprising:
- first counting means for counting said first successive pulse signals having a first counting pulse signal output and a first counting initiating signal input, and
- first decoding means having a first decoding signal input from said first counting pulse signal output and a first decoding pulse signal output for generating a first pulse signal when a counted value of said first counting means reaches a first predetermined value, said first decoding means further having a synchronization signal output for generating a synchronization signal, a first reset signal output for generating a first reset signal to the first counting initiating signal input for initiating said first counting means, and a second reset signal output for generating a second reset signal when a counted value of said first counting means reaches a second predetermined value;
- second pulse generating means for generating second successive pulse signals, intervals between said second successive pulse signals changing in response to said change in said physical quantity being detected, said second pulse generating means having a synchronization signal input from said first decoding means synchronization signal output for controlling said second pulse generating means by said synchronization signal so that a phase of said first successive pulse signals is synchronized with a phase of said second successive pulse signals;
- second pulse dividing means comprising:
- second counting means for counting said second successive pulse signals having a second counting pulse signal output, said second counting means further having a second initiating signal input for receiving said second reset signal from said first decoding means for initializing said second counting means, and
- second decoding means having a second decoding signal input from said second counting pulse signal output and a second decoding pulse signal output for generating a second pulse signal when a counted value of said second counting means reaches a third predetermined value; and
- pulse phase difference detecting means having a plurality of phase difference inputs from said first and second decoding pulse signal outputs for detecting a pulse phase difference between said first pulse signals and second pulse signals, and for outputting a resultant signal representing said physical quantity based upon said pulse phase difference;
- said first pulse generating means and said second pulse generating means each increasing a frequency of pulses generated from one of said first pulse generating means and said second pulse generating means, and each decreasing a frequency of pulses generated from another of said first pulse generating means and said second pulse generating means.
- 4. A physical quantity detection device according to claim 1, wherein:
- said first counting means includes a first counter to which said first successive pulse signal is input;
- said first decoding means includes a first decoder, coupled to said first counter to which a first counter output signal generated by said first counter is input, said first decoder outputting said synchronization signal and said first reset signal;
- said second counting means includes a second counter to which said second successive pulse signal is input; and
- said second decoding means includes a second decoder coupled to said second counter, to which a second counter output signal generated by said second counter is input.
- 5. A physical quantity detection device according to claim 1, wherein:
- an operation of said second pulse generating means is stopped temporarily in response to said synchronization signal.
- 6. A physical quantity detection device according to claim 4, wherein:
- said counted value of said second pulse dividing means is initialized to a predetermined value by said first reset signal.
- 7. A physical quantity detection device according to claim 1, wherein said pulse phase difference detecting means comprises:
- delay signal output means for outputting a plurality of delayed signals when said first pulse signal is input thereto, each of said plurality of delayed signals being delayed in time with respect to said first pulse signal by predetermined different amounts of time; and
- pulse signal selecting means, which receives said second pulse signal, for detecting said phase difference between said first pulse signal and said second pulse signal by selecting a certain one signal from among said plurality of delayed signals, said certain one signal having a specific condition with respect to a timing at which said second pulse signal is input to said pulse signal selecting means.
- 8. A physical quantity detection device according to claim 1, wherein:
- said first decoding means comprises a decoder, said decoder generating said second reset signal when said counted value counted by said first counting means reaches said first predetermined value and said second counting means is reset by said second reset signal.
- 9. A physical quantity detection device according to claim 7, wherein:
- said delay signal output means comprises an inverter.
- 10. A physical quantity detection device according to claim 1, further comprising:
- signal processing means, receiving said resultant signal as pulse phase difference data, for processing said pulse phase difference data digitally so as to determine whether or not a currently detected pulse phase difference data is higher or lower than a predetermined value, and for providing output data representing said physical quantity in response to said processed data.
- 11. A physical quantity detection device according to claim 10, wherein:
- said signal processing means detects an extreme value of said pulse phase difference data and outputs an extreme output signal in response to said detected extreme value.
- 12. A physical quantity detection device for detecting a physical quantity comprising:
- pulse generating means for generating successive pulse signals, wherein intervals between said successive pulse signals are determined with respect to a change in said detected physical quantity, said pulse generating means for converting said physical quantity into a pulse frequency representing a time-dimension factor, and for outputting time-signals based upon said pulse frequency;
- time-pulse dividing means, for receiving said time-signals as input signals, for counting said time-signals and generating a time-pulse dividing output pulse when a counted value reaches a predetermined value, and for generating a synchronization signal when counting starts again after a counted value reaches a predetermined value;
- reference signal generating means for generating reference signals having a predetermined frequency, said reference signal generating means being cyclically in synchronization with said pulse generating means in response to said synchronization signal; and
- time-signal detecting means for detecting a phase-relationship between said time-pulse dividing output pulse and said reference signals, and for outputting a signal for representing said physical quantity based on said phase-relationship.
- 13. A physical quantity detection device according to claim 12, wherein:
- said reference signals change in frequency in a direction opposite to a change in frequency of said time-pulse dividing output pulse as said condition of said physical quantity changes.
- 14. A physical quantity detection device according to claim 12, wherein said time-pulse dividing means comprises:
- a counter counting said time-signals as said counted value; and
- a decoder generating said synchronization signal based upon said counted value.
- 15. A physical quantity detection device according to claim 13, wherein said reference signal generating means comprises:
- reference pulse signal generating means for generating reference pulse signals;
- a counter counting said reference pulse signals; and
- a decoder decoding said counted value and generating said reference signal;
- said reference signal generating means being initialized cyclically in response to said synchronization signal.
- 16. A physical quantity detection device for detecting a physical quantity of a type which can change an oscillating characteristic of an oscillating element, said device comprising:
- first oscillating means for generating a first pulse signal having a first oscillating frequency which can be changed in response to a change in said physical quantity detected;
- second oscillating means for generating a second pulse signal having a reference oscillating frequency to be compared with said first oscillating frequency of said first pulse signal;
- first counting means connected to said first oscillating means for counting a number of pulses of said first pulse signal starting from a first pulse of said first pulse signal positioned at a predetermined first counting point, and for outputting a first counting signal when said first counting means counts a first predetermined number of pulses of said first pulse signal;
- second counting means connected to said second oscillating means for counting a number of pulses of said second pulse signal starting from a first pulse of said second pulse signal positioned at a predetermined second counting point, and for outputting a second counting signal when said second counting means counts a second predetermined number of pulses of said second pulse signal;
- pulse phase difference detecting means connected to said first counting means and second counting means for detecting a phase difference between said first counting signal and said second counting signal; and
- detecting means, receiving an input from said phase difference detecting means, for detecting whether or not the frequency of said first pulse signal of said first oscillating means has changed, depending upon said pulse phase difference detected by said pulse phase difference detecting means;
- one of said first counting means and said second counting means outputting a synchronization signal to one of said second oscillating means and said first oscillating means respectively, after said first counting means outputs said first counting signal and said second counting means outputs said second counting signal, so that said first counting point of said first counting pulse signal is synchronized with said second counting point of said second pulse signal.
- 17. A physical quantity detection device for detecting a condition of a physical quantity comprising:
- first pulse generating means for generating successive pulse signals, an interval of said first successive pulse signals changing in response to a change in said physical quantity being detected;
- a first counter counting said successive pulse signals and generating a first pulse signal when a first counted value of said first counter reaches a first predetermined value;
- a first decoder generating a synchronization signal when said first counted value of said first counter reaches a second predetermined value;
- second pulse generating means for generating pulse signals, for stopping generation of said pulse signals after a predetermined number of pulse signals are generated, for restarting generation of said pulse signals in synchronization with one of a first level of said synchronization signal and a leading edge of said synchronization signal, and for stopping said restarting generation of said pulse signals in synchronization with one of a second level of said synchronization signal and a trailing edge of said synchronization signal;
- a second counter counting said second pulses and generating a second pulse signal when a second counted value of said second counter reaches a third predetermined value; and
- pulse phase difference detecting means for detecting a pulse phase difference between said first pulse signal and said second pulse signal, and for outputting a digitized signal representing said physical quantity based on said phase difference.
Priority Claims (6)
Number |
Date |
Country |
Kind |
1-10235 |
Jan 1989 |
JPX |
|
1-12526 |
Jan 1989 |
JPX |
|
1-96873 |
Apr 1989 |
JPX |
|
1-264319 |
Oct 1989 |
JPX |
|
1-324290 |
Dec 1989 |
JPX |
|
1-336089 |
Dec 1989 |
JPX |
|
Parent Case Info
This is a Continuation of Application Ser. No. 08/437,568 filed May 9, 1995, now abandoned; which was a Continuation of Ser. No. 08/112,314 filed Aug. 27, 1993, now abandoned; which was a Continuation of Ser. No. 07/866,351 filed Apr. 10, 1992, now abandoned; which was a Continuation of Ser. No. 07/467,402, filed Jan 18, 1990, now U.S. Pat. No. 5,134,371 issued Jul. 28, 1992.
US Referenced Citations (26)
Foreign Referenced Citations (6)
Number |
Date |
Country |
281733 |
Sep 1988 |
EPX |
3621710 |
Jan 1988 |
DEX |
48-94477 |
Dec 1973 |
JPX |
0068266 |
Jun 1979 |
JPX |
55-75343 |
Jun 1980 |
JPX |
57-142336 |
Sep 1982 |
JPX |
Continuations (4)
|
Number |
Date |
Country |
Parent |
437568 |
May 1995 |
|
Parent |
112314 |
Aug 1993 |
|
Parent |
866351 |
Apr 1992 |
|
Parent |
467402 |
Jan 1990 |
|