Abstrict In a circuit arrangement for deriving the measured variable from
the signals (S.sub.1 to S.sub.2) of at least two sensors (23 24)
of a flow meter, which flow meter comprises one or several parallel
fluid lines (20 21) and means (22) for exciting oscillations of
a predetermined fundamental frequency (.omega.) in the fluid line(s),
the sensors (23 24) detect the oscillations and the sensor signals
(S.sub.1 to S.sub.2) are supplied by way of a respective A-D converter
(36; 37) to a digital processing unit (P) having a computation circuit
(46), in which their phase difference (.PHI.) is determined as a
measure of the flow. In order to be largely independent of unwanted
changes in the fundamental frequency (.omega.) of the sensor signals
(S.sub.1 S.sub.2), and to measure the flow with little effort and
with as few errors as possible, provision is made for the processing
unit (P) between the A-D converter (36; 37) of each sensor signal
(S.sub.1 S.sub.2) and the computation circuit (46) to comprise
a digital multiplier circuit (M) and a digital filter arrangement
(F) downstream thereof, for the digital sensor signals (S.sub.1
S.sub.2) to be multiplied in the multiplier circuit (M) with respective
digital signals (I, R) phase-displaced by 90.degree. with respect
to one another that represent sinusoidal oscillations of identical
maximum amplitude (x) and of a frequency (.omega.+.DELTA..omega.)
that varies by a slight difference frequency (.DELTA..omega.) from
the fundamental frequency (.omega.), and for the pass band of the
filter arrangement (F) to be matched to the difference frequency
(.DELTA..omega.).
Claims What is claimed is:
1. Circuit arrangement for deriving a measured variable from signals
of at least two sensors of a flow meter, which flow meter comprises
at least one fluid line and means for exciting oscillations of a
predetermined fundamental frequency in the fluid line, the sensors
detecting the oscillations and the sensor signals being supplied
in parallel by way of a respective A-D converter for each signal
to a digital processing unit having a computation circuit in which
a phase difference of the sensor signals is determined as a measure
of the flow, the digital processing unit comprising a digital multiplier
circuit and a digital filter arrangement downstream thereof, the
digital multiplier circuit having means to multiply a digital sensor
signal from each A-D converter with each one of at least two digital
signals, the two digital signals being phase-displaced by 90.degree.
with respect to each other and representing sinusoidal oscillations
of identical amplitude and of a frequency that varies by a difference
frequency from the fundamental frequency, and the digital filter
arrangement having a pass band that is matched to the difference
frequency.
2. Circuit arrangement according to claim 1 in which the filter
arrangement comprises a plurality of low-pass filters which are
connected downstream of a respective multiplying element of the
multiplier circuit.
3. Circuit arrangement according to claim 1 in which each A-D
converter comprises a sigma-to-delta converter and a decimator connected
downstream thereof.
4. Circuit arrangement for deriving a measured variable from signals
of at least two sensors of a flow meter, which flow meter comprises
at least one fluid line and means for exciting oscillations of a
predetermined fundamental frequency in the fluid line, the sensors
detecting the oscillations and the sensor signals being supplied
in parallel by way of a respective A-D converter for each signal
to a digital processing unit having a computation circuit in which
a phase difference of the sensor signals is determined as a measure
of the flow, the digital processing unit comprising a digital multiplier
circuit and a digital filter arrangement downstream thereof, the
digital multiplier circuit having means to multiply a digital sensor
signal from each A-D converter with each one of at least two digital
signals, the two digital signals being phase-displaced by 90.degree.
with respect to each other and representing sinusoidal oscillations
of identical amplitude and of a frequency that varies by a difference
frequency from the fundamental frequency, the digital filter arrangement
having a pass band that is matched to the difference frequency,
each A-D converter comprising a sigma-to-delta converter and a decimator
connected downstream thereof, the decimator comprising a Hogenauer
circuit having a first matrix of digital integrators followed by
a corresponding second matrix of digital differentiating elements.
5. Circuit arrangement according to claim 4 in which the first
matrix consists of m columns and n rows of integrators, each of
which comprises an adder having a first and a second summing input,
a carry input, a summation output and a carry output, the summation
outputs being connected in each case to the first summing input
of a following adder of the same row and the carry outputs of the
adders of the same columns being connected in each case to the carry
input of the adder of the next-higher bit position, and each integrator
comprising a flip-flop having a data input and at least one output,
the signal being transferred from the data input to the output of
the flip-flop when a clock pulse at a clock input of the flip-flop
changes value, and the summation output of the adder of the relevant
integrator being connected to the data input of the flip-flop and
the output of the flip-flop being connected to the second summing
input of the adder of the same integrator.
6. Circuit arrangement according to claim 4 in which the second
matrix consists of m columns and n rows of differentiating elements,
each of which comprises an adder having two summing inputs, a carry
input, a summation output and a carry output, the summation outputs
in each case being connected to a first summing input of a following
adder of the same row and the carry outputs of the adders of the
same columns being connected in each case to the carry input of
the adder of the next-higher bit position, and each differentiating
element comprising a flip-flop having a data input and at least
one output, the signal being transferred inverted from the data
input to the output of the flip-flop when a clock pulse at a clock
input of the flip-flop changes value, the data input of the flip-flop
being connected to the first summing input of the adder of the relevant
differentiating element and the output of the flip-flop being connected
to the second summing input of the adder of the same differentiating
element.
7. Circuit arrangement according to one of claim 5 in which, in
the first column of the first matrix, the first summing inputs of
the adders, except for the adder of the lowest order bit position,
is connected to a common input for a serial bit sequence.
8. Circuit arrangement according to claim 5 in which parallel
bit patterns for +1 and -1 are entered in the inputs of the decimators
in dependence on the instantaneous value for the serial bit sequence,
-1 being entered as the two's complement to 1.
9. Circuit arrangement according to claim 5 in which the first
input of the lowest placed adder is allocated a binary 1.
10. Circuit arrangement according to claim 5 in which in the lowest
placed row of the first matrix, the carry inputs of the adders are
allocated a binary 0.
11. Circuit arrangement according to claim 6 in which in the lowest
placed row of the second matrix, the carry inputs of the adders
are allocated a binary 1.
12. Circuit arrangement according to claim 5 in which the first
matrix operates at a high clock rate and the second matrix operates
at a lower clock rate.
13. Circuit arrangement according to claim 4 in which the second
matrix is in the form of a microprocessor.
14. Circuit arrangement according to claim 13 in which the parameters
of the filter arrangement are variable in dependence on the application
of the flow meter.
15. Circuit arrangement according to claim 6 in which the first
input of the lowest placed adder is allocated a binary 1.
16. Circuit arrangement according to claim 6 in which in the lowest
placed row of the first matrix, the carry inputs of the adders are
allocated a binary 0.
17. Circuit arrangement according to claim 6 in which the first
matrix operates at a high clock rate and the second matrix operates
at a lower clock rate.
18. Circuit arrangement for deriving a measured variable from signals
of at least two sensors of a flow meter, which flow meter comprises
at least one fluid line and means for exciting oscillations of a
predetermined fundamental frequency in the fluid line, the sensors
detecting the oscillations and the sensor signals being supplied
in parallel by way of a respective A-D converter for each signal
to a digital processing unit having a computation circuit in which
a phase difference of the sensor signals is determined as a measure
of the flow, the digital processing unit comprising a digital multiplier
circuit and a digital filter arrangement downstream thereof, the
digital multiplier circuit having means to multiply a digital sensor
signal from each A-D converter with each one of at least two digital
signals, the two digital signals being phase-displaced by 90.degree.
with respect to each other and representing sinusoidal oscillations
of identical amplitude and of a frequency that varies by a difference
frequency from the fundamental frequency, the digital filter arrangement
having a pass band that is matched to the difference frequency,
and in which the computation circuit determines the phase difference
of the sensor signals according to the relation ##EQU15## in which
a and b are the output signals of the filter arrangement after multiplication
of the one sensor signal and c and d are the output signals of the
filter arrangement after multiplication of the other sensor signal.
19. Circuit arrangement for deriving a measured variable from signals
of at least two sensors of a flow meter, which flow meter comprises
at least one fluid line and means for exciting oscillations of a
predetermined fundamental frequency in the fluid lines the sensors
detecting the oscillations and the sensor signals being supplied
in parallel by way of a respective A-D converter for each signal
to a digital processing unit having a computation circuit in which
a phase difference of the sensor signals is determined as a measure
of the flow, the respective A-D converters sampling the sensor signals
at a clock rate which is fixed and unsynchronized with the sensor
frequency, the digital processing unit comprising a digital multiplier
circuit and a digital filter arrangement downstream thereof, the
digital multiplier circuit having means to multiply a digital sensor
signal from each A-D converter with each one of at least two digital
signals, the two digital signals being phase-displaced by 90.degree.
with respect to each other and representing sinusoidal oscillations
of identical amplitude and of a frequency that may vary by a difference
frequency from the sensor frequency, and the digital filter arrangement
having a pass band that is matched to the difference frequency.
Description BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The invention relates to a circuit arrangement for deriving the
measured variable from the signals of at least two sensors of a
flow meter, which flow meter comprises a fluid line or several parallel
fluid lines and means for exciting oscillations of a predetermined
fundamental frequency in the fluid line(s), the sensors detecting
the oscillations and the sensor signals being supplied by way of
a respective A-D converter to a digital processing unit having a
computation circuit in which their phase difference is determined
as a measure of the flow.
DE 43 19 344 C2 discloses a method of measuring the phase difference
in a Coriolis mass flow meter. In this case, sensor signals representing
physical variables of the flow, the phase difference of which signals
is to be determined as a measure of the flow, are transmitted by
way of amplifiers, analogue low-pass filters and analogue-to-digital
converters to a processing unit, in which the phase difference is
calculated.
U.S. Pat. No. 5555190 discloses a circuit arrangement of the
kind mentioned initially for a Coriolis flow meter in which two
tubes are caused to oscillate in anti-phase. The oscillations are
measured by sensors at different points of the tubes, the phase
difference between the sensor signals being used as a measure of
the flow. For that purpose, the circuit arrangement contains two
channels, in each of which there is arranged an analogue-to-digital
converter having downstream thereof a so-called "decimator",
wherein the signals are subsequently passed through a digital rejection
filter which allows all interference signals through apart from
in a narrow stop frequency band around the fundamental frequency.
This digitally filtered signal is subtracted from the original signal,
in order to obtain a more accurate representation of the sensor
signals. The stop frequency band of the filter is adjustable, the
filter being controlled in accordance with an algorithm in such
a way that it follows the changes in the fundamental frequency.
This method is suitable for measuring very small phase differences
that occur in a Coriolis flow meter. The fundamental frequency of
a flow meter is not constant, however. It is supposed to be changed
in dependence on changes in the material properties of the tube
and in the density of the fluid flowing through the flow meter.
When the fundamental frequency is changed, the constants of the
filter also have to be changed, in order to match the filter to
the fundamental frequency. Changing of the filter constants produces
a change in the output signal of the filter. A sudden change causes
disturbance that falsifies the measurement signal. Only when the
quiescent state has been reached, after matching to the fundamental
frequency, do the measurements become reliable. In the interim period,
they are seriously distorted and useless, and the measured flow
is error-prone. That is why this method is not suitable for flow
meters in which the fundamental frequency changes during operation.
U.S. Pat. No. 5142286 discloses an X-ray scintillator which has
sigma-to-delta converters, downstream of which a so-called Hogenauer
decimator is connected. The sigma-to-delta converters convert the
analogue input signal at a high over-sampling frequency into a high-frequency
digital signal. The downstream Hogenauer decimator scales down the
sampling frequency of its input signal and suppresses high-frequency
interference signals which occur during digitization.
From EP 0 282 552 it is known to extract phase difference between
two sinusoidal signals by sampling a fixed number of times per cycle,
multiply the samples with corresponding sine and cosine values and
add the results for one whole cycle. The results represent the real
and imaginary parts of the signal, and the tangent to the phase
angle can be found by dividing the imaginary part with the real
part. This method requires however, that the sampling is synchronized
to multiples of the sensor frequency and it requires analog circuitry
to change the clock frequency.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The invention is based on the problem of providing a circuit arrangement
of the kind mentioned in the preamble, which allows a more accurate
detection of the flow regardless of changes in the fundamental frequency,
combined with a simple construction.
In accordance with the invention, that problem is solved in that
the processing unit between the A-D converter of each sensor signal
and the computation circuit comprises a digital multiplier circuit
and a digital filter arrangement downstream thereof, the digital
sensor signals are multiplied in the multiplier circuit with respective
digital signals phase-displaced by 90.degree. with respect to one
another that represent sinusoidal oscillations of identical amplitude
and a frequency that varies by a slight difference frequency from
the fundamental frequency, and the pass band of the filter arrangement
is matched to the difference frequency. A clock independent of the
sensor frequency controls the sampling rate and subsequent down-sampled
calculations. This eliminates the need for analog circuitry to synchronize
the sampling to a multiple of the sensor frequency.
This construction of the circuit arrangement enables the flow to
be accurately calculated from the sensor signals of the flow meter
without a change in the fundamental frequency falsifying the measurement
result. The parameters of the filter arrangement can remain constant
even when the fundamental frequency changes, provided that the pass
band corresponds to the maximum possible difference frequency. Owing
to the fact that multiplication is effected with approximately the
same frequency, the difference frequency is very much lower than
the original frequency. This simplifies construction. The circuit
arrangement is suitable both for mass flow meters and for electromagnetic
flow meters and other flow meters in which the measured value is
derived from the phase angle and amplitudes of two sinusoidal signals.
The filter arrangement can comprise band-pass filters for the product
signals resulting from the multiplication. Preferably, however,
it comprises low-pass filters, which are connected downstream of
a respective multiplying element of the multiplier circuit.
The A-D converter preferably contains a sigma-to-delta converter
and a decimator connected downstream thereof. This enables the analogue
sensor signals to be converted with a simple construction at very
high sampling frequency and with little digitizing noise, whilst
simultaneously reducing the repetition rate of the binary values
produced in digitization, for matching to a lower clock rate of
the computation circuit whilst maintaining the high measurement
accuracy.
The decimators can comprise a Hogenauer circuit having a first
matrix of digital integrators, followed by a corresponding second
matrix of digital differentiating elements. This circuit enables
the frequency of the bit sequence from the sigma-to-delta converter
to be reduced. Here, a multiple integration of the serial bit sequence
is followed by a corresponding multiple differentiation with simultaneous
frequency division into lower-frequency parallel bit sequences.
In detail, it is possible for the first matrix to consist of m
columns and n rows of integrators, each of which comprises an adder
having a first and a second summing input, a carry input, a summation
output and a carry output, the summation outputs being connected
in each case to the first summing input of a following adder of
the same row and the carry outputs of the adders of the same columns
being connected in each case to the carry input of the adder of
the next-higher bit position, and each integrator comprising a flip-flop
having a data input and at least one output, the signal being transferred
from the data input to the output of the flip-flop when a clock
pulse at a clock input of the flip-flop changes value, and the summation
output of the adder of the relevant integrator being connected to
the data input, and the output of the flip-flop being connected
to the second summing input of the adder of the same integrator.
In this connection, the entire first matrix can be constructed from
comparatively few, simple gates (logic elements). All gates can
be in the form of integrated circuits on a single chip, since multipliers
and memory space for filter coefficients are not required. The integrator
matrix can nevertheless operate at very high speed.
The second matrix can consist of m columns and n rows of differentiating
elements, each of which comprises an adder having two summing inputs,
a carry input, a summation output and a carry output, the summation
outputs being connected to a respective first summing input of a
following adder of the same row and the carry outputs of the adders
of the same columns being connected to the respective carry input
of the adder of the next-higher bit position, and each differentiating
element comprising a flip-flop having a data input and at least
one output, the signal being transferred inverted from the data
input to the output of the flip-flop when a clock pulse at a clock
input of the flip-flop changes value, the data input of the flip-flop
being connected to the first summing input of the adder of the relevant
differentiating element and the output of the flip-flop being connected
to the second summing input of the adder of the same differentiating
element. This construction allows the differentiating matrix to
be constructed from adders that operate by using the inverse outputs
of the flip-flops and allocating a binary 1 as subtractor to the
carry inputs of the adders of the lowest position. The differentiating
matrix can therefore also be constructed from simple gates without
multipliers and memory space for coefficients. In addition, they
can advantageously be formed on the same chip as the integrator
matrix.
It is preferably arranged that, in the first column of the first
matrix, the first summing inputs of the adders, except for the adder
of the lowest bit position, are connected to a common input for
a serial bit sequence. The least-significant bit is always 1 since
the serial bit sequence from the sigma-to-delta converter is taken
to be +1 or -1. The higher-order bits supplied to the connected
inputs of the higher-order adders have a sign prefix. Although three
series-connected integrators produce a carry, this is not important
when the adders operate for a subtraction with the two's complement
to 1 and there are sufficient bits to represent the largest number
occurring at the output.
Parallel bit patterns for +1 and -1 can be supplied to the inputs
of the decimator in dependence on the instantaneous value for the
serial bit sequence, -1 being entered as the two's complement to
1. Thus, only two values are entered, which represent the instantaneous
logical output value of the sigma-to-delta converter. This value
is entered in parallel, however, and during subsequent integration
and differentiation the bit pattern is processed without loss of
information.
The first input of the lowest placed adder is preferably allocated
a binary 1. In this way, +1 and the two's complement can be formed
by an inversion of the serial bit sequence and by supplying the
inverted bit sequence to the first input of the adder of the next-higher
position of a column. +1 and -1 are in this instance formed in a
very simple manner.
In the lowest placed row of the first matrix, the carry inputs
of the adders are allocated a binary 0.
In the lowest placed row of the second matrix, the carry inputs
of the adders are allocated a binary 1. Thus, a 1 is added to the
inverted output signal of the adders by using the inverse outputs
of the flip-flops, which represent the one's complement, so that
the signal that is returned from the flip-flops to the second input
of the adders represents the two's complement, so that the adders
operate as subtractors.
The first matrix can operate at a high clock rate, whereas the
second matrix operates at a lower clock rate. The serial high-frequency
bit sequence thus becomes a parallel low-frequency bit sequence.
The subsequent signal-processing can then be performed by a microprocessor.
Instead of constructing the differentiating elements of the second
matrix as separate components, it is alternatively possible to realize
the second matrix as a microprocessor, which is programmed to execute
the differentiations following the integration. This has the advantage
that the signal frequency after integration of the digitized signal
is reduced, so that a fast microprocessor can now operate in real
time, yet still be of simple and inexpensive construction.
The parameters of the filter arrangement are preferably variable
in dependence on the application of the flow meter. In this way,
all signals formed by the multiplication of the sum frequency can
be filtered out, so that only signals of the difference frequency
remain.
The computation circuit can determine the phase difference of the
sensor signals in a simple manner according to the relation ##EQU1##
in which a and b are the output signals of the filter arrangement
after multiplication of the one sensor signal and c and d are the
output signals of the filter arrangement after multiplication of
the other sensor signal.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
The invention is explained hereinafter in greater detail with reference
to the accompanying drawings of exemplary embodiments, in which
FIG. 1 is a block circuit diagram of an exemplary embodiment of
the circuit arrangement of a mass flow meter in accordance with
the invention,
FIGS. 2 and 3 show two embodiments of a sigma-to-delta converter
contained in the circuit arrangement according to FIG. 1
FIG. 4 is a simplified block circuit diagram of a Hogenauer decimator,
and
FIG. 5 is a more detailed block circuit diagram of a Hogenauer
decimator.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
The mass flow meter according to FIG. 1 has two measuring tubes
20 21 which are caused to oscillate in anti-phase by an actuator
22. The difference in amplitude of the oscillations of the two tubes
20 21 is measured by two sensors 23 and 24 arranged at different
points between the tubes 20 21. The sensor signals are supplied
by way of measurement lines to amplifiers 25 and 26 which at the
same time provide high impedance matching.
The amplified sensor signals S.sub.1 and S.sub.2 are supplied by
way of signal lines 30 31 to a respective sigma-to-delta converter
32 33 in analogue-to-digital converters 36 37. The A/D converters
are clocked by a fixed clock Cp1 (shown in FIGS. 2 4 and 5) having
a rate of 1 MHz. From the sigma-to-delta converters 32 33 the digitized
sensor signals at sample rate one mega samples pr sec are supplied
to a respective Hogenauer decimator 34 35 in the analogue-to-digital
converters 36 37. The downsampled digitized sensor signals at sample
rate 6785625 samples pr second are then multiplied with similarly
digitized signals I and R in multipliers 38 39 40 and 41 of a
multiplier circuit M. The signals I and R have approximately the
same frequency as the sensor signals S.sub.1 and S.sub.2 and are
phase-displaced by 90.degree. relative to one another. On each of
the multiplications, sum and difference frequency signals are obtained,
of which the sum frequency signals are filtered out by downstream
digital low-pass filters 42 43 44 45 of a filter arrangement
F. The low-frequency signals a, b, c and d allowed through by the
low-pass filters are mutually out-of-phase sinusoidal signals in
digital form, which correspond to the original sensor signals, but
of a very much lower frequency. The actual flow values are then
calculated from the signals a to d in a computation circuit 46 in
the form of a microprocessor, which also generates the signals I
and R in dependence on the digital sensor signals appearing in the
decimators.
The mathematical derivation of the phase difference or phase shift
.PHI. between the sensor signals S.sub.1 and S.sub.2 will be considered
in the following.
Assuming a sinusoidal characteristic for the sensor signals, then
these can be represented as follows
g and h being the respective amplitudes and .omega. being the fundamental
frequency of the sensor signals and t being the time variable. Let
the sensor signal S.sub.2 be shifted out of phase with respect to
the sensor signal S.sub.1 by the phase difference .PHI..
The output signals I and R of the computation circuit 46 is represented
by a sequence of numbers at a rate of 6785625 numbers per second
and the values are phase-displaced by 90.degree. each and having
the same amplitude x and approximately the same frequency .omega.
as the sensor signals, but vary from this frequency by a slight
amount .DELTA..omega.. For the signals I and R the following equations
can therefore be declared.
I=x.multidot.sin(.omega.t+.DELTA..omega.t) [3]
According to the general trigonometric relation ##EQU2##
the following equations are then true for the output signal A of
the multiplier 38
##EQU3##
In the low-pass filter 42 the component of the signal A having
the sum frequency is suppressed, so that the following relation
is true for the output signal of the low-pass filter 42: ##EQU4##
With the equations [1] and [3] the following relation is true for
the output signal B of the multiplier 40:
B=S.sub. 1.multidot.I=g.multidot.sin(.omega.t).multidot.x.multidot.sin(.omega.t+.DE
LTA..omega.t) [9]
According to the general trigonometric relation ##EQU5##
the following is then true ##EQU6##
In the low-pass filter 44 the component of the signal B having
the higher frequency is then again suppressed so that ##EQU7##
is allowed through as output signal.
The following relations then apply analogously for the output signals
D and C of the multipliers 41 and 39 and the corresponding output
signals d and c of the low-pass filters 43 and 45:
D=S.sub. 2.multidot.I=h.multidot.sin(.omega.t+.PHI.).multidot.x.multidot.sin(.omega
.t+.DELTA..omega.t) [13]
##EQU8## C=S.sub. 2.multidot.R=h.multidot.sin(.omega.t+.PHI.).multidot.x.multidot.cos(.omega
.t+.DELTA..omega.t) [16]
##EQU9##
If the quotients of the output signals a and b on the one hand
and c and d on the other hand are then formed, the following relations
are obtained: ##EQU10##
If the inverse functions of the equations [19] and [20] are formed,
one obtains, respectively: ##EQU11##
and thus, by subtraction of the equations [21] and [22], ##EQU12##
and according to the general trigonometric relation ##EQU13##
for the phase difference ##EQU14##
The phase difference .PHI. is a measure of the mass flow, which
can be indicated digitally on a display after a corresponding calibration.
FIG. 2 illustrates an exemplary embodiment of the sigma-to-delta
converter 32 in the form of a first-order sigma-to-delta converter.
The sigma-to-delta converter 33 can be of similar construction.
The sigma-to-delta converter 32 according to FIG. 2 contains an
integrator, which is in the form of a so-called Miller integrator
having an operational amplifier 50 an ohmic input resistance 53
which is connected to the inverting input of the operational amplifier
50 and a capacitor 55 between the inverting input and the output
of the operational amplifier 50. The non-inverting input of the
operational amplifier 50 is at ground potential. The output of the
operational amplifier 50 is connected to the non-inverting input
of a downstream operational amplifier 51 the inverting input of
which is likewise at ground potential. The operational amplifier
51 is in the form of a Schmitt trigger or bistable comparator, the
threshold value of which corresponds to ground potential. The binary
output signal of the operational amplifier 51 is supplied to the
data input D of a flip-flop 52 a so-called D-type flip-flop, the
"true" or non-inverting output Q of which is connected
firstly to the inverting input of the operational amplifier 51 and
secondly to the input of the downstream Hogenauer decimator 34 by
way of a resistance 54. Each bit of the serial bit sequence at the
output of the comparator 51 is clocked by a clock pulse Cp1 of a
clock pulse generator, not illustrated, into the flip-flop 52 the
clock frequency at 1 MHz being very much higher than the maximum
frequency of the analogue sensor signal S.sub.1. In other words,
the sigma-to-delta converter 32 effects an over-sampling of the
analogue sensor signal S.sub.1. The serial bit sequence for the
phase difference appearing at the output Q of the flip-flop 52 is
returned to the inverting input of the operational amplifier 50
and is there superimposed on the sensor signal S.sub.1.
The sigma-to-delta converter 32 according to FIG. 2 can be taken
as an I-control loop, which by virtue of the comparator 51 has a
high loop gain, so that interference signals coupled into this loop,
especially digitization noise occurring as a result of digitization,
are also largely compensated for. The sigma-to-delta converter therefore
produces a digital output variable which corresponds very accurately
and largely without error to the value of the sensor signal S.sub.1.
Construction is nevertheless very simple.
FIG. 3 illustrates a further embodiment of the sigma-to-delta converter
32 illustrated in FIG. 1 which differs from that shown in FIG.
2 merely in that an additional Miller integrator in the form of
an operational amplifier 56 with a feedback capacitor 57 and an
input resistance 58 is connected upstream of the input resistance
53 and the inverting output Q is connected to the inverting input
of the operational amplifier 56 by way of an ohmic resistance 59.
The sigma-to-delta converter 32 according to FIG. 3 is a second-order
sigma-to-delta converter, in which double integration is effected
and which consequently compensates even better for any interference
signals and digitization noise. The two Miller integrators can have
different integration constants. For the rest, the sigma-to-delta
converter 32 according to FIG. 3 has the same function as the sigma-to-delta
converter 32 according to FIG. 2.
The sigma-to-delta converter 33 according to FIG. 1 can be of the
same construction as the sigma-to-delta converter 32 according to
FIG. 2 or FIG. 3.
FIG. 4 illustrates a simple construction of the decimator 34 according
to FIG. 1 connected downstream of the sigma-to-delta converter 32.
It is a so-called Hogenauer decimator. In each of n rows of a first
matrix of m columns and n rows, where m=1 it contains a digital
integrator 60.sub.1 60.sub.2 . . . 60.sub.n, downstream of which
there is connected a respective differentiating element 70.sub.1
70.sub.2 . . . 70.sub.n in a second matrix of m columns and n rows,
where also m=1. The number n corresponds on the other hand to the
number of bit positions of the parallel bit patterns or bit combinations,
which correspond to a sampling value of the sigma-to-delta converter
32 and 33 respectively, appearing at the output of the decimator.
In FIG. 4 the first (lowermost) row is allocated to the least significant
bit (LSB) and the n.sup.th (topmost) row is allocated to the most
significant bit (MSB).
Each integrator 60.sub.1 to 60.sub.n contains an adder 80 having
two summing inputs A and B, a summation output .SIGMA., a carry
input Ci and a carry output Co and also a flip-flop 81 in this
case a D-type flip-flop. In each integrator 60.sub.1 to 60.sub.n
the summation output .SIGMA. of the adder 80 is connected to the
data input D of the flip-flop 81 and the output Q of the flip-flop
81 is connected to the summing input B. The summing input A of the
adder 80 of the lowest bit position is allocated a binary 1 and
its carry input Ci is allocated a binary 0. The carry outputs Co
are each connected to the carry input Ci of the adder 80 for the
next-higher bit position. The summing inputs A of the adders 80
of the integrators 60.sub.2 to 60.sub.n are, however, connected
jointly by way of a NOT-element 90 to the output of sigma-to-delta
converter 32. The clock pulses Cp1 supplied to the clock inputs
of the flip-flops 81 are the same as those supplied to the sigma-to-delta
converter 32.
The differentiating elements 70.sub.1 to 70.sub.n likewise each
contain an adder 100 and a flip-flop 101 in the form of a D-type
flip-flop. The summing inputs A of all adders 100 are each connected
to the summation output .SIGMA. of the adders 80 of the same row
and to the data input D of the flip-flop 101 of the same differentiating
element 70.sub.1 to 70.sub.n. Conversely, the inverse outputs Q
of the flip-flops 101 are connected to the summing input B of the
adder 100 of the same differentiating element. The carry input Ci
of the adder 100 of the differentiating element 70.sub.1 of the
lowest bit position is allocated a binary 1 whilst the carry outputs
Co of all adders 100 are connected to the carry input Ci of the
adder 100 of the next-higher binary position. The summation outputs
.SIGMA. of the adders 100 simultaneously form the outputs of the
decimator 34. On the other hand, clock pulses Cp2 of a very much
lower pulse frequency than that of the clock pulses Cp1 are supplied
to the clock inputs of all flip-flops 101. In the illustrated embodiment
the clock pulses Cp2 have a frequency of 125 kHz.
The decimator shown in FIG. 4 operates so that the bits of the
serial bit sequence from the output of the sigma-to-delta converter
32 are inverted by the NOT-element 90 and supplied to the inputs
of all integrators 60.sub.2 to 60.sub.n in parallel (simultaneously).
Since the summing input A of the adder 80 of the lowest bit position
is allocated a binary 1 and the summing inputs A of the remaining
adders 80 are simultaneously supplied either with a binary 1 or
a binary 0 this means, in the case of, for example, n=8 rows and
accordingly eight adders 80 that only the two binary values "00000001"
or "11111111" are supplied to the summing inputs A, "11111111"
being the two's complement to "00000001". This means that
each time a 0 appears at the output of the NOT-element 90 with
a clock pulse Cp1 occurring simultaneously, a 1 (00000001) is added
to the previous addition result and on the appearance of a 1 at
the output of the NOT-element 90 its two's complement is added,
that is, a 1 is subtracted.
FIG. 5 illustrates a further exemplary embodiment of the decimator
34 in the form of an expanded Hogenauer decimator, which comprises
a first matrix of rows 102 to 109 and m=3 columns 111 to 113 and
a matrix comprising n=9 rows 102 to 110 and m=3 columns 114 to 116.
In each column 111 to 113 the first matrix contains integrators
60.sub.1 to 60.sub.9 61.sub.1 to 61.sub.9 and 62.sub.1 to 62.sub.9.
The integrators 60.sub.1 to 62.sub.9 are all of the same construction
as the integrators according to FIG. 1; in this case also the one
summing input of the adder 80 of the integrator 60.sub.1 of the
least-significant bit is allocated a binary 1 and the carry inputs
of the adders 80 of all integrators 60.sub.1 to 62.sub.1 are allocated
a binary 0. Furthermore, the one summing inputs of the adders 80
of the integrators 60.sub.2 to 60.sub.9 of the first column 111
are all connected in parallel to the output of the NOT-element 90
the summation outputs of all adders 80 of a column are connected
to the one summing input of the adder 80 of the next column and
the same row, and the carry outputs of all adders 80 of a row are
connected to the carry inputs of the adders 80 of the next row and
the same column. All clock inputs of the flip-flops 81 are supplied
with clock pulses Cp1 of the relatively high frequency of 1 MHz.
In each column 114 to 116 the second matrix contains a differentiating
element 70.sub.1 to 70.sub.9 71.sub.1 to 71.sub.9 72.sub.1 to
72.sub.9 all of which are of the same construction as the differentiating
elements according to FIG. 4. Here too, the carry inputs of all
adders 100 of the lowest binary position in the row 102 are allocated
a binary 1 and each of the summation outputs of the adders 100 of
the two columns 114 and 115 are connected to the one summing input
of the adders 100 of the next column and the same row, whilst the
inverse outputs of the flip-flops 101 of a respective column are
connected to the other summing input of the adders 100 of the same
column and row, and the summation outputs of the adders 100 of the
last column form the outputs of the decimator 34. The carry outputs
of the adders 100 of a row are connected to a respective one of
the carry inputs of the next row and the same column, and the one
summing inputs of the adders 100 in the column 114 are connected
to a respective summation output of the adders 80 in the last column
113 of the first matrix. The clock pulses Cp2 of the relatively
low frequency of 125 kHz are supplied to the clock inputs of all
flip-flops 101.
The mode of operation of the decimator 34 according to FIG. 5 is
fundamentally the same as that of the decimator 34 according to
FIG. 4 except that in each row 102 to 110 of the first matrix three
digital integrators are connected in series, and in each row 102
to 110 of the second matrix three digital differentiating elements
are connected in series, so that in the first matrix a triple integration
takes place and in the second matrix a triple differentiation takes
place, and in this manner interference signals and the digitization
noise of the sigma-to-delta converter 32 are even further reduced.
Here too, the second decimator 35 in FIG. 2 can also be of the
same construction as the decimator 34 according to FIG. 4.
The signals I and R are not locked in phase with the sensor signals,
but could be so locked in phase. Furthermore, they can have a frequency
that is fixed, but it can also be variable in steps.
Although the filtering arrangement F in the exemplary embodiment
illustrated contains low-pass filters 42 to 45 it may also contain
band pass filters instead of the low-pass filters, the pass frequency
range being matched also in this case to the difference frequency
.DELTA..omega..
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