Control voltage signal synthesis system and method

摘要

Multiple positions within a mechanical system 20 (eg component 22, piston 24, cylinder 26) are measured with a plurality of sensors including at least one 4-wire sensor 32 and at least one 5-wire sensor 36. The 5-wire sensor 36 has two output voltage signals sent to a signal conversion processor 34, and the 4-wire sensor also sends a signal. A sum is created of the two voltage signals at controller region 38 from the 5-wire sensor. An excitation voltage supply 40 supplies a common excitation voltage to both sensors. Feedback of the excitation voltage is measured by the signal conversion processor. The excitation voltage feedback is utilized to ratio-metrically correct a position feedback signal from the 4-wire sensor at the signal conversion processor. The signal conversion processor is able to synthesize a signal indicative of the excitation voltage from the two voltage signals sent from the 5-wire sensor in the event the excitation voltage feedback is not received at the signal conversion processor.