摘要 |
A Wiegand sensor is provided as a power source for an external circuit, wherein an alternating magnetic field changes the magnetic state of a Wiegand wire within the Wiegand sensor which, in turn, produces a substantial output pulse that is provided as a power source for the external circuit. The external circuit may be a transmitter that is powered by the output of the Wiegand sensor and upon being powered transmits an information signal to an appropriate receiver. The number of occurrences that the magnetic field alternates corresponds to and is ascertained from the number of information signals that are transmitted. The alternating magnetic field may be generated by magnets coupled to a rotating valve of a gas or water meter such that the occurrence of each transmission of the information signal represents the flow of a predetermined amount of gas or water through the meter. The use of a transmitter that is powered solely by a Wiegand sensor that senses the rotation of a meter allows for that meter to be placed in a generally inaccessible area wherein an appropriate receiver may be utilized to receive each transmitted information signal and to maintain the number of occurrences the transmitted information signal is received. The external circuit may be any number of other types of circuits including a transmitter that transmits an alarm signal to a receiver coupled to an alarm system, or a counter circuit that increments a count value stored therein each time the counter circuit is powered by the Wiegand sensor.
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