摘要 |
A handheld fieldmeter is implemented with an automatic function to drive the voltage on an output node of signal processing circuitry to circuit ground while a sensing electrode is disposed in a static-free environment. In response to a binary signal indicating whether the output node voltage is above or below ground, a microprocessor repeatedly increments/decrements a stored auto-zero multibit number, and generates successive PWM pulse streams of differing duty cycles determined by the incremented/decremented auto-zero number. The successive PWM pulse streams are integrated to ultimately produce fine zero adjustment current used by the signal processing circuitry to drive the output node voltage essentially to circuit ground. The fieldmeter also includes a pair of LEDs relatively positioned with the sensing electrode to emit light beams that intersect at the surface of a charged object when the sensing electrode is positioned a prescribed distance from the charged object. The LEDs are energized to emit their beams in alternation so as to provide a clear indication when the sensing electrode is so positioned by a user.
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