A method for determining an offset of an angular position encoder is associated with a rotor of an electric machine, wherein a reference offset of a reference angular position encoder of a reference electric machine is known at a reference rotational speed and a reference current with a reference phase angle and a reference absolute value. The method includes the steps of applying a current having the reference absolute value; setting a phase angle of the current to achieve the reference rotational speed; comparing the phase angle with the reference phase angle and the reference offset; and determining the offset on the basis of this comparison.

A contactless encoder is disclosed. The encoder comprises a selector configured to select one of a plurality of states associated with the encoder. The encoder furthermore comprises an integrated circuit comprising a finite state machine configured to detect a currently selected state by the selector and generate an output signal corresponding to the detected currently selected state, wherein the currently selected state is detected based on a capacitive coupling between the selector and a portion of the encoder associated with the currently selected state.

A track assembly includes a support assembly, an electronic control unit and a track. The track may include a first track. The first track may include one or more segments. The one or more segments may include a plurality of first features. The support assembly may include a first sensor and/or a second sensor that may be connected to the electronic control unit. The electronic control unit may be configured to determine a first location of the support assembly along the one or more segments via the plurality of first features, the first sensor, and/or the second sensor. The first sensor and/or the second sensor may be disposed substantially in the track. The first sensor and/or the second sensor may be configured to sense information from the plurality of first features. The first features may include a first portion and/or a second portion.

An absolute encoder is driven by backup power from an external battery for backup. The absolute encoder includes: a clock generator configured to generate backup clock pulses at intervals of a predetermined period when the backup power is supplied; an analog signal generation circuit configured to operate according to the clock pulse so as to detect a displacement position of a motor and generate an analog signal corresponding to the detected displacement position; a comparator configured to operate according to the clock pulse so as to compare the analog signal with a predetermined voltage; and a clock control circuit configured to control the clock generator to change the pulse width of the clock pulse.

The electromagnetic induction type encoder includes a detection head and a scale each having a substantially flat plate shape. The detection head and the scale are disposed opposed to one another and relatively move in a measurement axis direction. The scale includes a plurality of periodic elements formed of a conductor periodically disposed in the measurement axis direction. The plurality of periodic elements are coupled with a conductor. The detection head includes a transmitting coil wired so as to generate two or more eddy currents in directions opposite to one another in each of the plurality of periodic elements. The detection head includes a receiving coil. The receiving coil is electromagnetically coupled to magnetic fluxes generated by the plurality of periodic elements to detect phases of the magnetic fluxes.

An absolute position encoder comprises a scale and a detector overlaying the scale. The scale includes a periodic pattern of wavelength Wf and a code pattern having bit length Wcode. The detector includes a set of periodic pattern sensors and M sets of code pattern sensors. M is at least two. The configuration principles include: a) Wcode is larger than Wf and at most M*Wf, and b) the sets of code pattern sensors are located along the measuring axis at respective alignment positions configured such that as the code pattern moves in a single direction it moves by successive alignment intervals that are each at most Wf to align with successive alignment positions. Signal processing is provided to determine the absolute position based on the M respective sets of code detector signals and on spatially periodic signals arising in the periodic pattern sensing elements due to the periodic pattern.

A method and system to measure a parameter associated with a component, device, or system with a specified accuracy, including: providing one or more sensors operably disposed to detect the parameter; obtaining a coarse measurement of the parameter within a first range using the one or more sensors, wherein the first range includes minimum and maximum values for the parameter; obtaining a fine measurement of the parameter within a second range using the one or more sensors, wherein the second range is smaller than the first range and has a specified ratio to the first range that provides the specified accuracy; determining a current value of the parameter by combining the coarse and fine measurements; and providing the current value of the parameter to a communications interface, a storage device, a display, a control panel, a processor, a programmable logic controller, or an external device.

A rotary element is equipped with a pattern representing a reflected binary code on at least three bits. A detection circuit is configured to sense the pattern and deliver an incident signal encoded in reflected binary code on at least three bits. The incident signal is converted by a transcoding circuit into an intermediate signal encoded in reflected binary code on two bits. A decoding stage decodes the intermediate signal and outputs at least one clock signal representing the amount of rotation of the rotary element and a direction signal representing the direction of rotation. A processing circuit determines the movement of the rotary element, and has at least one general purpose timer designed to receive the at least one clock signal and direction signal.

A multi-turn absolute encoder, an encoding method and a robot are disclosed. The multi-turn absolute encoder includes a rotary shaft, a control circuit board, a magnet, a Hall sensor, a controller, a primary controller, a single-turn absolute encoder and a non-volatile memory. One side of the control circuit board is vertically provided with the rotary shaft. The magnet is connected to the rotary shaft and configured to synchronously rotate about the rotary shaft. The Hall sensor is configured to acquire turn count information of the rotary shaft upon power interruption. The primary controller is configured to calculate an absolute position information of the rotary shaft based on the turn count information of the rotary shaft, a relative position information of the rotary shaft and the absolute position information of the rotary shaft stored in previous power interruption.

Disclosed herein is an apparatus for determining a position of a first part relative to a second part. The first part is movable relative to the second part. The apparatus comprises a magnetic position indicator and a magnetic field sensor. The magnetic position indicator is non-movably fixed to the first part and comprises a plurality of magnetic field sources positioned along a length of the magnetic position indicator. Each magnetic field source of the plurality of magnetic field sources generates a magnetic field having a unique magnetic signature. The magnetic field sensor is non-movably fixed to the second part and configured to detect the unique magnetic signatures of the magnetic fields generated by the plurality of magnetic field sources of the magnetic position indicator.