A high-precision pressure sensor with two or more pressure ranges is formed from multiple micro-electromechanical system (MEMS) pressure transducers mounted inside a housing and coupled to sense a pressurized fluid. The non-linear outputs of the MEMS pressure transducers are linearized by a correspo
A high-precision pressure sensor with two or more pressure ranges is formed from multiple micro-electromechanical system (MEMS) pressure transducers mounted inside a housing and coupled to sense a pressurized fluid. The non-linear outputs of the MEMS pressure transducers are linearized by a corresponding number of processors, preferably DSPs, each processor being coupled to a corresponding MEMS pressure transducer and receiving the MEMS pressure transducer output signal there from. Each processor generates an applied pressure output signal, which is representative of a pressure applied to the MEMS pressure transducer, which is a linearized and digitized version of output signal from the MEMS pressure transducers. The data that is output from multiple processors, each of which outputs pressure data pertaining to a different range of pressures, is transmitted serially on a serial data bus.
대표청구항▼
1. A pressure sensor comprising: a housing comprising a fluid port, configured to receive a pressurized fluid;a plurality of micro-electromechanical system (MEMS) pressure transducers mounted inside the housing and coupled to the fluid port, each MEMS pressure transducer configured to generate a MEM
1. A pressure sensor comprising: a housing comprising a fluid port, configured to receive a pressurized fluid;a plurality of micro-electromechanical system (MEMS) pressure transducers mounted inside the housing and coupled to the fluid port, each MEMS pressure transducer configured to generate a MEMS pressure transducer output signal responsive to a pressure applied to a MEMS pressure transducer through the fluid port;a single silicon die comprising a plurality of processors, each processor being coupled to a corresponding MEMS pressure transducer and receiving the MEMS pressure transducer output signal there from, each processor configured to generate an applied pressure output signal, which is representative of a pressure applied to the MEMS pressure transducer that is coupled to its corresponding processor, the applied pressure output signal having a value, which is determined by its corresponding processor evaluating a polynomial having a plurality of coefficients, the coefficients of the polynomial operating on a value, the value being representative of its corresponding MEMS pressure transducer output signal;wherein the MEMS pressure transducer output signal is non-linear and wherein each of the processors generates an applied pressure output signal that varies substantially linearly between a first minimum value output and a second maximum value output responsive to variations in the pressure applied to a MEMS pressure transducer ranging between a first minimum pressure and second maximum pressure;wherein a first processor of the plurality of processors on the silicon die generates the first minimum value output signal responsive to application of the first minimum pressure and generates the second maximum output signal value responsive to application of the second maximum pressure; andwherein a second processor of the plurality of processors on the silicon die generates the first minimum value output signal responsive to the first minimum pressure and generates the second maximum output signal responsive to application of a third pressure, which is less than the second maximum pressure. 2. The pressure sensor of claim 1, wherein the first processor provides a first, applied pressure output signal generated using a first polynomial and wherein the second processor provides a second, applied pressure output signal using a second polynomial. 3. The pressure sensor of claim 2, wherein the applied pressure output signal is a binary number. 4. The pressure sensor of claim 2, wherein the MEMS pressure transducer output signal is a voltage. 5. The pressure sensor of claim 2, wherein the second processor generates the first minimum value output signal responsive to a third pressure, which is greater than the first minimum pressure and generates the second maximum output signal responsive to application of the second maximum pressure. 6. The pressure sensor of claim 2, wherein a third processor generates the first minimum value output signal responsive to a third pressure, which is greater than the first minimum pressure and generates the second maximum output signal responsive to application of the fourth maximum pressure, which is less than the second maximum pressure. 7. The pressure sensor of claim 2, further comprising an annular circuit board having a central opening and being located and fixed within a cylinder, wherein the silicon die is attached to the annular circuit board, wherein the MEMS pressure transducers are located within the central opening. 8. The pressure sensor of claim 2, wherein a smallest difference between two unequal pressure-measurement values of the first, applied pressure output signal differs from a smallest difference between two unequal pressure-measurement values of the second, applied pressure output signal. 9. The pressure sensor of claim 2, wherein the processors are configured to transmit pressure data onto a serial data bus. 10. The pressure sensor of claim 2, wherein polynomial coefficients in the second processor are different from the polynomial coefficients in the first processor. 11. A method of providing a dual range signal, which is representative of a fluid pressure, the method comprising: applying a pressurized fluid to first and second micro-electromechanical system (MEMS) pressure transducers, each MEMS pressure transducer configured to generate a respective MEMS pressure transducer output signal responsive to the pressure of the fluid applied to the respective MEMS pressure transducer;generating a first applied pressure output signal, representative of the pressure applied to the first MEMS pressure transducer by evaluating a first polynomial having a first plurality of coefficients, the coefficients of the first polynomial operating on a value, which is representative of the MEMS pressure transducer output signal output from the first MEMS pressure transducer such that the first applied pressure output signal is a first minimum value output signal responsive to the pressurized fluid being at a first minimum pressure and such that the first applied pressure output signal is a second maximum output signal value responsive to the pressurized fluid being at a second maximum pressure; andgenerating a second applied pressure output signal, representative of the pressure applied to the second MEMS pressure transducer by evaluating a second polynomial having a second plurality of coefficients, the coefficients of the second polynomial, at least one of the second plurality of coefficients being different than the first plurality of coefficients, the second plurality of coefficients operating on a value, which is representative of the MEMS pressure transducer output signal output from the second MEMS pressure transducer such that the second applied pressure output signal is the first minimum value output signal responsive to the pressurized fluid being at the first minimum pressure and such that the second applied pressure output signal is the second maximum output signal responsive to the pressurized fluid being at a third pressure, which is less than the second maximum pressure. 12. The method of claim 11, wherein the MEMS pressure transducer output signals are non-linear and wherein both first and second applied pressure output signals vary substantially linearly between a first minimum value and a second maximum value, the substantially linearly varying applied pressure output signals being determined from non-linearly varying MEMS pressure transducer signals responsive to selection of the first plurality of coefficients and the selection of the second plurality of coefficients. 13. The method of claim 11, wherein the steps of generating first and second applied pressure output signals comprise evaluating the first and second polynomials using separate, first and second polynomial-evaluating processors, which are co-located on the same silicon die.
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이 특허에 인용된 특허 (11)
Gammel, Berndt; Beaurenaut, Laurent; Brauer, Michael, Data transmitter with a secure and efficient signature.
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