US Patent 9121927 Acoustic absolute position encoder and method

Patent 9121927 was granted and assigned to QBotix, Inc. on September, 2015 by the United States Patent and Trademark Office.

Overview Structured Data Issues Contributors Activity

Is a

Patent

Patent attributes

Current Assignee

QBotix, Inc.

Patent Jurisdiction

United States Patent and Trademark Office

Patent Number

9121927

Date of Patent

September 1, 2015

Patent Application Number

13483022

Date Filed

May 29, 2012

Patent Citations Received

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US Patent 12078513 Position sensing device for hydraulic or electrohydraulic drives, and drive having position sensing means

Patent Primary Examiner

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Daniel Pihulic

Patent abstract

The present invention teaches acoustic absolute position encoders and methods for deploying the same. The encoder has a moving member with a mechanical contacting portion, and a stationary member associated with the moving member. Reed elements are mounted on the stationary member such that they are mechanically engaged by the contacting portion of the moving member as the latter moves linearly or rotates. The reed elements generate sound tones in response to transient contact with the contacting portion. A receiver receives the tones and an acoustic processing circuit determines the absolute position of the moving member based on the sound tones.