Device and method for generating an output signal, formed as a pulse sequence, depending on a sensor signal

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11407240-B2
Application number	US-201916720767-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 19, 2019
Priority date	Dec 19, 2018
Publication date	Aug 9, 2022
Grant date	Aug 9, 2022

Abstract

A device for generating an output signal, formed as a pulse sequence, with a sensor and a controller. The sensor generates a sensor signal based on a measurand determined by the sensor. The controller determines a number of pulses of a timing signal that are generated chronologically between two pulse edges of the sensor signal, the timing signal being generated by a timing signal generator. The controller also generates an intermediate timing signal formed as a pulse sequence, where the period duration of the intermediate timing signal is equal to the period duration of the timing signal multiplied with a factor that is equal to the determined number of pulses of the timing signal, divided by a predetermined divisor. The controller generates the output signal based on the intermediate timing signal.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A device for generating an output signal, formed as a pulse sequence, depending on a sensor signal, with the device comprising:
a sensor that is configured to generate a sensor signal, formed as a first pulse sequence, based on a measurand determined by the sensor; and
a controller having a timing signal generator that is configured to generate a timing signal formed as a pulse sequence, the controller being configured to:
determine a number of pulses of the timing signal that are generated chronologically between two pulse edges of the sensor signal;
store the determined number of pulses of the timing signal as a first stored value;
generate an intermediate timing signal formed as a second pulse sequence, wherein a period duration of the intermediate timing signal is based a period duration of the timing signal and the first stored value; and
generate the output signal based on the intermediate timing signal,
wherein the sensor is configured to:
generate a first measurement signal and a second measurement signal that are respectively formed as a pulse sequence, the first and second measurement signals being dependent on a path traveled by a medium to be printed to or by a transport configured to transport the medium to be printed to; and
generate the sensor signal based on the first measurement signal and the second measurement signal.

2. The device according to claim 1 , wherein the period duration of the intermediate timing signal is equal to a product of: (a) the period duration of the timing signal and (b) the first stored value divided by a predetermined divisor.

3. The device according to claim 2 , wherein the controller is configured to:
determine a second number of pulses of the intermediate timing signal that are generated chronological between two pulse edges of the sensor signal;
compare the second number with a predetermined second nominal value; and
adjust the second stored value based on a difference between the predetermined second nominal value and the second number to the second stored value.

4. The device according to claim 2 , wherein the controller is configured to:
count at least a first number of successive pulses of the intermediate timing signal;
store the at least first number as a second stored value;
in response to the second stored value reaching a first nominal value, generate a signal change in the output signal;
determine a second number of pulses of the intermediate timing signal that are generated chronological between two pulse edges of the sensor signal;
compare the second number with a predetermined second nominal value; and
adjust the second stored value based on a difference between the predetermined second nominal value and the second number to the second stored value, wherein the second nominal value is preferably equal to the divisor.

5. The device according to claim 4 , wherein the controller is configured to:
compare the determined number of pulses of the timing signal that are generated chronologically between two pulse edges of the sensor signal with a predetermined third nominal value; and
store the third nominal value as a first stored value in response to the determined number of pulses of the timing signal being smaller than the third nominal value.

6. The device according to claim 2 , wherein the controller is configured to generate, between two pulse edges of the sensor signal, at most a number of pulses in the intermediate timing signal that is equal to the divisor.

7. The device according to claim 2 , wherein the controller is configured to:
detect pulse edges of the sensor signal;
respectively increase a counter by an increment in response to the controller detecting a pulse edge of the sensor signal; and
reduce the counter by a decrement in response to the controller generating a pulse in the intermediate timing signal, wherein the increment is equal to the divisor and the decrement is equal to one.

8. The device according to claim 2 , wherein the period duration of the intermediate timing signal is equal to a product of (a) the period duration of the timing signal and (b) a factor that is equal to the determined number of pulses of the timing signal divided by the predetermined divisor and rounded to a whole number.

9. The device according to claim 8 , wherein the predetermined divisor is a power of two.

10. The device according to claim 1 , wherein the measurand determined by the sensor is a path traveled by a medium to be printed to or by a transport configured to transport the medium to be printed to.

11. The device according to claim 1 , wherein the controller is configured to:
count at least a first number of successive pulses of the intermediate timing signal;
store the at least first number as a second stored value; and
in response to the second stored value reaching a first nominal value, generate a signal change in the output signal.

12. The device according to claim 1 , wherein the controller is configured to:
detect pulse edges of the sensor signal;
respectively increase a counter by an increment in response to the controller detecting a pulse edge of the sensor signal; and
reduce the counter by a decrement in response to the controller generating a pulse in the intermediate timing signal.

13. The device according to claim 1 , wherein the controller is configured to:
compare the determined number of pulses of the timing signal that are generated chronologically between two pulse edges of the sensor signal with a predetermined nominal value; and
store the nominal value as a first stored value in response to the determined number of pulses of the timing signal being smaller than the nominal value.

14. The device according to claim 1 , wherein the first measurement signal and the second measurement signal are offset from one another by a quarter-period.

15. The device according to claim 1 , wherein the device is a printer configured to print to a recording medium.

16. A method for generating an output signal, formed as a pulse sequence, depending on a sensor signal, the method comprising:
generating, by a sensor, a sensor signal, formed as a first pulse sequence, based on a measurand determined by the sensor;
generating a timing signal formed as a pulse sequence;
determining a number of pulses of the timing signal that are generated chronologically between two pulse edges of the sensor signal;
storing the determined number of pulses of the timing signal as a first stored value;
generating an intermediate timing signal formed as a second pulse sequence, wherein a period duration of the intermediate timing signal is based on a period duration of the timing signal and the first stored value; and
generating the output signal based on the intermediate timing signal,
wherein generating the sensor signal comprises:
generating, by the sensor, a first measurement signal and a second measurement signal that are respectively formed as a pulse sequence, the first and second measurement signals being dependent on a path traveled by a medium to be printed to or by a transport configured to transport the medium to be printed to; and
generating, by the sensor, the sensor signal based on the first measurement signal and the second measurement signal.

17. The method according to claim 16 , wherein the period duration of the intermediate timing signal is equal to a product of (a) the period duration of the timing signal and (b) the first stored value.

18. The method according to claim 16 , wherein the period duration of the

Assignees

• Oce Holding Bv
• Canon Production Printing Holding Bv

Inventors

• Zollner Werner
• Mayr Michael

Classifications

• H03K21/00

  Details of pulse counters or frequency dividers · CPC title

• H03K3/78

  Generating a single train of pulses having a predetermined pattern, e.g. a predetermined number · CPC title

• B41J13/0009 Primary

  control of the transport of the copy material · CPC title

• B41J11/0095 Primary

  Detecting means for copy material, e.g. for detecting or sensing presence of copy material or its leading or trailing end · CPC title