ABSOLUTE POSITION TRANSDUCER HAVING A NON-BINARY CODE-TRACK-TYPE SCALE

摘要

An absolute position transducer system has two members movable relative to each other and includes a code track transducer and at least one fine wavelength transducer. The code track is arranged to form a sequential pattern of base-N code words, where N is greater than two (i.e., non-binary). Each sequential non-binary code word identifies an absolute position of one member with respect to the other at a first resolution. Alternatively, the code track is arranged to form a pseudo-random non-binary code word pattern. In this case, the transducer system compares a non-binary code word with a look-up table to determine an absolute position of one member with respect to the other at a first resolution. In order to generate a non-binary code word pattern, code track transducer employs different-sized flux disrupters, different-sized flux enhancers, or a combination of flux disrupters and enhancers.