Patents
US 10876863 B2: Absolute position sensor using Hall array
- Granted
- 2020-12-29
- Filed
- 2017-12-04 application 16463230
- Type
- Utility · 18 claims
- Elsewhere
- Google Patents ↗ · USPTO patent document ↗ · USPTO Patent Center record ↗
Abstract
A system for determining an absolute position of a device includes a high resolution track (14), a sensor and processing unit (22) associated with the high resolution track (14), a reference track (18) having a plurality of pole pairs arranged to define a single-track Gray code segment, and an array of Hall effect sensors (26) associated with the reference track to output a reference signal to the sensor and processing unit indicative of the coarse absolute position of the device over the single-track Gray code segment. The sensor and processing unit (22) combines the reference signal with the position of the device over the high resolution track to determine an initial, fine absolute position of the device. An up/down hardware counter (34) increments the initial fine absolute position using a signal generated from the high resolution track, and without any further software-based processing, to maintain and continuously update the fine absolute position of the device.
Source: PVGPATDIS, file of 2026-04-10 (ipg201229.xml).
Assignees
| Assignee | Type | Place | Also on furp.org | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| THE TIMKEN COMPANY 94 patents | US company or organization | North Canton, OH | THE TIMKEN COMPANY State business registration EXACT high confidence: identical full name and state THE TIMKEN COMPANY Federal lobbying client EXACT high confidence: identical full name and state | PVGPATDIS, file of 2026-04-10 |
Inventors
| Inventor | Place | Patents | Person page | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alfred J. Santos | Keene, NH | 12 | PVGPATDIS, file of 2026-04-10 | |
| Mark E. LaCroix | Winchester, NH | 20 | PVGPATDIS, file of 2026-04-10 | |
| Lei Wang | Solon, OH | 856 | PVGPATDIS, file of 2026-04-10 |
CPC categories
| Subclass | Category | First group | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| G01D | Measuring not specially adapted for a specific variable; arrangements for measuring two or more variables not covered in a single other subclass; tariff metering apparatus; measuring or testing not otherwise provided for | G01D5/2458 | PVGPATDIS, file of 2026-04-10 |
Cooperative Patent Classification, as currently assigned (one row per subclass).
Assignments and security interests
| Recorded | What | From | To | Reel/frame | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2019-05-22 | Assignment Assignment of assignor's interest | WANG, LEI signed 2017-11-30 LACROIX, MARK E. signed 2017-12-04 SANTOS, ALFRED JOHN signed 2017-12-04 | THE TIMKEN COMPANY NORTH CANTON, OH | 49256/910 | ECORSEXC, file of 2026-09-25 |
Documents recorded with the USPTO Assignment Recordation Branch that list this patent. A security interest is a lender’s claim on the patent as collateral; a release ends it.
USPTO bulk data: PatentsView granted patents, disambiguated (PVGPATDIS) for patents, assignees, inventors, places and CPC categories; the USPTO Patent Assignment Dataset (ECORSEXC) for assignments and security interests. Patents filed in the last 20 years. No claims or full text. Links to other records are by name (and state): EXACT means the identical full name and state; FUZZY means a looser name match, with the confidence shown.