Apparatus for the automatic calibration of digital instruments

Abstract

Abstract 1,172,830. Calibrating digital voltmeters. SOLARTRON ELECTRONIC GROUP Ltd. 26 July, 1967 [2 Aug., 1966], No. 34646/66. Heading G4H. A digital instrument 10, e.g. a voltmeter is automatically calibrated for a given value in response to a command input signal applied to a bi-stable 11 by testing the output of the instrument in a logic gate 14 to determine whether it is equal to or differs from the given value, the output of the gate 14 being used to adjust the instrument until it gives the correct output and thereupon to reset the bi-stable 11 so that the instrument is set for normal operation or a further calibration operation is initiated. As described, the given value is zero, the input terminals of the voltmeter being short-circuited and the gate 14 being set to respond when all the inputs are "0." If any of the inputs are " 1 " the inverter 15 passes a signal to gate 16 to signify that a correction is necessary. Another input is from bi-stable 11 and the third from the " adjust-command " output 25 of the voltmeter 10 through capacitor 26 and delay 17. Gate 16 passes a pulse to gates 18, 19, one of which is open according to the sign of the reading of the voltmeter. A motor 20 is controlled by the open gate to move a step in the appropriate direction adjusting potentiometer 21 to reduce the error. The meter gives a succession of command signals, one at each change of reading, until the gate 14 indicates that all the inputs are " 0." At this moment gate 23 is enabled and the next command signal resets bi-stable 11 so that normal operation can take place. Or if calibration at another value is to be made this is initiated by the resetting of bi-stable 11.

Inventors

• 👤 Peter Robert Lowe

Bibliographic Details