Automatic transducer selection system for pressure measurement

Abstract

An automatic transducer selection system for fluid pressure measurement functions by using two or more transducers wtih different .Iadd.measurement .Iaddend.ranges .[.of accuracy.]. and also by incorporating comparator circuitry which automatically selects the transducer reading nearer to full scale. An electronic signal or output from the comparator is preferably nested such that a continuous voltage is generated in accordance with the fluid pressure being measured, this making the system appear to function as a single transducer with a wide .Iadd.measurement .Iaddend.range of .Iadd.high .Iaddend.accuracy.

What I claim as my invention is the following: 
     
       1. A fluid pressure measurement system comprising: at least two pressure transducers having successively broader effective pressure sensing ranges, each of the pressure transducers being capable of being subjected to an overpressure equal to a maximum pressure of the sensing ranges without an adverse effect therein;   means for connecting the transducers in parallel to the fluid pressure being measured and to a reference fluid pressure; and   comparator circuit means for receiving an .Iadd.amplified analog .Iaddend.output signal from each of the transducers.[., said circuit.]..Iadd.;   said circuit .Iaddend. means functioning to .Iadd.automatically .Iaddend.select one of the transducer .Iadd.amplified analog .Iaddend.output signals which most closely approaches full-range output signal of .[.a.]. .Iadd.its .Iaddend.corresponding .[.transducer, said circuit means also functioning to generate an output signal from the selected transducer output signal..]..Iadd.transducer and to generate conditioned analog output signal from the automatically selected transducer output signal;   said circuit means further functioning to generate selectively either said conditioned analog output signal or an unconditioned amplified analog output signal corresponding to a manually selected transducer output signal, said correspnding output signal including identification of the manually selected transducer. .Iaddend.   
     
     
       2. The fluid pressure measurement system according to claim 1, wherein: said comparator circuit means includes means for conditioning the output signal therefrom in accordance with .Iadd.automatically .Iaddend.selected one of the transducer output signals. .[.3. The fluid pressure measurement system according to claim 1, wherein:   said comparator circuit means functions to generate selectively either a conditioned output signal or an output signal corresponding to the selected transducer output signal, said corresponding output signal   
     
     
        including identification of the selected transducer.]..  4. The fluid pressure measurement system according to claim .[.3.]. .Iadd.1.Iaddend., further comprising: switch means for selecting .[.anΘ .Iadd.one visually displayable or recordable .Iaddend.output signal from among the output signals generated   
     
     
        by the comparator circuit means. 5. The fluid pressure measurement system according to claim 1, wherein: 
     
     
       said pressure transducers are strain gauge-type transducers. 6. The fluid pressure measurement system according to claim 1, wherein: 
     
     
       said pressure transducers are capacitive sensing transducers. 7. The fluid pressure measurement system according to claim 1, wherein: said pressure transducers are inductive sensing transducers.