Transducer network with current source conditioning

Claim 2

A transducer network having a plurality of circuit branches and related circuit nodes with constant current source conditioning comprising: at least one transducer monitoring device connected in at least one of said circuit branches, said transducer device having a variable impedance which is altered in response to a certain condition being monitored; a plurality of impedance components having impedance values which are invariant to said monitored condition, said components being connected in the other of said circuit branches; a constant current supply comprising a multiplicity of constant current sources for supplying a constant current to said at least one transducer monitoring device and said plurality of impedance components connected in said transducer network, each of said constant current sources being coupled to a common reference node; and, first conducting means for connecting each of said multiplicity of constant current sources to a respective one of said pLurality of circuit nodes, said first conducting means having respective impedances through each of which the respective constant current from one of said multiplicity of constant current sources is conducted.

Claim 3

A transducer network with constant current source conditioning comprising: an amplifier having a pair of high impedance input terminals; a transducer circuit comprising two branches and three nodes which are remotely located from said amplifier to form two arms of a bridge network, one node being at the junction of said arms and the other two nodes being at the unjoined ends of said arms, respectively; a constant current supply comprising two constant current sources located adjacent said amplifier, said current sources being connected together at one similarly poled extremity forming a common reference node; first conducting means comprising a three-conductor cable having inherent impedance, a first conductor of said cable connecting said common reference node to the junction node of said arms, a second conductor connecting one of said two constant current sources to one of said unjoined ends of said arms, a third conductor connecting the other of said two constant current sources to the other of said unjoined ends of said arms; and, second conducting means comprising a two-conductor cable having inherent impedance, said two-conductor cable connecting said pair of input terminals of said amplifier to said unjoined ends of said arms.

Claim 4

A transducer network with constant current source conditioning comprising: an amplifier having a pair of high impedance input terminals; a transducer circuit comprising two branches and three nodes which are remotely located from said amplifier to form two arms of a bridge network, one node being at the junction of said arms and the other two nodes being at the unjoined ends of said arms, respectively; a constant current supply comprising two constant current sources located adjacent said amplifier, said current sources being connected together at one similarly poled extremity forming a common reference node; first conducting means comprising a three-conductor cable having inherent impedance, a first conductor of said cable connecting said common reference node to the junction node of said arms, a second conductor connecting one of said two constant current sources to one of said unjoined ends of said arms, a third conductor connecting the other of said two constant current sources to the other of said unjoined ends of said arms; and, second conducting means comprising a two-conductor cable having inherent impedance, said two-conductor cable connecting said pair of input terminals of said amplifier to said unjoined ends of said arms.

Claim 5

A transducer network with constant current source conditioning comprising: an amplifier having a pair of high impedance input terminals; a transducer circuit comprising two branches and four nodes, of which one of said branches and two nodes are remotely located from said amplifier and the other of said branches and two nodes are located adjacent said amplifier; a constant current supply comprising three constant current sources located adjacent said amplifier, two of said three constant current sources being connected together at one similarly poled extremity and in turn connected to the opposite poled extremity of the third current source thereby forming a common reference node, one of said two sources being connected to one node of said other of said branches and also to one input of said amplifier, said common reference node being connected to the other node of said other of said branches; first conducting means comprising a three-conductor cable having inherent impedance, a first conductor of said cable connecting the other of said two current sources to one node of said one of said branches, a second conductor connecting the other node of said other of said branches to the other node of said one of said branches, a third conductor connecting said third current source to said other node of said one of said branches; and second conducting means comprising a single conductor having inherent impedance, said conductor connecting the other input of said amplifier to said one node of said one of said branches.

Claim 6

A transducer network with constant current source conditioning comprising: an amplifier having a pair of high impedance input terminals; a transducer circuit comprising two branches and four nodes, of which one of said branches and two nodes are remotely located from said amplifier and the other of said branches and two nodes are located adjacent said amplifier; a constant current supply comprising three constant current sources located adjacent said amplifier, two of said three constant current sources being connected together at one similarly poled extremity and in turn connected to the opposite poled extremity of the third current source thereby forming a common reference node, one of said two sources being connected to one node of said other of said branches and also to one input of said amplifier, said common reference node being connected to the other node of said other of said branches; first conducting means comprising a three-conductor cable having inherent impedance, a first conductor of said cable connecting the other of said two current sources to one node of said one of said branches, a second conductor connecting the other node of said other of said branches to the other node of said one of said branches, a third conductor connecting said third current source to said other node of said one of said branches; and second conducting means comprising a single conductor having inherent impedance, said conductor connecting the other input of said amplifier to said one node of said one of said branches.

Claim 7

A transducer network with constant current source conditioning comprising: an amplifier having a pair of high impedance input terminals; a transducer circuit comprising two branches and four nodes, of which one of said branches and two nodes is a voltage generating transducer remotely located from said amplifier, the other of said branches and two nodes being a passive arm located adjacent said amplifier; a constant current supply comprising two constant current sources located adjacent said amplifier, said sources being connected together at one oppositely poled extremity thereby forming a common reference node, one of said two sources being connected to one end of said passive arm and the other of said two sources being connected to the other end of said passive arm and also to one input of said amplifier; first conducting means comprising a single-conductor cable having inherent impedance, said single-conductor connecting said one end of said paSsive arm to one end of said voltage generating transducer; and, second conducting means comprising a single-conductor cable having inherent impedance, said single-conductor cable connecting the other input of said amplifier to the other end of said voltage generating transducer.

Claim 8

A transducer network with constant current source conditioning comprising: an amplifier having a pair of high impedance input terminals; a transducer circuit comprising two branches and four nodes, of which one of said branches and two nodes is a voltage generating transducer remotely located from said amplifier, the other of said branches and two nodes being a passive arm located adjacent said amplifier; a constant current supply comprising two constant current sources located adjacent said amplifier, said sources being connected together at one oppositely poled extremity thereby forming a common reference node, one of said two sources being connected to one end of said passive arm and the other of said two sources being connected to the other end of said passive arm and also to one input of said amplifier; first conducting means comprising a single-conductor cable having inherent impedance, said single-conductor connecting said one end of said paSsive arm to one end of said voltage generating transducer; and, second conducting means comprising a single-conductor cable having inherent impedance, said single-conductor cable connecting the other input of said amplifier to the other end of said voltage generating transducer.

Claim 9

A transducer network with constant current source conditioning comprising: an amplifier having a pair of high impedance input terminals; a transducer circuit comprising four branches and four nodes which are remotely located from said amplifier to form four arms of a bridge network, each of said four nodes being at the junction of two of said four arms; a constant current supply comprising two constant current sources located adjacent said amplifier, said current sources being connected together at one similarly poled extremity forming a common reference node; first conducting means comprising a three-conductor cable having inherent impedance, a first conductor of said cable connecting said common reference node to a first node of said four nodes of said bridge network, second and third conductors of said cable connecting said two constant current sources respectively to diagonally opposite second and third nodes of said bridge network; and second conducting means comprising a two-conductor cable having inherent impedance, said cable connecting said amplifier input terminals to said second and third nodes respectively of said bridge network.

Claim 10

A transducer network with constant current source conditioning comprising: an amplifier having a pair of high impedance input terminals; a transducer circuit comprising four branches and four nodes which are remotely located from said amplifier to form four arms of a bridge network, each of said four nodes being at the junction of two of said four arms; a constant current supply comprising two constant current sources located adjacent said amplifier, said current sources being connected together at one similarly poled extremity forming a common reference node; first conducting means comprising a three-conductor cable having inherent impedance, a first conductor of said cable connecting said common reference node to a first node of said four nodes of said bridge network, second and third conductors of said cable connecting said two constant current sources respectively to diagonally opposite second and third nodes of said bridge network; and second conducting means comprising a two-conductor cable having inherent impedance, said cable connecting said amplifier input terminals to said second and third nodes respectively of said bridge network.