1. A torque sensor, comprising:
a magnetic metal film with magnetic anisotropy attached to a torque transmission shaft;
an exciting coil and a detector coil each installed near the magnetic metal film;
a detection circuit including an adder that adds an output of the detector coil and a reference signal when the exciting coil is energized by an exciting power source and a phase comparator that compares an output of the adder and the reference signal in phase; and
a torque detector that detects a torque applied to the torque transmission shaft based on the output of the phase comparator.
2. A torque sensor according to claim 1, wherein the detection circuit further includes a waveform shaper that waveform-shapes the output of the adder and the reference signal.
3. A torque sensor according to claim 1, wherein the reference signal is generated by the exciting power source.
4. A torque sensor, comprising:
a magnetic metal film with magnetic anisotropy attached to a torque transmission shaft;
an exciting coil and a plurality of detector coils each installed near the magnetic metal film;
a detection circuit including a plurality of adders that add respective outputs of the detector coils and the reference signal when the exciting coil is energized by the exciting power source, a plurality of phase comparators that compare respective outputs of the adders and the reference signal in phase and a differential amplifier that inputs respective outputs of the phase comparators and amplifies a difference between the outputs; and
a torque detector detects a torque applied to the torque transmission shaft based on an output of the differential amplifier.
5. A torque sensor according to claim 4, wherein the detection circuit further includes a plurality of integrating circuits that convert the respective outputs of the phase comparators in voltage values,
the differential amplifier inputs the voltage values resulting from voltage conversion in the integrating circuits and amplifies a difference between the voltage values, and
the torque detector detects direction and magnitude of the torque applied to the torque transmission shaft from polarity and magnitude of the difference voltage value.
6. A torque sensor according to claim 4, wherein the detection circuit further includes a plurality of waveform shapers that waveform-shape the respective outputs of the adder and the reference signal.
7. A torque sensor according to claim 4, wherein the reference signal is generated by the exciting power source.
8. A torque sensor according to claim 4, wherein the torque sensor is installed in a vehicle electric power steering system that uses an electric motor to provide steering torque assistance and detects the steering torque of the vehicle electric power steering system.
The claims below are in addition to those above.
All refrences to claim(s) which appear below refer to the numbering after this setence.
1. A system for checking in a vehicle having a data bus into a facility, said device comprising:
a module, said module having an information gathering device for gathering check in information from said vehicle, said module connected to said data bus of said vehicle;
a wireless transmission device for transmitting said information;
a remote receiving station, said station receiving said check in information from said sending module; and
a CPU connected to a database with a file for said vehicle, said CPU placing said check in information in said file to check in said vehicle.
2. The device of claim 1 wherein said check in information comprises a vehicle identification number, a mileage, and a diagnostic code.
3. The device of claim 1 wherein said vehicle has a data bus and wherein said sending module is connected to the data bus.
4. The device of claim 3, wherein said vehicle has a port connected to said data bus and said sending module is connected to said port.
5. The device of claim 1 wherein said CPU computes a rental charge for said vehicle.
6. The device of claim 5 further comprising a receipt station wherein a receipt for said rental charge is produced.
7. A method of checking in a rental vehicle at a return lot, said method comprising the steps of:
mounting a sending module to a data bus of said vehicle module;
gathering rental information from a data bus
sending the check in information to a remote station; and
calculating a rental charge for said vehicle using the check in information sent from said sending module.
8. The method of claim 7 further comprising the step of providing a receipt for the rental charges.
9. The method of claim 7 wherein said mounting step further comprises the step of connecting the sending module to a diagnostic port of said vehicle.
10. The method of claim 7 wherein said rental information includes vehicle information number, mileage, and fuel level.