A potentiometer is an electronic component that is configured to provide a user-adjustable resistance. Typically, the potentiometer is a three-terminal circuit element that includes first, second, and third terminals, a resistor electrically coupled between the first and second terminals, and a wiper electrically coupled between the resistor and the third terminal. The wiper is movable along the resistor, thereby providing a variable resistance between the wiper terminal and each of the first and second terminals.
Potentiometers are used in myriad devices and systems. For example, potentiometers are many times used to supply signals representative of the position of various components. Such components may include various types of valves, actuators, or various mechanical devices. As is generally known, the resistance of a potentiometer's terminals, as well as the resistance of the potentiometer wiper, may vary over time. These resistances may also vary with various environmental conditions to which the potentiometer may be exposed. Hence, various devices and methods have been developed to determine, in-situ, potentiometer resistances, including potentiometer wiper resistance.
Although the presently known devices and methods for determining potentiometer wiper resistance generally work well, the devices and methods can suffer certain drawbacks. For example, many devices and methods may rely on relatively complex circuitry, or relatively complex and/or expensive circuit modifications, in order to provide in-situ potentiometer wiper resistance determination. Hence, there is a need for a circuit and method of determining wiper resistance that does not rely on relatively complex circuitry, and/or relatively complex and/or expensive circuit modifications. The present invention addresses at least this need.