Method and system for eddy current proximity system noise reduction

1. A method of determining a gap between an eddy current proximity transducer and a target, said method comprising:

providing a data structure that is populated with data that is relative to a plurality of gap values corresponding to a plurality of complex impedance values of the transducer;

exciting the transducer at a plurality of different frequencies;

determining a plurality of complex impedance values of the transducer at each of the plurality of frequencies;

determining a plurality of gap values using the data structure and the plurality of complex impedance values; and

determining the gap using the plurality of gap values.

2. A method in accordance with claim 1 wherein the data structure includes a look-up table that is populated with data that is relative to at least two of the plurality of excitation frequencies, said method further comprises determining a plurality of gap values based on interpolating data in the look-up table.

3. A method in accordance with claim 1 wherein the data structure includes a look-up table that is populated with data that is relative to each of the plurality of excitation frequencies, said method further comprises determining a plurality of gap values based on interpolating data for each respective frequency.

4. A method in accordance with claim 3 wherein determining the gap comprises averaging the plurality of gap values.

5. A method in accordance with claim 1 wherein exciting the transducer at a plurality of different frequencies comprises exciting the transducer at a plurality of different frequencies substantially simultaneously.

6. A method in accordance with claim 1 wherein exciting the transducer at a plurality of different frequencies comprises exciting the transducer at three different frequencies substantially simultaneously.

7. A method in accordance with claim 6 wherein determining a complex impedance value of the transducer comprises determining a respective complex impedance value of the transducer at each of the three frequencies substantially simultaneously.

8. A method in accordance with claim 1 wherein determining the gap using the data structure and the complex impedance value comprises determining the gap in real-time using the data structure and the complex impedance value.

9. A method in accordance with claim 1 wherein the data structure includes three look-up tables that each include data relative to one of the plurality of excitation frequencies, and wherein determining the gap using the data structure and the complex impedance value comprises determining a gap value at each excitation by interpolating data in each respective look-up table corresponding to each complex impedance value.

10. A method in accordance with claim 9 wherein determining the gap comprises averaging the gap values.

11. A system for determining a gap between an eddy current proximity transducer and a target, said system comprising:

a network comprising said transducer serially coupled to an electrical component;

a signal generator circuit operatively coupled to said network, said signal generator circuit configured to drive a current that includes three selectable and programmable direct digital synthesis devices each device configured to generate a plurality of frequencies through said network wherein a first analog voltage is impressed across said network and a second analog voltage is impressed across said transducer;

a sampling and digitizing circuit coupled to said signal generator circuit, said sampling and digitizing circuit configured to convert the first analog multi-frequency voltage impressed across said network and said second analog multi-frequency voltage impressed across said transducer into a plurality of digitized voltages;

a convolution circuit comprising an input terminal corresponding to at least one of the plurality of frequencies, said convolution circuit configured to convolve each digitized voltage with a digital waveform for forming a first complex number and a second complex number correlative to the first analog voltage and the second analog voltage respectively for at least one of the frequencies; and

a memory comprising a data structure corresponding to each of the frequencies, said data structure populated with data that is relative to a plurality of gap values based on at least one of the first complex number and the second complex number.

12. A system in accordance with claim 11 wherein said transducer includes a serially coupled cable and wherein said second analog voltage is impressed across a serial combination of said transducer and said cable.

13. A system in accordance with claim 11 wherein said signal generator circuit includes a current source configured to generate a multi-frequency current.

14. A system in accordance with claim 11 wherein said convolution circuit comprises a digital circuit configured to receive at least one frequency on an input channel that is selectively tuned to the respective frequency.

15. A system in accordance with claim 11 wherein said convolution circuit comprises a programmable digital circuit configured to receive each frequency on a separate respective input channel that is selectively tuned to the respective frequency.

16. A system in accordance with claim 11 wherein said convolution circuit comprises a digital down counter configured to receive at least one frequency on a separate respective input channel that is selectively tuned to the respective frequency.

17. A system in accordance with claim 11 wherein said memory comprises a look-up table corresponding to each of the frequencies, said look-up table populated with data that is relative to gap values based on at least one of the first complex number and the second complex number.

18. A system in accordance with claim 11 further comprising a processor configured to correlate the first complex number and the second complex number for at least one of the frequencies to respective gap data in said data structure.

19. A system in accordance with claim 18 wherein said processor is configured to correlate the first complex number and the second complex number for at least one of the frequencies to respective gap data in said data structure by interpolation.