Problem Solving 101 with Sorin Fericean

At Artech House, we ask our authors what problems their books can help readers solve. In this series, we share what our authors aim to do in their writing. Read on to find out what Sorin Fericean, who wrote Inductive Sensors for Industrial Applications had to say:

What are some problems your book can help readers solve?

• The book addresses professionals – engineers and technicians – but also students with a major in electronics and everybody who requires a solid basic knowledge of inductive sensors;
• For this reason, every chapter debuts with classic, traditional solutions and gradually moves on to state-of-the-art analog and digital realizations (large-scale integrated systems-on-chip, software defined sensors SDS, digital signal synthesis, coils on silicon, active inductors, artificial neural networks ANN approaches, etc.). They are implemented in various types of inductive sensors;
• The book systematically uses three conventional but also modern analysis methods: (a) the analytic computation (as far as applicable), (b) popular graphical methods (phasor diagrams, phase planes, Smith-charts, signal path, etc.) and (c) computer assisted tools, as the electromagnetic field simulator Maxwell and the most popular Spice simulator for electronic circuits. These tools offer a deeper view into the phenomenology of the analyzed devices (see mainly chapters 3 and 4);
• For traditional solutions, the chapters give overviews in tables with computation formulae (including empirical expressions) found in various sources (e.g. Table 5.1 or 5.3);
• Concrete examples for available, actual commercial parts are always provided;
• Numerical examples help the reader to consolidate the theoretical knowledge acquired. Example #22 (Chapter 13) is specifically mentioned: It is a corollary design exercise which makes use of the knowledge gained in the previous chapters.

In view of these features, it is easy to apprehend the intention of this book: to provide a comprehensive survey of all relevant inductive sensor classes for industrial applications in one single volume.

What are the features of your book and the specific benefits a reader can expect to derive from those features?  

Feature #1
Chapter 2: “Inductive Proximity Sensors – Standards, EMC/EMI, Safety, Reliability, Availability” summarizes a wide range of definitions, specifications and rated features in a compact but elaborate form. Benefit #1
Due to this “handy map”, practically no need to buy and to study the broad range of literature standard publications.
Sensor specific knowledge, tests, evaluation and benchmarking can be made in substantially shorter time and with and a significantly lower quality.
Feature #2
Section 4.3: “Modern Computer-Assisted Analysis and Synthesis of Inductive Sensing elements” summarizes all the aspects compactly, starting with the fundamentals of Computer-Aided Electromagnetic Field Simulation and ending with the flow chart of a field-simulation project –guided be concrete examples. Benefit #2
Reducing design time and high-grade solving of the design problem by applying State-of-the-Art tools, namely computer analyses and synthesis instead of traditional methods.
Feature #3
Chapter 7: “Evaluation Electronics of the Inductive Sensors” is an evolutive “guidance in the world of inductive sensors”. It opens the topic giving a large covering generic functional diagram of the Inductive Sensor’s Evaluation Electronics and goes through this world step-by-step, from discrete implementations up to system-on-chip architecture.
Benefit #3
Apart from the possibility to immediately get on overview of the representative electronic implementations in inductive sensors, the buyer may be supported by taking the decision of the realization level and version to be chosen and designed.

Feature #4
The book has plenty of information regarding the use of Standard Integrated Circuits (ICs) and Application Specific Integrated Circuits (ASICs) for inductive sensors. This feature refers to the description of the suitable integration processes: Bipolar and/or Metal-Oxide Semiconductor MOS (Section 7.3), as well as presentations of integrated circuits – schematics but also layouts, sizes, etc. – for all stages belonging to inductive sensors (Chapters 7 to 14).
Benefit #4
Most definitely, the buyer enters in possession of a unique information source about a combined technical domain, namely particular ASIC business (definition, specification, design rules, prototyping, tests and release for serial production, etc.) unified with the engineering of inductive sensors.
These 360 degrees Veda-view and knowledge is provided by a professional expert on the subject of design and manufacturing of electronic sensors for industrial applications and of ASICs for these applications.

Please name the audiences at which this book is aimed. How will this audience use your book?

Professionals – engineers and technicians – acting in the field of inductive sensors. Inductive Sensor is one of the top-ten sold sensors worldwide. Its market is estimated at 1.10 billion USD by 2018, which represents above 20 % from the entire market of position and displacement sensors. How will this audience use your book?

• As a basic volume for the study of the inductive sensor fundamentals;
• As a design manual for inductive sensing elements and for the evaluation electronics of these sensors;
• As a design manual for particular ASICs used in inductive sensors;
• As a reference manual for components and materials used in inductive sensors.

Students with a major in electronics
How will this audience use your book?

• To get general knowledge in electronic engineering (e.g. Chapter 9);
• To be informed about radical innovation milestones beginning with the sixties in the field of integrated circuits (e.g. the famous timer circuit “555”, see Section 8.5.3).
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