Method, sensor module, and system for transferring data

• US 10,119,846 B2
• Filed: 11/03/2011
• Issued: 11/06/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 12/07/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
• Original Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
• Inventors: Kohn, Oliver, Schifferdecker, Daniel, Claus, Thomas, Waible, Hans-Peter, Grad, Anton Roman, Bennini, Fouad, Bartholomeyczik, Julian
• Primary Examiner(s): Yang, James J
• Application Number:
  US13/991,520
• Publication Number:
  US 20130321167A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,560 Days
• Field of Search: 340 101- 106, 3405721-5729
• CPC Class Codes: G01D 9/00 Recording measured values
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 5/10 having a sequence of storage locations each being individually accessible for both enqueue and dequeue operations, e.g. using random access memory G06F5/065 takes precedence

Abstract

In a method for transmitting a data element from a sensor module that produces sensor data to an application unit, the data element is stored in a ring buffer in the sensor module, and a corresponding item of event information is produced in an evaluation circuit from the sensor data, the data element including the sensor data and the item of event information, the data element being transmitted from the ring buffer to the application unit upon request by the application unit.

Claims

1. A method for transmitting at least one data element from a sensor module to an application unit, comprising:

producing, by the sensor module, sensor data;

producing, in an evaluation circuit, a corresponding item of event information from the sensor data;

storing a data element in a ring buffer in the sensor module, the data element including the sensor data and the item of event information; and

transmitting the data element from the ring buffer to the application unit upon request by the application unit,

wherein the data element has a first data word length, the sensor data having a second data word length, the first data word length being larger than the second data word length,

wherein the item of event information has a third word length,

wherein the third word length is a difference between the first data word length and the second data word length, and

wherein the item of event information includes at least one of an item of information concerning a triggered sensor axis, a type of an interrupt, and a type of exceeded threshold.

2. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein multiple data elements are stored in the ring buffer, the sensor data and the item of event information of each individual data element corresponding to a common time of production.

3. The method as recited in claim 2, wherein the multiple data elements are transmitted from the ring buffer to the application unit.

4. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the sensor data in the sensor module are evaluated by an integrated circuit to form the item of event information.

5. The method as recited in claim 4, wherein the ring buffer is operated in at least two operating modes, and wherein a selection is made between the two operating modes upon request by the application unit.

8. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the type of interrupt includes one of a portrait/landscape changeover, a shake, and a pedometer step number.

6. A sensor module, comprising:

means for producing sensor data, wherein a corresponding item of event information is produced in an evaluation circuit from the sensor data;

a ring buffer for storing a data element, wherein the data element includes the sensor data and the item of event information; and

means for transmitting the data element from the ring buffer to an application unit upon request by the application unit, wherein the data element has a first data word length, the sensor data having a second data word length, the first data word length being larger than the second data word length, wherein the item of event information has a third word length, wherein the third word length is a difference between the first data word length and the second data word length, and wherein the item of event information includes at least one of an item of information concerning a triggered sensor axis, a type of an interrupt, and a type of exceeded threshold.

9. The sensor module as recited in claim 6, wherein the type of interrupt includes one of a portrait/landscape changeover, a shake, and a pedometer step number.

7. A system, comprising:

a sensor module; and

an application unit;

wherein the sensor module;

(i) produces sensor data, a corresponding item of event information being produced from the sensor data in an evaluation circuit;

(ii) stores a data element in a ring buffer in the sensor module, the data element including the sensor data and the item of event information; and

(iii) transmits the data element from the ring buffer to the application unit upon request by the application unit, wherein the data element has a first data word length, the sensor data having a second data word length, the first data word length being larger than the second data word length, wherein the item of information has a third word length, wherein the third word length is a difference between the first data word length and the second data word length, and wherein the item of event information includes at least one of an item of information concerning a triggered sensor axis, a type of an interrupt, and a type of exceeded threshold.

10. The system as recited in claim 7, wherein the type of interrupt includes one of a portrait/landscape changeover, a shake, and a pedometer step number.