Frequency hopping for smart air springs
First Claim
1. An air spring height sensor comprising:
- a transmitter unit for transmitting a height measuring signal,a receiver unit for sensing a height signal,a carrier frequency switching unit, andan evaluation unit,wherein the transmitter unit is switchable between a first carrier frequency and a second carrier frequency of the height measuring signal,wherein the evaluation unit comprises a frequency filter being switchable between the first carrier frequency and the second carrier frequency,wherein the carrier frequency switching unit is adapted for switching the frequency filter at the receiver unit from the first carrier frequency to the second carrier frequency at a predetermined first point of time (t1) and for switching a carrier frequency of the transmitter unit from the first carrier frequency to the second carrier frequency at a predetermined second point of time (t2),wherein the first point of time is prior to the second point of time,wherein the evaluation unit is adapted for detecting, after the first point of time but prior to the second point of time, whether the first carrier frequency or the second carrier frequency is sufficiently free of interferences for subsequent evaluation of the height measuring signal, andwherein the first carrier frequency or the second carrier frequency is sufficiently free of interferences when a signal to noise ratio of the sensed height signal meets or exceeds a threshold.
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Accused Products
Abstract
The subject invention relates to an air spring height sensor comprising a transmitter unit (102) for transmitting a height measuring signal, a receiver unit (101) for sensing a height signal, a carrier frequency switching unit (103), and an evaluation unit (200). The receiver unit and the transmitter unit are adapted for being mounted to opposing mounting elements (10, 20) of an air spring (1). The transmitter unit is switchable between different carrier frequencies (121, 122) of a height measuring signal. The evaluation unit comprises a frequency filter (213) being switchable between different carrier frequencies, wherein the carrier frequency switching unit is adapted for switching the carrier frequency of the frequency filter at a predetermined first point of time and the corresponding carrier frequency of the transmitter unit at a predetermined second point of time, wherein the first point of time is prior to the second point of time.
6 Citations
20 Claims
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1. An air spring height sensor comprising:
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a transmitter unit for transmitting a height measuring signal, a receiver unit for sensing a height signal, a carrier frequency switching unit, and an evaluation unit, wherein the transmitter unit is switchable between a first carrier frequency and a second carrier frequency of the height measuring signal, wherein the evaluation unit comprises a frequency filter being switchable between the first carrier frequency and the second carrier frequency, wherein the carrier frequency switching unit is adapted for switching the frequency filter at the receiver unit from the first carrier frequency to the second carrier frequency at a predetermined first point of time (t1) and for switching a carrier frequency of the transmitter unit from the first carrier frequency to the second carrier frequency at a predetermined second point of time (t2), wherein the first point of time is prior to the second point of time, wherein the evaluation unit is adapted for detecting, after the first point of time but prior to the second point of time, whether the first carrier frequency or the second carrier frequency is sufficiently free of interferences for subsequent evaluation of the height measuring signal, and wherein the first carrier frequency or the second carrier frequency is sufficiently free of interferences when a signal to noise ratio of the sensed height signal meets or exceeds a threshold. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
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16. An air spring height measuring method, the method comprising:
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switching at a predetermined first point of time a carrier frequency of a frequency filter of an evaluation unit from a first carrier frequency to a second carrier frequency, the second carrier frequency being different from the first carrier frequency; evaluating a sensed height signal of a receiver unit being mounted to a first mounting element of an air spring from the first carrier frequency to the second carrier frequency or from the second carrier frequency to the first carrier frequency; switching at a predetermined second point of time the first carrier frequency of a transmitter unit for transmitting a height measuring signal to the second carrier frequency of the frequency filter, wherein the transmitter unit is mounted to a second mounting element of the air spring; detecting, by the evaluation unit after the first point of time but prior to the second point of time, whether the first carrier frequency or the second carrier frequency is sufficiently free of interferences for subsequent evaluation of the sensed height signal, and wherein the first carrier frequency or the second carrier frequency is sufficiently free of interferences when a signal to noise ratio of the sensed height signal meets or exceeds a threshold. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18, 19)
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20. A method comprising:
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switching, at a first point of time, a carrier frequency of a frequency filter of an evaluation unit from a first carrier frequency to a second carrier frequency different from the first carrier frequency; detecting a sensed height signal of a receiver unit of an air spring switched from the first carrier frequency to the second carrier frequency or from the second carrier frequency to the first carrier frequency; detecting, by an evaluation unit after a first point of time but prior to a second predetermined point of time, whether the first carrier frequency or the second carrier frequency is sufficiently free of interferences for subsequent evaluation of the sensed height signal; and switching at the predetermined second point of time the carrier frequency of a transmitter unit for transmitting a height measuring signal to a corresponding carrier frequency of the frequency filter, wherein the transmitter unit is mounted to a second mounting element of the air spring, wherein the first carrier frequency or the second carrier frequency is sufficiently free of interferences when a signal to noise ratio of the sensed height signal meets or exceeds a threshold.
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Specification