Control device in a vehicle and sensor

• US 20040255674A1
• Filed: 04/19/2004
• Published: 12/23/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 05/25/2002
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Eckard Steiger, Hartmut Schumacher
• Original Assignee: Eckard Steiger, Hartmut Schumacher
• Inventors: Schumacher, Hartmut, Steiger, Eckard
• Application Number:
  US10/492,996
• Publication Number:
  US 20040255674A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 73/514.32
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 16/0315 using multiplexing techniques multiplexing for transmission of signals G08C15/00; multiplexing for electrical communication in general H04J
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/01332 by frequency or waveform analysis

Abstract

A control unit in a vehicle with a processor and a sensor is proposed, whereby the processor is capable of being connected with the sensor, whereby the processor includes means for generating at least one clock pulse for the at least one sensor, whereby the sensor uses the clock pulse for a sensor operation, preferably sensor measurement and sensor signal processing.

Claims

1. Control unit (5) in a vehicle with a processor (1), whereby the processor (1) is capable of being connected with at least one sensor (3, 4), whereby the processor (1) includes means (7 through 15) for generating at least one clock pulse for the at least one sensor (3, 4), whereby the at least one sensor (3, 4, 18) is designed such that the at least one sensor (3, 4, 18) uses the clock pulse for a sensor operation, preferably sensor measurement.

2. The control unit as recited in claim 1,

wherein the means (7 through 15) for generating the at least one clock pulse include an oscillation generation circuit (7), means (10) for frequency multiplication, and first means (9, 11) for pulse division.

3. The control unit as recited in claim 2,

wherein the oscillation generation circuit (7) includes a quartz oscillator or a ceramic capacitor.

4. The control unit as recited in claim 2,

wherein the means (10) for frequency multiplication include a phase-locked loop.

5. The control unit as recited in claim 2,

wherein the first means (9, 11) include a prescaler (9) for pulse division, the prescaler having at least one register (11), whereby the at least one register (11) has a particular dividing ratio.

6. The control unit as recited in claim 1,

wherein the processor includes means for providing different levels for the at least one clock pulse.

7. A sensor as recited in claim 1, wherein the at least one sensor (3, 4, 18) includes second means (19) for pulse division and phase mode generation, which serve to prepare timing signals inside the sensor.

8. The sensor as recited in claim 7,

wherein the sensor includes a synchronous digital interface.

9. The sensor as recited in claim 7,

wherein the sensor (3, 4) is located in the control unit (5).

10. The sensor as recited in claim 7, wherein the at least one sensor is capable of being connected with the processor (1) via a bus (6).

11. The sensor as recited in claim 7, wherein the sensor is configured as an acceleration sensor or a yaw-rate sensor.