CLOCK DETERMINATION FOR A SENSOR

• US 20100002821A1
• Filed: 10/01/2008
• Published: 01/07/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 08/14/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Bernhard Schaffer, Dirk Hammerschmidt, Friedrich Rasbornig, Michael Strasser
• Original Assignee: Infineon Technologies AG
• Inventors: STRASSER, Michael, RASBORNIG, Friedrich, SCHAFFER, Bernhard, HAMMERSCHMIDT, Dirk
• Granted Patent: US 8,948,280 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 375/360
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 25/4902 Pulse width modulation; Pulse position modulation
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 7/0278 Band edge detection
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 7/10 Arrangements for initial synchronisation

Abstract

A method for determining a clock for a sensor signal which has a synchronization signal, which method involves a control unit measuring the period between a first edge and a second edge of the synchronization signal, wherein both edges are either rising or falling, and the control unit taking the period as a basis for determining a clock for sampling data in the sensor signal.

Claims

1. A method for determining a clock for a sensor signal having a synchronization signal, the method comprising:

measuring a period between a first edge and a second edge of the synchronization signal by a control unit, wherein the edges are either rising or falling; and

taking the period as a basis by the control unit for determining a clock for sampling data in the sensor signal.

2. The method according to claim 1, further comprising storing the clock as a clock value by the control unit.

3. The method according to claim 1, further comprising requesting data by sending a wake-up signal by the control unit.

4. The method according to claim 3, further comprising sending the synchronization signal by a sensor following reception of the wake-up signal.

5. The method according to claim 1, further comprising requesting data and selecting a sensor by sending an address signal by the control unit.

6. The method according to claim 5, wherein the address signal is pulse-width modulated.

7. The method according to claim 5, further comprising sending the synchronization signal by the sensor following reception of the address signal.

8. The method according to claim 5, further comprising selecting a sensor based on a duration of the address signal.

9. The method according to claim 1, further comprising sending a data signal by a sensor following transmission of the synchronization signal.

10. The method according to claim 9, wherein the data signal is pulse-width modulated.

11. The method according to claim 1, wherein the synchronization signal from a sensor comprises known data for identification as a synchronization signal by the control unit.

12. The method according to claim 1, further comprising:

determining the clock based on the synchronization signal received by the control unit from a sensor;

interrupting transmission of data from the sensor by the control unit; and

sending data signals to the sensor by the control unit, wherein the data signals are dependent on the clock.

13. The method according to claim 12, further comprising applying a signal from the control unit and a signal from the sensor as OR signals on a bus line.

14. The method according to claim 1, further comprising:

determining the clock from a stored clock value from a previous data transmission from a sensor;

interrupting transmission of the synchronization signal from the sensor by the control unit; and

sending data signals to the sensor by the control unit, wherein the data signals are dependent on the clock.

15. The method according to claim 14, further comprising applying a signal from the control unit and a signal from the sensor as OR signals on a bus line.

16. The method according to claim 1, further comprising sending signals to a bus line.

17. A control unit comprising:

a transmitter configured to send signals to a sensor;

a receiver configured to receive signals from the sensor;

a timing circuit configured to determine a clock based on a period of a synchronization signal received from the sensor, wherein the timing circuit is configured to measure the period between a first edge and a second edge of the synchronization signal, and wherein both edges are either rising or falling; and

a sampling circuit configured to sample a signal to be received based on the clock.

18. The control unit according to claim 17, wherein the transmitter is configured to send signals dependent on the clock.

19. The control unit according to claim 17, wherein the transmitter comprises a transistor, and wherein one of a collector or a drain of the transistor is coupled to a bus line configured to send a signal.

20. A sensor comprising:

a clock generator configured to generate a clock;

a receiver configured to receive signals from a control unit; and

a transmitter configured to send signals to the control unit, wherein the transmitter is configured to send a synchronization signal based on the clock, and wherein a period between a first edge and a second edge of the synchronization signal is dependent on the clock and both edges are either rising or falling.

21. The sensor according to claim 20, wherein the transmitter comprises a transistor having one of a collector or a drain coupled to a bus line configured to send a signal.

22. The sensor according to claim 20, wherein the receiver is configured to decode intervals of time between two received edges based on a receiver clock.