MAGNETIC FIELD COMMUNICATION ARRANGEMENT AND METHOD

• US 20110140918A1
• Filed: 12/16/2009
• Published: 06/16/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 12/16/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
• Original Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
• Inventors: Hogenmueller, Thomas, Jain, Vivek, Venkatraman, Lakshmi
• Granted Patent: US 9,158,290 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/907
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 16/02 electric constitutive elements
• CPC Class Codes: G01D 21/00 Measuring or testing not otherwise provided for
• CPC Class Codes: G01F 23/22 by measuring physical variables, other than linear dimensions, pressure or weight, dependent on the level to be measured, e.g. by difference of heat transfer of steam or water involving the use of floats G01F23/30
• CPC Class Codes: G01F 23/802 Particular electronic circuits for digital processing equipment
• CPC Class Codes: G01K 1/024 for remote indication
• CPC Class Codes: G01K 13/00 Thermometers specially adapted for specific purposes
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 11/01 electric
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/18 Status alarms G08B21/02 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/017 identifying vehicles G08G1/015, G08G1/054 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/07 Controlling traffic signals

Abstract

An automotive communication method includes installing a sensor within a vehicle such that the sensor is submerged in a liquid during operation of the vehicle and/or substantially surrounded by a metallic structure during operation of the vehicle. A long wave magnetic signal is transmitted from the sensor. The signal is indicative of a condition sensed by the sensor. The signal is wirelessly received at a controller disposed within the vehicle. Receipt of the signal at the controller is responded to by adjusting a display and/or a setting within the vehicle.

Claims

1. An automotive communication method, said comprising the steps of:

installing a sensor within a vehicle such that the sensor is submerged in a liquid during operation of the vehicle and/or substantially surrounded by a metallic structure during operation of the vehicle;

transmitting a long wave magnetic sensor signal from the sensor, the sensor signal being indicative of a condition sensed by the sensor;

wirelessly receiving the signal at a controller disposed within the vehicle; and

responding to the receipt of the signal at the controller by adjusting a display and/or a setting within the vehicle.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the controller is disposed out of the liquid and/or outside of the metallic structure.

3. The method of claim 1 comprising the further steps of:

installing a second sensor within the vehicle;

transmitting second long wave magnetic signals from the second sensor; and

localizing the two sensors with respect to each other.

4. The method of claim 1 comprising the further step of modulating the long wave magnetic signal with a carrier frequency of approximately between 100 kHz and 500 kHz.

5. The method of claim 1 comprising the further steps of:

installing a motor assembly within the vehicle, the motor assembly including a motor coupled to an electronic module having a receiver, the installing being performed such that the receiver is submerged in a liquid during operation of the vehicle and/or substantially surrounded by a metallic structure during operation of the vehicle, the condition sensed by the sensor comprising a condition associated with the motor; and

transmitting a long wave magnetic control signal from the controller to the electronic module, the control signal directing operation of the motor.

6. The method of claim 5 wherein the control signal is dependent upon the sensor signal.

7. The method of claim 5 wherein the controller is submerged within a liquid during operation of the vehicle or substantially surrounded by a metallic structure during operation of the vehicle.

8. A tractor-trailer arrangement, comprising:

a trailer including;

at least one wall separating an interior of the trailer from an ambient environment;

a door disposed in one said wall, the door having an open position and a closed position;

a wireless door contact sensor configured to;

sense whether the door is in the open position or the closed position; and

transmit a sequence of long wave magnetic position signals, each of the position signals being indicative of whether the door is in the open position or the closed position at a respective point in time; and

a tractor unit mechanically coupled to the trailer, the tractor unit including;

at least one of an audio speaker and a video display; and

a controller configured to;

receive the long wave magnetic position signals from the sensor; and

control presentation of information on the at least one of an audio speaker and a video display dependent upon the received position signals.

9. The arrangement of claim 8 wherein the trailer further includes a motion detector configured to:

sense a presence of movement within the interior of the trailer; and

transmit a sequence of long wave magnetic motion signals, each of the motion signals being indicative of whether there is movement within the interior of the trailer at a respective point in time;

the controller being configured to;

receive the long wave magnetic motion signals from the motion detector; and

control presentation of information to the at least one of an audio speaker and a video display dependent upon the received motion signals.

10. The arrangement of claim 9 wherein the motion detector is configured to receive the long wave magnetic position signals from the sensor, the motion detector being calibrated to detect non-human motion when the door monitored by the sensor is in the closed position, the motion detector being configured to switch to being calibrated to detect human motion in response to receiving a position signal indicating that the door has been opened.

11. The arrangement of claim 10 wherein the motion signals transmitted by the motion detector indicate whether the motion detector is calibrated to detect non-human motion or is calibrated to detect human motion, the controller being configured to present information on the at least one of an audio speaker and a video display indicating whether the motion detector is calibrated to detect non-human motion or is calibrated to detect human motion.

12. The arrangement of claim 9 wherein the controller is configured to localize the contact sensor and the motion detector with respect to each other.

13. The arrangement of claim 12 wherein the trailer includes a wireless environmental sensor configured to:

sense temperature or humidity within the interior of the trailer; and

transmit a sequence of long wave magnetic environmental signals, each of the environmental signals being indicative of a temperature or a humidity level with the interior of the trailer at a respective point in time,

the controller being configured to localize the contact sensor, the motion detector and the environmental sensor with respect to each other.

14. The arrangement of claim 8 wherein the long wave magnetic position signals are modulated with a carrier frequency of approximately between 100 kHz and 500 kHz.

15. A method of monitoring the presence of vehicles within a predetermined space, said method comprising the steps of:

broadcasting a respective long wave magnetic identification signal from each of a plurality of vehicles, each of the identification signals uniquely identifying the vehicle from which the signal is broadcasted;

using a plurality of long wave magnetic signal readers to receive the identification signals from the vehicles, each of the readers receiving the identification signals from vehicles disposed within a respective portion of the predetermined space; and

automatically responding to the received identification signals by recording the identifications of the vehicles in association with each of the portions of the predetermined space and/or transmitting a response signal.

16. The method of claim 15 wherein the predetermined space comprises a parking lot, each said portion of the parking lot being a single parking space.

17. The method of claim 15 wherein the predetermined space comprises a parking lot, each said portion of the parking lot being a plurality of adjacent parking spaces.

18. The method of claim 15 wherein the automatically responding step includes transmitting a response signal that is indicative of a respective monetary fee to be charged to each of the vehicles whose identification signals are received.

19. The method of claim 15 wherein the automatically responding step includes transmitting a response signal that is indicative of whether a vehicle whose identification signal is received is authorized to park in the portion of the predetermined space.

20. The method of claim 15 wherein the automatically responding step includes transmitting a response signal that controls a traffic light.

21. A method of locking and unlocking a door of a vehicle, said method comprising the steps of:

transmitting a long wave magnetic signal from a keyfob, the signal including an identifier corresponding to a respective vehicle, the keyfob including an actuatable control, the long wave magnetic signal being transmitted in response to the actuatable control being actuated by a user;

receiving the long wave magnetic signal at the respective vehicle;

recognizing the identifier as corresponding to the respective vehicle, the recognizing being performed within the respective vehicle; and

in response to the recognizing, automatically changing a door of the respective vehicle from a locked state to an unlocked state or from an unlocked state to a locked state.

22. The method of claim 21 comprising the further step of modulating the long wave magnetic signal with a carrier frequency of approximately between 100 kHz and 500 kHz.