ANTENNA DIAGNOSTIS METHOD AND DEVICE

• US 20150084640A1
• Filed: 02/14/2013
• Published: 03/26/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 02/17/2012
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Continental Automotive France (Continental AG), Continental Automotive GmbH (Continental AG)
• Original Assignee: Continental Automotive France (Continental AG), Continental Automotive GmbH (Continental AG)
• Inventors: Schuster, Rupert, Quintin, Jean-Marie
• Application Number:
  US14/378,730
• Publication Number:
  US 20150084640A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 324/509
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 16/02 electric constitutive elements
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 31/006 on road vehicles, e.g. automobiles or trucks testing of ignition installations peculiar to internal combustion engines F02P17/00
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/3241 particular used in keyless entry systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 17/102 Power radiated at antenna
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 17/12 of transmit antennas, e.g. of the amplitude or phase
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 17/17 Detection of non-compliance or faulty performance, e.g. response deviations H04B17/18 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 5/00 Near-field transmission systems, e.g. inductive or capacitive transmission systems

Abstract

An antenna (L) diagnostic device of a resonant circuit associated with an amplifier includes a first transistor (HS1) and a second transistor (LS1) connected and an amplifier output (OUT1). The first transistor (HS1) and the second transistor (LS1) are mounted symmetrically and the amplifier output (OUT1) is located between the two transistors. The device includes: elements for measuring a current flowing in a connection of each of the transistors; first elements for generating an input signal connected to the first transistor; second elements for generating an input signal connected to the second transistor; and electronic elements (8) with an output supplying an output signal representative of the potential (V_OUT1) at the amplifier output. A method for diagnosing an antenna implementing such a device is also described.

Claims

1. An antenna (L) diagnostic device of a resonant circuit associated with an amplifier comprising a first transistor (HS1) connected to a supply voltage and a second transistor (LS1) connected to a ground and an amplifier output (OUT1), the first transistor (HS1) and the second transistor (LS1) being mounted symmetrically with respect to the amplifier output (OUT1) and the amplifier output (OUT1) being located between the two transistors, connected to each of the two transistors (LS1, HS1), said device comprising means for evaluating a current flowing in a connection of each of said transistors,

characterized in that it further comprises:

first means for generating an input signal connected to the first transistor,

second means for generating an input signal connected to the second transistor, and

electronic means (8) including an output supplying an output signal representative of the potential (V_OUT1) at the amplifier output.

2. The diagnostic device as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that the first transistor (HS1) and the second transistor (LS1) are both metal oxide semiconductor field effect transistors.

3. The device as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that the electronic means supplying an output signal representative of the potential at the amplifier output comprise a comparator device (8) with a first input connected to the amplifier output, a second input connected to a predetermined reference voltage and an output supplying an output signal representative of the potential difference between the first input and the second input.

4. A control and management device of at least one antenna (L), characterized in that it comprises a diagnostic device as claimed in claim 1.

5. The control and management device of at least one antenna (L) as claimed in claim 4, characterized in that it takes the form of an application-specific integrated circuit.

6. A hands-free management system, characterized in that it comprises a control and management device of at least one antenna (L) as claimed in claim 4.

7. The hands-free management system as claimed in claim 6, characterized in that it comprises a control and management device (2′

) and resonant circuits each comprising at least one resistor (R), one capacitor (C) and one inductor (L), in that the control and management device (2′

) takes the form of an application-specific integrated circuit mounted on a card (PCB), in that said card also carries the resonant circuit resistors (R) and capacitors (C), and in that the at least one inductor (L) is offset with respect to said card.

8. A motor vehicle, characterized in that it comprises a hands-free management system as claimed in claim 6.

11. The device as claimed in claim 2, characterized in that the electronic means supplying an output signal representative of the potential at the amplifier output comprise a comparator device (8) with a first input connected to the amplifier output, a second input connected to a predetermined reference voltage and an output supplying an output signal representative of the potential difference between the first input and the second input.

12. A control and management device of at least one antenna (L), characterized in that it comprises a diagnostic device as claimed in claim 2.

13. A control and management device of at least one antenna (L), characterized in that it comprises a diagnostic device as claimed in claim 3.

14. A hands-free management system, characterized in that it comprises a control and management device of at least one antenna (L) as claimed in claim 5.

15. A motor vehicle, characterized in that it comprises a hands-free management system as claimed in claim 7.

16. A motor vehicle, characterized in that it comprises a hands-free management system as claimed in claim 14.

9. A method of diagnosing at least one antenna of a resonant circuit associated with an amplifier comprising a first transistor (HS1) connected to a supply voltage and a second transistor (LS1) connected to a ground and an amplifier output (OUT1), the first transistor (HS1) and the second transistor (LS1) being mounted symmetrically and the amplifier output (OUT1) being located between the two transistors, said device comprising means for evaluating a current flowing in a connection of each of said transistors, characterized in that it comprises the following steps:

generation of a signal by only one of the transistors and excitation of the antenna (L) concerned by said signal, for a predetermined period of time,

evaluation of the current in each of the connections equipped with means for evaluating a current,

evaluation of the amplifier output potential,

performance of a diagnosis by comparing the results of the evaluations carried out with the results corresponding to the measurements obtained when the antenna concerned is in normal operating conditions.

10. The diagnostic method as claimed in claim 9, characterized in that three signals are successively generated, a first continuous signal by one of the transistors, a second continuous signal by the other transistor and a variable signal in the form of at least one pulse by a single transistor.