WIRELESS SENSOR INTERFACE FOR A STEERING WHEEL

• US 20190308570A1
• Filed: 04/04/2019
• Published: 10/10/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 04/09/2018
• Status: Active Application

• Current Assignee: Integrated Device Technology Incorporated (Renesas Electronics Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Integrated Device Technology Incorporated (Renesas Electronics Corporation)
• Inventors: JANISCH, Josef, BUCHINGER, Andreas
• Application Number:
  US16/375,112
• Publication Number:
  US 20190308570A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 16/0231 Circuits relating to the driving or the functioning of the vehicle monitoring tyres B60C23/00; indicating overspeed B60K31/00; for dash boards B60K37/00, B60Q3/10; for indicating emergencies B60Q1/52; brake control systems B60T; registering or indicating the working of vehicles G07C5/00; measuring distance G01C, e.g. combinations of speed and distance G01C23/00; engine indicators G01L; measuring speed or acceleration G01P
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 16/027 between relatively movable parts of the vehicle, e.g. between steering wheel and column devices for measuring, signalling or controlling tyre pressure or temperature specially adapted for mounting on vehicles B60C23/00
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 1/04 Hand wheels
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 15/02 Steering position indicators ; Steering position determination; Steering aids

Abstract

A wireless sensor interface for a steering wheel is disclosed that includes a wireless sensor interface for a steering wheel with steering wheel components comprising a transmitter side with a wireless transmitter coil of a transmitter integrated circuit on a stationary printed circuit board and a receiver side with a wireless receiver coil of a receiver integrated circuit on a movable, rotating receiver printed circuit board, wherein the transmitter and receiver coils are mounted close to each other and concentric to a rotation axis of a steering column of the steering wheel, whereas an inductive coupling between the transmitter and receiver coils are used for wireless powering the steering wheel components and transmitting data of the steering wheel components back to the transmitter integrated circuit by means of modulating the received energy.

Claims

1. A wireless sensor interface for a steering wheel with steering wheel components comprising:

on a transmitter side

a wireless transmitter coil of a transmitter integrated circuit on a stationary printed circuit board; and

on a receiver side

a wireless receiver coil of a receiver integrated circuit on a movable, rotating receiver printed circuit board,

wherein the transmitter and receiver coils are mounted close to each other and concentric to a rotation axis of a steering column of the steering wheel, whereas an inductive coupling between the transmitter and receiver coils are used for wireless powering the steering wheel components and transmitting data of the steering wheel components back to the transmitter integrated circuit by means of modulating the received energy.

2. The wireless sensor interface according to claim 1, wherein the receiver coil is rotatable arranged relative to the transmitter coil, whereas the transmitter coil inducing a secondary voltage in the receiver coil.

3. The wireless sensor interface according to claim 1, wherein a microcontroller is constructed on the rotating printed circuit board for controlling and processing the steering wheel components.

4. The wireless sensor interface according to claim 1, wherein the microcontroller is powered by the induced secondary voltage.

5. The wireless sensor interface according to claim 1, wherein the receiver side is mechanically connected to the steering wheel and rotating with it.

6. The wireless sensor interface according to claim 1, wherein a back channel is formed between the receiver integrated circuit and the transmitter integrated circuit, whereas the back channel is used to transmit the data of the steering wheel components back to the wireless transmitter coil through modulation of receiving energy.

7. The wireless sensor interface according to claim 1, wherein the transmitter integrated circuit is connected to an electrical control unit for further data processing.

8. The wireless sensor interface according to claim 1, wherein the steering wheel components comprise pushbuttons, a hand-off-detection sensor or other electric devices.