Method for transmitting data from at least one sensor to a control unit

• US 6,943,669 B2
• Filed: 03/29/2002
• Issued: 09/13/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 03/23/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
• Original Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
• Inventors: Nitsche, Gerald, Kohn, Oliver, Ulmer, Michael, Schomacker, Jochen, Gerngross, Ingbert, Ohl, Christian, Ullmann, Dirk, Otterbach, Jens
• Primary Examiner(s): Hofsass, Jeffery
• Assistant Examiner(s): PHAM, LAM P
• Application Number:
  US10/112,545
• Publication Number:
  US 20030184447A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,264 Days
• Field of Search: 340/438, 340505-514, 340/310.02, 700/3, 700 14- 17, 700/83, 700295-297, 701/45
• US Class Current: 340/12.33
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 19/02 in which the signal transmitted is magnitude of current or voltage G08C19/36, G08C19/38 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 3/50 Systems for transmission between fixed stations via two-conductor transmission lines H04B3/54 takes precedence

Abstract

A method for transmitting data from at least one sensor to a control unit via an appropriate two-wire line is described. The method is used to identify any sensor at the control unit and to implement a plurality of logical channels via the appropriate two-wire line. The at least one sensor receives the necessary electrical energy from the control unit via the two-wire line and then transmits the sensor-specific data.

Claims

1. A method for transmitting data from at least one sensor to a control unit, a respective two-wire line being used for each sensor for unidirectionally transmitting the data on a first wire and for receiving current on a second wire, whereby a unidirectional two-wire current interface is provided, the method comprising:

receiving, by the at least one sensor, electrical energy from the control unit via the second wire of the line, the electrical energy being electrical energy necessary for operation of the at least one sensor; and

continuously and unidirectionally transmitting by the at least one sensor, a sensor identification, a status identification, and sensor values as data on the first wire of the line to the control unit after receiving the electrical energy.

2. The method as recited in claim 1, further comprising:

checking, by the control unit, at least one of the respective line and energy absorption of the at least one sensor prior to sensor identification.

3. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein a used transmission protocol, a sensor type, and sensor manufacturing data of the at least one sensor are transmitted as the sensor identification.

4. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein data words each a corresponding identification code, are transmitted as the sensor identification.

5. The method as recited in claim 4, wherein the data words are combined with the corresponding identification code to form an identification block, and the identification block is repeatedly transmitted to the control unit a predefined number of times.

6. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the sensor values are transmitted in a resolution predefined for the at least one sensor.

7. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the sensor values of the at least one sensor are transmitted in time-division multiplex, so that at least two logical channels are available for transmitting the sensor values.

8. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the sensor values have fields that render it possible to identify the sensor values.

9. The method as recited in claim 8, wherein highest-value bits of the sensors are used as the fields for identifying the sensor values.

10. A device for transmission of data, comprising:

a control unit; and

at least one sensor, each of the at least one sensor connected to the control unit via a two-wire line allocated to the sensor, a first wire of the line supplying current to the at least one sensor;

wherein the control unit includes at least one of a receive module configured to receive data from the at least one sensor, and a sensor transmit module configured to transmit the data to the control unit, the data including a sensor identification, a status identification, and sensor values, the at least one sensor configured to continuously and unidirectionally transmit the data on a second wire of the line after receiving energy necessary for operation of the at least one sensor from the control unit via the first wire of the line.

11. The sensor as recited in claim 10, wherein the at least one sensor has more than one sensory design, one logical channel being assigned to each sensory design for transmitting to the control unit.