Sensor system and method, in particular for determining distances

• US 7,039,549 B2
• Filed: 08/21/2001
• Issued: 05/02/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 08/22/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
• Original Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
• Inventors: Hoetzel, Juergen, Eckel, Matthias
• Primary Examiner(s): Gray, David M.
• Assistant Examiner(s): TEIXEIRA MOFFAT, JONATHAN CHARLES
• Application Number:
  US10/362,393
• Publication Number:
  US 20040102919A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,715 Days
• Field of Search: 702/97, 700/299
• US Class Current: 702/158
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/18 wherein range gates are used
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 15/18 wherein range gates are used
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 7/292 Extracting wanted echo-signals
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 7/52006 with provision for compensating the effects of temperature
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 7/527 Extracting wanted echo signals Doppler systems G01S15/50
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 7/529 Gain of receiver varied automatically during pulse-recurrence period for seismic signals G01V1/245

Abstract

A sensor system for determining distances is provided. A predefining unit controls an amplifier unit and/or a sensor unit as a function of selectable predefined values for a detection cycle. Contrary to known sensor systems, different detection cycles are implementable in a simple manner using this procedure.

Claims

1. A sensor system for determining a distance, comprising:

a sensor unit that operates in different detection areas during a detection cycle and generates, as a function of at least one of the detection areas, at least one sensor signal, a value of the at least one sensor signal being affected by an object located in the at least one of the detection areas;

a controllable amplifier unit for amplifying the at least one sensor signal to produce an amplified sensor signal as a function of a value of a gain parameter; and

a gain predefining unit for predefining different values for the gain parameter during the detection cycle, wherein;

the gain predefining unit sets a constant gain parameter for the at least one of the detection areas as a function of the at least one of the detection areas to be examined,

the gain predefining unit predefines different threshold values during the detection cycle, the different threshold values being different for a plurality of consecutive detection areas, and

as a function of a result of a comparison of the amplified sensor signal to the different threshold values, whether the object located in the at least one of the detection areas is of a certain size is determined.

2. The sensor system as recited in claim 1, wherein:

the gain predefining unit includes a processor that executes instructions of a control program.

3. The sensor system as recited in claim 2, further comprising:

transmission paths via which the gain predefining unit is connected to the sensor unit and the controllable amplifier unit, the transmission paths transmitting a data word having a predefined number of bit positions, wherein;

the gain predefining unit transmits the data word to at least one of the sensor unit and the controllable amplifier unit, and

at least one of the following occurs;

the sensor unit sets the different detection areas as a function of the data word that has been received, and

the controllable amplifier unit sets at least one of the different values of the gain parameter as a function of the data word that is received.

4. The sensor system as recited in claim 2, further comprising:

an analog/digital converter unit connected to an output of the controllable amplifier unit and for generating the data word as a function of a signal value at an input thereof, the analog/digital converter unit transmitting the data word to the gain predefining unit, wherein;

the gain predefining unit causes a detection result to be output as a function of the data word received during the detection cycle.

5. The sensor system as recited in claim 1, further comprising:

a temperature sensor connected to the gain predefining unit, wherein;

an output signal of the temperature sensor depends on a temperature at which the sensor system operates,

the gain predefining unit controls at least one of the sensor unit and the controllable amplifier unit as a function of the output signal of the temperature sensor.

6. The sensor system as recited in claim 1, wherein:

the sensor unit includes;

at least one transmitter unit for transmitting one of an electromagnetic wave and a sound wave, and

at least one receiver unit for receiving the one of the electromagnetic wave and the sound wave reflected by the object.

7. A method of determining a distance, comprising:

causing a sensor unit to operate in different detection areas during a detection cycle;

causing the sensor unit to generate at least one sensor signal, a value of the at least one sensor signal being affected by an object located in at least one of the detection areas;

amplifying the at least one sensor signal as a function of a gain parameter to produce an amplified sensor signal;

predefining different values of the gain parameter during the detection cycle;

setting a constant gain factor for the at least one of the detection areas as a function of the at least one of the detection areas to be examined, a threshold value being used for the at least one of the detection areas;

performing a comparison of the amplified sensor signal with the threshold value; and

as a function of the comparison, determining whether the object located in the at least one of the detection areas is of a certain size.