Diagnosis method for an antenna connection

• US 7,385,384 B2
• Filed: 08/27/2003
• Issued: 06/10/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 09/30/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Continental Automotive France (Continental AG)
• Original Assignee: Continental Automotive France (Continental AG)
• Inventors: Rocher, Jacques
• Primary Examiner(s): LEDYNH, BOT L
• Application Number:
  US10/529,762
• Publication Number:
  US 20060055395A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,749 Days
• Field of Search: 324/123.R, 324/123.C, 324/124, 324/102, 324/118, 324/503, 324/522, 324/555, 324509-512, 324/618
• US Class Current: 324/123.00R
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 31/66 Testing of connections, e.g. of plugs or non-disconnectable joints testing for incorrect line connections G01R31/55

Abstract

A method for testing a reliable connection of an antenna includes a coil (L) or something similar connected to a reference potential on one side and to the output of an amplifier on the other side, a first capacitor (C2) arranged in a parallel position to the coil (1) and a second capacitor (C3) arranged between the terminal of the coil (1) and the reference potential. The method consists in emitting a signal by the amplifier, carrying out a first voltage measurement on the antenna terminal during a transient state, and in carrying out the second voltage measurement on the same antenna terminal in a steady-state condition. The method can be used for vehicle LF antennas.

Claims

1. A diagnostic procedure relating to the connection of an antenna including a coil (2) linked on the one hand to a reference potential and on the other hand to an output of an amplifier (4), a first capacitor (C2) being mounted in parallel with the coil (2) and a second capacitor (C3) being inserted between a terminal of the coil (2) and the reference potential, characterized in that it comprises the following steps:

a) transmission of a signal by the amplifier (4),

b) first measurement of the voltage at a terminal of the antenna during the transient state provoked by the transmission of the signal, and

c) second measurement of the voltage at the same terminal of the antenna in the steady state.

2. The diagnostic procedure as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that it is carried out on powering up the antenna.

3. The diagnostic procedure as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that the signal sent by the amplifier (4) is not modulated.

4. The diagnostic procedure as claimed in claim 3, characterized in that the signal at the amplifier (4) output presents a rise time, followed by a pulse duration and finally a fall time.

5. The diagnostic procedure as claimed in claim 4, characterized in that the first measurement is carried out during the rise time.

6. The diagnostic procedure as claimed in claim 4, characterized in that the second measurement is carried out during the pulse duration.

7. The diagnostic procedure as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that the antenna is connected to an input stage of a multiplexer and in that a resistor (R2) positioned between the antenna and the input stage of the multiplexer limits the current in the multiplexer input stage.

8. The diagnostic procedure of claim 5, wherein the first measurement is carried out during a second half of the signal rise.

9. The diagnostic procedure as claimed in claim 2, characterized in that the signal sent by the amplifier (4) is not modulated.

10. The diagnostic procedure as claimed in claim 5, characterized in that the second measurement is carried out during the pulse duration.

11. The diagnostic procedure as claimed in claim 2, characterized in that the antenna is connected to an input stage of a multiplexer and in that a resistor (R2) positioned between the antenna and the input stage of the multiplexer limits the current in the multiplexer input stage.

12. The diagnostic procedure as claimed in claim 3, characterized in that the antenna is connected to an input stage of a multiplexer and in that a resistor (R2) positioned between the antenna and the input stage of the multiplexer limits the current in the multiplexer input stage.

13. The diagnostic procedure as claimed in claim 4, characterized in that the antenna is connected to an input stage of a multiplexer and in that a resistor (R2) positioned between the antenna and the input stage of the multiplexer limits the current in the multiplexer input stage.

14. The diagnostic procedure as claimed in claim 5, characterized in that the antenna is connected to an input stage of a multiplexer and in that a resistor (R2) positioned between the antenna and the input stage of the multiplexer limits the current in the multiplexer input stage.

15. The diagnostic procedure as claimed in claim 6, characterized in that the antenna is connected to an input stage of a multiplexer and in that a resistor (R2) positioned between the antenna and the input stage of the multiplexer limits the current in the multiplexer input stage.