Method and system of transmitting a plurality of movement parameters of a vehicle via a two-wire interface

• US 7,719,411 B2
• Filed: 06/12/2007
• Issued: 05/18/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 06/12/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Robert Bosch Corporation (Robert Bosch GmbH), Robert Bosch GmbH, Robert Bosch LLC (Robert Bosch GmbH)
• Original Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
• Inventors: Averitt, Scott
• Primary Examiner(s): Mehmood; Jennifer
• Application Number:
  US11/811,731
• Publication Number:
  US 20080309476A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,071 Days
• Field of Search: 340/441, 340/439, 324/207.2, 32420721-20725
• US Class Current: 340/439
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/013 including means for detecting collisions, impending collisions or roll-over
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/40045 Details regarding the feeding of energy to the node from the bus
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2012/40273 the transportation system being a vehicle

Abstract

A system of transmitting a plurality of movement parameters of a vehicle. The system includes a supply terminal, a plurality of sensing elements, a modulation circuit, and a return terminal. The supply terminal is coupled to a power source to receive power. The sensing elements receive power from the supply terminal. Each of the sensing elements senses a movement characteristic of the vehicle, and generates movement signals indicative of the sensed movement characteristic. The modulation circuit is coupled to the sensing elements to modulate the movement signals based on the plurality of sensing elements. The return terminal is coupled to the modulation circuit to output the modulated movement signals.

Claims

1. A system of transmitting a plurality of movement parameters of a vehicle, the system comprising:

a supply terminal coupled to a power source, and configured to receive power;

a plurality of sensing elements configured to receive power from the supply terminal, each of the sensing elements configured to sense a movement characteristic of the vehicle, and generate movement signals indicative of the sensed movement characteristic;

a multiplex circuit coupled to the sensing elements, and configured to multiplex the movement signals based on the plurality of sensing elements to create a multiplexed signal, wherein the multiplexed signal is configured to be decoded into one of at least four amplitude states including, a first state, wherein a first and second sensor of the plurality of sensors both indicate logic low;

a second state, wherein the first sensor indicates logic low and the second sensor indicates logic high;

a third state, wherein the first sensor indicates logic high and the second sensor indicates logic low; and

a fourth state, wherein the first and second sensors both indicate logic high; and

a return terminal coupled to the multiplex circuit, and configured to output the multiplexed movement signals.

2. The system of claim 1, further comprising at least one of a switch and a transistor coupled to the multiplex circuit, and configured to be activated by the movement signals.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the multiplex circuit comprises a plurality of current sources configured to draw different amounts of current from the supply terminal.

4. The system of claim 3, wherein at least one of the current sources comprises a resistor.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the vehicle comprises a motor configured to rotate, and wherein the movement characteristic comprises a rotating characteristic of the motor.

6. The system of claim 5, wherein the rotating characteristic comprises a speed and a rotational direction of the motor.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein at least one of the sensing elements comprises a Hall effect sensor.

8. A method for transmitting a plurality of movement parameters of a vehicle, the method comprising:

supplying power to a supply terminal;

sensing a plurality of movement characteristics of the vehicle at a plurality of sensing elements coupled to the supply terminal;

generating movement signals indicative of the sensed movement characteristics;

modulating the movement signals based on the plurality of sensing elements to create a modulated signal, wherein the modulated signal is configured to be decoded into one of at least four amplitude states including, a first state, wherein a first and second sensor of the plurality of sensors both indicate logic low;

a second state, wherein the first sensor indicates logic low and the second sensor indicates logic high;

a third state, wherein the first sensor indicates logic high and the second sensor indicates logic low; and

a fourth state, wherein the first and second sensors both indicate logic high; and

outputting the modulated movement signals through a return terminal.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the vehicle comprises a motor, wherein sensing a plurality of movement characteristics comprises:

activating the motor; and

sensing a plurality of rotating characteristics of the activated motor.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein sensing a plurality of rotating characteristics of the activated motor comprises sensing a speed and a rotational direction of the activated motor.

11. The method of claim 8, further comprising selectively activating at least one of a switch and a transistor when the sensing elements are selectively activated.

12. The method of claim 8, wherein multiplexing the movement signals comprises drawing different amounts of current from the supply terminal when the sensing elements are selectively activated.

13. The method of claim 8, wherein multiplexing the movement signals comprises drawing different amounts of current with a resistor.

14. The method of claim 8, wherein sensing a plurality of movement characteristics of the vehicle at a plurality of sensing elements comprises sensing a plurality of movement characteristics with two Hall effect sensors.

15. A two-wire sensor comprising:

a first terminal configured to be coupled to a power source, and to receive power from the power source;

a first sensing element coupled to the first terminal to receive power, and configured to sense a first characteristic and to generate a first signal indicative of the first characteristic;

a second sensing element coupled to the first terminal to receive power, and configured to sense a second characteristic and to generate a second signal indicative of the second characteristic;

a modulation circuit configured to selectively multiplex at least one of the first and second sensing elements into a multiplexed signal, wherein the multiplexed signal has a frequency substantially equal to a frequency of at least one of the first signal and the second signal; and

wherein the modulated signal is configured to be decoded into one of at least four amplitude states, including, a first state, wherein a first and second sensor of the plurality of sensors both indicate logic low;

a second state, wherein the first sensor indicates logic low and the second sensor indicates logic high;

a third state, wherein the first sensor indicates logic high and the second sensor indicates logic low; and

a fourth state, wherein the first and second sensors both indicate logic high; and

a second terminal to output the multiplexed signal.

16. The sensor of claim 15, further comprising at least one of a switch and a transistor coupled to the multiplex circuit, and configured to be activated by the first and second signals.

17. The sensor of claim 15, wherein the multiplex circuit comprises a plurality of current sources configured to draw different amounts of current from the first terminal.

18. The sensor of claim 17, wherein at least one of the current sources comprises a resistor.

19. The sensor of claim 15, wherein the vehicle comprises a motor configured to rotate, and wherein the first and second characteristics comprise first and second rotating characteristic of a motor.

20. The sensor of claim 19, wherein the rotating characteristics comprise a speed and a rotational direction of the motor.

21. The sensor of claim 15, wherein at least one of the first and second sensing elements comprises a Hall effect sensor.