Sensor and method for obtaining data

• US 8,106,788 B2
• Filed: 05/22/2007
• Issued: 01/31/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 06/09/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
• Original Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
• Inventors: Ohl, Christian, Adam, Boris
• Primary Examiner(s): Pham, Toan N
• Application Number:
  US12/299,813
• Publication Number:
  US 20090102674A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,715 Days
• Field of Search: 340/669, 340/500, 340/438, 340/439, 340/441, 340/449, 340/451, 340/517, 340/521, 340/665, 701/1, 701/70, 701/99, 701/110
• US Class Current: 340/669
• CPC Class Codes: G01D 3/022 having an ideal characteristic, map or correction data stored in a digital memory
• CPC Class Codes: G01D 3/0365 the undesired influence being measured using a separate sensor, which produces an influence related signal

Abstract

A sensor for obtaining data is described, including at least one sensitive module for quantitatively detecting a parameter to be determined, at least one data transmitting unit for transmitting the obtained data, and at least one signal path between the sensitive module and the data transmitting unit, also including a control logic unit which defines at least one transmission parameter of the signal path and/or of the data transmitting unit, as a function of at least one output variable of the sensitive module, and an associated method.

Claims

1. A sensor for obtaining data, comprising:

at least one sensitive module for quantitatively detecting a parameter to be determined;

at least one data transmitting unit for transmitting obtained data;

at least one signal path between the sensitive module and the data transmitting unit; and

a control logic unit which defines at least one transmission parameter of at least one of the signal path and of the data transmitting unit as a function of at least one output variable of the sensitive module;

wherein the at least one transmission parameter includes at least one of a word width of an output data word transmitted along the at least one signal path and a transmission interval along the at least one signal path.

2. The sensor of claim 1, wherein the at least one sensitive module includes multiple sensitive modules.

3. The sensor of claim 1, wherein multiple signal paths are included between at least one sensitive module and the data transmitting unit, and the at least one sensitive module includes multiple sensitive modules.

4. The sensor of claim 1, further comprising:

an acceleration detecting arrangement for detecting accelerations, which is included as a sensitive module.

5. The sensor of claim 1, further comprising:

an arrangement for detecting pressures is included as a sensitive module.

6. The sensor of claim 1, further comprising:

an arrangement to define as transmission parameters at least one of an amplification, a filtering, and a digital signal processing of an output variable of a sensitive module, the word width, and the transmission interval.

7. The sensor of claim 1, wherein the control logic unit includes an arrangement which defines at least one transmission parameter of at least one of (i) at least one signal path, and (ii) the data transmitting unit, as a function of a threshold value derived from an output variable of at least one sensitive module.

8. The sensor of claim 1, wherein at least one of the control logic unit and the data transmitting unit includes an arrangement for making available data obtained from output variables of multiple sensitive modules jointly in one output data word.

9. The sensor of claim 8, further comprising:

an arrangement to set the word width available in an output data word for delivery of the data obtained from the output variables of the individual sensitive modules.

10. A method for providing an output signal of a sensor, which includes at least one sensitive module for quantitatively detecting a parameter to be determined, at least one data transmitting unit for transmitting obtained data, and at least one signal path between the sensitive module and the data transmitting unit, the method comprising:

sending an output variable of the sensitive module to a control logic unit;

defining, using the control logic unit, at least one transmission parameter of at least one of the signal path and the data transmitting unit as a function of at least one of the output variable of the sensitive module and a variable derived from the output variable;

transmitting at least one output variable of the sensitive module via the signal path to the data transmitting unit; and

delivering at least one output data word containing information about the output variable of the sensitive module to the data transmitting unit for further transmission.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein at least one transmission parameter of at least one of (i) at least one signal path, and (ii) the data transmitting unit is defined as a function of a threshold value derived from the output variable of at least one sensitive module.

12. The method of claim 10, wherein at least one transmission parameter of at least one signal path is defined by selecting a signal path having defined transmission parameters.

13. The method of claim 10, wherein the output variable of an arrangement for detecting accelerations is used as the output variable of a sensitive module, and the absolute value of one of an acceleration and a value of an integral of the acceleration over a time window is used as the variable derived therefrom.

14. The method of claim 10, wherein the output variable of an arrangement for detecting pressures or a variable derived therefrom is used as the output variable of a sensitive module.

15. The method of claim 10, wherein at least one of an amplification, a filtering, and a digital signal processing of an output variable of at least one sensitive module, a word width, and transmission intervals are defined for defining at least one transmission parameter of at least one of (i) at least one signal path and (ii) the data transmitting unit.

16. The method of claim 10, wherein information about parameters detected by two different sensitive modules is integrated into an output data word that is supplied at the data transmitting unit.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the resolution, with which information about parameters detected by two different sensitive modules is integrated into the output data word, is varied.

18. The method of claim 16, wherein at least one pressure value and at least one acceleration value are integrated into the output data word supplied at the data transmitting unit.

19. A sensor for obtaining data, comprising:

at least one sensitive module for quantitatively detecting a parameter to be determined;

at least one data transmitting unit for transmitting obtained data;

at least one signal path between the sensitive module and the data transmitting unit; and

a control logic unit which defines at least one transmission parameter of at least one of the signal path and of the data transmitting unit as a function of at least one output variable of the sensitive module;

wherein at least one of the control logic unit and the data transmitting unit includes an arrangement for making available data obtained from output variables of multiple sensitive modules jointly in one output data word.

20. The sensor of claim 19, further comprising:

an arrangement to set the word width available in an output data word for delivery of the data obtained from the output variables of the individual sensitive modules.