Method for controlling the transmission power of a transmitter system integrated in an electronic housing of a motor vehicle, and electronic housing thus obtained

• US 8,660,504 B2
• Filed: 10/22/2010
• Issued: 02/25/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 12/28/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Continental Automotive France (Continental AG), Continental Automotive GmbH (Continental AG)
• Original Assignee: Continental Automotive France (Continental AG), Continental Automotive GmbH (Continental AG)
• Inventors: Benbouhout, Rachid, Kessler, Sbastien
• Primary Examiner(s): LE, NHAN T
• Application Number:
  US13/519,471
• Publication Number:
  US 20120322396A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,222 Days
• Field of Search: 455/115.1, 4551271-1273, 455/550.1
• US Class Current: 455/127.2
• CPC Class Codes: B60C 23/0408 transmitting the signals by non-mechanical means from the wheel or tyre to a vehicle body mounted receiver
• CPC Class Codes: H03G 3/3042 in modulators, frequency-changers, transmitters or power amplifiers transmission power control in bidirectional transmission systems H04W52/04

Abstract

Method for regulating the transmission power of a transmitter system (2, 5-7) incorporated in an electronic module (1) of an automobile. A transmitter system (2, 5-7) is produced which includes an amplification stage (2, 5) having an adjustable amplification gain. Furthermore, in a phase prior to the operation of the electronic module, a compensation table is stored for each type of transmitter system, which is representative of the amplification gains to be applied to maintain a constant transmission power according to the value of external parameters representative of the environment of the transmitter system, and the value of the offset of the amplification stage is stored for each electronic module. Finally, during the operation of an electronic module, the amplification gain is adjusted so as to compensate the offset of the amplification stage, and according to the environment by the use of the compensation table.

Claims

1. A method for regulating the transmission power of a transmitter system (5-7) incorporated in an electronic module (1) of an automobile, wherein a transmitter system (5-7) is produced which comprises an amplification stage (5) having an adjustable amplification gain designed so that the transmission power extends in a predetermined range of operating powers, and in that:

in a phase prior to the operation of the electronic module (1);

a compensation table for the transmitter system (5-7) is established and stored, which is representative of the amplification gains to be applied to maintain a constant transmission power in a predetermined range of operating powers, according to the value of external parameters representative of the environment of the transmitter system (5-7), such that, in particular, the temperature in the electronic module (1), the electrical power supply voltage of said transmitter system,

and the value of the offset of the amplification stage is measured and stored for the electronic module (1),

and, during the operation of an electronic module (1), in order to obtain a given transmission power, the external parameters representative of the environment of the transmitter system (5-7) are periodically measured, and an amplification gain is determined and applied that is on the one hand designed to compensate the offset of the amplification stage (5), and on the other hand adjusted according to the environment by the use of the compensation table.

2. The regulation method as claimed in claim 1, wherein an amplification stage (5) is used which comprises a plurality of individual amplifiers (A1-An), designed to provide a step-by-step regulation of the transmission power.

3. An electronic module (1) of an automobile, comprising:

a transmitter system (5-7) comprising an amplification stage (5) having an adjustable amplification gain designed so that the transmission power extends in a predetermined range of operating powers,

means (4) for measuring external parameters representative of the environment of the transmitter system (5-7), such that, in particular, the temperature in the electronic module (1), the electrical power supply voltage of said transmitter system,

and a microprocessor (2);

comprising means for storing, on the one hand, for the electronic module (1), a compensation table representative of the amplification gains to be applied to maintain a constant transmission power in the range of operating powers, according to the value of the external parameters measured by the measurement means (4), and, on the other hand, for the electronic module (1), the value of the offset of the amplification stage (5),

programmed, during the operation of the electronic module (1), in order to obtain a given transmission power, to control periodic measurements of the external parameters representative of the environment of the transmitter system (5-7), and to determine and apply an amplification gain on the one hand designed to compensate the offset of the amplification stage (5), and on the other hand adjusted according to the environment by the use of the compensation table.

4. The electronic module (1) as claimed in claim 3, wherein the amplification stage (5) comprises a plurality of individual amplifiers (A1-An), designed to provide a step-by-step regulation of the transmission power.