Circuit arrangement for an electric seat heating means

• US 8,870,451 B2
• Filed: 02/13/2012
• Issued: 10/28/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 02/16/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Audi AG (Volkswagen AG)
• Original Assignee: Audi AG (Volkswagen AG)
• Inventors: Mayer, Werner
• Primary Examiner(s): Jagan, Mirellys
• Application Number:
  US13/985,882
• Publication Number:
  US 20130315282A1
• Time in Patent Office: 988 Days
• Field of Search: 374/1, 374/141, 374/183, 374/185
• US Class Current: 374/1
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/5685 Resistance
• CPC Class Codes: G01K 7/16 using resistive elements resistive elements per se H01C, H01L
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 1/0238 For seats

Abstract

An electrical seat heater of a vehicle has a heating resistor which is connected to a seat ground cable has a temperature-dependent sensor resistor in the vehicle seat. A control unit is outside the vehicle seat is connected to a control unit ground remotely from the vehicle seat. The voltage measurement for determining the temperature is carried out with the seat heater briefly disconnected from the supply voltage. The heating resistor is connected to the supply voltage via a series circuit including the sensor resistor and a further resistor or to the supply voltage via a power path. The control unit measures the voltage drop at the sensor resistor by a measuring signal cable. The control unit measures the potential difference between the seat ground cable and the control unit ground, which is used to correct the seat temperature.

Claims

1. A circuit device for an electrical heater of a vehicle seat, the heater having a heating resistor connected to a supply voltage via a power path and connected to a seat ground cable in a region of the vehicle seat, the circuit device comprising:

a temperature-dependent sensor resistor positioned in the vehicle seat;

a control unit positioned outside of the vehicle seat, the control unit being connected to a control unit ground that is positioned remotely from the vehicle seat, to activate the heating resistor and to determine a seat temperature;

a series circuit comprising the sensor resistor and a further resistor to connect the heating resistor to the supply voltage, such that the heating resistor can be connected to the supply voltage either via the series circuit or via the power path; and

a measuring signal cable through which the control unit measures a voltage drop at the sensor resistor when the heating resistor is disconnected from the supply voltage, the control unit storing the voltage drop as a voltage measurement, wherein

the control unit measures a potential difference between a potential of the seat ground cable and a potential of the control unit ground, and

the control unit takes the potential difference into account in order to correct the voltage measurement, produce a corrected voltage measurement, and determine the seat temperature from the corrected voltage measurement.

2. The circuit device according to claim 1, wherein

a first electrical switch is used to connect the supply voltage to an electrical connection between sensor resistor and the heating resistor,

the heating resistor and the sensor resistor are connected in series,

the further resistor is connected to the signal cable,

a second electrical switch connects the heating resistor and the sensor resistor to the supply voltage via the further resistor, and

both the first and second electrical switches are activated by the control unit.

3. The circuit device according to claim 1, wherein

the control unit has first and second measuring inputs,

the measuring signal cable leads to the sensor resistor for measurement of the voltage drop,

the measuring signal cable is connected to the first measuring input,

the second measuring input is connected to an electrical connection between the sensor resistor and the heating resistor,

the potential difference is measured when the heating resistor is disconnected from the supply voltage, and

the control unit uses the second measuring input to measure the potential difference.

4. The circuit device according to claim 3, wherein

a first electrical switch is used to connect the supply voltage to the electrical connection between sensor resistor and the heating resistor,

the series circuit comprises the heating resistor, the sensor resistor and the further resistor connected in series, the sensor resistor being connected to the further resistor via the signal cable,

a second electrical switch connects the heating resistor to the supply voltage via the series circuit, the second electrical switch being connected between the further resistor and the supply voltage, and

both the first and second electrical switches are activated by the control unit.

5. The circuit device according to claim 4, wherein

a high-impedance pull-down resistor is positioned at the first measuring input, and

the high-impedance pull-down resistor is disconnected when the potential difference is measured.

6. The circuit device according to claim 1, wherein

when measuring the potential difference, the heating resistor and the sensor resistor are disconnected from the supply voltage, and

a high-impedance measuring input of a measuring device located in the control unit measures the potential difference using the measuring signal cable.

7. The circuit device according to claim 6, wherein

a high-impedance pull-down resistor is positioned at the first measuring input, and

the high-impedance pull-down resistor is disconnected when the potential difference is measured.

8. The circuit device according to claim 6, wherein

a first electrical switch is used to connect the supply voltage to an electrical connection between sensor resistor and the heating resistor,

the series circuit comprises the heating resistor, the sensor resistor and the further resistor connected in series, the sensor resistor being connected to the further resistor via the signal cable,

a second electrical switch connects the heating resistor to the supply voltage via the series circuit, the second electrical switch being connected between the further resistor and the supply voltage, and

both the first and second electrical switches are activated by the control unit.

9. The circuit device according to claim 8, wherein

a high-impedance pull-down resistor is positioned at the first measuring input, and

the high-impedance pull-down resistor is disconnected when the potential difference is measured.