Method for operating a sensor system and sensor system

• US 9,244,340 B2
• Filed: 05/31/2011
• Issued: 01/26/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 06/01/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
• Original Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
• Inventors: Kohn, Oliver
• Primary Examiner(s): Martin, Laura
• Assistant Examiner(s): Shah, Samir M
• Application Number:
  US13/149,481
• Publication Number:
  US 20110290020A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,701 Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 37/02 with scanning movement of lens or cameras
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1626 with a single-body enclosure integrating a flat display, e.g. Personal Digital Assistants [PDAs]
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1694 the I/O peripheral being a single or a set of motion sensors for pointer control or gesture input obtained by sensing movements of the portable computer
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2200/1614 Image rotation following screen orientation, e.g. switching from landscape to portrait mode
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2200/1637 Sensing arrangement for detection of housing movement or orientation, e.g. for controlling scrolling or cursor movement on the display of an handheld computer

Abstract

A method for operating a sensor system that includes a rotation rate sensor and an electronic component includes generating, by the rotation rate sensor, a sensor signal as a function of a rotation rate measured about a rotational axis, comparing the sensor signal to at least one first threshold value, and, for controlling the electronic component, outputting an interrupt signal to the electronic component as a function of the comparison of the sensor signal and the at least one first threshold value.

Claims

1. A method for operating a sensor system including a rotation rate sensor and an electronic component, the method comprising:

generating, by the rotation rate sensor, a sensor signal as a function of a rotation rate measured about a rotational axis;

comparing, by the rotation rate sensor, the sensor signal to at least one first threshold value;

for controlling the electronic component, outputting, by the rotation sensor, an interrupt signal to the electronic component as a function of the comparison of the sensor signal and the at least one first threshold value,

wherein one of;

(a) the sensor signal is a rotation rate signal proportional to the measured rotation rate and the first threshold value is a rotation rate threshold value and (b) the sensor signal is an angle signal ascertained by integrating the rotation rate signal with respect to time and the first threshold value is an angle threshold value; and

comparing the sensor signal to a second threshold value,

wherein the outputting of the interrupt signal is performed as a function of the comparison of the sensor signal and the second threshold value in addition to the comparison of the sensor signal and the first threshold value,

wherein the interrupt signal is output responsive to a detection that at least one of the rotation rate signal and a magnitude of the rotation rate signal is between the first and the second threshold values, and

wherein as long as the sensor signal is between the first and second threshold values, the interrupt signal continuously stays on until the sensor signal is no longer between the first and second threshold values.

2. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the interrupt signal is output responsive to a detection that at least one of the angle signal and a magnitude of the angle signal exceeds the first threshold value.

3. The method as recited in claim 2, wherein the first threshold value is a value between 80 degrees and 100 degrees.

4. The method as recited in claim 2, wherein the first threshold value is a value between 85 degrees and 95 degrees.

5. The method as recited in claim 2, wherein the first threshold value is 90 degrees.

6. The method as recited in claim 2, wherein:

the electronic component is a display device; and

an image rotation function of the display device is triggered by the interrupt signal responsive to the detection that at least one of the angle signal and the magnitude of the angle signal exceeds the first threshold value.

7. The method as recited in claim 6, wherein the display device is a portable display device.

8. The method as recited in claim 1, further comprising:

generating, by the rotation rate sensor, at least one further sensor signal as a function of a further rotation rate measured about a further rotational axis;

comparing the at least one further sensor signal to at least one further first threshold value and to at least one further second threshold value; and

outputting at least one further interrupt signal as a function of (a) the comparison of the at least one further sensor signal and the at least one further first threshold value, and (b) the comparison of the a least one further sensor signal and the at least one further second threshold value.

9. The method as recited in claim 8, wherein:

the electronic component is a camera;

a pick-up function of the camera is started by the interrupt signal responsive to a detection that at least one of the rotation rate signal and the magnitude of the rotation rate signal is within an interval between the first and the second threshold values;

the pick-up function is stopped based on the interrupt signal responsive to a detection that at least one of the rotation rate signal and the magnitude of the rotation rate signal is outside of the interval between the first and the second threshold values; and

the pick-up function is further controlled as a function of the at least one further interrupt signal.

10. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein:

the electronic component is a sensor to be calibrated;

the interrupt signal signals a rotation of the sensor to be calibrated and is used for the calibration, the calibration being based on a measurement of the signaled rotation.

11. A sensor system comprising:

an electronic component; and

a rotation rate sensor to which the electronic component is coupled, and which is configured to;

generate a sensor signal as a function of a rotation rate measured about a rotational axis;

compare the sensor signal to at least one threshold value;

wherein one of;

(a) the sensor signal is a rotation rate signal proportional to the measured rotation rate and the first threshold value is a rotation rate threshold value and (b) the sensor signal is an angle signal ascertained by integrating the rotation rate signal with respect to time and the first threshold value is an angle threshold value;

output an interrupt signal to the electronic component as a function of the comparison of the sensor signal and the at least one first threshold value; and

compare the sensor signal to a second threshold value,

wherein the outputting of the interrupt signal is performed as a function of the comparison of the sensor signal and the second threshold value in addition to the comparison of the sensor signal and the first threshold value,

wherein the interrupt signal is output responsive to a detection that at least one of the rotation rate signal and a magnitude of the rotation rate signal is between the first and the second threshold values, and

wherein as long as the sensor signal is between the first and second threshold values, the interrupt signal continuously stays on until the sensor signal is no longer between the first and second threshold values.