Method and apparatus for communication by means of a transformer

• US 9,344,157 B2
• Filed: 04/17/2012
• Issued: 05/17/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 05/19/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Endress + Hauser GmbH + Company KG (Endress+Hauser AG)
• Original Assignee: Endress + Hauser GmbH + Company KG (Endress+Hauser AG)
• Inventors: Muller, Alexander, Urban, Martin
• Primary Examiner(s): VARNDELL, ROSS E
• Application Number:
  US14/117,733
• Publication Number:
  US 20140093007A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,491 Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 19/06 using variable inductance
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 5/00 Near-field transmission systems, e.g. inductive or capacitive transmission systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 5/24 Inductive coupling
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 5/26 using coils
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 5/263 Multiple coils at either side
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 5/266 One coil at each side, e.g. with primary and secondary coils
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 5/48 Transceivers
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 5/72 for local intradevice communication
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 5/73 for taking measurements, e.g. using sensing coils
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 5/77 for interrogation
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 5/79 for data transfer in combination with power transfer
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 27/04 Modulator circuits; Transmitter circuits

Abstract

A method for communication by means of a transformer, which has at least a primary coil and a secondary coil, which are parts of an oscillatory circuit, wherein the oscillatory circuit is supplied on the primary side with an exciter frequency. For transmission of a signal from the secondary side to the primary side, the inductance of the secondary coil is modulated. A corresponding apparatus for performing the method is likewise provided.

Claims

1. A method for communication and power transmission by means of a transformer, which has at least a primary coil and a secondary coil, which are parts of an oscillatory circuit, comprising the steps of:

supplying the oscillatory circuit on the primary side with an exciter frequency;

the energy and signal transmission from the primary side to the secondary side and signal transmission from the secondary side to the primary side occurs via the transformer, and

modulating an inductance of the secondary coil for transmission of a signal from the secondary side to the primary side, wherein;

communication phases are assigned to a secondary side (II) corresponding to the secondary coil, during which only the secondary side (II) transmits data, wherein the oscillatory circuit is excited with a resonant frequency during communication phases, and

the exciter frequency is controlled during communication phases from the secondary side (II) to a primary side (I) corresponding to the primary coil, in such a manner that the exciter frequency also in the case of a change of the secondary inductance always corresponds to the resonant frequency of the oscillatory circuit.

2. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein:

the inductance is modulated by varying the number of turns of the secondary coil.

3. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein:

for primary side receiving and evaluation of the signal, a modulation of a resonant frequency of the oscillatory circuit brought about by the modulation of the inductance is detected.

4. The method as claimed in claim 3, wherein:

the resonant frequency of the oscillatory circuit and/or a change of the resonant frequency of the oscillatory circuit are /is determined from the amplitude and/or the efficiency of the transformer.

5. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein:

for transmission of a second signal from the primary side to the secondary side, the exciter frequency is modulated.

6. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein:

the secondary side communicates with the primary side independently of with which exciter frequency the oscillatory circuit is excited.

7. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein:

frequency shift keying is implemented by means of the modulation of the secondary inductance.

8. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein:

the modulation of the inductance of the secondary coil is recognized and evaluated based on a readjustment of the exciter frequency.

9. An apparatus for communication and power transmission, comprising:

a transformer, comprising a primary coil and a secondary coil, which are parts of an oscillatory circuit;

a primary logic unit, which supplies the oscillatory circuit with an exciter frequency; and

a secondary logic unit, wherein;

the energy and signal transmission from the primary side to the secondary side and signal transmission from the secondary side to the primary side occurs via the transformer, and

said secondary logic unit, for transmission of a signal from the secondary side to the primary side, modulates an inductance of said secondary coil, wherein;

communication phases are assigned to a secondary side (II) corresponding to the secondary coil, during which only the secondary side (II) transmits data,

wherein the oscillatory circuit is excited with a resonant frequency during communication phases, and wherein

the exciter frequency is controlled during communication phases from the secondary side (II) to a primary side (I) corresponding to the primary coil, in such a manner that the exciter frequency also in the case of a change of the secondary inductance always corresponds to the resonant frequency of the oscillatory circuit.

10. The apparatus as claimed in claim 9, wherein:

said secondary coil comprises at least one connectable and disconnectable coil section; and

said secondary logic unit modulates the inductance by connecting and disconnecting the coil section.