SENSOR CONTROLLER, SENSOR SIGNAL RECEIVER, INCREMENTAL MAGNETIC SPEED SENSOR MODULE, METHOD FOR A SENSOR CONTROLLER, METHOD FOR A SENSOR SIGNAL RECEIVER AND COMPUTER PROGRAM

• US 20180209820A1
• Filed: 01/19/2018
• Published: 07/26/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 01/26/2017
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Infineon Technologies AG
• Original Assignee: Infineon Technologies AG
• Inventors: HAMMERSCHMIDT, Dirk
• Granted Patent: US 10,520,337 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: G01D 21/00 Measuring or testing not otherwise provided for
• CPC Class Codes: G01D 21/02 Measuring two or more variables by means not covered by a single other subclass
• CPC Class Codes: G01D 3/08 with provision for safeguarding the apparatus, e.g. against abnormal operation, against breakdown
• CPC Class Codes: G01D 5/145 influenced by the relative movement between the Hall device and magnetic fields see G01R33/06
• CPC Class Codes: G01D 5/2454 Encoders incorporating incremental and absolute signals
• CPC Class Codes: G01P 21/02 of speedometers
• CPC Class Codes: G01P 3/481 of pulse signals
• CPC Class Codes: G01P 3/489 Digital circuits therefor
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 33/0035 Calibration of single magnetic sensors, e.g. integrated calibration
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 33/0041 using feed-back or modulation techniques
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 33/09 Magnetoresistive devices
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/00 Control of position, course, altitude or attitude of land, water, air or space vehicles, e.g. using automatic pilots drive control systems specially adapted for autonomous road vehicles B60W60/00

Abstract

A sensor controller for a sensor module includes at least one interface to obtain sensor information from the sensor module and to communicate with a sensor signal receiver. The sensor controller includes a control module to control the at least one interface. The control module is configured to obtain the sensor information from the sensor module; generate a sensor signal based on the sensor information; and transmit the sensor signal. The control module is further configured to detect a fault state of the sensor module; transmit a fault indicator if the fault state indicates a failure of at least a part of the sensor module; and receive a control signal from the sensor signal receiver based on the fault indicator. The control signal includes at least one fault handling instruction. The control module is configured to execute the at least one fault handling instruction.

Claims

1. A sensor controller for a sensor module, comprising

at least one interface to obtain sensor information from the sensor module and to communicate with a sensor signal receiver;

and

a control module to;

control the at least one interface,

obtain the sensor information from the sensor module,

generate a sensor signal based on the sensor information,

transmit the sensor signal,

detect a fault state of the sensor module,

transmit a fault indicator if the fault state indicates a failure of at least a part of the sensor module,

receive a control signal from the sensor signal receiver based on the fault indicator, wherein the control signal comprises at least one fault handling instruction, and

execute the at least one fault handling instruction.

2. The sensor controller according to claim 1, wherein the control module is configured to determine diagnostic information based on the at least one fault handling instruction, and to transmit the diagnostic information to the sensor signal receiver.

3. The sensor controller according to claim 2, wherein the control module is configured to execute a self-test of the sensor controller and/or the sensor module to determine the diagnostic information based on the at least one fault handling instruction.

4. The sensor controller according to claim 2, wherein the control module is configured to obtain at least a part of the diagnostic information from a memory of the sensor module.

5. The sensor controller according to claim 1, wherein the control module is configured to alter one or more parameters of the sensor controller or of the sensor module based on the at least one fault handling instruction.

6. The sensor controller according to claim 1, wherein the control module is configured to restart at least a part of the sensor module and/or the sensor controller based on the at least one fault handling instruction.

7. The sensor controller according to one of the previous claim 1, wherein the control module is configured to accept the at least one fault handling instruction after starting the transmitting of the fault indicator.

8. The sensor controller according to claim 1, wherein the control module is configured to enter a diagnostic mode based on the transmitting of the fault indicator, and wherein the control module is configured to execute the at least one fault handling instruction while in the diagnostic mode, and/or

wherein the control module is configured to transmit the fault indicator instead of the sensor signal if the fault state indicates a failure of at least a part of the sensor module.

9. The sensor controller according to claim 1, wherein the control module is configured to transmit the sensor signal based on two or more sensor signal transmission current levels, and wherein the control module is configured to transmit the fault indicator by using a current level above or below the two or more sensor signal transmission current levels, and/or

wherein the control module is configured to transmit the sensor signal based on one or more signal pulses, wherein pulses of the one or more signal pulses comprise a pre-defined maximal pulse width, and wherein the control module is configured to transmit the fault indicator by transmitting a pulse having a pulse width at least 10% longer than the pre-defined maximal pulse width, and/or

wherein the control module is configured to transmit the sensor signal based on one or more signal pulses, wherein each pulse of the one or more signal pulses is followed by a protocol frame and wherein the control module is configured to transmit the fault indicator using a flag or message encoded within the protocol frame.

10. The sensor controller according to claim 1, wherein the at least one interface is configured to communicate with the sensor signal receiver using a two wire connection, and wherein the at least one interface is configured to transmit the sensor signal and/or diagnostic information based on a current modulation.

11. The sensor controller according to claim 1, wherein the control signal is based on a voltage modulation of a supply voltage or of an open drain voltage.

12. The sensor controller according to claim 1, wherein the at least one interface is configured to wirelessly communicate with the sensor signal receiver.

13. The sensor controller according to claim 12, wherein the control module is configured to activate a wireless receiver portion of the at least one interface if the fault state indicates a failure of at least a part of the sensor module.

17. An incremental magnetic speed sensor module for automotive use comprising a sensor controller according to claim 1.

14. A sensor signal receiver comprising:

at least one interface to communicate with a sensor controller; and

a control module to;

control the at least one interface,

receive a fault indicator from the sensor controller via the at least one interface, and

provide a control signal to the sensor controller via the at least one interface based on the fault indicator, wherein the control signal comprises at least one fault handling instruction.

15. The sensor signal receiver according to claim 14, wherein the control module is further configured to receive diagnostics information from the sensor controller via the at least one interface based on the control signal.

16. The sensor signal receiver according to claim 14, wherein the at least one interface is configured to transmit the control signal by modulating the control signal onto a supply voltage and to receive the fault indicator based on a modulated open drain voltage or on a modulated current consumption of the sensor.

18. A method for a sensor controller for a sensor module, the method comprising:

obtaining sensor information from the sensor module;

generating a sensor signal based on the sensor information;

transmitting the sensor signal to a sensor signal receiver;

detecting a fault state of the sensor module;

transmitting a fault indicator if the fault state indicates a failure of at least a part of the sensor module;

receiving a control signal from the sensor signal receiver based on the fault indicator, wherein the control signal comprises at least one fault handling instruction; and

executing the at least one fault handling instruction.

20. A computer program having a program code for performing the method of claim 18, when the computer program is executed on a computer, a processor, or a programmable hardware component.

19. A method for a sensor signal receiver, the method comprising:

receiving a fault indicator from a sensor controller; and

providing a control signal to the sensor controller based on the fault indicator, wherein the control signal comprises at least one fault handling instruction.