Sensor that transmits signals responsive to a request signal and receives information

• US 9,667,409 B2
• Filed: 02/21/2014
• Issued: 05/30/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 08/14/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Infineon Technologies AG
• Original Assignee: Infineon Technologies AG
• Inventors: Scherr, Wolfgang
• Primary Examiner(s): Feild, Joseph
• Assistant Examiner(s): Point, Rufus
• Application Number:
  US14/186,307
• Publication Number:
  US 20140169423A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,194 Days
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 25/4902 Pulse width modulation; Pulse position modulation
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 5/1484 operating bytewise
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 7/00 Arrangements for synchronising receiver with transmitter synchronisation of generators of electric oscillations or pulses H03L7/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 7/044 using a single bit, e.g. start stop bit
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 7/06 the synchronisation signals differing from the information signals in amplitude, polarity or frequency or length

Abstract

A sensor comprises a transmitter to transmit signals over a communication path, the sensor further capable to receive signals from the communication path, wherein the sensor is configured to communicate sensor data having a nibble data signal format at the transmitter in response to a trigger signal received at the sensor.

Claims

1. A sensor comprising:

a transmitter to transmit signals over a communication path, the sensor to receive signals from the communication path, wherein the sensor is configured to communicate sensor data having a nibble data signal format at the transmitter in response to a trigger signal received at the sensor,

wherein the trigger signal is included in a request signal transmitted over the communication path, the request signal further comprising information coded into the request signal, and

wherein the sensor is configured to start transmission of a synchronization signal in response to the receiving of the trigger signal and ends the synchronization signal with a trailing edge after a predetermined internal count number, wherein the trailing edge of the synchronization signal occurs after a trailing edge of the request signal.

2. The sensor according to claim 1, wherein the nibble data signal format includes the synchronization signal and a nibble data signal.

3. The sensor according to claim 2, wherein information of the nibble data signal is represented by a time length from a falling edge to a falling edge of the nibble data signal.

4. The sensor according to claim 1, wherein the nibble data signal format includes at least a synchronization signal and multiple nibble data signals repeatedly transmitted after the synchronization signal.

5. The sensor according to claim 1, wherein the trigger signal is represented by a falling edge of the request signal.

6. The sensor according to claim 1, wherein the information coded into the request signal is coded into a time length between a falling and a rising edge of the received request signal.

7. The sensor according to claim 1, wherein the information coded into the request signal is coded into an amplitude of the received request signal.

8. The sensor according to claim 1, wherein the information coded into the request signal represents commands for the sensor.

9. The sensor according to claim 1, wherein the information coded into the request signal represents configurable sensor parameter information.

10. The sensor according to claim 1, wherein the information coded into the request signal represents address information of the sensor.

11. The sensor according to claim 1, wherein the sensor is configured to transmit the sensor data serially in a nibble data signal format.

12. A sensor comprising

a transmitter to transmit signals over a communication path, the sensor further comprising circuitry to receive signals from the communication path,

wherein the sensor is configured to communicate sensor data over a communication path by transmitting a pulse width modulated data signal in response to a trigger signal which is received at the sensor,

wherein the trigger signal is included in a request signal transmitted over the communication path, the request signal further comprising information coded into the request signal, and

wherein the sensor is configured to start transmission of a synchronization signal in response to the receiving of the trigger signal and ends the synchronization signal with a trailing edge after a redetermined internal count number, wherein the trailing edge of the synchronization signal occurs after a trailing edge of the request signal.

13. The sensor according to claim 12, wherein the trigger signal is included in a request signal transmitted over the communication path, the request signal further comprising information coded into the request signal.

14. The sensor according to claim 13, wherein the information coded into the request signal is coded into a time length between a falling and a rising edge of the received request signal.

15. The sensor according to claim 12, wherein the sensor starts the transmission of the synchronization signal in response to the receiving of a falling edge of the request signal.

16. The sensor according to claim 13, wherein the information coded into the request signal is coded in an amplitude of the received request signal.

17. The sensor according to claim 13, wherein the information coded into the request signal represents commands for the sensor.

18. The sensor according to claim 13, wherein the information coded into the request signal represents configurable sensor parameter information.

19. The sensor according to claim 13, wherein the information coded into the request signal represents address information of the sensor.