Error reporting at a pulse level lying below the power supply level

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10627422-B2
Application number	US-201715450785-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 6, 2017
Priority date	Sep 5, 2014
Publication date	Apr 21, 2020
Grant date	Apr 21, 2020

Abstract

A method for transmitting error information of a sensor, in a signal exchanged between the sensor and a master receiver, said signal being designed with a minimum level for supplying electric power to the sensor and carrying measurement data. One disclosed method involves identifying the error in the sensor; switching off a component of the sensor consuming electric power; and transmitting the error information at an error level lying below the minimum level.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method for transmitting sensor error information in a signal comprising:
detecting the error information in the sensor;
switching off a component of the sensor which consumes electrical energy; and
transmitting the error information to a superordinate receiving device having a minimum level for supplying electrical energy to the sensor, wherein the error information is transmitted with an error level below the minimum level.

2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising transmitting the error information in a pulse which is kept at the error level over a predetermined length of time.

3. The method of claim 1 , further comprising describing measurement information in the signal with measurement pulses between the minimum level and a second, measurement pulse level above the minimum level.

4. The method of claim 3 , further comprising suppressing the transmission of a measurement pulse when the error information to be transmitted has been detected in the sensor.

5. The method of claim 4 , further comprising performing a check when the error to be transmitted has been detected, and wherein the check determines whether the error is still present before each transmission of a measurement pulse.

6. The method of claim 1 , comprising restarting the sensor after the error information has been transmitted with the error level.

7. The method of claim 1 , further comprising storing the error information in memory before the component is switched off.

8. The method of claim 7 , further comprising switching off the component by interrupting an electrical energy supply for the memory.

9. The method of claim 1 , wherein the component of the sensor which consumes electrical energy comprising parts of a signal processing circuit for entering measurement information in the signal.

10. A sensor comprising a control apparatus having instructions for:
detecting error information in the sensor;
switching off a component of the sensor which consumes electrical energy; and
transmitting the error information to a superordinate receiving device having a minimum level for supplying electrical energy to the sensor, wherein the error information is transmitted with an error level below the minimum level.

11. The sensor of claim 10 , further comprising transmitting the error information in a pulse which is kept at the error level over a predetermined length of time.

12. The sensor of claim 10 , further comprising describing measurement information in the signal with measurement pulses between the minimum level and a second, measurement pulse level above the minimum level.

13. The sensor of claim 12 , further comprising suppressing the transmission of a measurement pulse when the error information to be transmitted has been detected in the sensor.

14. The sensor of claim 13 , further comprising performing a check when the error to be transmitted has been detected, and wherein the check determines whether the error is still present before each transmission of a measurement pulse.

15. The sensor of claim 10 , further comprising restarting the sensor after the error information has been transmitted with the error level.

16. The sensor of claim 10 , further comprising storing the error information in memory before the component is switched off.

17. The sensor of claim 16 , further comprising switching off the component by interrupting an electrical energy supply for the memory.

18. The sensor of claim 10 , wherein the component of the sensor which consumes electrical energy comprising parts of a signal processing circuit for entering measurement information in the signal.

19. The sensor of claim 10 , wherein the sensor is a wheel speed sensor.

Assignees

• Continental Teves Ag & Co Ohg

Inventors

• Endres Ralf

Classifications

• G01P21/02 Primary

  of speedometers · CPC title

• B60T2270/416

  Wheel speed sensor failure · CPC title

• B60T8/885

  using electrical circuitry · CPC title

• G01D5/16

  by varying resistance · CPC title

• G01P3/48

  by measuring frequency of generated current or voltage {(in general G01R23/00)} · CPC title