Devices having a turn counter and associated production methods

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2022366209-A1
Application number	US-202217662596-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	May 9, 2022
Priority date	May 14, 2021
Publication date	Nov 17, 2022
Grant date	—

Abstract

A device comprises a magnet and an angle sensor, wherein the angle sensor is configured to detect a rotation angle of the magnet. The device also contains a rotation counter, wherein the rotation counter is configured to record a number of rotations of the magnet. The angle sensor and the rotation counter are implemented in physically separate components.

First claim

1 . A device, comprising:
a magnet; an angle sensor, wherein the angle sensor is configured to detect a rotation angle of the magnet; and a rotation counter, wherein the rotation counter is configured to record a quantity of rotations of the magnet, wherein the angle sensor and the rotation counter are implemented in physically separate components.

2 . The device as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the rotations are unit fractions of a whole rotation.

3 . (canceled)

4 . The device as claimed in claim 1 , wherein a rotational movement of the magnet is based on a rotational movement of a component and the rotation counter is configured to record a quantity of rotations of the component.

5 . (canceled)

6 . (canceled)

7 . The device as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the rotation counter is configured to record the quantity of rotations of the magnet while an ignition of a vehicle engine associated with the device is switched off.

8 . The device as claimed in claim 7 , wherein the rotation counter is configured to provide the recorded quantity of rotations of the magnet to a microcontroller after the ignition of the vehicle engine is switched on.

9 . (canceled)

10 . The device as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the rotation counter is electrically connected to a vehicle battery and an additional battery, wherein the additional battery is configured to supply the rotation counter with energy if an electrical connection between the rotation counter and the vehicle battery is interrupted.

11 . (canceled)

12 . (canceled)

13 . The device as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the rotation counter is configured to periodically determine at least one of a quadrant or an octant based on two magnetic field components of a magnetic field generated by the magnet, and wherein the rotation counter is configured to adjust a period of the periodic determination based on a rotation speed of the magnet.

14 . (canceled)

15 . The device as claimed in claim 1 , wherein:
the rotation counter is configured to detect two magnetic field components of a magnetic field generated by the magnet, and the device is configured to determine the rotation angle of the magnet based on the two magnetic field components of the magnetic field detected by the rotation counter.

16 . The device as claimed in claim 1 , wherein one or more of: the angle sensor and the rotation counter satisfy different levels of an automotive risk classification scheme or the angle sensor and the rotation counter satisfy different Automotive Safety Integrity Level (ASIL) levels.

17 . (canceled)

18 . The device as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the angle sensor is aligned with a rotation axis of the magnet and the rotation counter is arranged next to the angle sensor, offset with respect to the rotation axis.

19 . The device as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the rotation counter is configured to detect an onset of a rotational movement of the magnet and to generate an alarm function for a microcontroller based on the detected onset of the rotational movement.

20 . The device as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the rotation counter is configured:
to detect a rotation speed of the magnet, to compare the detected rotation speed with a threshold value, and to generate an alarm function for a microcontroller if the threshold value is exceeded.

21 . The device as claimed in claim 1 , wherein:
the rotation counter is configured to detect a rotation angle of the magnet, and the device is configured to compare the angle of rotation detected by the rotation counter with the angle of rotation detected by the angle sensor.

22 . The device as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the rotation counter is configured to detect a magnetic loss of the magnet.

23 . (canceled)

24 . The device as claimed in claim 1 , further comprising:
an additional rotation counter, wherein the additional rotation counter is configured to record a quantity of rotations of the magnet.

25 . The device as claimed in claim 24 , wherein:
the rotation counter is configured to determine a quantity of quadrants, the additional rotation counter is configured to determine a quantity of octants, and the device is configured to compare the determined quantity of quadrants with the determined quantity of octants.

26 . The device as claimed in claim 24 , wherein:
the rotation counter and the additional rotation counter have different starting values, and the device is configured to check for consistency in a difference between the quantity of rotations of the magnet recorded by the rotation counter and the quantity of rotations of the magnet recorded by the additional rotation counter.

27 . (canceled)

28 . (canceled)

29 . A method for producing a device, the method comprising:
providing a magnet; implementing an angle sensor in a first component, wherein the angle sensor is configured to detect a rotation angle of the magnet; and implementing a rotation counter in a second component, wherein the rotation counter is configured to record a quantity of rotations of the magnet, the first component being separate from the second component.

30 . A device, comprising:
a magnet; and a rotation counter, wherein the rotation counter is configured to record a quantity of partial rotations.

31 . The device as claimed in claim 30 , wherein the partial rotations are unit fractions of a whole rotation.

32 . (canceled)

Assignees

• Infineon Technologies Ag

Inventors

• Kapser Konrad
• Huchzermeier Johannes
• Motz Mario
• Plautz Alexander
• Reale Simone
• Summa Veikko
• Vijayakrishna Dhananjayee
• Wagner Hans-Joerg

Classifications

• G06M1/102 Primary

  by magnetic or electromagnetic means · CPC title

• G01D2205/26

  Details of encoders or position sensors specially adapted to detect rotation beyond a full turn of 360°, e.g. multi-rotation · CPC title

• G01D5/145 Primary

  influenced by the relative movement between the Hall device and magnetic fields (see G01R33/06) · CPC title

• B62D15/021

  Determination of steering angle · CPC title

• G01D3/08

  with provision for safeguarding the apparatus, e.g. against abnormal operation, against breakdown · CPC title