Sensor Assembly Outputting a Condition of a Sensor

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2023384354-A1
Application number	US-202217828421-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	May 31, 2022
Priority date	May 31, 2022
Publication date	Nov 30, 2023
Grant date	—

Abstract

A sensor assembly includes a sensor generating a sensor signal, an output unit and a condition unit receiving the sensor signal output from the sensor, and a test line connected to the sensor and the condition unit. The output unit outputs a signal output representative of a state detected by the sensor. The condition unit outputs a condition output representative of a condition of the sensor. The test line is bidirectional and outputs the condition output.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A sensor assembly, comprising:
a sensor generating a sensor signal; an output unit receiving the sensor signal output from the sensor and outputting a signal output representative of a state detected by the sensor; a condition unit receiving the sensor signal output from the sensor and outputting a condition output representative of a condition of the sensor; and a test line connected to the sensor and the condition unit, the test line is bidirectional and outputs the condition output.

2 . The sensor assembly of claim 1 , further comprising a signal line connected to the sensor and the output unit, the signal line is unidirectional and outputs the signal output.

3 . The sensor assembly of claim 2 , wherein, in a normal operating state, the output unit continuously outputs the signal output to the signal line and the condition unit continuously outputs the condition output to the test line.

4 . The sensor assembly of claim 1 , wherein the condition output represents one of a normal condition, a marginal condition, and a failure condition of the sensor.

5 . The sensor assembly of claim 4 , wherein the marginal condition indicates that the sensor is approaching failure.

6 . The sensor assembly of claim 4 , wherein the condition unit compares the sensor signal to a plurality of thresholds to determine whether the condition of the sensor is the normal condition, the marginal condition, or the failure condition.

7 . The sensor assembly of claim 6 , wherein the sensor signal has a main signal and a baseline signal created by filtering or delaying the sensor signal in a voltage divider, the condition unit compares the baseline signal of the sensor signal to the thresholds to determine the condition of the sensor.

8 . The sensor assembly of claim 1 , wherein the signal output represents one of a pair of states detected by the sensor.

9 . The sensor assembly of claim 8 , wherein the sensor signal has a main signal and a baseline signal created by filtering or delaying the main signal in a voltage divider, the output unit compares the main signal and the baseline signal of the sensor signal to determine the state detected by the sensor.

10 . The sensor assembly of claim 3 , further comprising a switch connected between the sensor and the test line, the switch receives a self-test input along the test line to switch between the normal operating state and a self-test state of the sensor assembly.

11 . The sensor assembly of claim 10 , wherein the condition output is transmitted to the test line without triggering the switch in the normal operating state.

12 . The sensor assembly of claim 10 , wherein the condition unit outputs the condition output on the test line in the normal operating state and the switch bypasses the condition unit in the self-test state.

13 . The sensor assembly of claim 12 , wherein the sensor outputs a self-test output in the self-test state, the self-test output is dictated by a drive disable signal sent from the switch to a signal conditioner of the sensor.

14 . The sensor assembly of claim 1 , wherein the output unit and the condition unit each have a plurality of voltage dividers, a comparator, and a level detection circuit creating the signal output and the condition output from the sensor signal.

15 . The sensor assembly of claim 1 , wherein the output unit and the condition unit are executed by a controller.

16 . A method for outputting a condition of a sensor, comprising:
providing a sensor assembly including the sensor, an output unit connected to the sensor, a condition unit connected to the sensor, and a test line connected to the sensor and the condition unit, the test line is bidirectional; transmitting a sensor signal of the sensor to the output unit and the condition unit; outputting a signal output representative of a state detected by the sensor with the output unit; and outputting a condition output representative of a condition of the sensor with the condition unit to the test line.

17 . The method of claim 16 , wherein, in a normal operating state, the output unit continuously outputs the signal output to a signal line connected to the sensor and the output unit, and the condition unit continuously outputs the condition output to the test line.

18 . The method of claim 17 , wherein the condition output represents one of a normal condition, a marginal condition, and a failure condition of the sensor.

19 . The method of claim 17 , further comprising switching the sensor assembly between the normal operating state and a self-test state based on a self-test input received along the test line.

20 . The method of claim 19 , wherein, in the self-test state, the sensor outputs a self-test output and bypasses the condition unit.

Assignees

• Measurement Spec Inc

Inventors

• Creak Jeffrey
• Pedrick Michael

Classifications

• G01R19/0038 Primary

  Circuits for comparing several input signals and for indicating the result of this comparison, e.g. equal, different, greater, smaller (comparing pulses or pulse trains according to amplitude) · CPC title

• G01R1/0408

  Test fixtures or contact fields; Connectors or connecting adaptors; Test clips; Test sockets (G01R1/067 takes precedence; mass production testing systems G01R31/59; testing of connections G01R31/66; for testing printed circuit boards G01R31/2808) · CPC title

• G01R19/0007

  Frequency selective voltage or current level measuring (measuring frequency G01R23/00; testing attenuation in line transmission systems H04B3/48; monitoring testing in transmission systems H04B17/00) · CPC title

• G01R31/2829 Primary

  Testing of circuits in sensor or actuator systems (testing of apparatus for measuring electric or magnetic variables G01R35/00; testing of indicating or recording apparatus G01D; in airbag systems B60R21/0173; checking gas analysers G01N33/007; monitoring or fail-safe circuits for electromagnets H01F7/1844) · CPC title

• G01R35/005

  Calibrating; Standards or reference devices, e.g. voltage or resistance standards, "golden" references (G01R33/0035, G01R35/002 take precedence) · CPC title