Receiver configuration for a control unit in a vehicle and method for generating a synchronization pulse

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9937886-B2
Application number	US-201314376328-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jan 17, 2013
Priority date	Feb 3, 2012
Publication date	Apr 10, 2018
Grant date	Apr 10, 2018

Abstract

A receiver configuration for a control unit in a vehicle having a voltage generator for generating a synchronization pulse, which includes a first voltage source, a current source and a current sink, the voltage generator generating the synchronization pulse within predefined specification limits having a predefined shape and a predefined time behavior, and the receiver configuration outputting the synchronization pulse for synchronizing a signal transmission via a databus to at least one sensor. A method is also provided for generating a synchronization pulse. The voltage generator generates the synchronization pulse via the current source and the current sink by charging and/or discharging a bus load essentially as a sinusoidal oscillation.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A receiver configuration for a control unit in a vehicle, the receiver configuration including a voltage generator to generate a synchronization pulse which includes a first voltage source, a current source and a current sink, the voltage generator to generate the synchronization pulse within predefined specification limits having a predefined shape and a predefined time behavior, and the receiver configuration configured to output the synchronization pulse for synchronization of a signal transmission via a databus to at least one sensor, wherein the voltage generator is configured to generate the synchronization pulse via the current source and the current sink by at least one of charging and discharging a bus load as a sinusoidal oscillation so that the synchronization pulse includes a form substantially of a complete continuous sine wave.

2. The receiver configuration as recited in claim 1 , wherein:
the voltage generator includes at least one digital/analog converter and at least one digital trigger circuit that provides a digital output to the at least one digital/analog converter;
the at least one digital/analog converter produces a reference current corresponding to the digital output of the at least one digital trigger circuit;
the at least one digital/analog converter provides the reference current to each of the current source and the current sink;
the current source and current sink perform a sequence of charging and a discharging of the bus load, which is applied to the databus, using a voltage of the voltage source and according to the provided reference current; and
the sine wave form of the synchronization pulse is a product of the sequence of the charging and the discharging.

3. The receiver configuration as recited in claim 1 , wherein the form includes four consecutive and different sine wave quadrants.

4. The receiver configuration as recited in claim 1 , wherein the form includes a first region beginning from a first sine wave trough to a sine wave crest, immediately inflecting into a second region that extends from the sine wave crest to a second sine wave trough.

5. A receiver configuration for a control unit in a vehicle, the receiver configuration including a voltage generator to generate a synchronization pulse which includes a first voltage source, a current source and a current sink, the voltage generator to generate the synchronization pulse within predefined specification limits having a predefined shape and a predefined time behavior, and the receiver configuration configured to output the synchronization pulse for synchronization of a signal transmission via a databus to at least one sensor, wherein:
the voltage generator is configured to generate the synchronization pulse via the current source and the current sink by at least one of charging and discharging a bus load as a sinusoidal oscillation; and
the voltage generator includes at least one digital trigger circuit and at least one digital/analog converter which generate a sinusoidal reference current and output the generated sinusoidal reference current to each of the current source and the current sink in parallel.

6. The receiver configuration as recited in claim 5 , wherein a first digital trigger circuit and a first digital/analog converter generate a sinusoidal reference current and output same to the current source.

7. The receiver configuration as recited in claim 5 , wherein a joint digital trigger circuit and a joint digital/analog converter generate a sinusoidal reference current and output same to the current source and the current sink.

8. The receiver configuration as recited in claim 7 , wherein the current source supplies current values which are greater than or equal to 0 mA, the current sink supplies current values less than 0 mA.

9. The receiver configuration as recited in claim 5 , wherein:
the at least one digital trigger circuit at least one of (1) stores the predefined shape and the predefined time behavior of the synchronization pulse and (2) calculates the predefined shape and the predefined time behavior of the synchronization pulse; and
the at least one digital trigger circuit is configured to output to the at least one digital/analog converter digital data words that correspond to the predefined shape and predefined time behavior of the synchronization pulse.

10. A receiver configuration for a control unit in a vehicle, the receiver configuration including a voltage generator to generate a synchronization pulse which includes a first voltage source, a current source and a current sink, the voltage generator to generate the synchronization pulse within predefined specification limits having a predefined shape and a predefined time behavior, and the receiver configuration configured to output the synchronization pulse for synchronization of a signal transmission via a databus to at least one sensor, wherein:
the voltage generator is configured to generate the synchronization pulse via the current source and the current sink by at least one of charging and discharging a bus load as a sinusoidal oscillation; and
the voltage generator includes:
a first digital trigger circuit and a first digital/analog converter configured to generate, and output to the current source, a sinusoidal reference current; and
a second digital trigger circuit and a second digital/analog converter configured to generate, and output to the current sink, a sinusoidal reference current.

11. A receiver configuration for a control unit in a vehicle, the receiver configuration including a voltage generator to generate a synchronization pulse which includes a first voltage source, a current source and a current sink, the voltage generator to generate the synchronization pulse within predefined specification limits having a predefined shape and a predefined time behavior, and the receiver configuration configured to output the synchronization pulse for synchronization of a signal transmission via a databus to at least one sensor, wherein:
the voltage generator is configured to generate the synchronization pulse via the current source and the current sink by at least one of charging and discharging a bus load as a sinusoidal oscillation;
the voltage generator includes at least one digital trigger circuit and at least one digital/analog converter configured to generate, and output to the current source and the current sink, a sinusoidal reference current; and
the at least one digital trigger circuit regulates the synchronization pulse based on a zero-signal current and the bus load, a zero-signal current regulation supplying a measure for the zero-signal current and an achieved synchronization pulse amplitude supplying a measure for the bus load, the synchronization pulse amplitude being ascertainable by evaluation of the bus voltage.

12. The receiver configuration as recited in claim 11 , wherein for evaluation of the bus voltage, a decision threshold and a time window are defined, the at least one digital trigger circuit configured to recognize that the synchronization pulse amplitude is too high when the synchronization pulse reaches the decision threshold at a point in time before the time window, the at least one digital trigger circuit configured to recognize that the synchronization pulse amplitude is too low when the synchronization pulse has not reached the decision threshold during a period of the synchronization pulse, and the at least one digital trigger circuit configured to recognize a correct synchronization pulse amplitude when the synchronization pulse has reached the decision threshold at a point in time within the time window.

13. A method

Assignees

• Bosch Gmbh Robert

Inventors

• Weiss Timo
• Siemss Matthias
• Weiss Guenter
• Momeni Massoud

Classifications

• H04L12/40006 Primary

  Architecture of a communication node (current supply arrangements H04L12/10; intermediate storage or scheduling H04L49/90) · CPC title

• H04L7/04

  Speed or phase control by synchronisation signals {(H04L7/0075 takes precedence)} · CPC title

• B60R21/01 Primary

  Electrical circuits for triggering {passive} safety arrangements, {e.g. airbags, safety belt tighteners,} in case of vehicle accidents or impending vehicle accidents {(electrical circuits for transmission of signals between steering wheel and the vehicle itself B60R16/027; for electrically actuating belt retractor locking means B60R22/343)} · CPC title

• H04L2012/40273

  the transportation system being a vehicle · CPC title

• H04L2007/047

  using a sine signal or unmodulated carrier · CPC title