EP2692451B1 - Circuit électrique pour le fonctionnement d'une unité émettrice-réceptrice - Google Patents

Circuit électrique pour le fonctionnement d'une unité émettrice-réceptrice Download PDF

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Publication number
EP2692451B1
EP2692451B1 EP13177352.5A EP13177352A EP2692451B1 EP 2692451 B1 EP2692451 B1 EP 2692451B1 EP 13177352 A EP13177352 A EP 13177352A EP 2692451 B1 EP2692451 B1 EP 2692451B1
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EP
European Patent Office
Prior art keywords
resonant circuit
circuit
electrical
transceiver unit
electrical circuit
Prior art date
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Application number
EP13177352.5A
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German (de)
English (en)
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EP2692451A2 (fr
EP2692451A3 (fr
Inventor
Tobias Kirchner
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
Robert Bosch GmbH
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Robert Bosch GmbH
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Publication of EP2692451A3 publication Critical patent/EP2692451A3/fr
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    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B06—GENERATING OR TRANSMITTING MECHANICAL VIBRATIONS IN GENERAL
    • B06B—METHODS OR APPARATUS FOR GENERATING OR TRANSMITTING MECHANICAL VIBRATIONS OF INFRASONIC, SONIC, OR ULTRASONIC FREQUENCY, e.g. FOR PERFORMING MECHANICAL WORK IN GENERAL
    • B06B1/00—Methods or apparatus for generating mechanical vibrations of infrasonic, sonic, or ultrasonic frequency
    • B06B1/02—Methods or apparatus for generating mechanical vibrations of infrasonic, sonic, or ultrasonic frequency making use of electrical energy
    • B06B1/0207—Driving circuits
    • B06B1/0215—Driving circuits for generating pulses, e.g. bursts of oscillations, envelopes
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B06—GENERATING OR TRANSMITTING MECHANICAL VIBRATIONS IN GENERAL
    • B06B—METHODS OR APPARATUS FOR GENERATING OR TRANSMITTING MECHANICAL VIBRATIONS OF INFRASONIC, SONIC, OR ULTRASONIC FREQUENCY, e.g. FOR PERFORMING MECHANICAL WORK IN GENERAL
    • B06B2201/00—Indexing scheme associated with B06B1/0207 for details covered by B06B1/0207 but not provided for in any of its subgroups
    • B06B2201/30—Indexing scheme associated with B06B1/0207 for details covered by B06B1/0207 but not provided for in any of its subgroups with electronic damping

Definitions

  • the present invention relates to an electrical circuit for operating a transceiver unit such as can be used, for example, in connection with ultrasonic transceivers.
  • the present invention relates to an improved electrical circuit for shortening the settling time of a transceiver unit.
  • Transceiver units can be used according to the prior art for many different applications. For example, they are used for distance measurements in motor vehicles, with radar-lidar and sound transducers in particular being used as transceiver units in order to be able to deduce a current distance of the vehicle from the surrounding object from a signal that is transmitted and reflected by an environmental object. In the case of an ultrasonic transducer, a piezo diaphragm is used for this purpose, for example.
  • electrical energy is applied to generate sound, while after the transmission process and after residual membrane vibrations have decayed, sound arriving at the membrane is converted into electrical signals.
  • the transmission pulse it is necessary here for the transmission pulse to have as short a duration as possible in order to be able to recognize reflection sound impinging on the membrane from the decaying membrane vibrations a short time later. In order to still be able to emit high transmission energy, it is desirable to generate a maximum of membrane amplitudes right from the start of the transmission process and to maintain these over the entire (short) transmission process.
  • the signal generator is often excited with a first resonant circuit (for example, consisting of a series connection of a coil and a capacitor), and the voltage at one of the two energy stores is used as an input variable for a second resonant circuit comprising the transceiver unit.
  • the second resonant circuit can consist exclusively of the transceiver unit (which can easily oscillate) or comprise further energy stores.
  • a certain period of time is required to excite both resonant circuits in order to generate sufficient amplitudes at the transceiver unit for a transmission process. This period of time limits, among other things, the so-called close measurement capability of a distance measurement system.
  • the pamphlet DE 198 14 331 A1 describes a device for generating acoustic pressure pulses, in which two LC resonant circuits are coupled to one another and use a common capacitor.
  • the pamphlet FR 2 757 009 A1 relates to a device for operating a piezoelectric signal converter, in which an amplifier and a control circuit can be coupled to one another via a switch.
  • the pamphlet DE 195 48 161 C1 also describes a device for operating a piezo element, in which an excitation source can be coupled to the piezo element via a switch.
  • an electrical circuit which is suitable for operating a transceiver unit, for example an ultrasonic transceiver.
  • the circuit includes a first resonant circuit for generating a transmission signal and a second resonant circuit with a transceiver unit.
  • the first resonant circuit can be coupled to a signal generator or a signal source whose or whose signal can excite the first resonant circuit to oscillate.
  • the second resonant circuit can for example comprise one or more sound transducers, by means of which sound energy can be emitted on the one hand and sound energy can be absorbed and converted into electrical signals on the other hand.
  • the second resonant circuit can consist exclusively of the transceiver unit (which can easily oscillate) or comprise further energy stores.
  • the electrical circuit according to the invention further comprises a switching unit, the switching unit being set up to couple the first resonant circuit and the second resonant circuit to one another. In other words, the switching unit can ensure that electrical energy stored in the first resonant circuit can reach the second resonant circuit.
  • this is caused in response to a first predefined threshold value of a state variable of the first resonant circuit being reached.
  • a current and / or a voltage in one and / or both energy stores of the first resonant circuit can reach a predefined value and, in response to this, the switching unit can be caused to couple the first resonant circuit and the second resonant circuit to one another.
  • the switching unit can be caused to couple the first resonant circuit and the second resonant circuit to one another.
  • the threshold value of the state variable can preferably be a minimum amplitude of a variable coupled to the oscillation energy of the first resonant circuit.
  • a voltage and / or a current across a capacitance of the first resonant circuit can be used as a variable which causes a switching process of the switching unit.
  • a current and / or a voltage can be used in an inductance of the first resonant circuit. This has the advantage that there is a simple possibility of determining a suitable trigger time for a switching process, which can be used as an input variable, for example, by a transistor as a switching unit by means of analog circuit technology.
  • the switching unit can be set up to connect an output of the first resonant circuit to an input of the second resonant circuit.
  • an electrical connection can be established between the first resonant circuit and the second resonant circuit for coupling the two resonant circuits through the switching unit.
  • the output of the first resonant circuit can preferably be arranged in parallel to an energy store of the first resonant circuit.
  • the signal is tapped at a first connection of an energy store lying parallel to the output, the second connection of which with the electrical ground is connected.
  • the switching unit which in the closed state connects the output of the first resonant circuit to the input of the second resonant circuit, can now be connected to the first connection.
  • the switching unit can be set up to electrically couple a connection on the ground side of the transceiver unit to the electrical ground.
  • the switching unit or an additional switching unit can establish a connection between the transceiver unit and the electrical ground without the interposition of further electrical components.
  • the alternative offers a simpler way of controlling the switch.
  • the transceiver unit of the second resonant circuit can be designed as an ultrasonic transducer or at least include one.
  • This offers the advantage that, on the one hand, this technology can be safely controlled and, on the other hand, the required ultrasonic transducers are manufactured in large numbers for automobile construction, so that a circuit according to the invention can be produced cost-effectively. Since, as will be discussed in connection with the attached drawing figures, an ultrasonic transducer based on piezo itself already behaves like an electrical oscillating circuit, no further electrical components apart from such an ultrasonic transducer need to be provided for the construction of the second oscillating circuit. This offers the advantage of a particularly simple and inexpensive construction of an electrical circuit according to the invention.
  • a transistor in particular a field effect transistor, extremely preferably a metal oxide layer field effect transistor (MOSFET) can be provided as the switching unit.
  • MOSFET metal oxide layer field effect transistor
  • a signal source can be coupled to the first resonant circuit, wherein the coupling can in particular be permanent, in other words not switchable.
  • Figure 1 shows an electrical circuit such as is used in the prior art for the use of an ultrasonic transceiver.
  • a Signal source 4 is set up to apply a sinusoidal voltage to an oscillating circuit consisting of a coil L 1 of, for example, 285 ⁇ H and a capacitor C 1 of 46 nF.
  • the equivalent circuit diagram of a transceiver 2 is shown, which consists of a parallel connection of four branches.
  • the first branch consists of a capacitance C 2 of 2 nF.
  • the second branch consists of an inductance L 3 of 350 mH, a capacitance C 3 of 40 pF connected in series with the inductance L 3 and an ohmic load R 3 of 3 k ⁇ also connected in series.
  • the third branch consists of an inductance L 4 of 50 ⁇ H, a capacitor C 4 of 40 pF and an ohmic load R 4 of 3 k ⁇ .
  • the fourth branch consists of a coil L 5 of 20 mH, a capacitance C 5 of 40 pF and an ohmic load R 5 of 3 k ⁇ .
  • a switching unit is not provided, so that the signal source 4 always sees both resonant circuits or the entire illustrated arrangement of passive elements as a load.
  • FIG. 2 shows a circuit diagram of an embodiment according to the present invention.
  • a signal source 4 drives an oscillating circuit SK 1 , which consists of a series connection of a first inductance L 1 and a first capacitance C 1 .
  • An output terminal 3 of the first resonant circuit SK 1 is arranged between the inductance L 1 and the capacitance C 1.
  • a first switch S 1 for coupling the two oscillating circuits SK 1 and SK 2 is connected to the output terminal 3. With the switch S 1 is already in connection with Figure 1 discussed equivalent circuit diagram of an ultrasonic transducer 2 connected as a transceiver unit.
  • a second switch S 2 (dashed lines) is provided as a second switching unit S 2 between the ultrasonic transducer 2 and the electrical ground 10.
  • the elements of the equivalent circuit diagram of the transceiver unit 2 agree with those in Figure 1 match shown, so that a detailed discussion of these can be dispensed with for the sake of brevity.
  • the function of the circuit according to the invention is as follows: The signal source excites the first resonant circuit SK 1 , in response to which voltage amplitudes that are many times higher than the signal source 4 alone can be set across the capacitance C 1.
  • the first switch S 1 In response to reaching a first threshold value, which corresponds to amplitudes suitable for a transmit / receive process, the first switch S 1 is closed, whereby the voltages applied across the first capacitance C 1 are now generated by the ultrasonic transducer Two -pole as the second SK 2 resonant circuit are present.
  • a first threshold value which corresponds to amplitudes suitable for a transmit / receive process.
  • the switch used in each case (or, if both switches S 1 / S 2 are used, at least one of the two switches S 1 / S 2 ) is opened so that no more energy from the first resonant circuit SK 1 into the second resonant circuit SK 2 arrives and the membrane of the transceiver unit 2 decays or is, for example, passively or actively attenuated in a known manner. Echoes arriving at the transceiver unit 2 can in turn cause the membrane of the transceiver unit 2 to vibrate and can be detected in a known manner from the electrical signal of the transceiver unit 2.
  • Figure 3 shows in its upper half a timing diagram of a voltage signal V 4 , as indicated by the in Figure 2 signal source 4 shown could be generated.
  • the alternating voltage shown has an amplitude of 3 V. Due to the first resonant circuit SK 1 , a significantly higher amplitude results after some time, for example for the voltage across the first capacitance C 1 . This voltage is already used in the prior art to apply an electrical signal suitable for transmission to the transceiver unit 2.
  • a voltage V 2 is plotted against time, which occurs in a circuit according to the prior art (see FIG Figure 1 ) could result on the ultrasonic transducer without a switching process according to the invention.
  • a voltage V 2 is also applied across the ultrasonic transducer, which, however, only reaches its maximum amplitude at the same time as the end of the voltage signal V 4 .
  • the amplitude of the voltage V 2 then decays essentially with an exponential function.
  • Figure 4 shows in its upper half a comparison of time diagrams of two currents as they would flow according to the present invention I 2E ) or according to the prior art I 2PA ) with a corresponding excitation through the ultrasonic transducer 2.
  • the lower half of Figure 2 shows the corresponding voltage signals (V 2E : voltage at the ultrasonic transducer 2 according to FIG present invention, V 2PA : voltage at the ultrasonic transducer 2 according to the prior art), which corresponds to the respective currents, as shown in the upper half of FIG Figure 4 are shown belong.
  • the voltage profile according to the prior art V 2PA essentially corresponds to that in the lower half of FIG Figure 3 shown course.
  • the amplitude of the voltage V 2PA increases only slowly.
  • energy is only "pumped” slowly into the second resonant circuit SK 2.
  • the voltage V 2E in the lower half of Figure 4 begins with a maximum amplitude, since at the time of switching the first resonant circuit SK 1 is already fully excited and thus the voltage across the first capacitance C 1 has already reached its maximum.
  • the excitation of the ultrasonic transducer 2 with maximum voltages leads to a significantly faster increase in the current I 2E flowing through it.
  • the signal amplitudes required for a transmission process result much earlier, so that the required sound energy can be emitted by the ultrasonic transducer 2 within a shorter time. Since the transmission process ends earlier in this way and the membrane vibrations have decayed to the extent required for a reception process, echoes from the signal of the ultrasonic transducer 2 can be detected at an earlier point in time than in the prior art. In this way, the so-called “near detection threshold” can be significantly reduced, so that surrounding objects arranged close to the vehicle or to the ultrasonic transducer 2 can also be reliably detected.
  • Figure 5 shows two voltage curves (V 4E , V 4PA) for the excitation of the first resonant circuit SK 1 by the signal source 4, the upper voltage V 4E being switched on earlier and switched off earlier than the voltage V 4PA shown below.
  • the first resonant circuit is supplied with energy at an earlier point in time with the voltage V 4E , this does not interfere with ongoing receiving processes in the second resonant circuit, since according to the present invention there is no coupling of the resonant circuits at this point in time.
  • the later signal start of the voltage V 4PA according to the prior art coincides in time with the time of excitation of the second resonant circuit.
  • Different solutions have been proposed for the arrangements and configurations of the switching unit.
  • the subject matter of the present invention makes it possible, for example, to bring electrical energy into the first resonant circuit by means of the transceiver unit while a receiving process is still in progress and thus to prepare a transmission process following the receiving process.

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  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
  • Measurement Of Velocity Or Position Using Acoustic Or Ultrasonic Waves (AREA)
  • Transceivers (AREA)

Claims (9)

  1. Circuit électrique (1) destiné à faire fonctionner une unité émettrice-réceptrice (2), le circuit (1) comprenant :
    - un premier circuit oscillant (SK1) destiné à générer un signal d'émission,
    - un deuxième circuit oscillant (SK2) comprenant une unité émettrice-réceptrice (2) et
    - une unité de commutation (S1, S2),
    caractérisé en ce que
    l'unité de commutation (S1, S2) est conçue pour coupler le premier circuit oscillant (SK1) et le deuxième circuit oscillant (SK2) l'un à l'autre lorsqu'une variable d'état du premier circuit oscillant (SK1) a dépassé une valeur de seuil prédéfinie.
  2. Circuit électrique (1) selon la revendication 1, la variable d'état étant une amplitude minimale d'une variable couplée à l'énergie d'oscillation du premier circuit oscillant (SK1).
  3. Circuit électrique (1) selon la revendication 1 ou 2, l'unité de commutation étant conçue pour relier une sortie (3) du premier circuit oscillant (SK1) à une entrée du deuxième circuit oscillant (SK2).
  4. Circuit électrique (1) selon la revendication 3, la sortie (3) étant disposée, conjointement à une borne du premier circuit oscillant (SK1) qui est reliée à la masse électrique (10), en parallèle avec un accumulateur d'énergie (C1) du premier circuit oscillant (SK1).
  5. Circuit électrique (1) selon la revendication 4, l'accumulateur d'énergie étant un condensateur (Cl) ou une bobine (L1).
  6. Circuit électrique (1) selon l'une des revendications précédentes, l'unité de commutation (S1, S2) étant conçue pour coupler électriquement une borne côté masse (5) de l'unité émettrice-réceptrice (2) à la masse électrique (10).
  7. Circuit électrique (1) selon l'une des revendications précédentes, l'unité émettrice-réceptrice (2) comprenant un transducteur à ultrasons.
  8. Circuit électrique (1) selon l'une des revendications précédentes, l'unité de commutation (S1, S2) étant un transistor et/ou un transistor à effet de champ à couche d'oxyde métallique.
  9. Circuit électrique (1) selon l'une des revendications précédentes, une source de signal (4) étant en outre couplée ou couplée en permanence au premier circuit oscillant (SK1).
EP13177352.5A 2012-08-01 2013-07-22 Circuit électrique pour le fonctionnement d'une unité émettrice-réceptrice Active EP2692451B1 (fr)

Applications Claiming Priority (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
DE102012213556.1A DE102012213556A1 (de) 2012-08-01 2012-08-01 Elektrische Schaltung für den Betrieb einer Sendeempfangseinheit

Publications (3)

Publication Number Publication Date
EP2692451A2 EP2692451A2 (fr) 2014-02-05
EP2692451A3 EP2692451A3 (fr) 2017-12-20
EP2692451B1 true EP2692451B1 (fr) 2021-05-05

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Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
EP13177352.5A Active EP2692451B1 (fr) 2012-08-01 2013-07-22 Circuit électrique pour le fonctionnement d'une unité émettrice-réceptrice

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EP (1) EP2692451B1 (fr)
DE (1) DE102012213556A1 (fr)

Families Citing this family (2)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
DE102018105283A1 (de) * 2018-03-07 2019-09-12 Elmos Semiconductor Aktiengesellschaft Vorrichtung und Verfahren zur übertragerfreien Ansteuerung eines Ultraschalltransducers mit Signalen mit einer Amplitude oberhalb der doppelten Versorgungsspannungsamplitude
DE102018105284A1 (de) * 2018-03-07 2019-09-12 Elmos Semiconductor Aktiengesellschaft Vorrichtung und Verfahren zur übertragerfreien Ansteuerung eines Ultraschalltransducers mit Signalen mit einer Amplitude oberhalb der doppelten Versorgungsspannungsamplitude

Family Cites Families (6)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
DE3003317C2 (de) * 1980-01-30 1984-08-23 Siemens AG, 1000 Berlin und 8000 München Schaltung zum wechselweisen Aussenden und Empfangen mit ein und demselben Schallwandler
DE19514330A1 (de) * 1994-05-19 1995-11-23 Siemens Ag Duplexer für ein Ultraschallabbildungssystem
DE19548161C1 (de) * 1995-12-22 1997-02-13 Klaus Dipl Ing Petry Verringerung der Nachlaufzeit eines elektromechanischen Systems
FR2757009B1 (fr) * 1996-12-05 1999-01-15 France Etat Procede et dispositif d'elimination des regimes transitoires de transducteurs piezoelectriques
GB9722987D0 (en) * 1997-11-01 1998-01-07 Stresswave Tech Transducer assembly
DE19814331A1 (de) * 1998-03-31 1999-10-14 Dornier Medtech Holding Int Gmbh Vorrichtung zum Erzeugen von akustischen Druckpulsen

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Publication number Publication date
DE102012213556A1 (de) 2014-02-06
EP2692451A2 (fr) 2014-02-05
EP2692451A3 (fr) 2017-12-20

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