JP2013142699A - Sensor device - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To achieve overall cost reduction by suppressing increase in equipment for each kind of sensor devices mounted on EPS, ESP or the like as well as increase in additional functions.SOLUTION: The sensor element comprise at least one rotational angle sensor and at least one rotational torque sensor. The rotational angle sensor and the rotational torque sensor are interconnected via at least one bus device.

Description

  The present invention relates to a sensor device and a method for supplying a signal for a rotational angle and a signal for a rotational torque.

  Vehicles equipped with an electric power steering (EPS) and an electronic stability program (ESP) have not only a rotational torque sensor (TSS) but also a steering angle sensor (LWS). ) Is also required. These sensor signals are also used for further additional functions. The two sensors are attached to a steering device in a vehicle compartment or an engine compartment. Further, the function of the rotational torque sensor and the function of the steering angle sensor are integrated into one so-called TAS (torque and angle sensor) sensor. This is to achieve overall cost reduction, and to suppress an increase in equipment for each type and an increase in additional functions associated with EPS and ESP.

  An object of the present invention is to make an improvement based on such a background in order to eliminate the disadvantages in the prior art.

  According to the present invention, the sensor element includes at least one rotational angle sensor and at least one rotational torque sensor, and the at least one rotational angle sensor and the at least one rotational torque sensor include the at least one rotational angle sensor. The problem is solved by being connected to each other via one bus device.

  Further, according to the present invention, the plurality of sensor elements include at least one rotation angle sensor and at least one rotation torque sensor, and the at least one rotation angle sensor and the at least one rotation torque sensor include: The signals to be supplied to each other via at least one bus device and to be supplied are detected by at least one rotational angle sensor and at least one rotational torque sensor as components of the bus device. Will be resolved.

  Further advantageous embodiments of the invention are described in the dependent claims and the following specification.

  In the present invention, a sensor device of a type combining a rotational torque sensor and a steering angle sensor is proposed. In this device, at least two sensor elements are connected to each other via at least one bus device as a data bus system, and further connected to a control device. In this case, at least one bus device as part of the sensor device includes at least one rotation angle sensor, that is, at least one sensor element for detecting a rotation angle (for example, a steering angle), and at least one rotation torque sensor. That is, at least one sensor element for detecting rotational torque.

  Here, the signal for the rotational torque is magnetically detected by at least one rotational torque sensor, and the signal for the rotational angle is magnetically detected by at least one rotational angle sensor. The signals detected in this way may be further combined.

  According to an advantageous embodiment of the invention, at least four sensor elements are provided. Here, in order to detect the rotational torque as the first characteristic quantity of the rotational motion, at least two rotational torque sensors are sensor elements for detecting the rotational torque for reasons of safety design and / or redundancy. Used as Similarly, at least two rotation angle sensors are used as sensor elements in order to detect a rotation angle, for example, a steering angle, as the second characteristic amount of the rotational motion. The rotation angle in this case may be detected by the sensor element under the realization of the vernier principle. Alternatively or additionally, redundant sensor elements can be used for detecting the rotation angle.

  All of the sensor elements described above or some of them may be electrically connected to one another via at least one bus device, ie one or more bus devices. This reduces the number of plug-in contact pins and also reduces the number of cables, resulting in cost reduction. Usually, at least one rotational angle sensor, at least one rotational torque sensor, and a control device connected to the sensor element as described above are provided as components of the at least one bus device.

  By using at least one synchronized bus device (using this bus device enables sequential timed transmissions in conjunction with the synchronous transmission of multiple signals), at least one signal (usually Accurate information of the course (signal history) of at least one original signal) supplied from at least one sensor element of the bus device can be used. Usually, a plurality of sensor elements that can be interconnected with a bus device are used.

  According to another advantageous embodiment, the bus device may comprise n sensor elements as components. A signal formed as an original signal from the n sensor elements may be transmitted according to a schema set in terms of time. In this case, the first signal of the first sensor element is transmitted at the first time point, the kth signal of the kth sensor element is transmitted at the kth time point, and the nth sensor element n The th signal is transmitted at the n th time point. The interval between the time points as described above may be set to at least the following length. That is, the interval may be set to be at least as long as the transmission time of a signal to be transmitted between the two time points. As a result, these signals are successively transmitted in succession. The interval set in this way may be set constant, and / or may be set in association with the operating state as necessary. This is because the signal transmission time is a variable parameter. On the other hand, as shown in the above-described schema, the order of transmission is such that a plurality of signals are transmitted corresponding to each other in time in a predetermined order. The control device thereby identifies which signal originated from which sensor element based on the relevant schema and / or order.

  Advantageously, the at least one rotational angle sensor and the at least one rotational torque sensor are connected as an existing sensor element to at least one bus device to be newly installed and simultaneously connected to a control device. It is also possible. This control device calculates a rotation angle and a rotation torque from an original signal as a signal formed from a plurality of sensor elements and transmitted synchronously to the control device via a bus device.

  In that case, a plurality of magnetic sensor elements electrically connected to each other via a bus device may be used. Thereby, a TAS sensor capable of detecting one rotation angle and one rotation torque is provided. As the magnetic sensor element, for example, a Hall sensor using a Hall effect, an AMR sensor using an anisotropic magnetoresistance effect, or a GMR sensor using a giant magnetoresistance effect may be used.

  Various means exist for realizing a sensor device (TAS sensor) that includes a combination of a rotation angle sensor and a rotation torque sensor and can detect the rotation torque and the rotation angle as the characteristic amount of the rotation motion.

  According to an advantageous embodiment, all sensor elements are interconnected via a bus device and connected to a control device. In this case, the bus device includes first and second rotational torque sensors as sensor elements for detecting the rotational torque of the shaft, and first and second rotational angle sensors as sensor elements for detecting the rotational angle of the shaft. Is connected to the control device. Other associations are possible. In any case, this is done so that the time difference between the signals, including the data packets with the measured values for the characteristic values of the rotational motion to be detected, is as small as possible.

  Also advantageously, at least two bus devices may be provided as components of the sensor device. In that case, in the first bus device, a first rotation angle sensor, a first rotation torque sensor, and a control device are connected as components. In the second bus device, a second rotation angle sensor, a second rotation torque sensor, and a control device are connected as components.

  According to a further advantageous embodiment of the invention, a bus device with three sensor elements, ie a bus device with two rotational angle sensors and one rotational torque sensor, is applied. The redundant second rotational torque sensor may be connected to the control device via an additional point-to-point connection. In a similar manner, it is also possible to connect two rotational torque sensors and one rotational angle sensor to a control device via a bus device. In this case, the redundant second rotation angle sensor is directly connected to the control device without depending on the bus device.

  Apart from that, any other bus configuration of further sensor elements for the detection of rotational torque and / or rotational angle is also conceivable in order to increase the detection of rotational torque and / or rotational angle. This bus device can be shifted to another concept for realizing a plurality of sensor devices. In that case, a plurality of sensor elements and a control device may support the function of the bus device. If the sensor device has, for example, an index function or includes further sensors, for example acceleration sensors, these components may be integrated into the bus device as sensor elements.

  In contrast, the sensor device according to the invention is configured such that all steps of the method to be carried out can be carried out. The individual steps of the method may then be performed by individual components of the sensor device. Furthermore, the functions of the sensor device according to the invention or the functions of the individual components of the sensor device can be replaced as steps of the method. In addition, the steps of the method may be implemented as a function of at least one component of the sensor device or as a function of the entire sensor device.

  Further advantages and configuration examples of the present invention are described in the following specification and drawings.

  It should be noted that the various features described above and the various features described in the following specification do not apply only to each specified combination, and other combinations may be used without departing from the scope of the present invention. It should also be understood that individual cases can be used alone.

FIG. 1 schematically shows a diagram for carrying out a first embodiment of a sensor device according to the invention and a first embodiment of a method according to the invention. FIG. 2 schematically shows a diagram for carrying out a second embodiment of the sensor device according to the invention and a second embodiment of the method according to the invention. Figure 3 schematically depicts a third embodiment of a sensor device according to the invention from two different perspectives Figure 3 schematically depicts a third embodiment of a sensor device according to the invention from two different perspectives

  The invention will now be described in detail in the following specification with reference to the drawings.

  In the drawings, the same reference numerals that are comprehensively described in relation to each other indicate the same components.

  The first embodiment of the sensor device 2 according to the invention schematically shown in FIG. 1 comprises a control device 4, a first sensor element 6, a second sensor element 8, and an nth sensor element. 10 and so on. In this case, the control device 4 and the sensor elements 6, 8, 10 each have signal processing modules 12, 14, 16, 18 and electronic interfaces 20, 22, 24, 26. Further, the control device 4 and the sensor elements 6, 8, 10 are configured as components of the first bus device 28, and the first bus device 28 includes the first communication connection line 30 and the second communication device 30. The communication connection line 32 is included. Each component of the first bus device 28 is connected to the two communication connection lines 30 and 32 of the first bus device 28 via the interfaces 20, 22, 24 and 26. In addition, all the constituent elements, that is, the control device 4 and the sensor elements 6, 8, and 10 are connected in series along the first bus device 28. According to an advantageous embodiment, in the bus device, the control device 4 has a master function and the sensor elements 6, 8, 10 have a slave function.

  1st Embodiment of the sensor apparatus 2 by this invention is comprised so that the rotation angle of the said shaft may be detected as a 1st characteristic amount of the rotational motion of a shaft, and also the said shaft as a 2nd characteristic amount of the rotational motion of the said shaft It is comprised so that the rotational torque of this may be detected. Thereby, the sensor device 2 detects the rotation angle of the shaft relative to the rotation axis of the shaft, and the rotation of the shaft relative to a second device, for example a second further shaft rotating on the same rotation axis as the shaft. Suitable for detecting torque. In order to determine the above-mentioned two characteristic quantities relating to the rotational movement of the shaft, at least one of the illustrated sensor elements 6, 8, 10 is configured as a rotation angle sensor for detecting a rotation angle, and the sensor elements 6, 8, At least one of 10 is configured as a rotational torque sensor that detects the rotational torque of the shaft. The first embodiment of the sensor device 2 depicted in FIG. 1 includes at least three sensor elements 6, 8, 10 so that at least one of the two characteristic quantities relating to the rotational movement of the shaft is double. And can therefore typically be redundant detections.

  The diagram shown in the same way in FIG. 1 includes a time axis as a horizontal axis 34 and a vertical axis 36 along which the voltage is plotted in volts. Along the horizontal axis 34, a first time point 38t1, a second time point 40t2, a third time point 42t3, a fourth time point 44t4, and a fifth time point 46t5 are marked. Further, along the vertical axis 36, a zero voltage 48 of 0 volts, a first voltage value 50V1, a second voltage value 52V2, and a threshold voltage 54 are marked.

  During the operation of the sensor device 2, the sensor elements 6, 8, and 10 detect values for the two characteristic quantities of the rotational motion, that is, values for the rotational angle and the rotational torque, and further, via the bus device 28, A signal comprising data packets 56, 58, 60, 62, which also contains values for the characteristic values of the rotational motion to be detected, is transmitted to the control device 4. The characteristic curve 64 with respect to the time lapse of the data packets 56, 58, 60, 62 transmitted as signals and the voltage lapse of the signal in the bus device 28 will be described in detail based on the diagram in FIG. explain. Each signal transmitting the data packets 56, 58, 60, 62 is provided with a transmission time. After the start of the operation of the sensor device 2, the voltage is increased from the zero voltage 48 to the first voltage 50V1. At the first time point 38t1, the voltage increases to the threshold voltage 54. Subsequently, the voltage is further increased to the second voltage 52V2.

  The first synchronization pulse 66 is generated by the control device 4 on the first arrival of the second voltage value 52V2 shown here. This first synchronization pulse 66 is provided for the initialization, synchronization and / or addressing of the sensor elements 6, 8, 10. At this time, each sensor element 6, 8, 10 is assigned one address together with the first synchronization pulse 66. Thereafter, the voltage drops again to the first voltage value 50V1.

  Here, the synchronized sensor elements 6, 8, and 10 send the signals of the data packets 56, 58, and 60 that follow each other to the value of the characteristic value of the rotational motion to be detected to the control device 4 in the first transmission sequence. To transmit. In this case, the first data packet 56 is provided from the first sensor element 6, the second data packet 58 is provided from the second sensor element 8, and the nth data packet 60 is provided as the nth sensor element. 10 is provided. After each sensor element 6, 8, 10 has transmitted its respective data packet 56, 58, 60, a second synchronization pulse 68 is supplied by the control device 4. In this case, the voltage in the bus device 28 increases again to the second voltage value 52V2.

  Further depicted in the diagram of FIG. 1 is a bi-directional arrow 70, which represents the duration of the time interval Tsync between the two synchronization pulses 66, 68. During the second transmission sequence period after the second synchronization pulse 68 is transmitted, a new signal is transmitted from the sensor elements 6, 8, 10 to the control device 4. In this case, in the diagram of FIG. 1, only one data packet 62 (also transmitted as a signal) of the first sensor element 6 is shown.

  Thus, one transmission sequence is divided by the two synchronization pulses 66 and 68 of the control device 4. The sensor elements 6, 8, 10 may normally be newly synchronized, initialized and / or addressed by respective new sync pulses 66, 68. Here, the duration Tsync of the transmission sequence must be at least as long as the sum of the total transmission times of the signals for the transmission of all data packets 56, 58, 60. According to the embodiment described above, the signal is transmitted with the data packets 56, 58, 60 directly and immediately before and after the first transmission sequence. Alternatively or additionally, it is possible to provide a short pause, for example a transmission pause, between at least two signals. In the two cases, only one signal is always transmitted via the bus device 28. The order of a plurality of signals and data packets transmitted in the transmission sequence can be determined in advance. In this case, for example, in order to transmit the k-th data packet 56, 58, 60, 62 of the k-th sensor element, the k-th time point can be determined in advance as the k-th signal. According to another advantageous embodiment, the order as well as the kth time point are continuously adapted and newly defined via the synchronization pulses 66, 68 of the sequential transmission sequence.

  As a result, in the bus device 28 of the sensor device 2, the sensor elements 6, 8, 10 are sent to the control device 4 as signals that are formed as original signals that are time-controlled in accordance with the synchronization pulses 66, 68 toward the control device 4. To do. In this case, the data packets 56, 58, 60, 62 provided via the original signal are transmitted in different time domains. These time domains depend on the transmission time for the signal.

  The values of the sensor elements 6, 8, 10 to be transmitted with the data packets 56, 58, 60, 62 using the bus device 28 are controlled by a first synchronization pulse 66 identified by the sensor elements 6, 8, 10 It is supplied from the device 4 to the bus device 28. Each sensor element 6, 8, 10 is assigned one time slot by addressing, in which the sensor element transmits its data packets 56, 58, 60, 62. If all the sensor elements 6, 8, 10 transmit their data packets 56, 58, 60, 62 to the bus device 28, the process is repeated again after a new second synchronization pulse 68. The addressing may be fixedly programmed for each sensor element 6, 8, 10 for example, or a dynamic method such as the daisy chain method shown in FIG. 2 may be used. .

  The second embodiment of the sensor device 80 according to the invention shown in FIG. 2 also includes the control device 4 and n sensor elements 6, 8, 10. Further, the control device 4 and the sensor elements 6, 8, and 10 here are configured as components of the second bus device 82. The second bus device 82 here has a closed loop-like annular configuration, and therefore, the sensor elements 6, 8, and 10 as components of the bus device 82 have a so-called daisy chain configuration. Yes. In this case, at least one of the n sensor elements 6, 8, 10 is here configured as a rotational angle sensor, and another one of the n sensor elements 6, 8, 10 is a rotational torque sensor. It is configured as. In addition, each component of the bus device 82 includes signal processing modules 12, 14, 16, 18 and electronic interfaces 84, 86, 88, 90. Each component is connected to the first communication connection line 92 and the second communication connection line 94 of the second bus device 82 via these interfaces 84, 86, 88, 90.

  Similar to the first embodiment of the sensor device 2 according to the invention shown in FIG. 1, the second embodiment of the sensor device 80 according to the invention also has at least two of the rotational movements (typically the rotational movement of the shaft). It is configured to detect one characteristic quantity, that is, a rotation angle and a rotation torque. In this case, the rotation angle is detected by at least one sensor element configured as at least one rotation angle sensor of the sensor elements 6, 8, and 10, and at least one rotation torque sensor of the sensor elements 6, 8, and 10 is detected. Rotational torque is detected by at least one sensor element configured as, and an original signal for at least one characteristic quantity is transmitted to the control device 4 as a signal. At that time, the control device 4 is provided as a master, and the sensor elements 6, 8, and 10 are provided as slaves.

  A second embodiment of the method for supplying two characteristic quantities of rotational motion according to the invention to be implemented here will be described on the basis of the diagram of FIG. This diagram includes a time axis as the horizontal axis 34. Also, the voltage is plotted along the vertical axis 36 of this diagram. Along the horizontal axis 34, a first time point 96t1, a second time point 98t2, a third time point 100t3, a fourth time point 102t4, a fifth time point 104t5, and a sixth time point 106t6 The seventh time point 108t8 is marked. Along the vertical axis 36, a zero voltage 48, a first voltage value 50V1, a second voltage value 52V2, and a threshold voltage 54 are marked.

  As represented by the characteristic curve 110 of the diagram, for the implementation of the method, the voltage starts from the zero voltage 48 along the second bus device 82 to the first voltage value 50V1. To rise. During the addressing sequence delimited by the first time point 96t1 and the second time point 98t2 on the time axis, the synchronization pulses 112, 114, 116 are transmitted from the control device 4 via the bus device 82 before and after the sensor element. 6, 8, and 10 are transmitted. The number of sync pulses transmitted in this case corresponds to the number of sensor elements 6, 8, 10, in which case each of the sync pulses 112, 114, 116 is greater than the threshold voltage 54. It has the 2nd voltage value 52V2.

  At the second time point 98t2, the first voltage 50V1 is applied to the bus device 82 again. Further, at the third time point 100 t 3, the voltage is increased beyond the threshold voltage 54. In so doing, the voltage further reaches a second voltage value 52V2, whereby a first additional synchronization pulse 118 is formed, as in the first embodiment of the method according to the invention. At the fourth time point 102t4 after the voltage has dropped again to the first voltage value 50V1, the first data packet 56 of the first sensor element 6 is transferred to the second sensor element 8 at the fifth time point 104t5. At the second data packet 58 and subsequent time points thereafter, the n-th data packet 60 from the n-th sensor element 10 is transmitted via the bus device 82 together with the signal formed here as the original signal. To the control device 4. Thereafter, at the seventh time point 108t7, the second additional synchronization pulse 120 is transmitted from the control device 4 to the sensor elements 6, 8, and 10.

  Due to the daisy chain configuration for addressing the sensor elements 6, 8, 10 and the transmission of the data packets 56, 58, 60, the sensor elements 6, 8, 10 are physically connected in the bus device 82. The supply voltage is turned on and off for the sensor elements 6, 8, and 10 connected in series. This is used for addressing. At the start of the addressing sequence, all sensor elements 6, 8, 10 shut off the voltage supply of the sensor elements 6, 8, 10 connected downstream. At the same time, only the sensor element directly connected to the control device 4 is supplied with voltage. This sensor element is assigned a unique address in the bus device 82 by the control device 4 here, and the voltage supply to the next sensor elements 6, 8, 10 is switched on. Here, one address is also assigned to these sensor elements 6, 8, 10 and this continues until all sensor elements 6, 8, 10 are addressed. The transmission of the data packets 56, 58, 60 is again carried out in a time slot in a similar manner, whereby all values of all sensor elements 6, 8, 10 are transmitted, or The control device 4 queries each address separately. If the query is negative, all values are needed uniformly and frequently.

  Similar to the case of the first embodiment of the method according to the invention, as represented by the first bi-directional arrow 122 in the diagram of FIG. 2, the third time point 100t3 and the seventh time point 108t7 And / or the first additional synchronization pulse 118 and the second additional synchronization pulse 120 represent the duration Tsync of one transmission sequence. After this second additional synchronization pulse 120, a signal newly formed as an original signal in a further transmission sequence is transmitted from the sensor elements 6, 8, 10 to the control device 4. In the diagram of FIG. 2, only the data packet 124 transmitted through the signal of the first sensor element 6 formed as the original signal is shown. The time lapse and / or order of transmission of the data packets 56, 58, 60 during the transmission sequence may be determined as in the first embodiment of the method according to the invention described with reference to FIG. Or it may be set.

  During the addressing sequence described above for the initialization phase, one address is assigned to each sensor element 6, 8, 10, whereby the structurally identical sensor elements 6, 8, 10 are assigned to the bus device 82. It becomes possible to apply as a component of.

  The two embodiments of the sensor devices 2, 80 described above include a plurality of sensor elements 6, 8, 10 and at least one bus device 28, 82. Here, at least two sensor elements 6, 8, 10 are connected to each other via at least one bus device 28, 82. In that case, at least one first sensor element of at least two sensor elements 6, 8, 10 of at least one bus device 28, 82 is configured as a rotation angle sensor for detecting a rotation angle, and at least At least one second sensor element of at least two sensor elements 6, 8, 10 of one bus device 28, 82 is configured as a rotational torque sensor for detecting rotational torque.

  A further possibility is that a fixed address is programmed into the plurality of sensor elements 6, 8, 10 and further the individual sensor elements 6, 8, 10 are subsequently different in the synchronization pulses 66, 68, 112, 114, 116. It consists of making it respond with composition. In this case, the lengths and / or amplitudes of the sync pulses 66, 68, 112, 114, 116 can be changed in order to make the addressed sensor elements 6, 8, 10 different and respond. It is. In this case, one synchronization pulse 66, 68, 112, 114, 116 having a predetermined length and / or amplitude is uniquely assigned to each sensor element 6, 8, 10.

  In the embodiment described with reference to FIGS. 1 and 2, the PSI5 (Peripheral Sensor Interface 5) protocol for digital interface is used for the sensor elements 6, 8, and 10, whereas short pulse width modulation is used. In the SPC (Short PWM Codes) protocol for codes, different lengths of sync pulses may be used for addressing.

  The sensor device 130 according to the third embodiment of the present invention depicted in FIG. 3 from two different viewpoints (FIGS. 3a, 3b) includes two sensor elements 132, 134 configured as Hall sensors. . These sensor elements 132 and 134 are configured as viewpoint torque sensors for detecting rotational torque as a first characteristic quantity of rotational motion of the shaft 136. Further, the sensor device 130 includes a third sensor element 138 and a fourth sensor element 140. These sensor elements 138 and 140 are configured as rotation angle sensors for detecting the rotation angle of the shaft 136 as a second characteristic quantity of the rotational movement of the shaft 136. In this case, all the sensor elements 132, 134, 138, and 140 are disposed in one sensor housing 142. The sensor housing 142 includes a housing 144 for the first gear 146 and the second gear 148 and a cover 149. Two of the first gear 146 and the second gear 148 cooperate with the sensor elements 138 and 140 for detecting the rotation angle of the shaft 136, and the cover 149 includes the sensor elements 132 and 134. , 138, 140 together with one electronic component structure space. Here, all the components provided in the sensor housing 142, that is, the sensor elements 132, 134, 138, 140 and the measurement gears 146, 148 are positioned in components not specifically illustrated here. It is fixed relative to the fixed and rotatable shaft 136. The rotation stop device for preventing the sensor device 130 and / or the sensor housing 142 from rotating is not shown in FIG.

  Further, here, the hub gear 150 and the magnetic flux flow unit 152 are fixed to the shaft 136. 3 also depicts a slide bearing 154 through which the shaft 136, the hub gear 150, and the magnetic flux unit 152 are connected to the sensor elements 132, 134, 138, 140. It can be rotated.

  The relative rotational torque of the shaft 136 relative to further components is detected via torsion bar torsion. The first shaft 136 shown here is connected to the torsion bar via this further component and is further rotatable relative to this second component. According to an advantageous embodiment, the second component is formed as a second shaft not shown further in FIG. The second shaft also rotates about the rotation axis common to the first shaft 146. At this time, the second shaft is usually provided with an annular magnet unit composed of a magnet element, and this magnet unit forms the following magnetic field. That is, a magnetic field that is strengthened and / or concentrated at the position of the two first sensor elements 132 and 134 for detecting the rotational torque of the shaft 136 by the magnetic flux flow unit 152, which is usually made of a ferromagnetic material. is there. The two sensor elements 132, 134 configured as Hall sensors to detect rotational torque detect this enhanced and / or concentrated magnetic field and then redundantly use the two original signals for rotational torque detection. To provide.

  In the embodiment described above, the two measuring gears 146, 148 have many different teeth. The teeth of the two measuring gears 146 and 148 mesh with the teeth of the hub gear 150. As the shaft 136 rotates, the hub gear 150 rotates about the axis of rotation as a result relative to the sensor gear 146 and concomitantly to the two measuring gears 146, 148. The two measuring gears 146, 148 rotate at different speeds. A permanent magnet is disposed inside or outside each of the measuring gears 146 and 148, and the magnetic field of the permanent magnet is again a sensor element 138 configured as a Hall sensor for detecting the rotation angle of the shaft 146. , 140. At that time, sensor elements 138 and 140 for detecting the rotation angle are assigned to the respective measurement gears 146 and 148. The corresponding magnetic field detected by the sensor elements 138 and 140, which are similarly rotated through the measuring gears 146 and 148 under the rotation of the shaft 136, provides an original signal for determining the rotation angle of the shaft 136. Is done.

  The sensor elements 132, 134, 138 and 140 shown in FIG. 3, for example as described with reference to FIGS. 1 and 2, are connected via a bus device not shown in detail in FIG. Similarly, it is connected to a control device not shown in detail in FIG.

  A bus device may be implemented on the circuit support in order to provide a characteristic quantity of the original signal representing the two rotational movements to be detected. This circuit support is configured as a rigid flexible substrate. For this, two interconnected printed circuit boards are also conceivable. This configuration allows at least one sensor element 138, 140 for the rotation angle to be integrated modularly according to the vernier principle. The hub gear 150 fixed to the magnetic flux unit 154 drives two measuring gears 146 and 148 configured as vernier gears.

  Instead of using a printed circuit board for the rotational torque sensor for detecting the rotational torque, it is also possible to use, for example, one rigid flexible board or a plurality of rigid flexible boards interconnected in other ways. . These also include sensor elements 138, 140 for the rotational angle above the measuring gears 146, 148. Signals from the sensor elements 132, 134, 138, and 140 are individually supplied to the control device via an electrical interface, for example, PAS4, SENT, SPC, and PWM. The calculation of the signal for the rotational torque and the calculation of the signal for the steering angle are executed in the control device using the original signals supplied from the sensor elements 132, 134, 138, and 140.

  At least one bus device provided as part of the sensor device 130 for connecting at least two sensor elements 132, 134, 138, 140 to a control device as a component of the at least one bus device comprises: It is configured to transmit signals between elements, where a plurality of signals are transmitted between the components via at least one bus device. On the other hand, the sensor elements 132, 134, 138, and 140 are configured to detect a rotational angle and a rotational torque as characteristic quantities representing a rotational motion, particularly a rotational motion of at least one shaft.

  Each of the sensor elements 132, 134, 138, and 140 connected via the bus device has an electronic interface. In addition to the sensor elements 132, 134, 138, and 140 described above, at least one additional sensor element configured to detect acceleration, for example, may be further connected to the bus device.

  The components of the bus device may be connected in series and / or connected to each other in a loop. Furthermore, a plurality of signals may be transmitted, for example, exchanged between the components via a bus device. Further, at least one bus device as a part of the sensor device 130 may be configured such that signals from the components are transmitted synchronously. The sensor elements 132, 134, 138, 140 may be initialized, addressed, and / or using at least one synchronization pulse provided by a control device during initialization, addressing, and / or synchronization. It may be synchronized. From the sensor elements 132, 134, 138, 140, a signal formed as an original signal based on the detected characteristic amount of the rotational motion is supplied and further transmitted to the control device. The control device detects signals from the sensor elements 132, 134, 138, and 140. From the result, the control device calculates the characteristic amount of the rotational motion, that is, the rotational angle and the rotational torque.

2 sensor device 4 control apparatus 6 sensor element 8 sensor element 10 sensor element 12 signal processing module 14 signal processing module 16 signal processing module 18 signal processing module 20 interface 22 interface 24 interface 26 interface 28 first bus device 30 first communication Connection line 32 Second communication connection line 82 Second bus device 92 First communication connection line 94 Second communication connection line 130 Sensor device 132 Sensor element 134 Sensor element 136 Shaft 138 Sensor element 140 Sensor element 142 Sensor housing 144 Housing 146 First gear 148 Second gear 149 Cover 150 Hub gear 152 Magnetic flux flow unit 154 Slide bearing

Claims (9)

A sensor device comprising a plurality of sensor elements (6, 8, 10, 132, 134, 138, 140) and at least one bus device (28, 82),
The sensor element (6, 8, 10, 132, 134, 138, 140) includes at least one rotational angle sensor and at least one rotational torque sensor;
The at least one rotational angle sensor and the at least one rotational torque sensor are connected to each other via the at least one bus device (28, 82).   The sensor device according to claim 1, wherein the at least one rotational angle sensor and the at least one rotational torque sensor are connected to a control device (4) via the at least one bus device (28, 82).   The sensor elements (6, 8, 10, 132, 134, 138, 140) connected to each other via the at least one bus device (28, 82) have an electronic interface (22, 24, 26, 86, 88, 90). The sensor device according to claim 1 or 2, comprising: A method for providing a signal detected by a plurality of sensor elements (6, 8, 10, 132, 134, 138, 140),
The plurality of sensor elements (6, 8, 10, 132, 134, 138, 140) include at least one rotational angle sensor and at least one rotational torque sensor,
The at least one rotational angle sensor and the at least one rotational torque sensor are connected to each other via at least one bus device (28, 82), and a signal to be supplied is supplied to the bus device (28, 82). The method is characterized in that it is detected by at least one rotational angle sensor and at least one rotational torque sensor as the constituent elements.   Signals for rotational angle and rotational torque detected by the at least one rotational angle sensor and the at least one rotational torque sensor are transmitted to the control device (4) via the at least one bus device (28, 82). 5. The method of claim 4, wherein:   The method according to claim 4 or 5, wherein in the at least one bus device (28, 82), the signal of the at least one rotational angle sensor and the signal of the at least one rotational torque sensor are transmitted synchronously.   The signal of the at least one rotational angle sensor and the signal of the at least one rotational torque sensor are sequentially and continuously transmitted in the at least one bus device (28, 82). The method described in the paragraph.   The at least one rotational angle sensor and the at least one rotational torque sensor are addressed by at least one synchronization pulse (6, 8, 10, 132, 134, 138, 140) supplied from the control device (4). The method according to any one of claims 5 to 7, wherein the method is specified.   A signal formed as an original signal by the at least one rotation angle sensor and the at least one rotation torque sensor is supplied and transmitted to the control device (4), and the rotation angle is calculated from the signal by the control device (4). The method according to claim 5, wherein the rotational torque is calculated.

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