JP2016045951A - Device and method for supplying voltage to sensor - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a sensor device that does not require a voltage supply line between an actuator controller and a sensor.SOLUTION: A voltage regulator or DC voltage converter 11 is connected to a plurality of diodes 12 in series between first and second connection lines 9 and 10 disposed between an actuator 1 and a controller 6, so that operation voltage for a senor is supplied. Therefore, the operation voltage for the senor can be generated using the voltage regulator or DC voltage converter 11, on the basis of the voltage having plural phases that is applied to two connection lines and controls a driving member.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 3

Description

  The present invention is an apparatus for supplying a voltage to a sensor, wherein the sensor detects a position of a driving member or an adjustment member driven by the driving member, and the sensor is controlled at least indirectly via a first connection line. And the output stage of the controller for controlling the drive member is related to a device connected to the drive member via a second connection line.

  The present invention further provides a method for supplying a voltage to a sensor, wherein the sensor supplied with the voltage detects the position of the driving member or the adjusting member driven by the driving member, and the sensor signal of the sensor is transmitted for transmission. A method of converting and transmitting to a controller, where the controller of the controller controls the output stage, supplies a multi-phase power output signal to control the drive member, and transmits it to the drive member via the second connection line About.

  A transducer or drive member that converts electrical control signals or control commands generated by a controller into mechanical motion or other physical variables is also referred to as an actuator.

  Such an actuator is often an adjustment member of an adjustment circuit. In order to detect the actual position or state of the actuator, the actuator is coupled to a suitable sensor. The sensor signals generated by these sensors are converted into analog or digital signals, and the converted signals correspond to the detected position or state of the actuator and are output to the controller. For output, the actuator often has an analog or digital interface to adapt the converted signal to the transmission protocol used for transmission to the controller.

  In such an actuator having a drive member for position feedback and actuated by a remote controller (ECU), according to the prior art, in addition to two or three lines for the drive member (motor) Additional lines for supplying voltage and transmitting signals to the sensor for position feedback are essential. In this case, analog and digital position sensors (for example, resistance sensors / hall sensors) with different measurement principles can be used.

  Regardless of this, in each case an additional line is essential as a voltage supply line between the controller and the sensor itself, via which an operating voltage of, for example, 5 volts is supplied to the sensor. Is done.

  In contrast, the device according to the invention with the features of the independent claim 1 has the advantage that the voltage provided to the actuator via the motor line is used to supply the operating voltage for the sensor. Have. Therefore, it is not necessary to provide a line for supplying a voltage to the sensor between the controller and the sensor itself. The voltage regulator supplies the operating voltage required to supply the voltage to the sensor, for example a TTL voltage of 5 volts, from the voltage applied to two or three motor lines. Alternatively, a DC voltage converter can be used at the position of the voltage regulator, which operates as a so-called “step-down converter”, for example. When a voltage higher than the voltage applied to the motor line is required, an operation type as a so-called “step-up converter” is also considered.

  Since the potential of the motor line is related to the earth potential (ground) of the sensor for position determination, in this embodiment it can be captured by a diode and thus provides the input voltage for the voltage regulator .

The voltage regulator or the DC voltage converter generates a TTL voltage U _B that is smoothed by an additional circuit, if necessary, and this TTL voltage U _B is supplied to the sensor as a supply voltage.

  By means of the dependent claims, preferred configurations and refinements of the devices according to the independent claims are possible.

  The first voltage connection portion of the voltage regulator or the DC voltage converter is connected to one motor line of each of the second connection lines via a plurality of diodes, and the cathode connection portions of the diodes are respectively connected to the first voltage. The connection to the connection is particularly advantageous. The second voltage connection part of the voltage regulator or DC voltage converter is connected to the ground wire, and the voltage regulator or DC voltage converter is pulsed on the input side between the first and second voltage connection parts. DC voltage is applied. The following description relates only to embodiments with a voltage regulator, and a DC voltage converter can be used instead of a voltage regulator.

Preferably, voltage regulator, can be supplied the generated operating voltage U _B to a plurality of sensors arranged in the actuator.

  It is further advantageous that the sensor has means for processing the sensor signal supplied by the sensor. Thereby, for example, the current generated by the sensor can be converted into a voltage. In addition, conversion of analog measurement values generated by the sensor into digital values is generally performed. This digital value is adapted by this means to the transmission protocol used for transmission to the controller.

Preferably, voltage regulator, the generated operating voltage U _B and a means for smoothing. Since a sensor generally generates a small voltage or current as a sensor signal, the requirements regarding the stability and ripple of the operating voltage are maintained so as not to distort the sensor signal due to fluctuations in the operating voltage. These requirements are met by the ripple of the operating voltage U _B is small.

  The method according to the invention having the features of the independent claim 6 comprises the operating voltage required for the sensor from the voltage supplied to control the drive member in two or three motor lines by means of a voltage regulator. This has the advantage that a line, which was essential in the prior art between the sensor and the controller in order to supply voltage to the sensor, is eliminated.

  Setting of the voltage in the motor line is preferably performed by pulse width modulation (PWM), and a supply voltage (12V) or ground (0V) is selectively applied to the motor line by the final stage of the controller. By dividing the two potentials in time, an arbitrary voltage value can be set as an average value by modulation.

  Preferably, the voltage regulator can be operated by an input side pulsed DC voltage applied to the voltage regulator. For this purpose, a plurality of diodes are inserted between the first voltage connection of the voltage regulator and each one motor line. The voltage applied to the motor line is connected to the first voltage connection of the voltage regulator after the diode forward voltage is exceeded through the respective diodes, and a DC voltage with changing amplitude is applied to the first voltage connection. Arise.

Furthermore, in order to prevent the distortion of the sensor signal, it is preferable that the operating voltage U _B in a state of reduced ripple is supplied to the sensor.

  It is also preferable to generate a multi-phase power output signal on the motor line using a flat top modulation scheme. In such a modulation method, a voltage of, for example, 12 volts is applied to any one of the three motor lines at any time. In this way it can be ensured that the working voltage for the sensor is continuously supplied via the diode and the voltage regulator, in which case the controllability of the motor or the torque generation of the motor is not disturbed. .

Even during non-operation or when a failure of the output stage, by supplying the input voltage to a voltage regulator or DC voltage converting means for generating a stable operating voltage U _B for the sensor is particularly advantageous. For example, in the event of a failure, it is configured to stop the output stage by opening the semiconductor switch, so that a multi-phase power output signal is no longer supplied to control the drive member. In this case as well, a high-impedance voltage source is connected to the second connection line in order to ensure that the position of the drive member or the adjustment member driven by the drive member can be detected by the sensor.

  Preferably, the steps of the method for supplying voltage to the sensor are performed by a specially configured computer program containing program code executable on the data processing device.

  It may also be advantageous to store the computer program on a machine readable memory medium.

  For this purpose, the device for supplying a voltage to the sensor may include a processor for processing the program code, for example as a data processing device. In order to store this program code, the device is provided with non-volatile memory means, for example ROM (Read Only Memory), EPROM (Erasable PROM), EEPROM (Electrically Erasable ROM) or Flash-EEPROM. . The memory means is connected to the processor for transmitting data such as program code.

  Embodiments of the invention are shown in the drawings and are described in detail below.

It is a figure which shows the actuator by a prior art which has a drive member provided with a BLDC motor, and a position sensor. It is a figure which shows the actuator by a prior art which has a drive member provided with DC motor, and a position sensor. It is a figure which shows the actuator which performs the voltage supply by this invention which has a drive member provided with a BLDC motor, and a position sensor. It is a figure which shows the actuator which performs the voltage supply by this invention which has a drive member provided with DC motor, and a position sensor. It is the schematic which shows the semiconductor switch of B6 bridge | bridging (BLDC). It is the schematic which shows the semiconductor switch of H bridge (DC). It is a voltage-time diagram which shows the phases A, B, and C of the BLDC motor by a flat top modulation system.

  FIG. 1 shows a device known from the prior art consisting of an actuator 1 connected to a controller 6 via a first connection line 9 and a second connection line 10. The actuator 1 includes a driving member 2 and a sensor 3, and the sensor 3 is connected to the first digital interface 4. The drive member 2 drives the adjustment member. The adjustment member may be a throttle valve (DV-E) of an internal combustion engine of the vehicle. The position of the adjusting member is detected by the sensor 3 and supplied as an output value to the output section of the first digital interface 4 after analog-digital conversion.

  The sensor 3 is connected to the controller 6 via the first connection line 9. Among these lines, the line of the reference potential “ground”, also referred to as the earth line, and the line of the voltage “supply” of 5V ensure the supply of the operating voltage, and the position of the throttle valve moved by the drive member 2. Is detected, and an output value corresponding to this position is transmitted as a digital signal to the controller 6 via the signal line.

  For this purpose, the controller 6 has a second digital interface 5 with an input for this signal line. The controller 6 comprises a central control unit shown as a controller 7. The controller 7 is connected to the second interface 5. In order to control the drive member 2, the controller 6 further has an output stage 8, which is likewise connected to the controller 7 and connected to the drive member 2 by a second connection line 10.

Ground wire "ground", on the other hand is used as a ground for the supply voltage U _B of the sensor, on the other hand is used as a reference potential for the sensor signal. This applies to both analog signal transmission and digital signal transmission. The signal transmission of the sensor output value indicating the position of the driving member or the adjusting member may be performed in an analog manner or digital manner.

  In FIG. 1, the drive member 2 is implemented as a so-called “brushless DC motor” (BLDC) connected to the output stage 8 of the controller 6 via three second connection lines 10. In FIG. 1, three second connection lines 10 are indicated by alphabets a, b, c, resulting in phases A, B, C of a brushless DC motor having three phases. In order to connect the actuator 1 and the controller 6, three first connection lines 9 and three second connection lines 10, and thus a total of six lines are required.

  The operating voltage is shown as 5 volts in the example. However, the present invention is not limited to this voltage value.

  The sensor 3 may include a plurality of individual sensors or sensor elements. Further, the sensor 3 may include a module essential for processing the detected sensor signal. These modules, for example, process a plurality of sensor input signals, validate them and provide analog or digital signals that are transmitted over the signal line according to the determined transmission protocol. Transmission of two or more sensor signals in this signal line of the first connection line 9 is performed, for example, according to a time multiplex system. Alternatively, a plurality of signals can be transmitted via a plurality of signal lines. In the embodiment shown in FIGS. 1 to 4, non-redundant signal transmission is used as an example.

  FIG. 2 shows a device which is likewise known from the prior art, consisting of an actuator 1 connected to a controller 6 by means of a first connection line 9 and a second connection line 10. In this embodiment, the drive member 2 is a direct current motor (DC motor), and this direct current motor is connected to the output stage 8 of the controller 6 via two second connection lines 10 indicated by a and b in FIG. It is connected to the. With such an embodiment of the drive member 2, a total of five connection lines are required between the actuator 1 and the controller 6.

Regardless of the embodiment of the drive member 2, the separate voltage supply line “supply 5 V” is always connected to the first connection line 9 regardless of the embodiment of the drive member 2, whether it is connected as shown in FIG. As a result, the operating voltage U _B prepared by the controller 6 is supplied to the sensor 2. The first connection line 9 and / or the second connection line 10 are arranged, for example, in a car as a bundle of wires or a cable harness, and each line may be up to several meters long.

  FIG. 3 shows the modules or members 1 to 10 already described with reference to FIG. Furthermore, FIG. 3 shows a device according to the invention for supplying a voltage to the sensor 3. This device comprises a voltage regulator 11 having two voltage connections 13 and 14 on the input side. The voltage regulator or DC voltage converter 11 is connected to a line of the first connection line 9 that provides the reference potential “ground”. The voltage regulator 11 is connected to the three second connection lines 10 a, 10 b, 10 c, respectively, via one diode 12 by the first voltage connection unit 13. The voltage output 15 of the voltage regulator 11 is connected to the input for the operating voltage of the sensor 3, which is shown as 5 volts in the example. For example, an operating voltage of 5 volts is associated with the reference potential “ground” at the second voltage connection 14. The substantially shorter connection line between the voltage output 15 of the voltage regulator 11 and the operating voltage input of the sensor 3 replaces the voltage supply line “supply 5V”, which is the first connection line 9 that is essential in the prior art. To do.

If the drive member 2 is controlled, it is guaranteed at all times that the supply voltage is provided to the second connection line 10, preferably to at least one motor line a, b, c. In this way, the operating voltage U _B of the position sensor 3 can be supplied using the voltage regulator 11, and the connection line between the controller 6 and the sensor 3 can be omitted. When such a device is used, for example, in an automobile, the voltage for controlling the motor 2 is generally in the range of 12 volts or 24 volts. A voltage of 12 volts or 24 volts exceeding the required operating voltage U _B of the sensor 3 is a voltage on the input side of the voltage regulator 11, and is indicated by the voltage regulator 11 as 5 volts as an example in FIG. As shown, the required operating voltage U _B of the sensor 3 is adjusted.

FIG. 4 shows an alternative arrangement according to the invention of a device for supplying a voltage to the sensor 3, in which the drive member 2 is a direct current motor, as already shown in FIG. Also in this case, the second voltage connection portion 14 of the voltage regulator 11 is connected to the first connection line 9 that supplies the reference potential “ground”. The first voltage connection portion 13 of the voltage regulator 11 is connected to one cathode of each diode 12, and the anode of the diode 12 is connected to the second connection lines 10a and 10b. The voltage output 15 of the voltage regulator 11 is connected to the voltage input of the sensor 3 and is supplied with a stabilized and regulated operating voltage U _B of, for example, 5 volts. By controlling the drive member 2 so that one of the motor lines 10a or 10b always has a supply voltage, the voltage supply of the voltage adjustment unit 11, and thus the sensor 3, is guaranteed.

  In the two configurations of the present invention shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, one less line is required between the sensor 3 and the controller 6, respectively. For example, the drive member 2 that drives the throttle valve as an adjustment member is directly connected to the sensor 3 and stored in the module of the actuator 1. In the module of the actuator 1, a voltage regulator 11 is arranged according to the invention together with an attached diode 12.

  Although the length of the line varies depending on the number of actuators 1 controlled by the controller, it is essential to provide a separate line between the controller 6 and the actuator 1 for supplying a voltage to the sensor 3. Not so, material for the line is saved. The essential lines between the drive member 2, the voltage regulator 11 and the sensor 3 are very short. This is because all these members are arranged close to each other in the module of the actuator 1. For example, the voltage regulator 11 and the sensor 3 may be arranged on a common board, or may be incorporated in the sensor module. It is also advantageous to incorporate the diode 12 in the voltage regulator module.

  FIG. 5 shows a schematic diagram of the output stage 8 shown in FIGS. 3 and 1. The output stage 8 sets each phase A, B, C of the second supply line 10 of the BLDC motor 2 to one “high side switch” having a higher voltage potential on the input side and a lower voltage potential on the input side. Each of the devices is configured to be connectable to one “low-side switch”. For this purpose, the switch is controlled by a control circuit (not shown) and the motor 2 is operated, for example, by a so-called “flat top modulation scheme”.

In this modulation system, when the output stage 8 is operating, the supply voltage U _bat is provided at any time to at least one of the motor lines a, b, c corresponding to the phases A, B, C. (PWM duty ratio 100%) is guaranteed. Therefore, at least one high side switch T1H, T2H or T3H is always active. The purpose of the flat top modulation method is to reduce the switching loss in the final stage. The motor control is not affected by the adoption of the flat top modulation method. This is because only the difference between the individual motor phase voltages is important for the motor, and the potential difference with respect to the earth of the sensor 3 or the earth of the controller 6 is not important.

  Therefore, all the degrees of freedom of motor control are maintained. If the working point of the motor on the side of the required voltage vector amount allows, the maximum duty ratio of the three motor phases is not 100% as described above, and the minimum input voltage of the voltage regulator 11 It is also possible to adjust the flat top modulation to an arbitrarily small value that just covers. Thereby, the loss output which arises with a voltage regulator can be reduced. If a larger voltage vector is requested by the controller 7 of the controller 6, the maximum value of the voltages of the phases A, B, C may be increased again.

The above method is also suitable for an actuator 1 comprising a DC motor 2 as well. FIG. 6 schematically shows an output stage 8 of a semiconductor circuit suitable for this purpose. Similarly, the high-side switches T1H and T2H of the H bridge used in the output stage 8 can be controlled so that one of the motor lines a or b of the second supply line 10 always has a supply voltage. Thereby, the voltage supply of the voltage regulator 11 via the diode 12 and thus the voltage of the sensor 3 can be ensured. The input-side voltage U _bat is taken from, for example, a vehicle-mounted voltage or prepared by the controller 6 (not shown in FIG. 6).

In FIG. 3, the supply voltage is provided to the motor lines a, b and c of the second supply line 10 or in FIG. 4 to the motor lines a and b. It doesn't mean you don't have to. In order to supply a voltage to the sensor 3 according to the present invention, the voltage applied to the input side of the voltage regulator 11 is for the sensor 3 output from the voltage output unit by a voltage value ΔU indispensable for reliable adjustment. It is sufficient if the operating voltage U _B is exceeded. It is sufficient if the time-average input side voltage of the voltage regulator 11 satisfies this condition.

  The voltage supply of the sensor 3 via the diode 12 and the voltage regulator 11 needs to be continuously secured via the second connection line in the operation ready state of the actuator 1. For this reason, in the case of a BLDC motor, as shown in FIG. 7, a so-called “flat top modulation method” is used. FIG. 7 exemplarily illustrates modulation of phases A, B, and C with a 12 volt motor phase voltage. Phase C is no longer connected and is held at a voltage of 12 volts.

  When the BLDC motor 2 is used with an actuator 1 whose coils are configured with a star connection, the neutral point of the motor 2 is used to capture the motor phase voltage, as an alternative to the circuit shown in FIG. May be used. In this case, two of the three diodes 12 are not necessary, and only one diode 12 may be connected between the neutral point of the motor 2 and the voltage connection portion 13 of the voltage regulator 11.

  For example, in an internal combustion engine that drives a vehicle, the actuator 1 related to safety, such as a throttle valve for controlling the intake air, is required to stop the actuator 1 when a failure occurs. In this case, the output stage 8 is stopped by opening the semiconductor switch, and the actuator 1 is automatically actuated by a spring and assumes a mechanically limited safe position. Even in such a situation where the output stage 8 is stopped, it is further required that the position information of the actuator can be supplied by the sensor 3, thereby ensuring that the actuator 1 reaches a safe position. Therefore, the voltage supply to the sensor 3 needs to be secured. For this reason, when the output stage 8 is stopped, the three high-impedance voltage sources (two in the case of a DC motor) are covered with a motor phase that covers the small power consumption (−15 mA) of the position sensor. Can be connected.

  For example, when the actuator 1 is returned to a safe position by a spring, it is not affected by the voltage source. Because, on the one hand, this voltage source acts on all three (two) motor phases, so no current flows through the motor coils, and on the other hand, the voltage by the internal resistance so that the motor phase cannot output current> 15 mA. This is because the source can also be set. Thus, even in the event of an error (for example, a motor line crossover), if the output stage 8 is stopped, the current can be passed through the motor coil at a magnitude that may prevent spring return or result in interruption. It is ensured that it cannot flow.

  This high impedance voltage source is no longer important for the operating state of the final stage when using a flat top modulation scheme and may therefore be shut off when the output stage 8 is in operation. Connections that are essential to ensure voltage supply in the stopped state may be made inside the controller 6 by external connections to the output stage 8 or may be taken into account in the design stage of the output stage 8. .

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Actuator 2 Drive member 3 Sensor 4 Interface 6 Controller 7 Controller 8, 9, 10 Connection line 11 Voltage regulator or DC voltage converter 12 Diode 13 1st voltage connection part 14 2nd voltage connection part 15 Voltage output part

Claims (13)

An apparatus for supplying a voltage to the sensor (3), wherein the sensor (3) detects the position of the driving member (2) or the adjusting member driven by the driving member (2), and the sensor (3) Is connected to the controller (6) at least indirectly via the first connection line (9), and the output stage (8) of the controller (6) for driving the drive member (2) In the device connected to the drive member (2) via the two connection lines (10),
Between the first connection line (9) and the second connection line (10), a voltage regulator or a DC voltage converter (11) and at least one diode (12) are arranged in series connection, and the voltage regulation vessel or DC voltage converter (11) is provided with a voltage output unit (15) for outputting the operating voltage U _B, characterized in that the voltage output of which is connected to the sensor (3), the sensor A device for supplying voltage to (3). The apparatus of claim 1.
The first voltage connection (13) of the voltage regulator (11) is connected to the cathode connection of the plurality of diodes (12), and the anode connection of the diode (12) is the second connection line, respectively. The line connected to the different line of (10), and the second voltage connection part (14) of the voltage regulator or the DC voltage converter (11) provides the ground potential among the first connection line (9). And the voltage output unit (15) of the voltage regulator (11) is connected to the operating voltage input unit of the sensor (3). The apparatus according to claim 1 or 2,
A device wherein the sensor (3) comprises a plurality of partial sensors. The device according to any one of claims 1 to 3,
Apparatus wherein said sensor (3) comprises means for processing a sensor signal and a first interface (4) for adapting the output sensor output signal to a predetermined transmission protocol for digital signals. The device according to any one of claims 1 to 4,
The voltage regulator or DC voltage converter (11), device comprising means for smoothing the operating voltage U _B that is output by the voltage output of the voltage regulator (11) (15). A method of supplying a voltage to the sensor (3), wherein the sensor (3) to which the voltage is supplied detects the position of the driving member (2) or the adjustment member driven by the driving member (2), The sensor signal of 3) is converted for transmission and transmitted to the controller (6), and the controller (7) of the controller (6) controls the output stage (8), whereby the output stage (8) Supplying a plurality of phase power output signals to control the drive member (2), wherein the power output signal is transmitted to the drive member (2) via the second connection line (10),
Is controlled by the voltage adjusting means or DC voltage converting means (11), the power output signal of the supplied multiple phase, to generate the operating voltage U _B which is stabilized for the sensor (3), the sensor (3) A method characterized by outputting. The method of claim 6, wherein
A method in which a pulsed DC voltage is generated from a plurality of supplied phase power output signals by a plurality of rectifying means and supplied to a voltage adjusting means or a DC voltage converting means (11) as an input side voltage. The method according to claim 6 or 7, wherein
A method of further smoothing the operating voltage U _B for the stabilized sensor (3) generated by the voltage regulation means or DC voltage converting means (11), thereby reducing the ripple of the operating voltage U _B. The method according to any one of claims 6 to 8, wherein
A method of generating a multi-phase power output signal by the output stage (8) using a flat top modulation method. The method according to any one of claims 6 to 9, wherein
When the output stage (8) is stopped and a multi-phase power output signal for controlling the driving member (2) is not supplied, a high-impedance voltage supply means is connected to the second connection line (10), Thus, the voltage adjusting means or DC voltage converting means (11), a method for supplying an input voltage to generate the operating voltage U _B which is stabilized for the sensor (3).   A computer program configured to perform the respective steps of the method according to any one of claims 6 to 10.   A machine-readable memory medium in which the computer program according to claim 11 is stored.   11. An electronic controller configured to perform each step of the method according to any one of claims 6 to 10.

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