Continental Automotive Gmbh

Continental Automotive France

Marie-Nathalie Larue

David Mirassou

Olivier Marle

Benjamin Marconato

Angelo Pasqualetto

Laure Carbonne

Yann Dinard

Masuo Hannuki

Jérôme Burg

The invention relates to a crankshaft, transmission or camshaft sensor () for a motor vehicle, intended for being connected to an engine control unit () by a cable (). The sensor comprises a processing module () and a voltage-modifying circuit () configured to generate an output signal via an output port () of the sensor () allowing a diagnosis module () of the engine control unit () to detect and identify faults of the sensor () or the cable (). In particular, the processing module () is configured to provide on its output port (), when the toothed target () is immobile, a predetermined pattern representing the fact that the toothed target () is immobile, this predetermined pattern corresponding to a status change of the output port () of the processing module () with a predetermined time and repeated periodically. The invention likewise relates to a diagnosis system () comprising such a sensor (), a cable () and an engine control unit (). The invention also relates to a diagnosis method () implemented by said diagnosis system ().

Crankshaft, transmission or camshaft sensor, diagnosis system and method implementing such a sensor

Disclosed is a camshaft or crankshaft sensor including a toothed target, a measuring cell adapted to supply a raw signal and a processor module having two modes of operation: 1) a measurement mode in which the processor module is adapted to supply an output port of the sensor a measurement signal representing the times of passage of the teeth of the target at the level of the measuring cell; and 2) a diagnostic mode in which the processor module is adapted to supply at the output port of the sensor a diagnostic signal different from the measurement signal and representing the amplitude of the raw signal. Also disclosed is a method and a module for diagnosing such a sensor.

Camshaft or crankshaft sensor for automotive vehicle and diagnostic method for such a sensor

A method for automatic calibration of a camshaft sensor for a motor vehicle, allowing reduction of the fluctuations on the output signal of the sensor. The method proposes comparing, on each target rotation, the new maximum values of the magnetic field of each tooth to the maximum values of the same teeth from the preceding target rotation. The switching thresholds are only calculated with the new maximum values if these differ from the maximum values of the preceding target rotation. Moreover, the invention proposes using a single minimum value of the magnetic field, i.e. the absolute minimum value on a target rotation in order to calculate the switching thresholds.

Method for automatic calibration of a camshaft sensor for a motor vehicle

Disclosed is a method for adapting a detection threshold (S) of a magnetic field sensor for a crankshaft of a motor vehicle equipped with the 'stop & go' function, the sensor delivering a signal (B) of variations of magnetic field having two states, such as: State: when the crankshaft is rotating: the signal includes rising fronts and falling fronts, State: when the crankshaft is stopped: the signal has an aperiodic progressive drift (&#x394;T). The method includes for statesteps making it possible to estimate the variation (&#x394;, &#x394;, &#x394;, &#x394;. . . &#x394;) of the value (V, V. . . V) of the signal (B) during the stopped phase of the crankshaft in order to adapt the detection threshold (S) to a new value (S) applicable for the detection of the first tooth upon restart of the engine (R).

Method for adapting a detection threshold of a crankshaft sensor for motor vehicle

A power supply device, including: a switching structure for controlling a continuous current in an inductive load on the basis of at least one control signal of a power switch; and anomaly detection elements, generating at least one item of information about the detection of an anomaly of the open circuit type in the wiring from the load to the switching structure. The anomaly detection elements include: elements for measuring the current flowing in the inductive load; elements for comparing the measured current continuously with a threshold value; and elements for counting a time interval during which the measured current remains continuously below the threshold value, delivering the anomaly detection information if the counted time interval&#x3e;a reference time interval, which is k times greater than a period of the control signal, where k&#x3e;1, and if the duty cycle of the control signal&#x3e;a threshold value.

Open-circuit detection in a switching structure

An automatic calibration method for a motor vehicle camshaft sensor, the vehicle having at least one camshaft, a toothed encoded target (or magnetic encoder) associated with this camshaft, and a magnetic field sensor placed near the target to detect magnetic field variations caused by the passage of the teeth of the target near the sensor, the sensor delivering signals corrected by a predetermined detection threshold K, the method including: continuously measuring the value of the magnetic field during at least one revolution of the target, determining the maximum amplitude Aof the field measured during this revolution, determining the minimum amplitude Aof the field measured during this revolution, finding the ratio of the amplitudes and determining an auto-adaptive correction coefficient K' to be applied to the signal received from the magnetic sensor, with allowance for the geometrical imperfections of the target, according to the following formula: 

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Corronsac, France

Marie-Nathalie Larue