Programmable interface circuit for operating sensor

Abstract

The application relates to a programmable interface circuit for operating a sensor. A microcontroller (193) may include a programmable interface circuit (100) to operate one or more sensors (145, 150, 155). The interface circuit may include a first storage group (105) to store a first group of values (103, 107). The first set of values may specify a period and a set of transitions of a first signal. The interface circuit may include one or more second storage groups (115) to store one or more second group values (113, 117), respectively. The second set of values may each specify a period and a set of transitions of a respective second signal of the one or more second signals. The interface circuit may include a signal generator (140) operatively coupled to the first storage group and the second storage group to generate the first signal and the second signal based on the first group value and the second group value.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present description relates generally to circuits and, more particularly, to programmable interface circuits for operating sensors. Background Art

[0002] A wide range of microcontroller applications involve communication between a microcontroller and one or more sensors. However, in order to keep costs low, many of these sensors may contain minimal control and communication capabilities. For example, the Single Edge Nibble Transmission (SENT) protocol is a simple serial communication protocol commonly used in low-cost sensors for transmitting signal values ​​from a SENT sensor to a data receiving device. For example, SENT sensors can be used in automotive applications to measure steering angle and torque, throttle position, temperature, and mass airflow, in industrial applications for process monitoring and fluid pressure measurement, and in household appliances for filter monitoring. The traditional SENT protocol, such as specified in the SAE J2716 standard, is a unidirectional serial protocol in which data from the SENT sensor is transmitted independently without any intervention from the receiving device. The SENT message contains a series of pulses of variable width, in which the value is encoded as the time between two falling edges. The receiving device can decode the signal value by measuring the width. Recent technological advances have brought new features to SENT sensors. Therefore, in addition to the standard SENT protocol, SENT sensors on the market may also require different communication methods. Therefore, it is desirable to have a generic interface circuit that is capable of operating SENT sensors with different communication requirements. Summary of the invention

[0003] SENT is only one of many sensor communication and control protocols, and the present disclosure describes a programmable interface circuit for operating sensors that may have a wide range of different communication requirements. In some examples, the programmable interface circuit may include a first storage group, one or more second storage groups, and a signal generator. The first storage group may store a first set of values ​​associated with communication with one or more sensors, such as SENT sensors, and the first set of values ​​may specify a period and a set of transitions of a first signal. The one or more second storage groups may each store a second set of values ​​associated with communication with a corresponding sensor in the one or more sensors, and the second set of values ​​may specify a period and a set of transitions of a corresponding second signal. The signal generator may be coupled to the first storage group and the one or more second storage groups, and may generate the first signal based on the first set of values ​​and generate one or more second signals based on the corresponding one or more second set of values.

[0004] In some examples, a system, such as a microcontroller, a digital signal processor (DSP), and / or other types of control devices, may include a trigger generation circuit and a programmable interface circuit. The trigger generation circuit may generate a first trigger and one or more second triggers. The programmable interface circuit may include a first storage group, one or more second storage groups, and a signal generator. The first storage group may store a first set of values ​​associated with communication with one or more sensors, such as SENT sensors, and the first set of values ​​may specify a period and a set of transitions of a first signal. The one or more second storage groups may each store a second set of values ​​associated with communication with a corresponding sensor in the one or more sensors, and the second set of values ​​may specify a period and a set of transitions of a corresponding second signal. The first storage group and the one or more second storage groups may receive the first trigger and the corresponding one or more second triggers generated by the trigger generation circuit, so that the signal generator generates the first signal based on the first set of values ​​and generates one or more second signals based on the corresponding one or more second set of values.

[0005] In some examples, a non-transitory computer-readable medium may store program instructions. The non-transitory computer-readable medium may be part of a control device such as a microcontroller, a DSP, and / or other type of control device. The program instructions may be executed by a processing unit to cause the processing unit to store a first set of values ​​associated with communication with one or more sensors such as a SENT sensor at a first storage group, wherein the first set of values ​​may specify a period and a set of transitions of a first signal. The program instructions may also cause the processing unit to store one or more second sets of values ​​associated with communication with corresponding sensors of the one or more sensors at one or more second storage groups, wherein the one or more second sets of values ​​may each specify a period and a set of transitions of a corresponding second signal. The program instructions may also cause the processing unit to generate the first signal based on the first set of values ​​at a signal generator and generate one or more second signals based on the corresponding one or more second sets of values.

[0006] These and other features will be better understood from the following detailed description taken with reference to the accompanying drawings. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0007] Figure 1 is a block diagram of an interface circuit for operating one or more sensors according to some examples;

[0008] Figure 2 is a graphical representation of signals that may be generated at an interface circuit according to some examples;

[0009] Figure 3 is a graphical representation of signals that may be generated to operate one or more sensors according to some examples;

[0010] Figure 4 is a block diagram of an interface circuit for operating one or more sensors according to some examples;

[0011] Figure 5 is a block diagram of an interface circuit for operating one or more sensors according to some examples;

[0012] Figure 6 is a graphical representation of communications between an interface circuit and one or more sensors according to some examples;

[0013] Figure 7 is a block diagram of an interface circuit for operating one or more sensors according to some examples;

[0014] Figure 8 is a block diagram of an interface circuit for operating one or more sensors according to some examples;

[0015] Fig. 9 is a flow chart of a method of operating one or more sensors using an interface circuit according to some examples;

[0016] Fig.10 is a flow chart of a method of operating one or more sensors using an interface circuit according to some examples; and

[0017] Fig.11 is a schematic block diagram of an exemplary system illustrating hardware components that may be configured to implement examples of the above-described systems and methods.

[0018] The same reference numerals or other reference designators are used in the drawings to indicate (functionally and / or structurally) the same or similar features. Specific examples are described in detail below with reference to the drawings. These examples are not intended to be limiting. In the drawings, unless otherwise indicated, corresponding reference numerals and symbols generally refer to corresponding parts. Objects depicted in the drawings are not necessarily drawn to scale. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0019] Figure 1 is a block diagram of an interface circuit for operating one or more sensors according to some examples. Figure 1In some examples, the interface circuit 100 can be part of the device 193 for the device 193 to operate one or more sensors 145, 150 and 155. In some examples, the device 193 may include a microcontroller, a processor, a digital signal processor (DSP) and / or other types of control devices. In some examples, the sensors 145, 150 and 155 can be coupled to a common bus line 190 in an operational manner, and the interface circuit 100 can communicate with the sensors through the common bus. For example, the device 193 can act as a host, and the interface circuit 100 can act as a host "interface" for communicating with and operating the sensors 145, 150 and 155. In some examples, the sensors 145, 150 and 155 can be operated according to various communication protocols, including traditional and / or dedicated SENT protocols with customized features. For example, at least some of the sensors 145, 150 and 155 can operate in a unidirectional mode, where the sensor can send a signal to a data receiving device such as the interface circuit 100 without the intervention of the receiving device. Alternatively, at least some of sensors 145, 150, and 155 may operate in a bidirectional mode. The sensor may receive a signal (e.g., a trigger signal) from a data receiving device such as interface circuit 100, and return a signal to the data receiving device in response. In some examples, at least some of sensors 145, 150, and 155 may support synchronous signal transmission. For example, a data receiving device such as interface circuit 100 may send a trigger signal such as one or more low pulses or high pulses to the sensor. Upon receiving the trigger signal, the sensor may then respond to return a signal. In some examples, the trigger signal may be sent in a fixed sequence, such as first to sensor 145, then to sensor 150, and so on, until sensor 155. In response, sensor 145 may return a signal first, sensor 150 may return a signal second, and so on. In some examples, the trigger signal may include address information so that a specific sensor may be selected to return a signal. For example, the interface circuit 100 may first send a trigger signal addressed to sensor 150, then send a trigger signal addressed to sensor 145, and so on. In addition, it is not necessary to select sensors according to a fixed sequence. Alternatively, the user can flexibly configure the address of the trigger signal as needed to selectively request a specific sensor to return a measurement value. In summary, depending on the design of the sensor, sensors 145, 150 and 155 may require different communication protocols, and the interface circuit 100 may be configured to support various communication protocols. In addition, different communication protocols may specify encoding in different ways. In some examples, address information may be encoded in the trigger signal using pulse width. In addition, the width of the pulse may be different between one protocol and another. In addition, some people may encode various information using the timing of the rising edge, while others may encode information in the timing of the falling edge.

[0020] In some examples, the interface circuit 100 may include a first storage group 105, one or more second storage groups 115, 125, and 135, and a signal generator 140. Each of the storage groups 105, 115, 125, and 135 (hereinafter referred to as "storage groups") may include one or more storage devices, such as registers, memory storage devices, and / or other types of storage components, to store a set of values ​​of at least a first parameter and one or more second parameters associated with communication with the sensors 145, 150, and 155. For example, the storage group 105 may store the value of the cycle parameter 103 and the value of the one or more transition parameters 107 of the handshake instruction to be broadcast to all sensors 145, 150, and 155. Storage group 115 may store values ​​of cycle parameters 113 and one or more transition parameters 117 of a trigger instruction that causes only sensor 145 to respond with a measurement value, storage group 125 may store values ​​of cycle parameters 123 and one or more transition parameters 127 of a trigger instruction that causes only sensor 150 to respond with a measurement value, and storage group 135 may store values ​​of cycle parameters 133 and one or more transition parameters 137 of a trigger instruction that causes only sensor 155 to respond with a measurement value. In some embodiments, storage groups 105, 115, 125, and 135 may obtain values ​​from one or more non-transitory computer-readable media. In some examples, signal generator 140 may be coupled to storage groups 105, 115, 125, and 135, and may obtain the stored values ​​and thereby generate handshake signals and trigger signals for the corresponding storage groups. In some examples, storage groups 105, 115, 125, and 135 may be implemented using any suitable data storage circuitry such as flash memory, ROM memory, and / or RAM memory. In some examples, signal generator 140 may be implemented using any suitable signal synthesis circuitry.

[0021] In some examples, the value of the period parameter may specify the period of the signal, while the value of the transition parameter may specify the transition of the signal. For example, the value of the period 103 may be an integer or a floating point number. The value may indicate the period of the first signal to be generated for the storage group 105. Similarly, the transition parameter 107 may include an array of one or more integers or floating point numbers. In some examples, the value of the transition parameter 107 may be compared with a value generated from a counter (e.g., an up counter, a down counter, an up-down counter, etc.). The equivalence between the two values ​​may indicate a rising or falling transition of the signal. Therefore, using the period parameter 103 and the transition parameter 107, the period and shape of one or more pulses of the first signal may be determined.

[0022] In some examples, the values ​​of the period parameters and / or transition parameters for each of the storage groups 105, 115, 125, and 135 may be programmable. For example, a user may set one or more of the parameters to a specific value using program instructions. Thus, given the communication requirements of the sensors 145, 150, and 155, the user may customize the signal to be generated from the signal generator 140 by configuring the values ​​of the signal period and transition parameters at the storage groups 105, 115, 125, and 135 to operate the sensors. In other words, the storage groups 105, 115, 125, and 135 may be considered programmable "channels," and the signal generator 140 may generate signals according to the corresponding configurations of the channels.

[0023] Figure 2 is a graphical representation of signals that may be generated at a programmable interface circuit according to some examples. Figure 2 In the signal generator of the programmable interface circuit (for example, Figure 1 Signal 240 is generated at a signal generator 140 according to the values ​​of period parameter 203 and transition parameters 207 and 209. In some examples, these values ​​may be stored at a storage group, for example, at one of storage groups 105, 115, 125, and 135.

[0024] like Figure 2 As shown in , signal 240 can be a signal including one or more high pulses or low pulses. In some examples, the period of signal 240 can be specified by the value of period parameter 203. In the entire period, there can be a finite number of time points where signal 240 can transition. In some examples, transition parameters 207 and 209 can each have a value for each possible transition point indicating whether signal 240 transitions at that time point. Therefore, the transition of signal 240 and therefore one or more pulses of the signal can be specified by the values ​​of transition parameters 207 and 209. For example, the values ​​of transition parameters 207 and 209 can each be compared with a value 245 generated by an incremental counter. Value 245 can increase linearly from a start value, such as zero, to a stop value. When value 245 is equal to the values ​​of transition parameters 207 and 209, a corresponding transition for signal 240 can be generated by the signal generator. For example, in Figure 2, when value 245 equals the value of transition parameter 207, signal 240 may transition from a logic high voltage to a logic low voltage to thereby produce a falling edge. When value 245 continues to increase to the value of transition parameter 209, signal 240 may switch from a logic low voltage to a logic high voltage to produce a rising edge. Thus, within each cycle 203, signal 240 may include two high pulses and one low pulse therebetween. In summary, the position and width of these pulses may be determined by the values ​​of the cycle parameter, the transition parameter, and the counter output. In some examples, signal 240 may last for only a single cycle. Alternatively, in some examples, signal 240 may repeat for multiple cycles, such as Figure 2 As shown in .

[0025] In some examples, the number of transitions, the direction of the transitions, etc. may be programmable to produce a signal of a particular shape. Figure 2 In the signal generator, for example, Figure 1 The signal generator 140 may generate another signal 250 according to the values ​​of the period parameter 213 and the transition parameters 217, 219, 227, and 229. Similar to the signal 240, the period of the signal 250 may be specified by the value of the period parameter 213, and the transition of the signal 250 may be specified by the values ​​of the transition parameters 217, 219, 227, and 229. For example, the values ​​of the transition parameters 217, 219, 227, and 229 may each be compared with the value 255 from the up-counter to generate a high pulse and a low pulse of the signal 250. However, unlike the signal 240, the signal 250 may include more pulses using more transition parameters. In addition, for the purpose of illustration, the transition direction of the pulses in the signal 250 may be configured to be different from the signal 240. For example, the first pulse of the signal 250 is a high pulse rather than a low pulse. In addition, the signal 250 may be configured to have a shorter period than the signal 240. It should be noted that Figure 2 These are provided for purposes of illustration only as non-limiting examples. Given a particular sensor, a user can configure the values ​​of the period and transition parameters, the number of transitions, the direction of transitions, the counter output values, etc. to generate customizable pulses to meet sensor communication requirements.

[0026] Figure 3 is a graphical representation of signals that may be generated to operate one or more SENT sensors according to some examples. For illustrative purposes, the signals are stacked together to show their different characteristics. However, it should be noted that the signals correspond to separate signals generated by a signal generator for different storage groups. Figure 3 In the example, signal 310 may be generated by an interface circuit (e.g., Figure 1In some examples, the signal 310 may be broadcast to all sensors via a common bus line (e.g., bus 190). In some examples, the signal 310 may include a low (or high) pulse of a specified pulse width 305 of, for example, j microseconds (μs). When the sensor receives the signal 310, the sensor may recognize that this is a handshake signal, for example, based on the pulse width 305 of the received low pulse. Alternatively, in some examples, a handshake may be performed based on a specific pulse sequence in the signal 310. In some examples, the handshake signal may perform one or more handshake actions. For example, the handshake signal may wake up the sensor, reset the sensor, synchronize and / or calibrate the tick time between the sensor and a data receiving device such as an interface circuit so that the sensor is ready to communicate and send a signal to the data receiving device (e.g., interface circuit 100). In addition, in some embodiments, after the handshake signal is broadcast to all sensors, the interface circuit may not necessarily receive any confirmation or return signal from the sensor as a response. As described above, in some examples, a signal generator (eg, Figure 1 At a signal generator 140 of the embodiment of the present invention, a signal 310 is generated based on the values ​​of the period and transition parameters (e.g., period parameter 103 and transition parameter 107) stored at a storage group (e.g., storage group 105). In addition, in some examples, the signal 310 may last for only a single period. Alternatively, in some examples, the signal may last for multiple periods.

[0027] In some examples, the interface circuit may also generate one or more signals 320, 330, and 340 based on the values ​​of the period and transition parameters stored at one or more additional storage groups. For example, the interface circuit may use the signal generator to generate signal 320 based on the values ​​of period parameter 113 and transition parameter 117 stored at storage group 115, generate signal 330 based on the values ​​of period parameter 123 and transition parameter 127 stored at storage group 125, and generate signal 340 based on the values ​​of period parameter 133 and transition parameter 137 stored at storage group 135. Different from signal 305, in some examples, signals 320, 330, and 340 may be addressed to selective ones of the SENT sensors. For example, signal 320 may be addressed to Figure 1 145, signal 330 may be addressed to sensor 150, and signal 340 may be addressed to sensor 155. In some examples, signals 320, 330, and 340 may each include a high (or low) pulse, such as Figure 3, and the addresses of sensors 145, 150, and 155 may be encoded into the pulse widths 315, 325, and 335 of the high pulse of the signal, respectively. For example, pulse width 315 may be kμs representing the address of sensor 145, pulse width 325 may be mμs representing the address of sensor 150, and pulse width 335 may be nμs representing the address of sensor 155. In some examples, the pulse width of the high pulse may be specified by the timing of the falling edge of the high pulse. For example, as Figure 3 As shown in , by adjusting the falling edge of the pulse further to the right, the width of pulses 320, 330, and 340 can be increased from 315 to 325 and 335.

[0028] When the sensor receives signals 320, 330, and 340, the sensor may determine which specific sensor each of the signals is addressed to based on the pulse widths 315, 325, and 335 of the corresponding signals or the timing of the falling edges. As described above, in some examples, sensors such as SENT sensors may support synchronous signal transmission, where sensors may be selectively addressed to send signals (e.g., measurements) to a data receiving device. Thus, in some examples, signals 315, 325, and 335 may act as trigger signals addressed to sensors 145, 150, and 155, respectively. Upon receiving the trigger signals, sensors 145, 150, and 155 may then respond, respectively, to send signals (e.g., measurements) back to a data receiving device such as an interface circuit. It should be noted that Figure 3 This is provided for illustration purposes only as a non-limiting example. In some examples, the sensor may be reset and / or addressed with a different signal. For example, the handshake signal 310 may be a high pulse instead of a low pulse. Similarly, the trigger signal may be a low pulse of variable width instead of a high pulse.

[0029] Figure 4 is a block diagram of an interface circuit for operating one or more sensors according to some examples. Figure 4 Shows something like Figure 1 The interface circuit 100 is an interface circuit 400 . Figure 4 Different from Figure 1 In particular, a SENT receiver is shown as part of the interface circuit 400. Figure 4 In the embodiment of the present invention, the interface circuit 400 can be part of a device 493 such as a microcontroller, a DSP, and / or other type of control device. The interface circuit 400 can include a first memory group 405, one or more second memory groups 415, 425, and 435, a signal generator 440, and a receiver 460. In some examples, the memory groups 405, 415, 425, and 435 can be similar to Figure 1For example, storage groups 405, 415, 425, and 435 may each include one or more registers that store a corresponding set of values ​​of a first parameter and one or more second parameters associated with one or more sensors and / or one or more instructions. Figure 4 As shown in the figure, storage group 405 can store values ​​of cycle parameter 403 and one or more transformation parameters 407, storage group 415 can store values ​​of cycle parameter 413 and one or more transformation parameters 417, storage group 425 can store values ​​of cycle parameter 423 and one or more transformation parameters 427, and storage group 435 can store values ​​of cycle parameter 433 and one or more transformation parameters 437.

[0030] In some examples, signal generator 440 may be similar to Figure 1 The signal generator 440 may generate signals for the storage groups 405, 415, 425, and 435, respectively, based on the values ​​of the period and transition parameters stored at the corresponding storage groups. In some examples, the value of the period parameter may specify the period of the signal, and the value of the transition parameter may specify the transition of the signal. In addition, in some examples, the values ​​of the period parameter and the transition parameter may be programmable, so that the signal generator 440 may generate a customizable signal with a specific period and / or pulse to support SENT sensors with different communication requirements.

[0031] exist Figure 4 4, one or more sensors 445, 450, and 455 may be operatively coupled to a common bus line 490. In some examples, sensors 445, 450, and 455 may include SENT sensors. Interface circuit 440 may also be operatively coupled to bus 490 via one or more input / output (I / O) ports 465. Interface circuit 400 may communicate with sensors 445, 450, and 455 via I / O ports 465 and bus 490. For example, sensors 445, 450, and 455 may receive signals (e.g., the broadcast signals and / or trigger signals described above) from interface circuit 400, and in response, all send signals (e.g., including measurement values) to interface circuit 400 via I / O ports 465.

[0032] In some examples, signals from sensors 445, 450, and 455 may be received at a receiver 460 of the interface circuit 400. In some examples, the receiver 460 may include a digital receiver for receiving the signal and a decoder for decoding the signal. For example, the receiver 460 is capable of decoding the received signal, for example, based on the pulse width, edge timing, etc. incorporated in the signal, to determine the encoded value (e.g., the measurement value). In addition, in some examples, the receiver 460 may include a memory storage device for storing digital values. In some examples, the I / O port 465 may operate in an output or input direction under the control of the signal generator 440. For example, when the interface circuit 400 transmits a signal to the sensors 445, 450, and 455, the interface circuit 400 may send a control signal to the I / O port 465 to operate as an output port. Alternatively, when the interface circuit 400 receives a signal, for example, after transmitting the signal, the interface circuit 400 may send a control signal to the I / O port 465 to operate as an input port. Additionally, in some examples, when interface circuit 400 sends a signal to a sensor, receiver 460 may be decoupled from bus 490 and thus prevented from “seeing” the bus.

[0033] Figure 5 is a block diagram of an interface circuit for operating one or more SENT sensors according to some examples. Figure 5 Shows something like Figure 4 The interface circuit 400 is an interface circuit 500 . Figure 5 Different from Figure 4 The triggering of the memory bank to the interface circuit 500 is shown. Figure 5 In the embodiment of the present invention, the interface circuit 500 can be part of a device 593 such as a microcontroller, a DSP and / or other type of control device. The interface circuit 500 can include a first memory group 505, one or more second memory groups 515, 525 and 535, a signal generator 540 and a receiver 560. The memory groups 505, 515, 525 and 535 can be similar to Figure 4 For example, storage groups 505, 515, 525, and 535 may each include one or more registers to store a corresponding set of values ​​of a first parameter and one or more second parameters associated with one or more sensors and / or one or more instructions. Figure 5 As shown in the figure, storage group 505 can store values ​​of cycle parameter 503 and one or more transformation parameters 507, storage group 515 can store values ​​of cycle parameter 513 and one or more transformation parameters 517, storage group 525 can store values ​​of cycle parameter 523 and one or more transformation parameters 527, and storage group 535 can store values ​​of cycle parameter 533 and one or more transformation parameters 537.

[0034] In some examples, signal generator 540 may be similar to Figure 4 Signal generator 540 may generate signals for storage groups 505, 515, 525, and 535, respectively, based on the values ​​of the period and transition parameters stored at the storage group. In some examples, the value of the period parameter may specify the period of the signal, and the value of the transition parameter may specify the transition of the signal. In addition, the values ​​of these period parameters and / or transition parameters may be programmable, so that signal generator 540 may generate customizable signals with specific periods and / or pulses to operate sensors with different communication requirements, such as SENT sensors. In some examples, receiver 560 may be similar to Figure 4 The receiver 460 and the I / O port 565 may be similar to Figure 4 For example, the I / O port 565 can operate in an output or input direction under the control of the signal generator 540. Similarly, upon receiving a signal from a sensor, the receiver 560 can then decode the signal and store the signal value in a memory storage device.

[0035] In some examples, storage groups 505, 515, 525, and 535 may receive a trigger, such as Figure 5 . The trigger may cause the storage group to request the signal generator 540 to generate a corresponding signal. For example, the storage group 505 may receive the trigger 570. When the trigger 570 includes a high pulse or a low pulse, the storage group 505 may be triggered to request the signal generator 540 (e.g., by sending the stored value to the signal generator 540) to generate a signal and transmit the signal to the sensors 545, 550, and 555. Alternatively, when the trigger 570 is a constant value without a pulse, the signal generator 540 may not be requested to generate a signal.

[0036] In some examples, a storage group may receive more than one trigger. In this case, the storage group may be triggered based on at least one of the triggers. For example, Figure 5 , the storage group 515 may receive two triggers 575 and 577. In some examples, the storage group 515 may be triggered based on one or more logical operations of the triggers 575 and 577. For example, the interface circuit 500 may include a multiplexer 576 operatively coupled between the triggers 575 and 577 and the storage group 515. The multiplexer 576 may be configured, for example, by a user to select one of the triggers 575 and 577 to trigger the storage group 515. In some examples, the trigger may be selected based on a priority of the trigger that may be assigned by the user. In another example, instead of multiplexing, the logical operation may include a logical OR, a logical AND, etc. to calculate a combined output from the triggers 575 and 577 to trigger the storage group 515. Similarly, in Figure 5, storage group 525 may receive triggers 580 and 585, and storage group 535 may receive triggers 585 and 587, which may then trigger based on logic operations of the triggers they received (e.g., using multiplexers 582 and 586), respectively. For illustrative purposes, Figure 5 Also shown is a multiplexer 572 operatively coupled in front of the storage group 505.

[0037] In some examples, the triggers to the storage groups 505, 515, 525, and 535 may be independent of each other. For example, the triggers 570, 575, 580, and 585 may be independently generated, for example, from a pulse width modulation (PWM) control module of the device 593. Thus, the storage groups 505, 515, 525, and 535 may be independently triggered by those individual triggers to cause the signal generator 540 to generate corresponding signals.

[0038] In some examples, the triggers to storage groups 505, 515, 525, and 535 may have one or more dependencies. For example, the trigger 577 to storage group 515 may be associated with the state of the signal generated (by the signal generator 540) for storage group 505. For example, the trigger 577 can trigger the storage group 515 only after the first signal (e.g., the broadcast handshake signal) has been generated to the sensors 545, 550, and 555 for the storage group 505 (triggered by the trigger 570). Therefore, this can ensure that the signal generator 540 generates the second signal for the storage group 515 (e.g., the trigger signal addressed to one of the sensors) after the first signal (e.g., the first broadcast signal) for the storage group 505 has been transmitted. In other words, the first signal and the second signal for the storage groups 505 and 515 can be generated in sequence.

[0039] In some examples, triggering 583 to storage group 525 may be dependent on receiving a signal (e.g., a measurement) corresponding to the second signal generated for storage group 515 (triggered by triggers 575 and / or 577) from one of sensors 545, 550, and 555 at receiver 560. This can ensure that signal generator 540 generates a third signal for storage group 525 after interface circuit 500 receives a signal (e.g., a measurement) corresponding to the second signal generated for storage group 515 from the (addressed) sensor. Similarly, triggering 587 to storage group 535 may be dependent on receiving a signal (e.g., a measurement) corresponding to the third signal generated for storage group 525 (triggered by triggers 580 and / or 583) from one of sensors 545, 550, and 555 at receiver 560. This ensures that signal generator 540 generates a fourth signal for storage group 535 after interface circuit 500 receives a signal (eg, a measurement value) from the addressed sensor in response to the third signal generated for storage group 525 .

[0040] In summary, the dependencies between triggers can allow the triggers to form a "chain" so that the interface circuit 500 can generate signals according to a specified sequence. For example, in some examples, the interface circuit 500 can generate and transmit a first signal for storage group 505. As described above, in some examples, the first signal can be a broadcast signal that is transmitted to all sensors to perform handshakes, and the interface circuit 500 may not necessarily expect feedback from the sensors. Next, the interface circuit 500 can generate and transmit a second signal for storage group 515, then wait for a response signal from the sensor, then generate and transmit a third signal for storage group 525, and then wait to receive the next response signal returned from the sensor. The operation can continue until the signal generator 540 generates signals for all storage groups and receives corresponding response signals from all sensors. Therefore, through dependencies, the interface circuit 500 can generate signals for storage groups 505, 515, 525, and 535 in a specific sequence. In some embodiments, the dependencies can be programmable so that the sequence of generated signals can be customizable. As described above, in some examples, sensors may have different communication requirements, such as conventional and / or proprietary SENT protocols. Therefore, by programming the relationships in conjunction with the programmable handshaking and addressed trigger signals described above, the interface circuit 500 is able to generate the required signals to operate the sensors according to various communication protocols.

[0041] In some examples, some or all of the triggers 570-587 may be "software triggers". For example, a user may write directly to a control register to set or reset a trigger. The control register may be part of the storage groups 505, 515, 525, and 535, or may be a register external to the storage group. In some examples, the storage groups 505, 515, 525, and 535 may store values ​​for one or more additional parameters. For example, the storage groups may store enable / disable parameters that may activate / deactivate the storage groups, respectively. In addition, the storage groups 505, 515, 525, and 535 may have values ​​for timeout parameters for specified time intervals. When the interface circuit 500 generates a signal such as a trigger signal but does not receive an expected return from the sensors 545, 550, and 555 within a specified time interval, an error may be generated. In some examples, the timeout feature may be critical for certain applications, particularly from a safety perspective.

[0042] Figure 6 is a graphical representation of communication signals between an interface circuit and one or more sensors according to some examples. Figure 65 shows signals transmitted between the interface circuit 500 and one or more sensors 545, 550, and 555 via bus line 590. In some examples, the interface circuit 500 can use the signal generator 540 to generate a signal 605 based on the values ​​of the cycle parameters 503 and 507 stored at the storage group 505. In some examples, the signal 605 can be similar to Figure 3 The interface circuit 500 may broadcast the signal 605 to all sensors 545, 550, and 555 via the bus 590 to perform handshake with the sensors, for example, to reset the sensors, synchronize and / or calibrate the tick time, etc., so that the sensors can be ready to communicate and transmit response signals (e.g., measurement values) to the interface circuit 500. As described above, in some examples, the interface circuit 500 may not necessarily obtain feedback from the sensors.

[0043] Next, the interface circuit 500 may generate a signal 610 based on the values ​​of the cycle parameter 513 and the transition parameter 517 stored at the storage group 515. In some examples, the signal 610 may be similar to Figure 3 The signal 320 may include a pulse of a specific width representing a trigger signal specifically addressed to the sensor 545. Thus, the interface circuit 500 may transmit a signal 610 to selectively request the sensor 545 to respond and send a signal 615 (e.g., a measurement value) to the interface circuit 500. As described above, in some examples, the storage groups 505 and 515 may receive triggers that may have a dependent relationship, so that the interface circuit 500 may generate the signals 605 and 610 in a customized specific sequence, such as Figure 6 As shown in .

[0044] Next, the interface circuit 500 may receive a signal 615 from the sensor 545. As described above, the signal 615 may be received at the receiver 560. In some examples, the receiver 560 may decode the signal and store the digital value at the memory storage device. Additionally, as described above, in some examples, the storage group 515 may have a timeout parameter of a specified duration. In this case, when the interface circuit 500 fails to receive the signal 615 within the timeout duration, the interface circuit 500 may generate an error.

[0045] Next, the interface circuit 500 may generate a signal 620 based on the values ​​of the cycle parameter 523 and the transition parameter 527 stored at the storage group 525. In some examples, the signal 620 may be similar to Figure 3The interface circuit 500 may transmit a signal 620 to selectively request the sensor 555 to send back a signal 635 (e.g., a measurement value). As described above, in some examples, the storage groups 515 and 525 may receive triggers that may have a dependent relationship, so that the signals 610, 615, and 620 may be transmitted and received in a customized specific sequence, such as Figure 6 As shown in .

[0046] Next, interface circuit 500 may receive signal 625 at receiver 560. Similarly, in some examples, data conversion and storage may be performed.

[0047] Next, the interface circuit 500 may generate and transmit a signal 630 selectively addressed to the sensor 555 to cause the sensor to return a signal 635 (eg, a measurement value). The process may be repeated until the interface circuit 500 generates and receives the desired signals from all sensors.

[0048] Figure 7 is a block diagram of an interface circuit for operating one or more SENT sensors according to some examples. Figure 7 Shows something like Figure 5 The interface circuit 500 is an interface circuit 700. Figure 7 Different from Figure 5 The selection circuit 767 is shown as part of the interface circuit 700. Figure 7 In the embodiment, the interface circuit 700 may be part of a device 793 such as a microcontroller, a DSP, and / or other type of control device. The interface circuit 700 may include a first storage group 705, one or more second storage groups 715, 725, and 735, a signal generator 740, a receiver 760, and a selection circuit 767. The storage groups 705, 715, 725, and 735 may each include one or more registers to store a corresponding set of values ​​of the first parameter and the one or more second parameters. Figure 7 As shown in the figure, storage group 705 can store values ​​of cycle parameter 703 and one or more transformation parameters 707, storage group 715 can store values ​​of cycle parameter 713 and one or more transformation parameters 717, storage group 725 can store values ​​of cycle parameter 723 and one or more transformation parameters 727, and storage group 735 can store values ​​of cycle parameter 733 and one or more transformation parameters 737.

[0049] In some examples, signal generator 740 may be similar to Figure 5The signal generator 740 may generate signals for the storage groups 705, 715, 725, and 735, respectively, based on the values ​​of the period and transition parameters stored at these storage groups. In some examples, the value of the period parameter may specify the period of the signal, and the value of the transition parameter may specify the transition of the signal. In addition, the values ​​of these period parameters and / or transition parameters may be programmable, so that the signal generator 740 may generate customizable signals with specific periods and / or pulses to operate sensors with different communication requirements. In some examples, the receiver 760 may be similar to Figure 5 Receiver 560, and I / O port 765 may be similar to Figure 5 For example, the I / O port 765 can operate in an output or input direction under the control of the signal generator 740. Similarly, upon receiving a signal from a SENT sensor, the receiver 760 can then perform signal decoding and / or storage.

[0050] In some examples, storage groups 705, 715, 725, and 735 may receive respective triggers. For example, storage group 705 may receive trigger 770, storage group 715 may receive triggers 775 and 777, storage group 725 may receive triggers 780 and 783, and storage group 535 may receive triggers 785 and 787. Triggers 770, 775, 777, 780, 783, 785, and 787 may be similar to triggers 570, 575, 577, 580, 583, 585, and 587. For example, triggers 770, 775, 777, 780, 783, 785, and 787 may trigger storage groups 705, 715, 725, and 735 to request signal generator 740 to generate signals for the storage groups based on their respective stored values. In addition, at least some of the triggers 770, 775, 777, 780, 783, 785, and 787 may be generated independently, and / or at least some of the triggers may be dependent on each other. The dependencies may ensure that the signal generator 740 generates and receives signals in a programmable sequence in conjunction with one or more sensors 745, 750, and 755 to meet specific communication protocol requirements. In addition, in some examples, the circuit 700 may include one or more logic circuits, such as multiplexers 772, 776, 782, and 786, to perform logic operations on the triggers 770, 775, 777, 780, 783, 785, and 787 to generate the resulting triggers for the corresponding storage groups 705, 715, 725, and 735.

[0051] In some examples, the interface circuit 700 can include a selection circuit 767. Figure 7, the selection circuit may be operatively coupled between the storage groups 705-735 and the signal generator 740. In some examples, the selection circuit may act as an "arbitrator" to determine which of the storage groups may request the signal generator 740 to generate a signal. For example, when multiple storage groups send requests to the signal generator 740 at the same time or approximately at the same time, the selection circuit 767 may select one of the requests to the signal generator 740 at a time. In some examples, the selection circuit 767 may select the storage groups 705, 715, 725, and 735 according to a fixed sequence. For example, the selection circuit 767 may always select the storage group 705 before the storage group 715, the storage group 715 before the storage group 725, the storage group 725 before the storage group 735, and so on. In some examples, each of the storage groups 705, 715, 725, and 735 may be associated with a respective priority, and the selection circuit 767 may perform the selection based on the priority of the storage group. In some examples, the priorities of storage groups 705, 715, 725, and 735 may be programmable such that a user may customize the priorities between different storage groups and thereby determine the sequence in which requests may be sent to signal generator 740 for generating signals.

[0052] Figure 8 is a block diagram of an interface circuit for operating one or more sensors according to some examples. Figure 8 In some examples, the interface circuit 800 may be part of the device 893. In some examples, the device 893 may include a microcontroller, a DSP, and / or other types of control devices. The device 893 may include the interface circuit 800, the control circuit 895, and the I / O port 865.

[0053] In some examples, the interface circuit 800 can be similar to Figure 7 The interface circuit 800 may include a first storage group 805, one or more second storage groups 815, 825 and 835, a signal generator 840, a receiver 860 and a selection circuit 867. The storage groups 805, 815, 825 and 835 may be similar to Figure 7 For example, storage groups 805, 815, 825, and 835 may each include one or more registers to store values ​​corresponding to a set of first parameters and one or more second parameters. Figure 8 As shown in the figure, storage group 805 can store values ​​of cycle parameter 803 and one or more transformation parameters 807, storage group 815 can store values ​​of cycle parameter 813 and one or more transformation parameters 817, storage group 825 can store values ​​of cycle parameter 823 and one or more transformation parameters 827, and storage group 835 can store values ​​of cycle parameter 833 and one or more transformation parameters 837.

[0054] In some examples, the signal generator 840 can be similar to Figure 7 Signal generator 840 may generate signals for storage groups 805, 815, 825, and 835, respectively, based on the values ​​of the period and transition parameters stored at these storage groups. In some examples, the value of the period parameter may specify the period of the signal, and the value of the transition parameter may specify the transition of the signal. In addition, the values ​​of these period parameters and / or transition parameters may be programmable, so that signal generator 840 may generate customizable signals with specific periods and / or pulses to operate sensors with different communication requirements. In some examples, receiver 860 may be similar to Figure 7 Receiver 760, and I / O port 865 may be similar to Figure 7 865. For example, the I / O port 865 can operate in an output or input direction under the control of the signal generator 840. Similarly, the receiver 860 can receive signals (e.g., measurements) from one or more sensors 845, 850, and 855. In some examples, the sensors 845, 850, and 855 can include SENT sensors that can operate according to traditional and / or dedicated SENT protocols. In some examples, the receiver 860 can perform signal decoding and storage. In some examples, when the receiver receives a signal from one of the sensors, the receiver 860 can generate an interrupt 897. The interrupt 897 can cause the device 893 to execute an interrupt service routine (ISR) based on the received signal to perform the desired function. For example, as described above, the receiver 860 can decode the signal from the sensors 845-855 to determine the encoded signal value (e.g., measurement value). Therefore, the ISR can obtain a value and / or perform one or more additional control actions (e.g., speed and / or torque control, etc.).

[0055] In some examples, storage groups 805, 815, 825, and 835 may receive respective triggers. For example, storage group 805 may receive trigger 870, storage group 815 may receive triggers 875 and 877, storage group 825 may receive triggers 880 and 883, and storage group 835 may receive triggers 885 and 887. Triggers 870, 875, 877, 880, 883, 885, and 887 may be similar to triggers 770, 775, 777, 780, 783, 785, and 787. For example, triggers 870, 875, 877, 880, 883, 885, and 787 may trigger storage groups 805, 815, 825, and 835 to request signal generator 840 to generate signals for respective storage groups. In some examples, triggers 870, 875, 880, and 885 may be independently generated at control circuit 895. For example, control circuit 895 may include one or more pulse width modulation (PWM) modules that may generate triggers 870, 875, 880, and 885 at configured time points associated with a specified PWM waveform. In addition, some or all of storage groups 805, 815, 825, and 835 may each receive more than one trigger, and one of the multiple triggers may be selected at a time (e.g., using multiplexers 872, 876, 882, and / or 886) to trigger the storage group.

[0056] In some examples, triggers 877, 883, and 887 may be generated based on the status of other signals. For example, trigger 877 may be generated based on the status of a first signal generated for storage group 805 (e.g., a broadcast handshake signal generated by signal generator 840), trigger 883 may be generated based on the status of a response signal from one of sensors 845, 850, and 855 in response to a second signal generated for storage group 815 (e.g., an addressed trigger signal generated by signal generator 840), and so on. As described above, this may ensure that the interface circuit 800 transmits signals for the storage group and receives corresponding response signals from a specific sequence of sensors 845, 850, and 855 to meet the communication requirements of the sensors.

[0057] In some examples, the selection circuit 867 can be similar to Figure 7 The selection circuit 867 can determine the order and / or priority in which the storage groups 805, 815, 825, and 835 request the signal generator 840 to generate signals. In some examples, the selection circuit 867 can select according to a specified sequence. In some examples, the selection circuit can select the storage group based on the corresponding priority of the storage group.

[0058] Fig. 99 is a flow chart of a method of operating one or more sensors using an interface circuit according to some examples. In some examples, an interface circuit (e.g., the interface circuit described above) may store a first set of values ​​associated with communication with one or more sensors at a first storage group (e.g., the first storage group described above), as indicated by block 905. In some examples, the first set of values ​​may specify a period and a set of transitions of a first signal.

[0059] In some examples, the interface circuit may store at one or more second storage groups (e.g., the second storage groups described above) one or more second sets of values ​​respectively associated with communication with corresponding sensors of the one or more sensors, as shown at block 910. In some examples, the one or more second sets of values ​​each specify a period and a set of transitions of a corresponding second signal of the one or more second signals.

[0060] In some examples, the interface circuit may generate a first signal based on the first set of values ​​and one or more second signals based on one or more second sets of values ​​at a signal generator (eg, the signal generator described above), as shown at block 915 .

[0061] Fig.10 1 is a flow chart of a method for operating one or more sensors using an interface circuit according to some examples. In some examples, a control circuit (e.g., the control circuit described above) may generate a first trigger and one or more second triggers, as indicated by block 1005. As described above, in some examples, at least some of the triggers may be independent of each other, and / or at least some of the triggers may have dependencies on each other.

[0062] In some examples, an interface circuit (e.g., an interface circuit described above) may receive a first trigger at a first storage group (e.g., a first storage group described above) to cause a signal generator (e.g., a signal generator described above) to generate a first signal based on a first set of values ​​stored at the first storage group, as shown in block 1010. As described above, the first set of values ​​may specify a period and a set of transitions of the first signal.

[0063] In some examples, the interface circuit may receive a corresponding second trigger of the one or more second triggers at a corresponding second storage group of the one or more second storage groups (e.g., the second storage groups described above) to cause the signal generator to generate a corresponding second signal of the one or more second signals based on the one or more second set of values ​​stored at the second storage group, as shown in block 1015. As described above, each of the one or more second set of values ​​may specify a period and a set of transitions of a corresponding second signal of the one or more second signals.

[0064] Fig.111100 is a schematic block diagram of an exemplary system showing hardware components that may be configured to implement examples of the above-described systems and methods. System 1100 may include various systems and subsystems. In some examples, system 1100 may be a microcontroller, a processor, and / or other type of control device with interface circuits (as described above). It should be appreciated that in some examples, some of components 1102, 1104, 1106, 1108, 1110, 1112, 1114, 1116, and 1118 may not be necessary.

[0065] The system 1100 may include a system bus 1102, a processing unit 1104, a system memory 1106, memory devices 1108 and 1110, a communication interface 1112 (e.g., a programmable interface circuit as described above), a communication link 1114, a display 1116 (e.g., a video screen), and an input device 1118 (e.g., a keyboard and / or mouse). The system bus 1102 may communicate with the processing unit 1104 and the system memory 1106. Additional memory devices 1108 and 1110, such as hard drives, servers, independent databases, or other non-volatile memory, may also communicate with the system bus 1102. The system bus 1102 may interconnect the processing unit 1104, the memory devices 1106-1110, the communication interface 1112, the display 1116, and the input device 1118. In some examples, the system bus 1102 may also interconnect additional ports (not shown), such as a universal serial bus (USB) port.

[0066] The processing unit 1104 may be a computing device and may include a general-purpose central processing unit (CPU), a digital signal processor (DSP), and / or other processing circuits. The processing unit 1104 may execute an instruction set to implement the operations of the examples disclosed herein. The processing unit may include a processing core.

[0067] Additional memory devices 1106, 1108, and 1110 may store data, programs, instructions, database queries, and any other information that may be needed to operate the computer in text or compiled form. Memory 1106, 1108, and 1110 may be implemented as a computer-readable medium (integrated or removable), such as a memory card, a disk drive, a compact disk (CD), or a server accessible over a network. In some examples, memory 1106, 1108, and 1110 may include text, images, video, and / or audio, portions of which may be available in a human-understandable format.

[0068] In operation, the system 1100 may be configured to implement one or more portions of a system according to the present disclosure. According to certain examples, computer executable logic for implementing the system may reside on one or more of the system memory 1106 and the memory devices 1108, 1110. The processing unit 1104 may execute one or more computer executable instructions originating from the system memory 1106 and the memory devices 1108 and 1110. In some examples, the instructions may cause the processing unit 1104 to configure the communication interface circuit 1112 to perform programmable interface functions to operate one or more sensors, including the SENT sensor, as described above.

[0069] The term "computer-readable medium" as used herein refers to any medium that participates in providing instructions to processing unit 1104 for execution, and it should be appreciated that a computer-readable medium may include multiple computer-readable media, each operatively connected to a processing unit.

[0070] The above examples illustrate several possible embodiments of various aspects of the present disclosure, and other technical personnel in the relevant field will immediately conceive equivalent changes and / or modifications after reading and understanding this specification and the accompanying drawings. Modifications of the described embodiments are possible, and other embodiments are possible within the scope of the claims.

[0071] The term "coupled" is used throughout this specification. The term may encompass connections, communications, or signal paths that enable a functional relationship consistent with this description. For example, if device A generates a signal to control device B to perform an action, then: in a first example, device A is coupled to device B; or in a second example, device A is coupled to device B through an intermediate component C, provided that the intermediate component C does not substantially change the functional relationship between device A and device B, so that device B is controlled by device A via the control signal generated by device A.

[0072] In this specification, the term "and / or" (when used in the form of, for example, A, B, and / or C) refers to any combination or subset of A, B, C, such as: (a) only A; (b) only B; (c) only C; (d) A and B; (e) A and C; (f) B and C; and (g) A and B and C. In addition, as used herein, the phrase "at least one of A or B" (or "at least one of A and B") refers to an embodiment including any of the following: (a) at least one A; (b) at least one B; and (c) at least one A and at least one B. As used herein, the terms "terminal", "node", "interconnect", "pin", and "lead" are used interchangeably. Unless specifically stated to the contrary, these terms are generally used to refer to the interconnections between device elements, circuit elements, integrated circuits, devices, or other electronic or semiconductor components, or their ends.

[0073] Although certain elements of the described examples are included in the integrated circuit and other elements are external to the integrated circuit, in other example embodiments, additional or fewer features may be incorporated into the integrated circuit. In addition, some or all features described as external to the integrated circuit may be included in the integrated circuit, and / or some features described as internal to the integrated circuit may be incorporated external to the integrated circuit. As used herein, the term "integrated circuit" means one or more circuits that: (i) are incorporated in / on a semiconductor substrate; (ii) are incorporated in a single semiconductor package; (iii) are incorporated in the same module; and / or (iv) are incorporated in / on the same printed circuit board.

[0074] A device "configured to" perform a task or function may be configured (e.g., programmed and / or hardwired) to perform the function when manufactured by a manufacturer, and / or may be configured (or reconfigurable) by a user after manufacture to perform the function and / or other additional or alternative functions. The configuration may be performed through firmware and / or software programming of the device, through the construction and / or layout of hardware components and interconnection of the device, or a combination thereof.

Claims

1. A circuit comprising: a first storage group configured to store a first set of values ​​associated with communications with one or more single edge half-word transmission SENT sensors, wherein the first set of values ​​specifies a period and a set of transitions of a first signal; a second storage group configured to store a second set of values ​​associated with communication with a first SENT sensor of the one or more SENT sensors, wherein the second set of values ​​specifies a period and a set of transitions of a second signal; as well as A signal generator is coupled to the first storage group and the second storage group and is configured to generate the first signal based on the first set of values ​​and to generate the second signal based on the second set of values.

2. The circuit according to claim 1, wherein: The first storage group is configured to receive a first trigger to cause the signal generator to generate the first signal; and The second storage group is configured to receive a second trigger to cause the signal generator to generate the second signal. 3 . The circuit of claim 2 , wherein the second triggering of the second storage group is associated with the first signal generated for the first storage group.

4. The circuit according to claim 2, further comprising: another second storage group configured to store another second set of values ​​associated with communication with a second SENT sensor of the one or more SENT sensors, wherein the second set of values ​​specifies a period and a set of transitions of a third signal, Wherein the signal generator is also coupled to the another second storage group and is further configured to generate the third signal based on the another second set of values.

5. The circuit of claim 4, wherein: The another second storage group is configured to receive another second trigger to cause the signal generator to generate the another second signal; and The further second trigger is associated with a signal from the first SENT sensor corresponding to the second signal generated for the second storage group. The circuit of claim 2 , wherein the first signal comprises a low pulse of a specified width.

7. The circuit of claim 2, wherein the second signal comprises a high pulse having a falling edge whose timing is specific.

8. The circuit of claim 7, wherein the second signal causes the first SENT sensor to send a signal to the circuit.

9. The circuit according to claim 8, further comprising: A receiver configured to: receiving the signal from the first SENT sensor; as well as The received signal is decoded.

10. The circuit of claim 1, further comprising: A selection circuit is configured to select one of the first storage group and the second storage group for the signal generator to generate one of the first signal and the second signal for the selected storage group.

11. The circuit of claim 10, wherein: The first storage group and the second storage group each have a corresponding priority; and The selection circuit is configured to make the selection based on the respective priorities of the first and second storage groups.

12. A system comprising: a first circuit configured to generate a first trigger and a second trigger; A second circuit comprising: A first storage group; a second storage group; and a signal generator coupled to the first storage group and the second storage group, wherein the first storage group is configured to store a first set of values ​​associated with communications with one or more single edge half word transmission SENT sensors, wherein the first set of values ​​specifies a period and a set of transitions of a first signal, wherein the second storage group is configured to store a second set of values ​​associated with communication with a first SENT sensor of the one or more SENT sensors, wherein the second set of values ​​specifies a period and a set of transitions of a second signal, and The first storage group and the second storage group are configured to receive the first trigger and the second trigger, respectively, so that the signal generator generates the first signal based on the first set of values ​​and generates the second signal based on the second set of values.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein the second triggering of the second storage group is associated with the first signal generated for the first storage group.

14. The system of claim 12, wherein: The first circuit is further configured to generate another second trigger; The second circuit further includes another second storage group configured to store another second set of values ​​associated with communication with a second SENT sensor of the one or more SENT sensors, wherein the another second set of values ​​specifies a period and a set of transitions of another second signal; The another second storage group is configured to receive the another second trigger to cause the signal generator to generate the another second signal based on the another second set of values; and The further second trigger is associated with a signal from the first SENT sensor corresponding to the second signal generated for the second storage group.

15. The system of claim 12, wherein the first signal comprises one or more pulses each having a specified pulse width.

16. The system of claim 12, wherein the second signal causes the first SENT sensor to send a signal to the second circuit.

17. The system of claim 16, wherein the second circuit further comprises: A receiver configured to receive the signal from the first SENT sensor, wherein the receiver is decoupled from the one or more SENT sensors when the first signal and the second signal are transmitted to the one or more SENT sensors.

18. The system of claim 12, wherein the second circuit further comprises: A selection circuit is configured to select one of the first storage group and the second storage group for the signal generator to generate one of the first signal and the second signal for the selected storage group.

19. A non-transitory computer-readable medium storing program instructions that, when executed by a processing unit, cause the processing unit to: storing at a first storage group a first set of values ​​associated with communications with one or more single edge half-word transmission SENT sensors, wherein the first set of values ​​specifies a period and a set of transitions of a first signal; storing at one or more second storage groups one or more second sets of values ​​respectively associated with communication with corresponding ones of the one or more SENT sensors, wherein the one or more second sets of values ​​each specify a period and a set of transitions of a corresponding one of the one or more second signals; and The first signal is generated at a signal generator based on the first set of values ​​and the one or more second signals are generated based on the one or more second sets of values.

20. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 19, wherein the program instructions cause the processing unit to generate a first trigger and one or more second triggers, wherein the first trigger is received at the first storage group to cause the signal generator to generate the first signal, and wherein the one or more second triggers are each received at a corresponding second storage group in the one or more second storage groups to cause the signal generator to generate a corresponding second signal in the one or more second signals.

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