Processing board and related sensor

Abstract

A processing board (2) for a sensor (1) comprises: an interface (5) comprising at least a first set (5a) of terminals configured to be connected to a set of terminals (10a) of an analog sensing board (3a) for transmitting analog signals and at least a second set (5b) of terminals configured to be connected to a set of terminals (10b) of a digital sensing board (3b) for transmitting first digital signals, and a processing module (6) connected to the second set (5b) of terminals and configured to be connected to the first set (5a) of terminals.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to a processing board for sensors.

[0002] The present invention also relates to a sensor comprising a processing board and a sensing board connected to the processing board. Background Technology

[0003] Typically, a sensor includes a processing board that has an interface connected to the sensing board.

[0004] The sensing board may include sensors that transmit analog signals, which are transmitted to the processing unit of the processing board via an interface.

[0005] The sensing plate can be updated, for example, by implementing a new sensor with a different technology than the sensor originally implemented in the sensing plate.

[0006] The new sensor could be a digital sensor that transmits digital signals.

[0007] A new processing board needs to be redesigned so that the digital signals transmitted by the new sensors can be transmitted to the processing unit. Summary of the Invention

[0008] Therefore, the present invention is used to improve the flexibility of the processing board when the sensing board is updated.

[0009] Based on one aspect, a processing board for sensors is proposed.

[0010] The processing board includes:

[0011] An interface comprising at least a first set of terminals and at least a second set of terminals, the first set of terminals being configured to connect to a set of terminals on an analog sensing board for transmitting analog signals, and the second set of terminals being configured to connect to a set of terminals on a digital sensing board for transmitting first digital signals.

[0012] A processing module, which is connected to the second set of terminals and configured to be connected to the first set of terminals.

[0013] The processing board, including the interface, is compatible with analog and digital sensing boards that include sensing devices that transmit digital or analog signals.

[0014] Preferably, the processing board further includes an adjustment module connected to the first set of terminals and configured to be connected to the processing module, the adjustment module being configured to amplify and filter the analog signal.

[0015] Advantageously, the processing module includes an analog-to-digital converter configured to receive a filtered and amplified analog signal transmitted by the conditioning module.

[0016] Advantageously, the processing board includes an analog-to-digital converter connected to the conditioning module and the processing module, and is configured to convert the filtered and amplified analog signal into an intermediate digital signal and transmit the intermediate digital signal to the processing module.

[0017] According to a first aspect, a sensor is proposed, comprising a processing board and an analog sensing board as described above, the analog sensing board including a set of terminals connected to a first set of terminals of an interface, the analog sensing board further including at least a first sensing device configured to transmit analog signals on the first set of terminals of the analog sensing board.

[0018] According to a second aspect, a sensor is proposed that includes a processing board and a digital sensing board as defined above, the digital sensing board including a set of terminals connected to a second set of terminals of an interface, the digital sensing board further including at least a first sensing device configured to transmit digital signals on a first set of terminals of the digital sensing board.

[0019] Preferably, the first sensing device includes a vibration sensor.

[0020] Therefore, the interface also includes a third set of terminals connected to the processing unit and the sensing board, which also includes a second sensing device configured to transmit digital signals on the second set of terminals of the sensing board.

[0021] Preferably, the second sensing device includes a temperature sensor.

[0022] Therefore, the processing board includes a wireless communication module.

[0023] Preferably, the sensor further includes a power supply module for supplying power to the processing board. Attached Figure Description

[0024] Other advantages and features of the invention will become apparent upon review of the detailed description of the embodiments (in no way limiting) and the accompanying drawings, wherein:

[0025] Figure 1 A first example of a sensor according to the present invention is schematically illustrated;

[0026] Figure 2 A second example of a sensor according to the invention is schematically illustrated; and

[0027] Figure 3 An example of the interface of a sensor according to the present invention is shown schematically. Detailed Implementation

[0028] refer to Figure 1 This schematically represents a first example of sensor 1.

[0029] Sensor 1 includes a processing board 2 and an analog sensing edge plate 3a connected to the processing board 2 via a connecting device 4.

[0030] The processing board 2 includes a first interface 5, a processing module 6 including a processing unit 7, a wireless communication module 8, a signal conditioning module 9, and an analog-to-digital converter ADC 90.

[0031] The first interface 5 includes a first set of terminals 5a, a second set of terminals 5b, and a third set of terminals 5c.

[0032] The first set of terminals 5a is connected to the signal conditioning module 9, and the second set of terminals 5b and the third set of terminals 5c are connected to the processing module 6.

[0033] The ADC 90 is connected to the processing module 6 and the conditioning module 9.

[0034] The wireless communication module 8 is connected to the processing module 6.

[0035] The analog sensing board 3a includes a second interface 10, a first sensing device 11, and a second sensing device 12.

[0036] The second interface 10 includes a first set of terminals 10a, a second set of terminals 10b, and a set of auxiliary terminals 10c.

[0037] The first sensing device 11 includes, for example, a vibration sensor 11a, and the second sensing device 12 includes, for example, a temperature sensor 12a.

[0038] Sensor 1 also includes a power supply module 13 to supply power to the processing board 2 and the analog sensing board 3a.

[0039] Connector 4 connects the first interface 5 of processing board 2 and the second interface 10 of processing board 3.

[0040] The connecting device 4 includes a first sub-connecting device 4a connected to a first set of terminals 5a of the first interface 5 and a first set of terminals 10a of the second interface 10, a second sub-connecting device 4b connected to a second set of terminals 5b of the first interface 5 and a second set of terminals 10b of the second interface 10, and a third sub-connecting device 4c connecting a third set of terminals 5c of the first interface 5 to a set of auxiliary terminals 10c of the second interface 10.

[0041] The first interface 5 and the second interface 10 are the same.

[0042] The connecting device 4 includes, for example, a ribbon cable.

[0043] The wireless communication module 8 is used for wireless communication with the mobile device 14.

[0044] In this example of the sensor, the first sensing device 11 transmits, for example, an analog signal representing the vibration measured by the vibration sensor 11a.

[0045] The first set of terminals 5a of the first interface 5, the first set of terminals 10a of the second interface 10, and the first sub-connector 4a of the connector 4 transmit the analog signal transmitted by the first sensing device 11 to the signal conditioning module 9.

[0046] Signal conditioning module 9 amplifies and filters the analog signal transmitted to ADC 90. ADC 90 converts the filtered and amplified analog signal into an intermediate digital signal, which is then transmitted to processing unit 7 of processing module 6 for further processing. Signal conditioning module 9 is connected to processing module 6 via ADC 90.

[0047] The signal conditioning module 9 may include, for example, a low-pass filter.

[0048] In one variant, processing board 2 does not include ADC 90. Processing module 6 includes an analog-to-digital converter to convert analog signals into intermediate digital signals that are passed to processing unit 7.

[0049] The wireless communication module 8 can transmit intermediate digital signals to the mobile device 14.

[0050] The third set of terminals 5c of the first interface 5, the set of auxiliary terminals 10c of the second interface 10, and the third sub-connector 4c of the connector 4 transmit the digital signal transmitted by the second sensing device 12 to the processing module 6 for further processing.

[0051] The wireless communication module 8 can transmit the digital signal of the second sensing device 12 to the mobile device 14.

[0052] In this example of the sensor, the second set of terminals 10b of the second interface 10 is not connected to, for example, a sensing device.

[0053] The second set of terminals 5b of the first interface 5, the second set of terminals 10b of the second interface 10, and the second sub-connector 4b of the connector 4 are used to transmit digital signals.

[0054] Figure 2 A second example of sensor 1 is shown schematically.

[0055] The second example of sensor 1 and Figure 1 The difference in the first example of sensor 1 shown is that sensor 1 includes a digital sensing board 3b connected to the processing board 2.

[0056] The digital sensing board 3b includes an interface 10, a second sensing device 12 connected to an auxiliary set of terminals 10c of the interface 10, and a first sensing device 15 that transmits digital signals.

[0057] In this example, the processing module 6 of the processing board 2 includes an analog-to-digital converter 16 to convert the analog signal transmitted by the signal conditioning module 9 into a digital signal for further processing by the processing unit 7.

[0058] Processing board 2 does not include ADC 90, and adjustment module 9 is directly connected to processing module 6.

[0059] The first sensing device 15 includes, for example, a vibration sensor 15a for transmitting digital signals of the first sensing device 15.

[0060] The first sensing device 15 is connected to the second set of terminals 10b of the second interface 10.

[0061] The second set of terminals 5b of the first interface 5, the second set of terminals 10b of the second interface 10, and the second sub-connector 4b of the connector 4 transmit the digital signal transmitted by the first sensing device 15 to the processing module 6 for further processing.

[0062] The wireless communication module 8 can transmit digital signals to the mobile device 14.

[0063] Since the first interface 5 and the second interface 10 are the same, therefore Figure 3 An example of the first interface 5 is shown schematically.

[0064] In this example, the first set of terminals 5a includes multiple terminals 501.

[0065] The second set of terminals 5b includes three terminals 502, 503, and 504 that form, for example, a serial peripheral interface (SPI). The first terminal 502 transmits, for example, a serial clock signal, the second terminal 503 transmits, for example, master output / slave input MOSI signals, and the third terminal 504 transmits, for example, master input / slave output MISO signals.

[0066] The third set of terminals 5c includes, for example, forming an internal integrated circuit I. 2 C interface (inter-integrated circuit I) 2 The interface has two terminals 505 and 506. The first terminal 505 transmits, for example, a clock signal SCL, and the second terminal 506 transmits, for example, a data signal SDA.

[0067] Terminals 507 and 510 are connected, for example, to a power module to power sensing devices 11, 12, and 15, and terminals 508 and 509 are connected, for example, to the common ground of sensor 1.

[0068] The processing board 2, including interface 5, is compatible with analog sensing board 3a and digital sensing board 3b, which include sensing devices that transmit digital or analog signals.

[0069] When the sensing device is updated, for example, from a sensing device that transmits both analog and digital signals to one that transmits only digital signals, only the sensing board needs to be redesigned. The processing board 2 is configured to interact with both the initial sensing board and the redesigned sensing board. This simplifies the development of updated sensors that include the updated sensing board, thereby reducing costs and development time.

Claims

1. A processing board (2) for a sensor (1), comprising: Interface (5), comprising at least a first set (5a) of terminals (501) and at least a second set (5b) of terminals (502, 503, 504), wherein the first set (5a) of terminals (501) is configured to connect to a set of terminals (10a) of an analog sensing board (3a) for transmitting analog signals, and the second set (5b) of terminals (502, 503, 504) is configured to connect to a set of terminals (10b) of a digital sensing board (3b) for transmitting first digital signals. Processing module (6) is connected to the second group (5b) terminals and is configured to be connected to the first group (5a) terminals.

2. The processing board according to claim 1 further includes an adjustment module (9), the adjustment module (9) being connected to the first group (5a) terminals and configured to be connected to the processing module (6), the adjustment module (9) being configured to amplify and filter the analog signal.

3. The processing plate according to claim 2, wherein, The processing module (6) includes an analog-to-digital converter (16) configured to receive a filtered and amplified analog signal transmitted by the adjustment module (9).

4. The processing board according to claim 2 further includes an analog-to-digital converter (90) connected to the adjustment module (9) and the processing module (6), and configured to convert the filtered and amplified analog signal into an intermediate digital signal and transmit the intermediate digital signal to the processing module (6).

5. A sensor comprising a processing board and an analog sensing board (3a) according to any one of claims 1 to 4, the analog sensing board (3a) comprising a set of terminals (10a) connected to a first set (5a) of terminals of the interface, the analog sensing board (3a) further comprising at least a first sensing device (11) configured to transmit an analog signal on the first set of terminals of the sensing board.

6. A sensor comprising a processing board and a digital sensing board (3b) according to any one of claims 1 to 4, the digital sensing board (3b) comprising a set of terminals (10b) connected to a second set (5b) of terminals of the interface (5), the sensing board (3b) further comprising at least a first sensing device (15) configured to transmit digital signals on the first set (5a) of terminals of the digital sensing board.

7. The sensor according to claim 5 or 6, wherein, The first sensing device (11, 15) includes vibration sensors (11a, 15a).

8. The sensor according to any one of claims 5 to 7, wherein, The interface (10) further includes a third group (5c) of terminals (505, 506, 507), which are connected to a set of auxiliary terminals (10c) of the processing unit (6) and the sensing board (3a, 3b). The sensing board (3a, 3b) further includes a second sensing device (12) configured to transmit digital signals on the second group of terminals of the sensing board.

9. The sensor according to claim 8, wherein, The second sensing device (12) includes a temperature sensor (12a).

10. The sensor according to any one of claims 5 to 9, wherein the processing board (2) includes a wireless communication module (8).

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