Divers sensor measurement with analog output

Abstract

Monolithic integrated circuit for providing a Divers sensor measurement, wherein the monolithic integrated circuit has the following features: a first analog interface (208.1) coupled to a first sensor measurement path (220), wherein the first analog interface (208.1) is configured to transmit a first analog signal (209.1) indicating sensor measurement data received from at least one sensor (102.1, 102.2) coupled to the first sensor measurement path (220); and a second analog interface (208.2) coupled to a second sensor measurement path (230), wherein the second analog interface (208.2) is configured to transmit a second analog signal (209.2) indicating sensor measurement data received from the at least one sensor (102.1, 102.2) coupled to the second sensor measurement path (230), wherein the first analog interface (208.1) and the second analog interface (208.2) are formed on a single chip and wherein the first analog interface (208.1) and the second analog interface (208.2) are physically separated from each other within the monolithic integrated circuit.

Description

[0001] Aspects described herein relate generally to sensor interface architectures and more particularly to redundant and / or diverse analog interface architectures.

[0002] Certain applications, such as functional safety systems in vehicles, use redundancy for the transmission of sensor measurement data. The sensor measurement data may represent a physical quantity measured by one or more sensors, the reception and processing of which is critical to ensure that safety requirements are met. For example, ASIL (Automotive Safety Integrity Level) is a risk classification scheme defined by ISO 26262 and used to define functional safety for road vehicles. Such functional safety requirements generally specify a minimum time period for detecting failures at the IC / sensor level and for providing this information to the corresponding system, generally via transmission and processing via an electronic control unit (ECU).However, current systems rely on digital interfaces between the sensors and the ECU, which increases system latency. These additional delays pose difficulties in ensuring that such strict ASIL minimum time periods are met. Therefore, current sensor measurement interfaces are inadequate.

[0003] US 9 874 609 B2 relates to sensor self-diagnosis using multiple signal paths. A sensor system comprises at least two sensors, e.g., magnetic field sensors, and separate signal paths connected to each of the sensors. A first signal path may be coupled to a first sensor and a first digital signal processor (DSP), and a second signal path may be coupled to a second sensor and a second DSP. A signal from the first DSP may be compared with a signal from the second DSP, either on-chip or off-chip, to detect errors or other information related to the operation of the sensor system.

[0004] US 2017 / 0 163 366 A1 relates to a robust, high-speed sensor interface for remote sensors for communicating sensor data. A system comprises a sensor bus, an electronic control unit (ECU), and one or more sensors. The ECU is coupled to the sensor bus and configured to generate and output a synchronization signal to the sensor bus. The one or more sensors are also coupled to the sensor bus, with at least one sensor configured to sample sensor data in response to the synchronization signal and to output the sampled sensor data to the sensor bus.

[0005] The object of the present invention is to provide a monolithic integrated circuit and a circuit with improved characteristics.

[0006] This object is achieved by a monolithic integrated circuit according to claim 1 and a circuit according to claim 13.

[0007] Preferred embodiments of the present invention are described in more detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Fig. 1 illustrates an example of a conventional digital sensor interface architecture; Fig. 2A illustrates an example of a first configuration of an analog sensor interface architecture according to one or more embodiments of the disclosure; Fig. 2B-2D illustrate examples of a second configuration of an analog sensor interface architecture according to one or more embodiments of the disclosure. Fig. 3A-3B illustrate example timing diagrams of a digital sensor interface architecture versus an analog sensor interface architecture according to one or more embodiments of the disclosure. Fig. 4 illustrates an exemplary signaling scheme according to one or more embodiments of the disclosure. Fig. 5A illustrates a block diagram of an example of differential signal transmission for an analog sensor interface architecture according to one or more embodiments of the disclosure. Fig. Figure 5B is a block diagram showing additional signal diversity details implemented with differential signal transmission as shown in Fig. 5a, and indicates robustness against potential failures, according to one or more embodiments of the disclosure. Fig. 6A illustrates a block diagram of an example of single-ended signal transmission for an analog sensor interface architecture according to one or more embodiments of the disclosure. Fig. Figure 6B is a block diagram showing additional signal diversity details associated with unbalanced signal transmission as shown in Fig. 6A, may be implemented according to one or more embodiments of the disclosure. Fig. Figure 6C is a block diagram showing robustness against potential failures of unbalanced signal transmission as described in Fig. 6A and Fig. 6B, according to one or more embodiments of the disclosure. Fig. Figure 7 shows another example of a conventional digital sensor interface architecture. Fig. 8A illustrates a block diagram showing an additional example of signal diversity implemented with an analog sensor interface architecture, according to one or more embodiments of the disclosure. Fig. 9 illustrates a block diagram showing an example of diverse analog filtering implemented with an analog sensor interface architecture, according to one or more embodiments of the disclosure.

[0008] The exemplary aspects of the present disclosure will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings. The drawing in which an element first appears is typically indicated by the leftmost digit in the corresponding reference number.

[0009] Again, conventional sensor interface systems rely on digital interfaces between the sensors and the ECU, which increases system latency and presents additional difficulties in ensuring that ASIL minimum time periods are met for functional safety applications. Thus, the embodiments described herein address these problems by implementing a redundant and / or diverse analog sensor interface architecture. This eliminates the delays caused by converting the analog data to a digital transmission protocol and digitally processing the content to recover the encoded sensor data measurements. Thus, the analog sensor interface embodiments described herein represent advantages over the use of conventional digital sensor interfaces by reducing the latency of the control loop within a relevant system (i.e.This provides significant benefits at the system level (e.g., P2S), as the reduced latency leads to a reduction in dead time in the control loop, thereby achieving faster signaling of internal faults to the ECU. In other words, the embodiments described herein enable more efficient and faster adaptation of electrical and mechanical behavior due to new environmental behavior. Specifically, the use of an analog output interface advantageously enables very low protocol latency (in the range of µs) compared to digital protocols (in the range of 0.5–5.0 ms).

[0010] To this end, the embodiments described herein implement an analog sensor interface architecture that provides various levels of redundancy and / or signal diversity. For example, and as explained in more detail below, each analog sensor interface may transmit a respective analog signal according to a different analog data transmission protocol type. These analog data transmission protocols may include both the interface types used to generate the transmitted analog signal (e.g., by using current or voltage interfaces) as well as the use of different signaling schemes used to represent the analog signal values ​​(e.g., the transmitted analog signals with the voltage values ​​representing physical sensed quantities as an inverse of each other).

[0011] Additional redundancy can be introduced by coupling each analog sensor interface to a dedicated measurement path and / or sensor(s), from which separate sensor measurement data signals are received and used to transmit separate analog signals indicative of each respective received sensor measurement data. Furthermore, each analog sensor interface, along with its respective coupled sensor measurement paths, can be physically separated from the others within a monolithic integrated circuit. In other words, the embodiments described herein can utilize the use of a single monolithic integrated circuit (IC), eliminating the need to use an IC with more than one chip, providing additional advantages in terms of ease of manufacturing and reduced cost compared to multi-chip ICs.

[0012] In the following description, numerous specific details are set forth in order to provide a thorough understanding of aspects of the present disclosure. However, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that aspects, including structures, systems, and methods, may be practiced without these specific details. The description and illustration herein are the general means used by those of ordinary skill in the art to most effectively convey the nature of their work to others skilled in the art. In other instances, well-known methods, acts, components, and circuitry have not been described to avoid unnecessarily obscuring aspects of the disclosure.

[0013] Fig. 1 illustrates a conventional digital sensor interface architecture according to an embodiment of the disclosure. A common implementation for ASIL and other time-critical applications is the use of enhanced sensor measurement architectures (with dual or multiple measurement paths), in which the sensor output data is transmitted to an external controller, such as an ECU, via a digital interface (e.g., a single-wire digital protocol, SENT, SPC, PS15 protocols, etc.). The auxiliary sensor measurement path is provided to add data redundancy, thereby ensuring that sensor measurements are still received from either the main sensor 102.1 or the auxiliary sensor 102.2 if the other sensor, a sensor measurement path, or components in one of the sensor measurement paths fail.

[0014] Therefore, and as it is in Fig. 1, the digital sensor interface architecture 100 includes a digital interface 108 coupled to two separate sensor measurement paths, as shown in Fig. 1, which are labeled main and auxiliary. The main sensor measurement path couples the main sensor 102.1 to the digital interface 108, while the auxiliary sensor measurement path couples the auxiliary sensor 102.2 to the digital interface 108. Thus, both the main and auxiliary sensor measurement paths include one or more buses or wired connections, as well as additional components to enable the digital interface 108 to receive data signals representing the physical quantity measured by each of the main sensor 102.1 and the auxiliary sensor 102.2.

[0015] The main sensor measurement path couples the analog output signal generated by main sensor 102.2, which indicates a physical quantity measured by main sensor 102.1, to a main analog-to-digital converter 104.1. Main ADC 102.2 then converts the analog output signal into digital data, which is transmitted to digital signal processor (DSP) 106.1, which converts the digital data output by main ADC 104.1 into a suitable message format recognized by digital interface 108. For example, main DSP 106.1 may generate digital data messages that include information related to the analog output signals generated by main sensor 102.1. In other words, the main DSP 106.1 can receive the converted digital data signals from the main ADC 104.1, which represent the physical quantity detected by the main sensor 102.1 is measured, and convert the digital data signals into suitable messages or a suitable message format. These messages are then transmitted by the main DSP 106.1 to the digital interface 108, which encodes the message into the appropriate format, which is transmitted as digital data and recognized by the appropriate receiving component, such as a controller or ECU. Thus, the digital interface 108 serves to encode digital data into a suitable bit stream according to a suitable communication protocol so that the digital data bit stream can be received and decoded by the ECU to determine the physical quantity measured by the main sensor 102.1.

[0016] The auxiliary measurement path operates in a similar manner to that described above for the main measurement path. Thus, the digital interface 108 can encode digital data associated with the physical quantities measured by the main sensor 102.1 and the auxiliary sensor 102.2 into separate sequential bit streams, which are then received and decoded, for example, by an ECU to determine the physical quantity measured by the main sensor 102.1 and the auxiliary sensor 102.2. While the use of digital protocols allows checksums to be encoded with the digital data transmissions, this comes at the expense of the processing time required for digital data conversion and encoding. For example, as noted above, the implementation of the digital interface 108 and the required digital protocols that accompany its use introduces additional latency into the system, typically between 0.5 and 5.0 ms.Furthermore, since the digital interface 108 uses a digital communication protocol, the bit time must be sufficiently long (typically between 0.5-3.0 ms) to be transmitted over a cable or other connection to avoid interference. To further complicate this problem, the number of required transmitted bits corresponds to the number of channels to be transmitted, the digital resolution, and at least a start bit and a checksum. This can result in the required transmission of large amounts (approximately 40 bits) per data frame (e.g., start bit, n sensor values ​​+ checksum), in addition to the latency issues mentioned above. Furthermore, decoding the serial data stream requires dedicated hardware for the specific digital protocol type used for data transmission and, as a result, causes the system to consume a large amount of power.

[0017] The embodiments described herein aim to address these problems. The embodiments are described with respect to two different configurations of various analog sensor interface architectures. In the first configuration, an example of which is shown in Fig. 2A, each sensor measurement path is separate and independent of each other, and each is coupled to a separate sensor so that redundant physical quantities can be measured. In the second configuration, an example of which is shown in Fig. 2B-2D, the sensor measurement paths may share one or more components and / or sensors. Regardless of the specific configuration type implemented, any analog sensor interface architecture, as shown in Fig. 2A-2D, may include one or more buses or wired interconnect components that couple the various components together in any suitable manner and configuration.

[0018] Although the exemplary analog sensor interface architectures as described in Fig. 2A-2D, include two sensor measurement paths, this is exemplary and not limiting. Embodiments include the exemplary analog sensor interface architectures as shown in Fig. 2A-2D, which in addition to the main sensor measurement path, include any suitable number of sensor measurement paths, as shown, to provide additional redundancy if desired. In addition, the sensor measurement paths, as shown in Fig. 2A-2D are provided by way of example and not limitation and may include additional alternative or fewer components as shown in Fig. 2A-2D to enable the functionality described herein with respect to the various embodiments. Furthermore, the various components as shown in Fig. 2A-2D may be integrated with each other or separated to maintain their functionality. As an illustrative example, in some embodiments, sensors 202 and ADC 204 may be combined as part of a sensor that outputs digital data instead of an analog signal.

[0019] Fig. 2A illustrates an example of a first configuration of an analog sensor interface architecture according to one or more embodiments of the disclosure. The analog sensor interface architecture 200 as shown in Fig. 2A, comprises two separate and independent measuring paths, a main sensor measuring path 220 and an auxiliary sensor measuring path 230. In the Fig. 2A, each of the main sensor measurement path 220 and the auxiliary sensor measurement path 230 comprises separate respective components that may be similar or identical, with several exceptions explained in more detail below, depending on the signal diversity type of the analog data transmissions provided by each of the analog interfaces 208.1, 208.2.

[0020] In one embodiment, the main sensor measurement path 220 and an auxiliary sensor measurement path 230 may each operate independently of each other and / or in parallel. For example, the main and auxiliary sensor measurement paths 220, 230 may operate such that each analog interface 208.1, 208.2 transmits a respective analog signal 209.1, 209.2 in parallel. This may, for example, involve transmitting the analog signals 209.1, 209.2 concurrently or simultaneously, or alternatively, transmitting the analog signals 209.1, 209.2 according to any suitable schedule (e.g., sequentially). The parallel transmission of the analog signals 209.1, 209.2 can occur simultaneously, subject to tolerances and / or other time delays between the main and auxiliary sensor measurement paths 220, 230, which may be due, for example, to the use of signal diversity, as discussed in more detail below. Thus, the parallel transmission of the analog signals 209.1, 209.2 the simultaneous transmission within a defined threshold time window such that at least a part of one of the analog signals 209.1, 209.2 is transmitted while at least a part of the other analog signal 209.1, 209.2 is also transmitted.

[0021] With further reference to Fig. 2A, each of the main sensor measurement path 220 and the auxiliary sensor measurement path 230 is coupled to a respective main sensor 202.1 and to an auxiliary sensor 202.2. The sensors 202.1, 202.2 may represent any suitable sensor type configured to measure a physical quantity and output a respective analog sensor signal 203.1, 203.2 representing this measured physical quantity. The measured physical quantity may be any suitable type or value, depending on the particular implementation of the sensors 202.1, 202.2. For example, the sensors 202.1, 202.2 may be implemented as magnetic sensors that measure quantities related to a magnetic field orientation, magnetic flux density, magnetic field strength, etc. When implemented as magnetic sensors, the sensors 202.1, 202.2 enable the measurement of any suitable metric type using the sensed magnetic quantities, such as angular rotation, a current angle of a complementary wave, angular or linear velocity, etc. Continuing with this example, the sensors 202.1, 202.2 may be implemented as Hall elements (e.g., vertical Hall probes and / or lateral Hall plates), magnetoresistances (e.g., exploiting anisotropic magnetoresistance (AMR), giant magnetoresistance (GMR), or tunneling magnetoresistance (TMR)), etc. The sensors 202.1, 202.2 may be implemented as the same sensor type (e.g., magnetic sensors) or as different sensor types, with respect to the measured physical quantity, manufacturer, sensor type, sensor interface, etc.

[0022] As a further illustrative example, the sensors 202.1, 202.2 may be implemented as other sensor types, such as inductive sensors. Inductive sensors use the principle of magnetic induction to measure different metrics, typically via inductively coupled coil systems. Components of such inductive sensors include pickup coils, power coils, and target coils. In various embodiments, regardless of the particular implementation, one or more of the components of an inductive sensor may be associated with the sensors 202.1, 202.2, the main sensor measurement path 220, and / or the auxiliary sensor measurement path 230. For example, the sensors 202.1, 202.2 illustrate coils, terminals, and / or signal processing circuitry associated with respective pickup coil systems used to individually or redundantly measure physical quantities associated with an inductive sensor, such as a rotational position of a complementary shaft. According to such embodiments, portions of the inductive sensor (e.g., the various coils mentioned above) may be formed as part of the same integrated circuit as the analog sensor architecture 200 or external to the analog sensor architecture 200. Thus, although the sensors 202.1, 202.2, the main sensor measurement path 220 and the auxiliary sensor measurement path 230 (along with their respective components), and the analog interfaces 208.1, 208.2 may be formed as a monolithic integrated circuit on a single chip, the various embodiments described herein are not limited to these implementations.For example, and continuing the example of the inductive sensor, the sensors 202.1, 202.2 may be arranged on a different integrated circuit than the other components of the analog sensor architecture 200 or form part of a separate component.

[0023] Regardless of the particular implementation of the sensors 202.1, 202.2, embodiments include each sensor 202.1, 202.2 performing a measurement of a physical quantity and generating an electrical analog signal 203.1, 203.2 representing the respective measurement of the physical quantity, as discussed in more detail below. In one embodiment, the sensors 202.1, 202.2 are implemented as identical sensors, sensors of the same type, or otherwise measure the same physical quantity to provide sensor data redundancy. This redundancy is represented by the main analog sensor signal 202.1 and the accompanying (i.e., redundant) auxiliary analog sensor signal 202.2, as shown in Fig. 2A is shown.

[0024] As it is in Fig. As shown in Figure 2A, each of the main sensor measurement path 220 and the auxiliary sensor measurement path 230 includes a respective ADC 204.1, 204.2 and a DSP 206.1, 206.2 coupled to respective analog interfaces 208.1, 208.2. The components included in each of the main sensor measurement path 220 and the auxiliary sensor measurement path 230 (e.g., the ADC 204 and DSP 206) thus serve to couple the respective sensors 202.1, 202.2 to each analog interface 208.1, 208.2. To this end, the components in each of the main sensor measurement path 220 and the auxiliary sensor measurement path 230 may be coupled to each other, to each respective sensor 202.1, 202.2, and to each respective analog interface 208.1, 208.2 via any suitable number and / or type of communication connection, which may, for example, include any suitable number of wired buses, signal lines, and / or connectors, which are not shown in detail in the figures for the sake of brevity.Furthermore, each of the main sensor measurement path 220 and the auxiliary sensor measurement path 230 may operate according to any suitable communication protocol type to enable each respective analog interface 208.1, 208.2 to receive sensor measurement data output by each of the sensors 202.1, 202.2.

[0025] Each ADC 204.1, 204.2 may be implemented as any suitable ADC type, with any suitable resolution, and may be configured to convert each respective analog sensor signal 203.1, 203.2, representing the physical quantity measured by each of the sensors 202.1, 202.2, into a digital data value. Each ADC 204.1, 204.2 is configured to output this digital data value as respective digital sensor signals 205.1, 205.2 to each respective DSP 206.1, 206.2. The DSPs 206.1, 206.2, in turn, process the received digital sensor signals 205.1, 205.2 to provide formatted digital data signals 207.1, 207.2 to each respective analog interface 208.1, 208.2. The DSPs 206.1, 206.2 can process the digital sensor signals 205.1, 205.2, for example, using calibration data or other information related to the specific sensor type 202.1, 202.2 implemented for a specific application.Each analog interface 208.1, 208.2 converts the formatted digital data signals 207.1, 207.2 into a suitable analog value for transmission as transmitted analog signals 209.1, 209.2 according to any suitable analog data transmission protocol type, as further explained below.

[0026] Although not shown in the figures for brevity, the analog interfaces 208.1, 208.2 may include respective digital-to-analog converters (DACs) to enable the conversion of the formatted digital data signals 207.1, 207.2 into appropriate voltage (when implemented as a voltage interface) or current values ​​(when implemented as a current interface) according to a predetermined signaling scheme, which is discussed in more detail below. As used herein and explained in more detail below, the analog data transmission protocol implemented via each analog interface 208.1, 208.2 includes both the interface type used and the signaling scheme. For example, each analog interface 208.1, 208.2 may independently implement a separate analog data transmission protocol that includes the signaling interface type, such as a single-ended (orsingle-ended) interface or a differential interface, as well as the transmission technology type or transmission interface type (e.g., voltage or current interface) used in conjunction with the signaling interface. Additionally, and independent of the implemented signaling interface and / or transmission technology, the separate analog data transmission protocol implemented over each analog interface 208.1, 208.2 may also include the use of a specific "signaling scheme," which is used herein to describe how measured physical quantities of sensor measurement data received over each of the main and auxiliary sensor measurement paths 220, 230 are mapped to specific voltage and / or current values ​​within a range of operating values ​​when transmitted as the analog signals 209.1, 209.2.

[0027] As discussed in more detail below, the embodiments described herein utilize signal diversity by varying one or more aspects of the analog data transmission protocol implemented by one (or more) of the analog interfaces 208.1, 208.2 with respect to one another. In other words, the signal diversity described herein may be achieved across the analog interfaces 208.1, 208.2 implementing different types of signal interfaces, transmission interfaces, and / or signaling interface schemes. However, although the benefits of utilizing signal diversity are described in more detail below, the embodiments are not limited thereto or do not require that signal diversity be implemented.Instead, signal diversity may be implemented, or alternatively, the embodiments described herein may rely only on redundancy between the main and auxiliary sensor measurement paths 220, 230 via the analog interfaces 208.1, 208.2, using the same analog data transmission protocol type.

[0028] Thus, the analog interfaces 208.1, 208.2 may be configured to use any suitable signaling interface type (e.g., a single-ended interface or a differential interface), operate according to any suitable transmission technique (e.g., voltage or current interface), and use any suitable signaling scheme type. To this end, the analog interfaces 208.1, 208.2 may implement any suitable type and / or configuration of driver circuitry, interface configuration, etc., to transmit the analog signals 209.1, 209.2, including known techniques, as discussed in more detail below.

[0029] As further discussed herein, the different analog data transmission protocol types do not necessarily involve the use of a predetermined communication protocol per se, but may include any suitable analog transmission type that does not have to conform to a standardized protocol. For example, and as discussed in more detail below, the analog interfaces 208.1, 208.2 may transmit their respective analog signals 209.1, 209.2 continuously (or according to a suitable transmission schedule) as new sensor measurement data is received via each of the main and auxiliary sensor measurement paths 220, 230. This may enable the transmitted analog signals 209.1, 209.2 to reflect time-varying voltage or current values ​​within a predetermined range of values ​​that are indicative of, or proportional to, the physical quantities measured by the sensors 202.1, 202.2.

[0030] Due to the potential variations between the analog interfaces (208.1, 208.2) with respect to different signaling interfaces, transmission technologies, and / or signaling schemes, the DSPs 206.1, 206.2 can optionally process the digital sensor signals 205.1, 205.2 to account for these differences. For example, the DSPs 206.1, 206.2 can process the received digital sensor signals 205.1, 205.2 so that the formatted digital data signals 207.1, 207.2 are encoded to represent the appropriate data values ​​for use by the analog interfaces 208.1, 208.2, according to an unbalanced interface, a differential signal interface, an analog voltage or current data transmission protocol, to account for a specific signaling scheme, etc. To continue this example, the analog interfaces 208.1, 208.2 can then receive the formatted digital data signals 207.1, 207.2 and apply a predetermined signal diversity type in each case, examples of which are discussed in more detail below.

[0031] It is noted that the combination of redundancy and diversity further increases the likelihood that the sensor measurement data will be recovered from the transmitted analog signals 209.1, 209.2. For example, the use of redundant components may allow independent analog signals 209.1, 209.2 to be transmitted, so that a failure of one component within a sensor measurement path does not necessarily affect the other and at least one of the analog signals 209.1, 209.2 is received. Furthermore, the use of signal diversity, as discussed herein, may also ensure that a fault affecting the generation and / or transmission of one of the analog signals 209.1, 209.2 is less likely to affect the other. As an additional benefit, the use of signal diversity helps ensure that each of the transmitted analog signals 209.1, 209.2 sensor measurement data can be recovered and optionally a check of one against the other can be performed to guarantee data integrity for safety-critical applications.

[0032] In various embodiments, different levels of redundancy may be implemented between the main sensor measurement path 220 and the auxiliary sensor measurement path, which may (but does not have to) be further combined with the use of signal diversity. Fig. In the configuration shown in Figure 2A, the analog sensor interface architecture 200 includes a maximum level of redundancy because each sensor measurement path is separate and distinct from the other, comprising separate components (e.g., the ADC 204.1, 204.2 and the DSP 206.1, 206.2), each coupled to a separate sensor 202.1, 202.2. In this way, sensor data redundancy is provided by two separate sensors 202.1, 202.2, which may be identical to each other, such that each sensor measurement path 220, 230 enables the analog interfaces 208.1, 208.2 to transmit the analog signals 209.1, 209.2, each representing the same measured physical quantity, via the sensors 202.1 and 202.2, respectively.

[0033] Although this maximum level of redundancy may be preferred for some applications, it is not necessary for others. Therefore, embodiments include a second configuration as shown in the examples of Fig. 2B-2D, in which the main sensor measurement path 220 and the auxiliary sensor measurement path 230 share a common sensor 202. The ADC 204, DSP 206 and analog interfaces 208 can be used in the second configuration as shown in Fig. 2B-2D, operate in a similar or identical manner to the analog components described above with respect to the first configuration in the example as shown in Fig. 2A is shown.

[0034] However, in the second configuration, the common sensor 202 outputs an analog sensor signal 203, which can be coupled to the separate components in each of the main sensor measurement path 220 and the auxiliary sensor measurement path 230. In this example, redundancy is provided through the use of separate ADCs 204.1, 204.2, DSPs 206.1, 206.2, and analog interfaces 208.1, 208.2. In other words, although no redundant sensor is used in the second configuration, the use of redundant components in each of the main sensor measurement path 220 and the auxiliary sensor measurement path 230 still results in the generation of separate analog signals 209.1, 209.2. This ensures that a component (e.g., a controller or ECU) receives the correct sensor measurement data via one of the transmitted analog signals 209.1, 209.2.For example, a failure of one or more components in one of the main or auxiliary sensor measurement paths 220, 230 may cause one of the analog signals 209.1, 209.2 to contain invalid data (e.g., out of range, as discussed below) or not to be transmitted at all, while the ECU may still receive the sensor measurement data from the transmitted signal 209.1, 209.2 via the operational sensor measurement path.

[0035] For example, the number of components shared between the main sensor measurement path 220 and the auxiliary sensor measurement path 230 may be varied to save chip space and / or reduce costs, recognizing the tradeoff between reduced redundancy and increased component sharing between sensor measurement paths. For example, another example of a second configuration of an analog sensor interface architecture is shown in Fig. 2C, where the main sensor measurement path 220 and the auxiliary sensor measurement path 230 share a common ADC 204, in addition to the common sensor 202. Such a configuration also results in the transmission of separate analog signals 209.1, 209.2, although a failure or malfunction in the ADC 204 will affect each sensor measurement path. However, this may be acceptable for less safety-critical applications and / or if it is considered an acceptable compromise given the low probability of such a failure and the desirability of lower manufacturing costs and reduced chip space.

[0036] Another example of a second configuration of an analog sensor interface architecture is shown in Fig. 2D, in which the main sensor measurement path 220 and the auxiliary sensor measurement path 230 share a common ADC 204 and a common DSP 206 in addition to the common sensor 202. This similarly results in the transmission of separate analog signals 209.1, 209.2, although a fault or malfunction in the ADC 204 or the DSP 206 will affect each sensor measurement path. Again, this may be considered an acceptable level of risk in terms of cost and space savings for some applications. It is further noted that even if only the analog interfaces 208.1, 208.2 are redundant components, as in Fig. 2D, this still represents a significant advantage compared to conventional systems, such as the digital sensor interface architecture 100 as shown in Fig. 1, where a failure of the single digital interface 108 completely disables the functionality of the entire IC / sensor system.

[0037] Regardless of the implemented redundancy level, embodiments include transmitting the separate analog signals 209.1, 209.2 simultaneously or in parallel. Furthermore, any of the embodiments described herein that incorporate the first and second configurations of the analog sensor interface architecture, as described with reference to Fig. 2A to 2D, may include one or more components (e.g., sensors 202.1, 202.2, 202, main sensor measurement path 220, auxiliary sensor measurement path 230, and / or analog interfaces 208.1, 208.2) formed as a monolithic integrated circuit on a single chip. According to such embodiments, any suitable number of components included in each of main sensor measurement path 220 and auxiliary sensor measurement path 230 (or the entirety of each sensor measurement path) may be physically separated from each other on the monolithic integrated circuit. In other words, the embodiments described herein do not require dual or multiple chips, each having a separate analog interface.

[0038] Furthermore, and regardless of the particular configuration implemented, the embodiments discussed herein provide a significant reduction in system latency by exploiting the use of analog signal transmissions. That is, the analog interfaces 208.1, 208.2 need not transmit the analog signals 209.1, 209.2 according to a standardized protocol, but can instead quickly convey changes in the physical quantities measured by the sensors 202, 202.1, 202.2, etc., via D / A conversion to transmit the analog signals 209.1, 209.2 as voltage values, which can be performed continuously while new sensor measurement data is received from the DSPs 206.1, 206.2. An example of the latency reduction is shown in Fig. 3A to 3B are shown in more detail, illustrating example latency diagrams of a digital sensor interface architecture versus an analog sensor interface architecture according to one or more embodiments of the disclosure.

[0039] The timing diagram 300 as shown in Fig. 3A may correspond to a digital sensor interface architecture, such as that shown in Fig. 1, while the timing diagram 350 as shown in Fig. 3B, may correspond to an analog sensor interface architecture, such as that shown in Fig. 2A to 2D. As shown in Fig. 3A-3B, each sensor interface architecture requires an analog signal path settling time 302 between each sensor 102 / 202 and the ADC 104 / 204. This settling time 302 is required so that transients can decay before new sensor data is received and processed and may include filtering by the ADC 104 / 204 or a separate filter component (not shown). In addition, the measurement paths within each sensor interface architecture require a cyclic software execution time 304 / 404 associated with each DSP 106 / 206 that processes the digital data provided by each coupled ADC 104 / 204. The digital sensor interface architecture 100, as shown in Fig. 1, however, requires a much longer protocol transmission time 306A compared to the digital / analog conversion time 306B used by the analog sensor interface architectures shown in Fig. 2A-2D. As an illustrative example, the D / A conversion time 306B is on the order of several microseconds (e.g., ~20 µs) compared to the digital protocol transmission time 306A, which is several times higher (e.g., ~400 µs).

[0040] Thus, the analog sensor interface architectures, as used in Fig. 2A-2D, advantageously do not rely on a specific standardized protocol (either analog or digital) and can instead convert the received formatted digital data signals 207.1, 207.2 into analog voltage values ​​(albeit via current or voltage interfaces) represented in the transmitted analog signals 209.1, 209.2. And since the transmitted analog signals 209.1, 209.2 can represent voltage values, the analog sensor interface architectures as shown in Fig. 2A-2D ensure compatibility with a wider range of controllers, as the ability to detect and convert analog voltage and current values ​​is ubiquitous in the various controllers, processors, and ECUs used in many industries. Furthermore, since many digital protocols rely on single-wire implementations to save space and cost, the timing diagram 300 as shown in Fig. 3A, is repeated for each sensor measurement path in the system, multiplying the time required by an ECU to receive all relevant sensor measurement data according to the number of sensors present in the system. In contrast, the transmission of the analog signals can be performed simultaneously or in parallel (although sequential transmissions are also possible), and they are received per each analog input port of the controller or the ECU. Thus, no additional sequential data transmission time is required, further reducing system latency compared to digital sensor interface architectures.

[0041] Again, the analog interfaces 208.1, 208.2 may transmit their respective analog signals 209.1, 209.2 using any suitable analog data transmission protocol type, which may include the use of specific signaling schemes. Additional details of an exemplary range of values ​​that may be used according to a signaling scheme are provided in Fig. 4. The diagram 400, as shown in Fig. Figure 4 illustrates an example of such a signaling scheme and shows the operating range of voltages for an analog data transmission protocol that may be implemented by the analog interfaces 208.1, 208.2 to transmit their respective analog signals 209.1, 209.2.

[0042] The diagram 400 as it is in Fig. 4 is shown, represents an example of a signaling scheme that maps the physical quantities measured by one of the sensors 202 to an equivalent voltage representation of the analog signals 209.1, 209.2 that can be transmitted through the analog interfaces 208.1, 208.2. In the Fig. In the example shown in Figure 4, it is assumed that the sensor(s) 202, 202.1, 202.2, etc. are magnetic sensors or magnetic sensors that measure the magnetic field strength between minimum and maximum values, which are designated as B min or B max shown in millitesla (mT). In addition, the exemplary signaling scheme, as shown in Fig. 4, represent voltage values ​​ranging from 0 V to 5 V. Of course, the particular type of sensed physical quantity and the value range are exemplary, and the analog interfaces 208.1, 208.2 may map any suitable physical quantity measured by the sensors 202.1, 202.2 as part of the transmitted analog signals 209.1, 209.2, using any suitable signaling scheme type, which may include alternative value ranges, scales, operating ranges, etc. The Fig. The signaling scheme shown in Figure 4 can be identified with an unbalanced interface or, alternatively, a complementary portion of a differential interface implemented by the analog interfaces 208.1, 208.2.

[0043] Regardless of the particular signaling scheme type used, embodiments include the signaling scheme comprising an operating region 420 and error regions 440, 460. In the Fig. In the example shown in Figure 4, the operating range 420 is defined by voltage values ​​that lie between a lower terminal voltage value V CLL and an upper terminal voltage value V CLH Thus, with reference to Fig. 2A-2D and the exemplary signaling scheme as shown in Fig. 4, the transmitted analog signals 209.1, 209.2 have voltage values ​​that represent sensor measurement data received through the analog interfaces 208.1, 208.2. These voltage values ​​can, for example, vary between the lower clamp voltage value V CLL , which has a minimal magnetic field B min measured by sensors 202.1, 202.2 and the upper terminal voltage value V CLH, which has a maximum magnetic field B max measured by sensors 202.1, 202.2. In this example, the voltage varies linearly within the operating range between the lower clamp voltage value V CLL and the upper terminal voltage value V CLH to display magnetic field strengths detected by sensors 202.1, 202.2 between the maximum and minimum magnetic field strength values ​​B min , B max be measured.

[0044] As it is in Fig. 4, the exemplary signaling scheme includes a lower error range 440 that is less than the lower clamp voltage value V CLL , and an upper error range 460, which is greater than the upper terminal voltage value V CLH . The upper and lower terminal voltage values ​​V CLL , V CLH, and thus the lower and upper error ranges 440, 460 can be defined according to the circuitry implemented via the analog interfaces 208.1, 208.2. For example, the lower and upper clamp voltage values ​​V CLL , V CLHRepresent voltage limits that are a result of safety clamp circuits placed at the output of a transistor or other suitable driver implemented by the analog interfaces 208.1, 208.2. In the case where a current interface is used, the analog interfaces 208.1, 208.2 may alternatively implement current limiters that yield the respective operating range 420 and lower and upper error ranges 440, 460. The analog interfaces 208.1, 208.2 may be implemented with any suitable type of clamping or limiting mechanism, including known implementations, to provide any suitable operating range 420 for a particular signaling scheme.

[0045] Therefore, the selection of the operating range 420 and the lower and upper error ranges 440, 460 may form part of a predetermined signaling scheme used to transmit the analog signals 209.1, 209.2. Thus, a component receiving the analog signals 209.1, 209.2 (e.g., a controller, ECU, etc.) may be programmed or otherwise configured to recognize analog signals 209.1, 209.2 and distinguish between those representing valid sensor measurement data (when the analog signals are within the operating range 420) and those representing an error condition (when the analog signals are outside the operating range 420). This advantageously allows the analog interfaces 208.1, 208.2 to convey error condition information without using a digital protocol or digitally encoded message.

[0046] For example, digital interface architectures, as described above with reference to Fig. 1, indicate that a failure has been detected according to digital protocols, and the digital transmitted bit stream may convey the error condition by setting all data bits to "0" or "1." Since the embodiments described herein utilize analog interfaces 208.1, 208.2 that transmit analog signals 209.1, 209.2, an analog approach may be enabled by utilizing the operating region 420. As an illustrative example, the analog signals 209.1, 209.2 may indicate an error condition by setting the output voltage to the positive supply (VDD) or ground (GND), or alternatively, a fault in the signal lines used to transmit the analog signals 209.1, 209.2 may result in the signal line voltage being pulled to VDD or GND. Since the receiving component knows the operating range 420, the voltage value of the received analog signals 209.1, 209.2 are detected by an external safety mechanism via an identification that the voltage value of the analog signals 209.1, 209.2 is outside the operating range 420.

[0047] Again, embodiments include analog interfaces 208.1, 208.2 that transmit analog signals 209.1, 209.2 using any suitable signaling interface type, such as a single-ended interface or a differential interface. Analog interfaces 208.1, 208.2 may transmit analog signals 209.1, 209.2 using the same signaling interface type or using different interfaces in various embodiments. If the same signaling interface is implemented by each of analog interfaces 208.1, 208.2, signal diversity may be achieved via different signaling schemes. As an example, Fig. 5A is a block diagram illustrating differential signal transmission for a diverse analog sensor interface architecture according to one or more embodiments of the disclosure. The integrated sensor 502 may be identified with the sensor(s) 202, the main sensor measurement paths 220, and the auxiliary sensor measurement paths 230, as described above with reference to Fig. 2A-2D. Thus, the analog signals 209.1, 209.2, as shown in Fig. 5A, from each respective analog interface 208.1, 208.2, as discussed herein.

[0048] In the Fig. 5A, each of the analog interfaces 208.1, 208.2 transmits a respective analog signal 209.1, 209.2 as a pair of differential signals, which provides an increased signal-to-noise ratio compared to an unbalanced interface. For example, each analog signal 209.1, 209.2 is transmitted as a pair of signals having a positive output signal (V+) and a negative output signal (V-). In various embodiments, the V+ and V- signals may each correspond to a predetermined signaling scheme type, as described above with reference to Fig. 4, that is, each analog signal 209.1, 209.2 can be transmitted within a predetermined operating range when valid sensor measurement data is transmitted. Continuing with this example, as shown in the inset 506 in Fig. 5A, each of the V+ and V- differential signals may correspond to the specific signaling scheme used for transmitting the analog signals 209.1, 209.2 according to a differential signaling interface. That is, the V+ and V- signals may represent a map of the physical quantity measured by the sensor or sensors coupled to each sensor measurement path in a different manner and within a valid operating range, with the V+ and V- signals representing an inverse of each other so that the ECU 504 can subtract the two differential signals to recover the actual sensor data measurement. That is, the V+ and V- signals for each of the transmitted analog output signals 209.1, 209.2 are received by an ECU 504, which extracts the actual sensor measurement value (i.e., the physical quantity measured by the sensor) by calculating the difference between the V+ and V- signals.As discussed in more detail below, the use of signal diversity between the analog signals 209.1, 209.2 increases the probability that the sensor measurement data will be recovered in the event of a failure.

[0049] For example, and as it is in Fig. 5B, the analog interfaces 208.1, 208.2 may provide signal diversity by implementing different signaling scheme types to transmit the analog signals 209.1, 209.2, which may include mapping such that the V+ and V- differential signals used to transmit the analog signals 209.1, 209.2 are inverses of each other in each case. With further reference to Fig. 5B, this may include the V+ and V- signals for one of the analog signals 209.1, 209.2, which have a signaling scheme such that the V+ signal decreases with increasing sensed physical quantities and the V- signal increases with increasing sensed physical quantities (as shown in inset 552). In the Fig. In the example shown in Figure 5B, the analog signal 209.1 corresponds to this signaling type, while the analog signal 209.2 corresponds to an inverse of this signaling, where the V+ signal increases with increasing sensed physical quantities and the V- signal decreases with increasing sensed physical quantities (as shown in the inset 554).

[0050] To provide yet another illustrative example, not shown in the figures for brevity, the analog interfaces 208.1, 208.2 may implement different signaling scheme types by using a different scale and / or different valid operating ranges to transmit the analog signals 209.1, 209.2. For example, two or more positive supplies may be used that have unequal voltage levels, such that the V+ and V- signals for one of the analog signals 209.1, 209.2 represent a larger operating range compared to the other. As another example, a single positive supply may be used, but the upper and lower clamping voltage values ​​may be different between the analog signals 209.1, 209.2, such that the analog signals 209.1, 209.2 using different valid operating ranges within the voltage range defined by the positive supply and ground. The use of the different scales and / or different operating ranges may be used in various embodiments in addition to the above-mentioned use of inverse signaling schemes to provide additional signal diversity, or as an alternative to the inverse signaling scheme.

[0051] In any case, the signal diversity in terms of how the analog signals 209.1, 209.2 are transmitted allows for an increased probability that the sensor measurement data will be received and retrieved by the ECU 504. For example, and with further reference to Fig. 5B, a short circuit of two of the signal lines used to transmit the analog signals 209.1, 209.2 may still allow the ECU 504 to recover the sensor measurement data. For example, Fig. 5B represents a short circuit between the V- (signal 209.1) and the V+ (signal 209.2). However, the ECU 504 still receives the V+ signal associated with the analog signal 209.1 and the V- signal associated with the analog signal 209.2. When a single positive supply is used, and because the ECU 504 is configured with knowledge of the signaling scheme used to transmit the analog signals 209.1, 209.2, the ECU 504 can still recover the sensor measurement data using the two received signals (V+ from the analog signal 209.1 and V- from the analog signal 209.2) under these circumstances, since the two in Fig. 5B are independent examples and it is assumed that they do not occur simultaneously. As a further example, and as in Fig. As shown in Figure 5B, one or more of the signal lines used to transmit the analog signals 209.1, 209.2 may fail, resulting in an open line condition. However, as long as at least one complementary pair of V+ and V- signals is received from each combination of the signal lines associated with the analog signals 209.1, 209.2, the ECU 504 can recover the sensor measurement data due to the implementation of signal diversity.

[0052] As discussed above, the analog interfaces 208.1, 208.2 may alternatively transmit the analog signals 209.1, 209.2 according to an unbalanced signal interface. An example of an unbalanced interface implementation is shown in Fig. 6A-6B. The integrated sensor 602, as shown in Fig. 6A may be similar or identical to the integrated sensor 502 described above with respect to Fig. 5A-5B, except that the analog interfaces 208.1, 208.2 implement single-ended interfaces in this example. Similarly, the ECU 604, as shown in Fig. 6A, similar or identical to the ECU 504 as described above with reference to Fig. 5A-5B, with the exception of the operation of processing the analog signals 209.1, 209.2 according to a signaling scheme associated with the single-ended interface.

[0053] As it is in Fig. 6A, the V signal lines may be unused compared to the differential interface embodiments. Alternatively, the V signal lines may not be present at all (e.g., not included as part of the sensor measurement paths 220, 230, as described with reference to Fig. 2A-2D). In some embodiments, the V signal lines may be present and simply unused to enable the fabrication of a single consolidated integrated sensor with analog interfaces 208.1, 208.2 that can operate according to either a differential interface or a single-ended interface, as desired for a particular application. The use of the single-ended interface, as described in Fig. 6A may be particularly desirable, for example, to save cost and space required for the additional V signal lines (i.e., wiring) and to reduce the number of ADC inputs required at the ECU 604, recognizing the acceptable trade-off in reduced signal-to-noise ratio to a differential interface.

[0054] In one embodiment, the same types of signal diversity implemented according to the differential interface embodiments discussed above may also be applicable to the single-ended interface embodiments. For example, the analog interfaces 208.1, 208.2 may transmit the respective analog signals 209.1, 209.2 using different signaling schemes, such that the analog signals 209.1, 209.2 are transmitted using a mapping, are inverses of each other, use different voltage scales, use different operating ranges, etc. Again, and as discussed in more detail below, the use of signal diversity between the analog signals 209.1, 209.2 increases the chances of recovering the sensor measurement data in the event of a failure.

[0055] With reference to Fig. 6B, insets 652, 654 show analog signals 209.1, 209.2 with a specific signaling scheme as part of a predetermined analog data transmission protocol. Continuing with this example, analog signal 209.1 has a signaling scheme such that the voltage values ​​increase with increasing sensed physical quantities, and analog signal 209.2 has a signaling scheme such that the voltage values ​​decrease with increasing sensed physical quantities, although this is exemplary and any suitable signaling scheme and mapping may be implemented in accordance with the embodiments described herein. In other words, analog interfaces 208.1, 208.2 in this example may provide signal diversity by transmitting analog signals 209.1, 209.2 with a signaling scheme such that the voltage values ​​used to signal analog signals 209.1, 209.2 are inverses of each other.

[0056] Regardless of whether a diversity scheme is used for the transmission of the analog signals 209.1, 209.2, the transmission of a redundant analog signal enables an increased probability that the sensor measurement data will be received and retrieved by the ECU 604. For example, with reference to Fig. 6C, a broken wire in a signal line used to transmit the analog signal 209.1 allows the ECU 604 to still recover the sensor measurement data using the analog signal 209.2, assuming that the signal represents valid sensor measurement data. In one embodiment, the ECU 604 may thus rely on receiving sensor measurement data via the redundant analog signal 209.2 and identify the fault with the analog signal 209.1. This may be implemented, for example, as a result of the voltage value associated with the analog signal 209.1 being outside of an operating range, for example, as a result of a pull-up or pull-down resistor on the ECU side, as described above with reference to Fig. 4 is discussed.

[0057] In contrast, the same broken signal line condition, when present in a conventional digital sensor interface architecture 700, as shown in Fig. 7, results in a total loss of the sensor measurement data. For example, the integrated sensor 702 can be identified with the sensor 102, the main sensor measurement path, the auxiliary sensor measurement path, and the digital interface 108, as shown above with reference to Fig. 1 and discussed. Thus, the digital output shown in Fig. 7, as discussed herein, may be output from the single digital sensor interface 108. However, the use of the single digital interface and accompanying signal lines coupling the integrated sensor 702 to the ECU 704 means that such a failure completely prevents the ECU from receiving sensor measurement data from the sensors 102.1, 102.2.

[0058] Embodiments additionally or alternatively include the analog interfaces 208.1, 208.2 implementing the signal diversity between the analog signals 209.1, 209.2 using different transmission interface types that may use different transmission techniques to vary the voltage values ​​of the analog signals 209.1, 209.2. This may, for example, include the analog interfaces 208.1, 208.2 using different transmission interface types to effect the desired voltage fluctuations on the analog signals 209.1, 209.2 in different ways. For example, and as described in Fig. 8, one of the analog interfaces 209.1, 208.2 may be configured as a voltage interface, while the other analog interface 208.1, 208.2 may be configured as a current interface.

[0059] With further reference to Fig. 8, the integrated sensor 802 can be identified with the sensor(s) 202, the main sensor paths 220 and the auxiliary sensor measurement paths 230, as described above with reference to Fig. 2A-2D. Similarly, the ECU 804 is shown and discussed in Fig. 8, similar or identical to the ECU 504, 604 as described above with reference to Fig. 5A-5B and 6A-6C.

[0060] In this example, signal diversity is provided via analog interface 208.1, which is configured as a voltage interface, while analog interface 208.2 is configured as a current interface. Continuing with this example, analog interface 208.1 is configured to vary the voltage at output terminal 1, resulting in a fluctuation of voltage values ​​associated with analog signal 209.1 within a range of voltage values ​​to appropriately represent the physical quantity measured by sensor 202 or 203.1, as appropriate. Again, this can be implemented via any suitable circuitry configuration, including known techniques. Further, analog interface 208.2 is a current interface configured to vary a current drawn by the positive system supply voltage, as shown in Fig. 8, which is proportional or otherwise related to the physical quantity measured by sensor 202 or 202.2. This current interface may also be implemented via any suitable circuitry configuration, including known techniques for causing current fluctuations in this manner. In other words, analog interface 208.2 is configured to vary a current into port 2 based on changes in the measured sensor data over time. This fluctuation of current drawn into port 2 of the integrated sensor 8 or 2 used to output analog signal 209.2 results in voltage fluctuations across resistor R, which is also coupled to port 2, which in turn results in voltage fluctuations of analog signal 209.2 according to a predetermined signaling scheme.

[0061] As a result of signal diversity in this example, analog signal 209.1 is transmitted at a range of voltage values ​​according to a predetermined signaling scheme, as shown in inset 802. Analog signal 209.2 is also transmitted at a range of voltage values, according to predetermined signaling, as shown in inset 804, which is then received via ECU 804 (with additional signal conditioning or filtering as needed). The voltage value represented by analog signal 209.2 is a result of a current interface used by analog interface 209.1, as opposed to the voltage interface used by analog interface 208.1.Thus, as discussed above, the predetermined signaling schemes may define a valid range of voltage values, but in the case of a current interface, the operating range may be defined according to a range of current values ​​and the selection of an appropriate resistance value R chosen to define the desired operating range of voltage values ​​for the analog signal 209.2 according to a selected signaling scheme.

[0062] As it is in Fig. 8, in addition to the use of different transmission interfaces, signal diversity may also be provided through the use of different signaling schemes, as indicated in inset figures 802, 804. For example, in addition to implementing a voltage interface and a current interface, respectively, for the analog interfaces 208.1, 208.2, embodiments include the signaling schemes that are an inverse of each other, as shown in inset figures 802, 804. Furthermore, and as discussed herein with respect to the other configurations, the signaling schemes may also include the use of different voltage scales (e.g., the variance of the voltage between the minimum and maximum physical quantity measured by the sensor), different valid operating ranges, etc. Thus, the signaling schemes as shown in Fig. 8, can be selected based on desired voltage value ranges (for the analog interface 208.1 implemented as a voltage interface) and based on a desired current value range (for the analog interface 802.2 implemented as a current interface). This diversity type can be particularly useful, for example, to increase the reliability of the transmission of signals 209.1, 209.2 in scenarios where external influences can distort voltages and, to a lesser extent, currents, or vice versa.

[0063] The signaling schemes shown in the inset figures 802, 804 indicate a different (i.e., inverse) signaling scheme with respect to each other, which may be via the use of the different transmission interfaces in addition to the aforementioned signal diversity described above. Although this is Fig. 8 is not shown, embodiments also include the signaling schemes implemented via the analog interface 208.1, 208.2, which are equal to each other, wherein the signal diversity is represented exclusively via the implementation of the different transmission interfaces.

[0064] With reference to Fig.9, as noted above, the analog interfaces 208.1, 208.2 in the above-mentioned embodiments may implement any suitable type of signaling interface, transmission interface, and / or signaling scheme. According to various embodiments, and regardless of the specific analog data transmission protocol type implemented by the analog interfaces 208.1, 208.2, the analog signals 209.1, 209.2 are preferably filtered before being processed by the ADC included in the ECU 904 (which may be similar or identical to / with the above-mentioned ECUs 504, 604, and 804), which is necessary to ensure that the EMC (electromagnetic compatibility) requirements are met.This filtering represents a bottleneck for the total time required by the ECU to convert and process new readings from sensor measurement data, as this time generally exceeds the time required to perform ADC operation (on the order of a few microseconds).

[0065] Therefore, the analog output signals 209.1, 209.2 may be filtered by separate analog filters 906.1, 906.2 before being input to the ADC of the ECU 902. The analog filters 906.1, 906.2 may form separate filter components or be integrated as part of the ECU 904 if the ECU 904 is implemented with such filtering functionality. As a result, the analog filtering may be implemented as part of the ECU 904, for example, using an autosampling feature that may be available in some ECU designs or may otherwise be implemented in the firmware and / or hardware of the ECU 904. The use of analog filtering in the ECU 902 eliminates the need to include such filtering as part of the integrated sensor 902 and enables a further reduction in required chip space. In addition, and regardless of how the analog filters 906.1, 906.2, embodiments include diversity between the analog signals 209.1, 209.2, which extends to additionally or alternatively include variations between the analog filters 906.1, 906.2. Such examples of filter diversity may include, for example, variations in filter shapes, bandwidth, etc.

[0066] The techniques of this disclosure may also be described in the following examples.

[0067] Example 1. A monolithic integrated circuit for providing a diverse sensor measurement, the monolithic integrated circuit comprising: a first analog interface coupled to a first sensor measurement path, the first analog interface configured to transmit a first analog signal indicative of sensor measurement data received from at least one sensor coupled to the first sensor measurement path;and a second analog interface coupled to a second sensor measurement path, wherein the second analog interface is configured to transmit a second analog signal indicative of sensor measurement data received from the at least one sensor coupled to the second sensor measurement path, wherein the first analog interface and the second analog interface are formed on a single chip, and wherein the first analog interface and the second analog interface are physically separated from each other within the monolithic integrated circuit.;

[0068] Example 2. The monolithic integrated circuit of Example 1, wherein the first analog signal and the second analog signal each indicate sensor measurement data received via the at least one sensor that represents the same physical quantity.

[0069] Example 3. The monolithic integrated circuit according to any combination of examples 1 to 2, wherein the first analog interface and the second analog interface are each configured to transmit the first analog signal and the second analog signal such that at least a portion of the first analog signal is transmitted while at least a portion of the second analog signal is also transmitted.

[0070] Example 4. The monolithic integrated circuit according to any combination of examples 1 to 3, wherein: the first analog interface is configured to transmit the first analog signal according to a first analog data transmission protocol, and the second analog interface is configured to transmit the second analog signal according to a second analog data transmission protocol; and the first analog data transmission protocol is different from the second analog data transmission protocol.

[0071] Example 5. The monolithic integrated circuit according to any combination of examples 1 to 4, wherein the first analog interface is configured to transmit the first analog signal using a signaling scheme that uses a first range of voltage values, and wherein the second analog interface is configured to transmit the second analog signal using a second signaling scheme that uses a second range of voltage values ​​that is an inverse of the first range of voltage values.

[0072] Example 6. The monolithic integrated circuit according to any combination of examples 1 to 5, wherein the first analog interface is a voltage interface configured to transmit the first analog signal by varying a voltage at a terminal used to output the first analog signal, and wherein the second analog interface is a current interface configured to transmit the second analog signal by varying a current at a terminal used to output the second analog signal.

[0073] Example 7. The monolithic integrated circuit according to any combination of examples 1 to 6, wherein the first analog interface and the second analog interface are each configured to transmit the first analog signal and the second analog signal, respectively, according to a signaling scheme that defines a voltage range indicative of valid sensor measurement data, and wherein the voltage range indicates valid sensor measurement data that is less than an upper clamp range and greater than an upper clamp range.

[0074] Example 8. The monolithic integrated circuit according to any combination of examples 1 to 7, wherein the at least one sensor is a magnetic sensor.

[0075] Example 9. The monolithic integrated circuit according to any combination of examples 1 to 8, wherein at least one of the first analog interface or the second analog interface comprises a differential analog interface.

[0076] Example 10. The monolithic integrated circuit according to any combination of examples 1 to 9, wherein at least one of the first analog interface or the second analog interface comprises an unbalanced analog interface.

[0077] Example 11. The monolithic integrated circuit according to any combination of examples 1 to 10, wherein the first sensor measurement path and the second sensor measurement path are coupled to each other and receive the sensor measurement data from the at least one sensor via at least one component common to the first sensor measurement path and the second sensor measurement path.

[0078] Example 12. The monolithic integrated circuit according to any combination of examples 1 to 11, wherein the at least one component common to the first sensor measurement path and the second sensor measurement path comprises one or more of an analog-to-digital converter and a digital signal processor.

[0079] Example 13. A circuit for providing a diverse sensor measurement, the circuit comprising: a first analog interface coupled to a first sensor measurement path, the first analog interface configured to transmit a first analog signal indicative of sensor measurement data received from a first sensor coupled to the first sensor measurement path; and a second analog interface coupled to a second sensor measurement path, the second analog interface configured to transmit a second analog signal indicative of sensor measurement data received from a second sensor coupled to the second sensor measurement path, the first analog interface and the second analog interface configured to receive redundant sensor measurement data via the first sensor and the second sensor, respectively.

[0080] Example 14. The circuit of Example 13, wherein the first analog interface and the second analog interface are each configured to transmit the first analog signal and the second analog signal such that at least a portion of the first analog signal is transmitted while at least a portion of the second analog signal is also transmitted.

[0081] Example 15. The circuit according to any combination of examples 13 to 14, wherein the circuit is a monolithic integrated circuit comprising the first analog interface and the second analog interface formed on a single chip as part of a monolithic integrated circuit, and wherein the first analog interface and the second analog interface are physically separated from each other within the monolithic integrated circuit.

[0082] Example 16. The circuit of any combination of examples 13 to 15, wherein: the first analog interface is configured to transmit the first analog signal according to a first analog data transmission protocol, and the second analog interface is configured to transmit the second analog signal according to a second analog data transmission protocol; and the first analog data transmission protocol is different from the second analog data transmission protocol.

[0083] Example 17. The circuit of any combination of examples 13 to 16, wherein the first analog interface is configured to transmit the first analog signal using a first signaling scheme that uses a first range of voltage values, and wherein the second analog interface is configured to transmit the second analog signal using a second signaling scheme that uses a second range of voltage values ​​that is an inverse of the first range of voltage values.

[0084] Example 18. The circuit according to any combination of examples 13 to 17, wherein the first analog interface is a voltage interface configured to transmit the first analog signal by varying a voltage at a terminal used to output the first analog signal, and wherein the second analog interface is a current interface configured to transmit the second analog signal by varying a current at a terminal used to output the second analog signal.

[0085] Example 19. The circuit according to any combination of examples 13 to 18, wherein the first analog interface and the second analog interface are each configured to transmit the first analog signal and the second analog signal, respectively, according to a signaling scheme that defines a voltage range indicative of valid sensor measurement data, and wherein the voltage range indicates valid sensor measurement data that is less than an upper clamp range and greater than an upper clamp range.

[0086] Example 20. The circuit according to any combination of examples 13 to 19, wherein the first analog signal and the second analog signal each indicate sensor measurement data received via the first sensor and the second sensor, respectively, that represents the same physical quantity.

[0087] Example 21. The circuit according to any combination of examples 13 to 20, wherein each of the first sensor and the second sensor is a magnetic sensor.

[0088] Example 22. The circuit of any combination of examples 13 to 21, wherein at least one of the first analog interface or the second analog interface comprises a differential analog interface.

[0089] Example 23. The circuit according to any combination of Examples 13 to 22, wherein at least one of the first analog interface or the second analog interface comprises an unbalanced analog interface.

[0090] Although specific embodiments have been illustrated and described herein, it should be understood that any arrangement calculated to achieve the same purpose may be employed for the specific embodiments shown. This disclosure is intended to cover all adaptations or variations of various embodiments. Combinations of the above embodiments and other embodiments not specifically described herein will be apparent to those skilled in the art upon review of the above description.

[0091] It should further be noted that specific terms used in the description and claims may be interpreted in a very broad sense. For example, the terms "circuit" or "circuitry" used herein are intended to be interpreted in a sense that includes not only hardware, but also software, firmware, or any combination thereof. The term "data" may be interpreted to include any form of representation data. The term "information" may include other forms of information representation in addition to any form of digital information. The term "entity" or "unit" may, in embodiments, include any device, apparatus, circuitry, hardware, software, firmware, chips, or other semiconductors, as well as logical units or physical implementations of the protocol layers, etc.Furthermore, the terms “coupled” or “connected” can be interpreted in a broad sense, covering not only direct but also indirect coupling.

[0092] It will further be appreciated that methods disclosed in the specification or in the claims may be implemented by an apparatus having means for performing each of the respective steps of those methods.

[0093] Although specific embodiments have been illustrated and described herein, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that a variety of alternative and / or equivalent implementations may be employed for the specific embodiments shown and described without departing from the scope of the present disclosure. This disclosure is intended to cover any adaptations or variations of the specific embodiments discussed herein.

Claims

[1] Monolithic integrated circuit for providing a diverse sensor measurement, the monolithic integrated circuit having the following features: a first analog interface (208.1) coupled to a first sensor measurement path (220), wherein the first analog interface (208.1) is configured to transmit a first analog signal (209.1) indicative of sensor measurement data received from at least one sensor (102.1, 102.2) coupled to the first sensor measurement path (220); and a second analog interface (208.2) coupled to a second sensor measurement path (230), wherein the second analog interface (208.2) is configured to transmit a second analog signal (209.2) indicative of sensor measurement data received from the at least one sensor (102.1, 102.2) coupled to the second sensor measurement path (230), wherein the first analog interface (208.1) and the second analog interface (208.2) are formed on a single chip and wherein the first analog interface (208.1) and the second analog interface (208.2) are physically separated from each other within the monolithic integrated circuit. [2] A monolithic integrated circuit according to claim 1, wherein the first analog signal (209.1) and the second analog signal (209.2) each indicate sensor measurement data received via the at least one sensor (102.1, 102.2) representing the same physical quantity. [3] Monolithic integrated circuit according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the first analog interface (208.1) and the second analog interface (208.2) are each configured to transmit the first analog signal (209.1) and the second analog signal (209.2) such that at least a portion of the first analog signal (209.1) is transmitted while at least a portion of the second analog signal (209.2) is also transmitted. [4] Monolithic integrated circuit according to one of claims 1 to 3, wherein: the first analog interface (208.1) is configured to transmit the first analog signal (209.1) according to a first analog data transmission protocol and the second analog interface (208.2) is configured to transmit the second analog signal (209.2) according to a second analog data transmission protocol; and the first analog data transmission protocol differs from the second analog data transmission protocol. [5] The monolithic integrated circuit of claim 4, wherein the first analog interface (208.1) is configured to transmit the first analog signal (209.1) using a first signaling scheme that uses a first range of voltage values, and wherein the second analog interface (208.2) is configured to transmit the second analog signal (209.2) using a second signaling scheme that uses a second range of voltage values that is an inverse of the first range of voltage values. [6] The monolithic integrated circuit of claim 4, wherein the first analog interface (208.1) is a voltage interface configured to transmit the first analog signal (209.1) by varying a voltage at a terminal used to output the first analog signal (209.1) and wherein the second analog interface (208.2) is a current interface configured to transmit the second analog signal (209.2) by varying a current at a terminal used to output the second analog signal (209.2). [7] Monolithic integrated circuit according to one of claims 1 to 6, wherein the first analog interface (208.1) and the second analog interface (208.2) are each configured to transmit the first analog signal (209.1) and the second analog signal (209.2) respectively according to a signaling scheme that defines a voltage range indicative of valid sensor measurement data, and wherein the voltage range indicates valid sensor measurement data that is less than an upper clamp range and greater than an upper clamp range. [8] Monolithic integrated circuit according to one of claims 1 to 7, wherein the at least one sensor (102.1, 102.2) is a magnetic sensor. [9] Monolithic integrated circuit according to one of claims 1 to 8, wherein at least one of the first analog interface (208.1) or the second analog interface (208.2) comprises a differential analog interface. [10] Monolithic integrated circuit according to one of claims 1 to 9, wherein at least one of the first analog interface (208.1) or the second analog interface (208.2) comprises an asymmetrical analog interface. [11] Monolithic integrated circuit according to one of claims 1 to 10, wherein the first sensor measurement path (220) and the second sensor measurement path (230) are coupled to each other and receive the sensor measurement data from the at least one sensor (102.1, 102.2) via at least one component that is common to the first sensor measurement path (220) and the second sensor measurement path (230). [12] A monolithic integrated circuit according to claim 11, wherein the at least one component common to the first sensor measurement path (220) and the second sensor measurement path (230) comprises one or more of an analog-to-digital converter and a digital signal processor. [13] Circuit for providing a diverse sensor measurement, the circuit having the following features: a first analog interface (208.1) coupled to a first sensor measurement path (220), wherein the first analog interface (208.1) is configured to transmit a first analog signal (209.1) indicative of sensor measurement data received from a first sensor coupled to the first sensor measurement path (220); and a second analog interface (208.2) coupled to a second sensor measurement path (230), wherein the second analog interface (208.2) is configured to transmit a second analog signal (209.2) indicative of sensor measurement data received from a second sensor coupled to the second sensor measurement path (230), wherein the first analog interface (208.1) and the second analog interface (208.2) are configured to receive redundant sensor measurement data via the first sensor and the second sensor (102.1, 102.2), respectively. [14] The circuit of claim 13, wherein the first analog interface (208.1) and the second analog interface (208.2) are each configured to transmit the first analog signal (209.1) and the second analog signal (209.2) such that at least a portion of the first analog signal (209.1) is transmitted while at least a portion of the second analog signal (209.2) is also transmitted. [15] The circuit of claim 13 or 14, wherein the circuit is a monolithic integrated circuit comprising the first analog interface (208.1) and the second analog interface (208.2) formed on a single chip as part of a monolithic integrated circuit, and wherein the first analog interface (208.1) and the second analog interface (208.2) are physically separated from each other within the monolithic integrated circuit. [16] A circuit according to any one of claims 13 to 15, wherein: the first analog interface (208.1) is configured to transmit the first analog signal (209.1) according to a first analog data transmission protocol and the second analog interface (208.2) is configured to transmit the second analog signal (209.2) according to a second analog data transmission protocol; and the first analog data transmission protocol differs from the second analog data transmission protocol. [17] The circuit of claim 16, wherein the first analog interface (208.1) is configured to transmit the first analog signal (209.1) using a first signaling scheme that uses a first range of voltage values, and wherein the second analog interface (208.2) is configured to transmit the second analog signal (209.2) using a second signaling scheme that uses a second range of voltage values that is an inverse of the first range of voltage values. [18] The circuit of claim 16, wherein the first analog interface (208.1) is a voltage interface configured to transmit the first analog signal (209.1) by varying a voltage at a terminal used to output the first analog signal (209.1) and wherein the second analog interface (208.2) is a current interface configured to transmit the second analog signal (209.2) by varying a current at a terminal used to output the second analog signal (209.2). [19] The circuit of any one of claims 13 to 18, wherein the first analog interface (208.1) and the second analog interface (208.2) are each configured to transmit the first analog signal (209.1) and the second analog signal (209.2), respectively, according to a signaling scheme that defines a voltage range indicative of valid sensor measurement data, and wherein the voltage range indicates valid sensor measurement data that is less than an upper clamp range and greater than an upper clamp range. [20] A circuit according to any one of claims 13 to 19, wherein the first analog signal (209.1) and the second analog signal (209.2) each indicate sensor measurement data received via the first sensor and the second sensor (102.1, 102.2), respectively, representing the same physical quantity. [21] A circuit according to any one of claims 13 to 20, wherein each of the first sensor and the second sensor (102.1, 102.2) is a magnetic sensor. [22] A circuit according to any one of claims 13 to 21, wherein at least one of the first analog interface (208.1) or the second analog interface (208.2) comprises a differential analog interface. [23] Circuit according to one of claims 13 to 22, wherein at least one of the first analog interface (208.1) or the second analog interface (208.2) comprises an asymmetrical analog interface.

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