Method for detecting the presence of a liquid in a container using a near-field communication circuit

Abstract

The invention relates to a method for detecting the presence of a liquid in a container (10) by means of a near-field communication circuit (12) comprising at least one coil (14) surrounding said container (10). The method is designed to adopt a first communication mode in which said circuit (12) can communicate with a compatible object arranged in the container (10), and a second liquid detection mode. The second detection mode comprises the following steps: measuring at least one physical quantity, referred to as the current quantity, by means of the coil (14) of the circuit (12). This current quantity is representative of the dielectric permittivity of the medium delimited by the container (10). The method also emits a signal indicating the detection of a liquid in the container (10) if said current quantity crosses a predetermined reference threshold. (See Figure 1 for abbreviations.)

Description

Title of the invention: Method for detecting the presence of a liquid in a container using a near-field communication circuit. Technical field

[0001] The present patent application relates to the field of near field communication circuits also known as NFC circuits.

[0002] The present invention will find advantageous applications in the automotive field, but not exclusively. Previous technique

[0003] The progressive integration of near-field communication technology in the automotive industry, often referred to by the English acronym NFC for "Near-Field Communication", has marked a significant evolution for the functionalities of communication between devices, proximity detection and wireless charging of mobile devices.

[0004] For example, it is known to equip a housing in the passenger compartment of a motor vehicle with a near field communication circuit to recharge a device arranged in that housing or to communicate with that device.

[0005] Typically, a cup holder can be equipped with a near field communication circuit, so that the cup holder is suitable not only for holding drinks but also for accommodating NFC devices.

[0006] Also, it is observed that cup holders can be defective and, when exposed to liquid spills, there is a risk that the liquid will damage the underlying electronic components, such as the airbag control modules, which can lead to an unexpected deployment of the airbag.

[0007] In addition, the prolonged presence of a bottle in the cup holder can cause a fire, particularly when the plastic materials of the bottle act as a magnifying glass under the effect of sunlight, or when flammable vapors emitted by disinfectant gels contained in the bottle are exposed to high temperatures.

[0008] Finally, the use of a cup holder to transport hot liquids represents a risk to driving safety, as an accidental spill could not only injure the driver or passengers but also lead to a loss of control of the vehicle. Description of the invention

[0009] The present invention aims in particular to provide an innovative solution to at least one of these problems by exploiting an unused capability of near field communication technology to detect the presence and undesirable accumulation of liquids in or around a cup holder.

[0010] This objective, as well as others that will become apparent from the following description, is achieved with a method for detecting the presence of a liquid in a container by means of a near-field communication circuit comprising at least one coil surrounding said container. This method is designed to adopt a first communication mode in which said circuit can communicate with a compatible object arranged in the container and a second liquid detection mode. The second detection mode comprises the following steps: • measuring at least one physical quantity called the current quantity by means of the coil of the circuit, said current quantity being representative of the dielectric permittivity of the medium delimited by the container, and • emit a signal signifying the detection of a liquid in the container if said current physical quantity crosses a predetermined reference threshold.

[0011] By modifying the standard configuration of NFC circuits to include a liquid detection system based on the variation of the dielectric permittivity of the medium delimited by the container caused by said liquid, this invention allows for an early warning regarding the potential risk to electronic components and the safety of occupants.

[0012] Moreover, this multifunctional approach enhances the usefulness of NFC technology in vehicles, adding an additional layer of security functionality without requiring significant hardware additions.

[0013] Thus, the invention described here addresses not only the shortcomings of the prior art in terms of the safety and protection of electronic components in vehicles, but also paves the way for new applications of NFC technology beyond wireless communication and charging, highlighting its potential as a versatile sensor.

[0014] According to other optional features of the invention, taken alone or in combination:

[0015] - to measure said current physical quantity, frequency measurement is used The resonance frequency of the coil is affected by the dielectric permittivity of the medium delimited by the container, and therefore by the presence of a liquid in the container. Indeed, the resonance frequency of the coil is affected by the dielectric permittivity of the medium delimited by the cup holder, and therefore by the presence of a liquid in the cup holder;

[0016] - the circuit includes a variable capacitor which is connected in series with the coil of the circuit, and to measure the resonant frequency of the coil: • The voltage across the coil is measured while varying the capacitance of the variable capacitor over a range of values, to obtain a voltage-time signal for each capacitance value. • A harmonic is extracted from each voltage-time signal to increase the accuracy of detecting a liquid in the container. • We plot the amplitude of the voltage harmonic as a function of the capacitance value, and • we record the value of the capacitance which corresponds to the voltage peak of said harmonic, this value corresponding to said current physical quantity to be compared with said predetermined reference threshold to detect the presence of a liquid in the container;

[0017] - the reference threshold is determined as a function of the resonance frequency of the reel when the cup holder is empty;

[0018] - said extracted harmonic is the third harmonic. The transition to a frequency superior allows to amplify the changes induced by the presence of a liquid in the cup holder on the resonant frequency of the circuit;

[0019] - the circuit includes a first transistor which is connected in parallel with the capacitor variable upstream of the coil, and a second transistor which is mounted downstream of the coil, and in that, to measure the voltage across the coil when the method adopts the second detection mode, the first transistor is open to activate the variable capacitor and the second transistor is closed to connect the coil to ground;

[0020] - the method is designed to adopt a third method of temperature evaluation of a liquid present in the container, the third method comprising the following steps which consist of: • measure said physical quantity called current using the circuit coil, said physical quantity current being representative of the dielectric permittivity of the medium delimited by the container, and to • compare said current physical quantity to a reference physical quantity to evaluate the temperature of the liquid present in the container.

[0021] The invention also relates to a container equipped with a near-field communication circuit comprising at least one coil surrounding said container, said circuit being designed to implement the method described above, which includes a first communication mode in which said circuit can communicate with a compatible object arranged in the container and a second mode of detecting the presence of a liquid in the container.

[0022] Also, the container is a cup holder intended to be fitted to a motor vehicle. Brief description of the drawings

[0023] Other features, purposes and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following detailed description, for the understanding of which reference should be made to the accompanying drawings in which:

[0024] [Fig-1] is a schematic view of a cup holder surrounded by a coil of a near field communication circuit according to the invention;

[0025] [Fig.2] is a schematic view of the near field communication circuit of [Fig.1];

[0026] [Fig.3] is a flowchart which illustrates the steps of the liquid detection process according to the invention;

[0027] [Fig.4] shows curves which each illustrate the third harmonic of the voltage-time signal measured with various objects arranged in the cup holder, with the value of the variable capacitor in picofarads (pF) on the abscissa and the value of the voltage Vcoil across the coil in Volts (V) on the ordinate. Description of the implementation methods

[0028] Figure [Fig.1] shows a cup holder 10 forming a container intended to be fitted to the passenger compartment of a motor vehicle.

[0029] The cup holder 10 is equipped with a near field communication circuit 12 according to the invention, also known as an NFC circuit.

[0030] The circuit 12, shown in [Fig.2], is designed to implement a method for detecting the presence of a liquid in the cup holder 10, according to the invention.

[0031] More particularly, the method according to the invention allows the circuit 12 to adopt a first mode of communication in which the circuit 12 can communicate with a compatible object arranged in the cup holder 10 and a second mode of detection in which the circuit 12 can detect the presence of a liquid in the cup holder 10.

[0032] For this purpose, the circuit 12 has a base typical of a classic NFC circuit.

[0033] The expression "classic NFC circuit" will be used hereafter to refer to a NFC circuit, or near field communication circuit, as known according to the prior art.

[0034] This base of the circuit 12 is intended to allow the exchange of information with compatible short-range, high-frequency objects that are placed in the cup holder 10, such as telephones, keys, or other electronic devices.

[0035] It should be noted that the circuit 12 is capable of wirelessly charging the battery of a compatible device arranged in the cup holder 10.

[0036] This base of the circuit 12 comprises a first voltage source VI and a second voltage source V2, each of which provides an alternating voltage signal square, a first inductance LOp and a second inductance LOm which, with the associated capacitors COp, COm, form the main filtering elements of circuit 12 and a plurality of capacitors Clp, Clm, C2p, and C2m which serve to adapt the impedance of circuit 12.

[0037] Typically, the natural resonant frequency of circuit 12 is 13.56 MHz.

[0038] Also, this base of the circuit 12 includes a coil 14 which surrounds the cup holder 10 forming a spiral, as can be seen in [Fig.1], and which is symbolized in [Fig.2] by a resistance Rcoil and an inductance Lcoil.

[0039] The coil 14 is arranged to allow near-field data exchange with compatible objects arranged in the cup holder 10.

[0040] In addition to this base described above, the circuit 12 according to the invention includes additional components which are provided to enable the circuit 12 to adopt the second mode of detecting the presence of a liquid in the cup holder 10.

[0041] These additional components include a first transistor Q1 connected upstream of coil 14, a second transistor Q2 connected downstream of coil 14 and a variable capacitor Cs which is connected in series on coil 14, upstream of coil 14, and in parallel with the first transistor Q1.

[0042] The first transistor Ql is placed in place of a resistor usually present in a classic NFC circuit.

[0043] With reference to the logic diagram in [Fig.3], the method according to the invention includes an initial step El aimed at detecting the presence of an object which is arranged in the cup holder 10 and which is capable of communicating in the near field with the circuit 12.

[0044] The initial step El is executed successively following a cycle of 500 milliseconds, for example.

[0045] If such an object is detected, then the process executes a step E2 which corresponds to the first communication mode of the process, to communicate with the detected object.

[0046] Conversely, in the absence of such an object, the process proceeds to a step E3 which corresponds to the execution of the second mode of detection of a liquid in the cup holder 10.

[0047] In the first communication mode, the first transistor Ql is activated, that is to say in a conduction state in which the first transistor Ql allows current to pass while presenting a certain resistance known as the "on-state resistance", which replaces the resistance usually present in a classic NFC circuit.

[0048] In addition, the second transistor Q2 is deactivated, so that the circuit 12 behaves like a classic NFC circuit, capable of communicating with a compatible object.

[0049] Also, the variable capacitor Cs is adjusted to a minimum value to behave as much as possible like an open switch.

[0050] Furthermore, still in the first mode of communication, the first voltage source VI and the second voltage source V2 are in opposite phase and supply the circuit 12.

[0051] The values ​​of the inductances LOp, LOm and of the capacitors COp, COm, Clp, Clm, C2p, C2m can be calculated and adjusted by a person skilled in the art by compensating for any deviations caused by the addition of the variable capacitor Cs and the transistors Q1, Q2.

[0052] In the second detection mode, the first transistor Q1 is deactivated and the second transistor Q2 is activated so that coil 14 is connected to ground.

[0053] Also, the second voltage source V2 is deactivated.

[0054] Therefore, the resonance of circuit 12 is controlled by the variable capacitor Cs and the first voltage source VI, which is preferably adjusted to a low voltage to reduce the power consumption of circuit 12.

[0055] The second liquid detection mode of the process comprises the following successive steps.

[0056] A physical quantity called current is measured by means of the coil 14 of the circuit 12, the current physical quantity being representative of the dielectric permittivity of the medium delimited by the cup holder 10.

[0057] In a preferred embodiment of the invention, to measure the current physical quantity, the measurement of the resonance frequency of the coil 14 is used, which is affected by the dielectric permittivity of the medium delimited by the cup holder 10 and therefore by the presence of a liquid in the cup holder 10.

[0058] Indeed, coil 14 has a parasitic capacitance which creates a resonance frequency specific to coil 14, this parasitic capacitance causes a shift in this resonance frequency.

[0059] It is observed that the presence of liquid impacts the parasitic capacitance of coil 14, which will therefore change the resonance frequency of coil 14.

[0060] The higher the permittivity of the object placed in the cup holder 10, the more this object will impact the parasitic capacitance of the coil 14.

[0061] To measure the resonant frequency of the coil 14, the voltage Vcoil across the coil 14 is measured using a microcontroller (not shown) while varying the value of the capacitance of the variable capacitor Cs over a range of values, to obtain a voltage-time signal for each capacitance value.

[0062] Next, the voltage-time signal obtained is decomposed into a Fourier series to extract the third harmonic.

[0063] By varying the capacitance of the variable capacitor Cs, the operating frequency of circuit 12 is changed, which makes it possible to no longer use the fundamental frequency of circuit 12 at 13.56 MHz but a harmonic of a higher frequency, here the third harmonic to reach a frequency of three times the fundamental frequency, or about 41 MHz.

[0064] This is ensured by the input signal which is in the form of a square, which contains several harmonics in its composition.

[0065] Switching to a higher frequency allows the changes induced by the presence of liquid in the cup holder 10 to be amplified on the resonance frequency of the circuit 12.

[0066] After obtaining the third harmonic of the voltage-time signal, the amplitude of the voltage harmonic is plotted as a function of the value of the capacitance Cs as illustrated in [Fig.4].

[0067] Finally, we note the value Cspic of the capacitance of the variable capacitor Cs which corresponds to the voltage peak Vpic of the third harmonic.

[0068] This Cspic value recorded corresponds to the current physical quantity mentioned previously, which is representative of the dielectric permittivity of the medium delimited by the cup holder 10.

[0069] Figure 4 shows curves H1, H2, H3, H4, H5, H6, each illustrating the third harmonic of the voltage-time signal measured with various objects arranged in the cup holder 10.

[0070] Curve H1 illustrates the third harmonic of the voltage-time signal measured when cup holder 10 is empty, curve H2 when cup holder 10 contains a cup full of water, curve H3 when cup holder 10 contains a cup half full of water, curve H4 when cup holder 10 contains a roll of tape, curve H5 when cup holder 10 contains a hand and curve H6 when cup holder 10 contains another NFC circuit.

[0071] According to [Fig.4], the Cspic value of curves H1 and H4 is about 4.6 pF (picofarad), the Cspic value of curve H2 is close to 3 pF, the Cspic value of curve H3 is about 3.6 pF, the Cspic value of curve H5 is about 5 pF and the Cspic value of curve H6 is greater than 6 pF.

[0072] Next, this Cspic value is compared with a reference threshold value Csseuii using the microcontroller.

[0073] The value of the reference threshold Csseuii is predetermined and is stored in a memory (not shown) of circuit 12.

[0074] If the value Cspic is less than the reference threshold Csseuii, then the cup holder 10 is considered to contain a liquid and a signal is emitted, for example a sound signal or by displaying a message on the vehicle's dashboard.

[0075] The reference threshold Csseuib is determined so as to be between the value Cspic of the third harmonic of the voltage-time signal measured when the gate- cup 10 is empty and the third harmonic of the voltage-time signal is measured when cup holder 10 contains a certain amount of liquid, for example the equivalent of half a cup.

[0076] In our example embodiment of the invention, the reference threshold Csseuii is determined to be 4 pF.

[0077] To increase the accuracy of detecting a liquid in the cup holder 10, the method includes an additional phase of analyzing the value of the peak voltage Vpic of the third harmonic of the voltage-time signal.

[0078] In our example, as can be seen on the curves H1, H2, H3, H4, H5, H6 of [Fig.4] which each illustrate the third harmonic of the voltage-time signal, the value Vpic of the curve H1 corresponding to the empty cup holder 10 is 1.2 Volt, the value Vpic of the curve H2 corresponding to the presence of a cup full of water is 0.5 Volt and the value Vpic of the curve H5 corresponding to the presence of a hand is 0.2 Volt.

[0079] Thus, it can be seen that this Vpic value is lower when the cup holder 10 contains liquid, as illustrated by curves H2 and H3, than when the cup holder 10 does not contain liquid, as illustrated by curves H1 and H4, and this Vpic value is higher when the cup holder 10 contains liquid than when a hand is present in the cup holder 10 as illustrated by curve H5.

[0080] Similarly, still with regard to precision in discerning the presence of a liquid in the cup holder 10, the method includes an additional phase of analyzing the bandwidth of the voltage Vcoil measured across the terminals of the coil 14.

[0081] Indeed, as can be seen in [Fig.4], it can be seen that when the cup holder 10 contains liquid, the bandwidth of the voltage Vcoil is less than the bandwidth of the voltage Vcoil when the cup holder 10 is empty but greater than the bandwidth of the voltage Vcoil when the cup holder 10 contains a hand.

[0082] In the embodiment of the invention described above, the measured physical quantity representing the dielectric permittivity of the medium delimited by the cup holder 10 is the resonance frequency of the coil 14.

[0083] The method according to the invention is designed to adopt a third method of evaluating the temperature of a liquid present in the cup holder 10.

[0084] The third method of temperature evaluation includes a first step of measuring a so-called current physical quantity by means of the coil 14 of the circuit 12, this current physical quantity being representative of the dielectric permittivity of the medium delimited by the cup holder 10.

[0085] In this embodiment of the invention, to measure the current physical quantity, the resonance frequency of the coil 14 is measured, which is affected by the dielectric permittivity of the medium delimited by the cup holder 10 and therefore by the temperature of the liquid present in the cup holder 10.

[0086] Indeed, it is observed that the permittivity of a liquid decreases with an increase in its temperature.

[0087] The measurement of the resonance frequency is carried out in a similar manner to the measurement previously described for the second detection mode of the process.

[0088] Thus, after measuring the current resonance frequency, this current resonance frequency is compared to a reference physical quantity to evaluate the temperature of the liquid present in the cup holder 10.

[0089] For example, the Cspic value, corresponding to the current physical quantity as described above, is compared with a predetermined reference value.

[0090] The third method of evaluating the temperature of a liquid is particularly suitable for a cup holder which includes a function for heating a liquid, for example by induction.

[0091] By way of non-limitation, it is also possible to measure other physical quantities representative of the dielectric permittivity of the medium delimited by the cup holder 10, such as by measuring the impedance of the coil 14 at different frequencies.

[0092] Naturally, the invention is described above by way of example. It is understood that a person skilled in the art is able to carry out different embodiments of the invention without departing from the scope of the invention.

Claims

Demands

1. A method for detecting the presence of a liquid in a container (10) by means of a near-field communication circuit (12) comprising at least one coil (14) surrounding said container (10), said method being designed to adopt a first mode of communication in which said circuit (12) can communicate with a compatible object arranged in the container (10) and a second mode of detecting a liquid, the second mode of detection comprising the following steps which consist of: • measuring at least one physical quantity called current by means of the coil (14) of the circuit (12), said physical quantity current being representative of the dielectric permittivity of the medium delimited by the container (10), and • emitting a signal signifying the detection of a liquid in the container (10) if said physical quantity current crosses a predetermined reference threshold (Csseuii).

2. Method according to claim 1, characterized in that to measure said current physical quantity, the measurement of the resonance frequency of the coil (14) is used, which is affected by the dielectric permittivity of the medium delimited by the container (10) and therefore by the presence of a liquid in the container (10).

3. A method according to claim 2, characterized in that the circuit (12) comprises a variable capacitor (Cs) which is connected in series with the coil (14) of the circuit (12), and in that, to measure the resonant frequency of the coil (14): • the voltage (Vcoil) across the coil (14) is measured while varying the value of the capacitance of said variable capacitor (Cs) over a range of values, to obtain a voltage-time signal for each capacitance value, • a harmonic is extracted from each voltage-time signal to increase the accuracy of detecting a liquid in the container (10), • the amplitude of the voltage harmonic is plotted as a function of the capacitance value (Cs), and • we record the value (Cspic) of the capacitance which corresponds to the voltage peak of said harmonic, this value (Cs pic) corresponding to said current physical quantity to be compared with said predetermined reference threshold (Csseuil) to detect the presence of a liquid in the container (10).

4. Method according to claim 3, characterized in that the reference threshold (Cthreshold) is determined as a function of the resonance frequency of the coil (14) when the cup holder (10) is empty.

5. A method according to any one of claims 3 to 4, characterized in that said extracted harmonic is the third harmonic.

6. A method according to any one of claims 3 to 5, characterized in that the circuit (12) comprises a first transistor (Q1) which is mounted in parallel with the variable capacitor (Cs) upstream of the coil (14), and a second transistor (Q2) which is mounted downstream of the coil (14), and in that, to measure the voltage (Vcoil) across the coil (14) when the method adopts the second detection mode, the first transistor (Q1) is open to activate the variable capacitor (Cs) and the second transistor (Q2) is closed to connect the coil (14) to ground.

7. A method according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that it is designed to adopt a third mode of evaluating the temperature of a liquid present in the container (10), the third mode comprising the following steps which consist of: • measuring said current physical quantity by means of the coil (14) of the circuit (12), said current physical quantity being representative of the dielectric permittivity of the medium delimited by the container (10), and • comparing said current physical quantity to a reference physical quantity to evaluate the temperature of the liquid present in the container (10).

8. A container (10) equipped with a near-field communication circuit (12) comprising at least one coil (14) surrounding said container (10), said circuit (12) being designed to implement the method according to any one of the preceding claims comprising a first mode of communication in which said

9. circuit (12) can communicate with a compatible object arranged in the container (10) and a second mode of detecting the presence of a liquid in the container (10). Container (10) according to claim 7, characterized in that the container (10) is a cup holder (10) intended to be fitted to a motor vehicle.

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