Air Spring Height Sensor Signal Processing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing distance sensors for air springs face challenges in accurately measuring the working stroke due to noise, vibrations, and varying environmental conditions, leading to fluctuating accuracy and uncertainty in distance determination.
Innovation Solution
An air spring height sensor with a receiver and evaluation unit that includes a multiplexer, amplitude limiters, digital programmable filters, and logarithmic amplifiers to process height signals differently based on their value range, ensuring higher accuracy by selecting signals with a higher derivative for distance measurement, and a controlling device to manage noise and signal distortion.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If a single signal processing path is used for all height signal ranges, then the device complexity is reduced, but the measurement precision deteriorates due to varying signal characteristics across different ranges
Solution Approach 1:
The signal processing path is divided into multiple segments (first signal branch with first amplitude limiter and second signal branch with second amplitude limiter) that process different height signal ranges differently. Each branch uses amplitude limiters with different threshold values optimized for specific signal ranges, allowing precise measurement across the entire working stroke while maintaining manageable device complexity through modular architecture.
Solution Approach 2:
The system dynamically selects which signal branch to use based on the current height signal characteristics. The multiplexer dynamically switches between the first and second signal branches depending on which range the current signal falls into, ensuring optimal processing for each measurement condition without requiring a completely different system configuration.
2Measurement precision
If amplitude limiters with different threshold values are used for different signal ranges, then the measurement precision is improved, but the device complexity increases due to multiple signal branches and multiplexer
Solution Approach 1:
Different parts of the signal processing system have different properties optimized for their specific function. The first amplitude limiter has a first threshold value optimized for detecting smaller height changes, while the second amplitude limiter has a second threshold value optimized for larger height changes. This local optimization of signal processing characteristics improves overall measurement precision without requiring a complete redesign of the entire system.
Solution Approach 2:
The system performs preliminary classification of the height signal to determine which amplitude limiter threshold is appropriate before final measurement processing. The multiplexer pre-selects the appropriate signal branch based on signal characteristics, ensuring that the correct threshold value is applied in advance to optimize measurement accuracy for the current operating condition.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The solution provides improved accuracy and sensitivity in measuring the working stroke of air springs across a wide range, reducing signal distortion and noise interference, while maintaining high sensitivity and resolution, even in noisy environments.
Implementation Method 1
a transceiving coil arrangement including at least one transceiving coil; a transmitting drive unit; wherein the transceiving coil arrangement is coupled to both the transmitting drive circuit
Implementation Method 2
a receiver for receiving a height signal... adapted for being mounted to an air spring so as to sense a height signal with respect to said air spring
Data Source
AI summary
An air spring height sensor (100) is provided which comprises a receiver (101) for receiving a height signal and an evaluation unit (200). The receiver is adapted for being mounted to an air spring so as to sense a height signal with respect to said air spring. The evaluation unit comprises an input terminal (201), a multiplexer (240), a first signal branch (210) starting from the input terminal and terminating at a first multiplexer input (241), and a second signal branch (220) starting from the input terminal and terminating at a second multiplexer input (242). The first signal branch includes a first amplitude limiter (211) being adapted to cut off the amplitude above a predetermined first threshold value. The multiplexer is adapted to select a measurement signal from one of the inputs of the multiplexer.