Inductive Angle Sensor Cross-Coupled Transmitter Coils Fault Tolerance
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing inductive angle sensors and torque sensors lack sufficient fault-tolerance, particularly against errors such as short circuits, open circuits, and missing or damaged components, which can lead to operational failures in critical applications like automotive and industrial settings.
Innovation Solution
The proposed solution involves an inductive angle sensor and torque sensor design that incorporates two integrated devices, two transmitter coils, and two sets of receiver coils, with cross-coupled transmitter coils between the integrated devices. This configuration provides hardware redundancy and enhances robustness against hardware failures, such as short circuits and disconnections, without increasing the number of pins on the integrated devices or requiring re-layout of semiconductor substrates.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a single integrated device with transmitter coil and receiver coils is used, then the device complexity is reduced, but the reliability is insufficient due to lack of redundancy against hardware failures
Solution Approach 1:
The sensor system is divided into two independent integrated devices (IC1 and IC2), each with its own transmitter coil and receiver coils. This segmentation provides redundancy so that if one device fails due to hardware errors like short circuits or open circuits, the other device can continue to operate, thereby improving fault-tolerance without requiring a completely separate backup system.
Solution Approach 2:
Each integrated device is designed with specific local functionality - IC1 with transmitter coil TX1 and receiver coils RX1a-RX1c, and IC2 with transmitter coil TX2 and receiver coils RX2a-RX2c. This local quality assignment allows independent operation and fault isolation, where failures in one device do not propagate to the other, enhancing overall system reliability.
2Reliability
If two integrated devices with cross-coupled transmitter coils are used, then the reliability is improved through redundancy, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The two integrated devices are merged into a single sensor system through inductive coupling between transmitter coils TX1 and TX2. This merging allows the system to function as a unified sensor while maintaining the redundancy benefits of two separate devices, achieving fault-tolerance without requiring complete system duplication.
Solution Approach 2:
The cross-coupled transmitter coil configuration provides multi-functionality: the system can operate normally with both devices functional, or it can continue to function with one device failed due to hardware errors. The evaluation circuits in both integrated devices can process signals from their respective receiver coils, providing universal operation capability regardless of which device is functional.
3Reliability
If the number of pins on integrated devices is increased to provide redundancy, then the reliability is improved, but the ease of manufacture is reduced due to pin count constraints
Solution Approach 1:
The redundancy is achieved through segmentation into two separate integrated devices, each with standard pin counts. This approach avoids the need to increase the pin count on individual devices while still providing fault-tolerance through the presence of multiple independent devices with overlapping functionality.
Solution Approach 2:
Instead of modifying existing integrated devices with additional pins, the solution uses copying by implementing two separate integrated devices with the same standard pin configurations. This copying approach provides redundancy while maintaining ease of manufacture, as no custom pin extensions are required.
4Reliability
If the semiconductor substrate layout is reconfigured to accommodate redundancy, then the reliability is improved, but the ease of manufacture is reduced due to layout complexity
Solution Approach 1:
The layout complexity is managed through segmentation by implementing two separate integrated devices with standard substrate layouts. Each device maintains its own optimized layout for its transmitter and receiver coils, avoiding the need to redesign existing semiconductor substrates while still achieving fault-tolerance through redundancy.
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 described design achieves fault-tolerance, allowing the sensors to continue operating with reduced accuracy in the presence of certain errors, thereby ensuring continued functionality and safety in critical applications. The solution does not compromise on the compactness or cost-effectiveness of the sensor systems.
Implementation Method 1
The excitation coil generates an alternating magnetic field, which is coupled to a set of receiver coils depending on an angular position of the coupling element
Implementation Method 2
at least one movable target for providing an inductive coupling between the inductively coupled transmitter coil system and each set of receiver coils
Data Source
Figure 1~2
Figure 3
Figure 4A~4B
AI summary
An Inductive angle sensor comprising: a number of inductively coupled transmitter coils (TX1, TX2) together forming an inductively coupled transmitter coil system; a number of receiver coil sets; a number of integrated devices (IC1, IC2) each having a first and a second oscillator pin (LCP1, LCN1; LCP2, LCN2), each integrated device having an excitation circuit (321) for providing an alternating signal over its oscillator pins, and having an evaluation circuit for evaluating signals obtained from a set of receiver coils; at least one movable target (412a, 412b) arranged in the vicinity of the receiver coils; wherein each transmitter coil (TX1) has a first end (TX1a) connected to a first oscillator pin (LCP1) of a first integrated device (IC1) and has a second end (TX1b) connected to a second oscillator pin (LCN2) of a subsequent integrated device (IC2).