Microcontroller Sensor I/O Circuit for Three-State Fault Detection
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing sensor circuitries with microcontrollers face challenges in distinguishing between normal sensor states and failure states, often requiring additional pins or complex timing schemes that increase costs and computational effort.
Innovation Solution
A sensor circuitry with a combination of two transistors in series, coupled with a microcontroller, allows for the transmission of three distinct states - a first state via a first transistor, a second state via a second transistor, and a third state when both transistors are deactivated, enabling the microcontroller to differentiate between these states using a third transistor without additional pins.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If additional pins are used for chip-to-chip communication between sensor circuitry and microcontroller, then communication capability is improved, but device complexity and manufacturing costs increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines multiple communication functions into a single shared signal line. The sensor circuitry and microcontroller use the same signal line for both data transmission and status indication by employing different signal levels and timing sequences, eliminating the need for additional dedicated pins while maintaining full communication capability.
Solution Approach 2:
The signal line is designed to serve multiple purposes: it can transmit sensor data, indicate failure status, and provide acknowledgment signals. By making the signal line universal and multi-functional, the patent reduces the total number of pins required while preserving all necessary communication functions.
2Reliability
If timing schemes with continuous time measurement are used for live ticks, then communication reliability is improved, but computational effort on microcontroller side increases
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of continuous time measurement, the patent employs periodic signaling where the sensor circuitry sends live tick indicators at regular intervals using distinct signal levels. The microcontroller simply detects these periodic signal transitions without needing to continuously measure time, reducing computational effort while maintaining communication reliability.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces the microcontroller's active time-measurement mechanism with a passive signal-detection approach. The sensor circuitry generates periodic electrical signals that directly encode timing information, allowing the microcontroller to rely on signal detection rather than continuous timing calculations, thereby reducing computational burden.
Data Source
AI summary
Circuitry in combination with a microcontroller, the circuitry comprising a first transistor and a second transistor, both arranged in series having a signal I/O in between; wherein the first transistor is configured to output a first state to the signal I/O dependent on a first (sensor) signal; wherein the second transistor is configured to output a second state to the signal I/O dependent a second signal; wherein the signal I/O is configured to provide a third state if the first and the second transistors are deactivated.