Sensor Device Noise Signal Evaluation for Malfunction Detection
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Solution Overview
Problem
In safety-critical applications like automotive systems, existing sensor devices face challenges in efficiently detecting malfunctions and authenticating components, particularly due to the need for redundancy and the difficulty in distinguishing between genuine and counterfeit components based on sensor signals.
Innovation Solution
The integration of an evaluation circuit that analyzes noise signal components within sensor signals to identify potential malfunctions and authenticate sensor devices, utilizing specific noise patterns generated by different components to determine authenticity and detect deviations from typical noise patterns.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If redundancy is provided by using two separate sensors for measuring the same physical quantity, then malfunction detection capability is improved, but chip space requirement increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the sensor device into multiple functional components (sensor element, amplifier, ADC, evaluation circuit) that can be independently analyzed. By evaluating noise characteristics from different components within a single sensor device, the system achieves malfunction detection capability equivalent to redundancy without requiring additional sensor chips.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces noise signal evaluation as an intermediary mechanism to detect malfunctions. Instead of directly comparing measurements from redundant sensors, the system uses noise characteristics as an indirect indicator of component health, enabling malfunction detection with a single sensor device.
2Reliability
If noise signal component is added by at least one further component, then authentication capability is improved, but signal processing complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent converts the harmful noise signal, which is typically considered interference to be eliminated, into a beneficial authentication feature. By deliberately adding known noise patterns from specific components and evaluating their characteristics, the system creates a unique noise fingerprint that authenticates the sensor device without requiring complex cryptographic schemes.
3Productivity
If noise signal component is evaluated to obtain information about sensor device, then detection efficiency is improved, but measurement precision requirement increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent performs preliminary characterization of noise signals during the manufacturing and calibration phase. By pre-storing reference noise patterns and evaluation criteria in the sensor device or evaluation system, the actual runtime detection requires only simple comparisons rather than complex real-time analysis, reducing both computational load and precision requirements during operation.
Data Source
AI summary
Various devices, systems and methods are disclosed where a noise signal component of a sensor signal is used to obtain information about a sensor device. A device may include an evaluation circuit that is configured to receive a sensor signal having a noise signal component, and the evaluation circuit is further configured to evaluate the noise signal component to obtain information about a sensor device generating the sensor signal.