Sensor Wheel Rotation Detection with Redundant Position and Phase Signals

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Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional sensors for detecting rotation characteristics of rotating elements require significant installation space, are complex to replace, and often suffer from contouring errors and inaccuracies, especially at high rotational speeds.

Innovation Solution

A sensor system comprising a sensor wheel with a profile, a position sensor, a phase sensor, digital and incremental interfaces, and a control unit that generates absolute and incremental signals to accurately determine rotation characteristics, allowing for improved accuracy and reduced complexity through redundant sensor information and real-time incremental signal output.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If conventional sensors are used to detect rotation characteristics, then rotation detection function is provided, but installation space requirement increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improverotation detection functionVSAvoidinstallation space

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSArea of stationary object

Solution Approach 1:

The patent combines multiple sensor functions (position sensing and phase sensing) into a single sensor system with a unified sensor wheel and sensor arrangement. This integration allows the system to provide both absolute position detection and incremental rotation characteristic detection while reducing the overall installation space compared to using separate conventional sensors.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The sensor system is designed to perform multiple functions simultaneously: it detects absolute position via the position sensor and sensor wheel profile, while also detecting rotation characteristics (angular velocity, rotational speed, angular acceleration) via the phase sensor. This multi-functionality eliminates the need for multiple separate sensors, thereby reducing installation space.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

2Reliability

If conventional sensors are used for rotation detection, then rotation characteristics can be determined, but replacement complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improverotation detection capabilityVSAvoidreplacement complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSEase of repair

Solution Approach 1:

The sensor system is designed as a modular unit with distinct functional components (sensor wheel, position sensor, phase sensor, evaluation unit) that can be independently accessed and replaced. The sensor wheel can be separated from the rotating element, and the sensor arrangement can be replaced as a compact module, significantly reducing replacement complexity compared to conventional distributed sensor systems.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

3Reliability

If conventional sensors are used to measure rotation angle, then basic rotation detection is achieved, but measurement precision deteriorates at high rotational speeds

Engineering Contradiction:

Improverotation angle detectionVSAvoidrotation angle accuracy at high speed

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSMeasurement precision

Solution Approach 1:

The evaluation unit processes signals from both the position sensor and phase sensor to provide feedback-corrected rotation angle measurements. The phase sensor provides incremental information that can be used to refine the absolute position measurements, compensating for errors that occur at high rotational speeds and maintaining high measurement precision.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #23Feedback

Solution Approach 2:

The sensor system uses a composite sensing approach combining two different sensing principles (absolute position sensing via sensor wheel profile and incremental phase sensing) to achieve high measurement precision. The combination of these two sensing methods compensates for the limitations of each individual method, particularly at high rotational speeds where single-method systems suffer from contouring errors.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #40Composite materials

4Reliability

If conventional sensors are used for rotation detection, then basic functionality is provided, but system complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improverotation detection functionVSAvoidcircuit complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The evaluation unit integrates the signal processing functions for both position detection and rotation characteristic detection into a single circuit architecture. By combining the evaluation of absolute position signals and incremental phase signals in one unit, the system reduces overall circuit complexity compared to using separate evaluation circuits for each sensor type.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Data Source

PatentUS11493364B2Sensor system for determining at least one rotation characteristic of an element rotating around at least one rotation axis

Publication Date: 2022.11.08 ROBERT BOSCH GMBH

AI summary

A sensor system for determining at least one rotation characteristic of an element rotating around at least one rotation axis. The sensor system includes at least one sensor wheel, which is connectable to the rotating element, the sensor wheel having a sensor wheel profile. The sensor system also includes at least one position sensor and at least one phase sensor. The sensor system further includes at least one digital interface and at least one incremental interface, the sensor system being configured to output at least one absolute position signal generated with the aid of the position sensor via the digital interface and to output at least one incremental signal generated with the aid of the phase sensor via the incremental interface.