Temperature Sensor Fault Detection via Average Reference
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing temperature monitoring systems in powertrain control architectures face issues with inaccurate fault detection due to extreme environmental conditions and electrical noise, leading to reduced signal resolution and a risk of falsely indicating faults, which requires significant engineering effort and resource consumption.
Innovation Solution
A method that calculates an average sensor reading from a subset of temperature sensing circuits and compares individual readings to this average, identifying faults when deviations exceed a threshold, thereby reducing false positives and improving fault detection accuracy.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a mathematical model is used to predict temperature and compare with measured temperature for fault detection, then fault detection capability is improved, but engineering effort, memory consumption, and execution time increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of using a complex mathematical model to predict temperature, the patent creates a simplified copy by using readings from other temperature sensors in the same circuit as a reference. This reference sensor approach provides a practical approximation without requiring extensive modeling, calibration, or computational resources, thus resolving the contradiction between detection capability and resource consumption
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces an intermediary reference temperature sensor that mediates between the measured temperature and the expected temperature. Rather than directly comparing measured temperature against a complex model prediction, the system uses the reference sensor reading as an intermediate reference point, simplifying the comparison process while maintaining fault detection effectiveness
2Reliability
If rationality tests are executed during extreme environmental conditions or noisy electrical conditions, then comprehensive monitoring is improved, but false fault indications increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies partial action by comparing temperature readings only within a specific subset of sensors in the same circuit, rather than requiring all sensors to meet strict criteria. This selective comparison approach allows the system to operate during extreme conditions without requiring perfect conditions across the entire system, thus maintaining monitoring coverage while reducing false positives
Solution Approach 2:
The patent segments the temperature sensing system into multiple independent circuits, each with its own reference sensor. By segmenting the monitoring into circuit-specific comparisons rather than system-wide comparisons, the system can tolerate environmental variations and electrical noise that would affect the entire system uniformly, thereby maintaining precision while preserving comprehensive monitoring coverage
3Measurement precision
If operating conditions are limited to reduce false positives, then fault detection accuracy is improved, but signal resolution and temperature sensing range are reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the parameter being monitored from absolute temperature values to temperature differences or deviations from reference readings. By transforming the measurement parameter from raw temperature to relative temperature variation, the system can detect faults across the entire temperature sensing range without being constrained by extreme environmental conditions, thus maintaining both accuracy and adaptability
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates a universal fault detection method that works across all operating conditions and temperature ranges by using relative comparisons rather than absolute thresholds. The reference sensor approach provides a condition-independent baseline that enables consistent fault detection whether the system is operating in cold, hot, or noisy conditions, thus achieving universality across different operating environments
Data Source
AI summary
A method and an article of manufacture are provided to monitor a temperature sensing circuit and detect a fault therein. The method comprises monitoring sensor readings output from a plurality of temperature sensing circuits. An average sensor reading is determined, calculated from the sensor readings output from a subset of the temperature sensing circuits. Each of the sensor readings is compared to the average sensor reading. A fault is identified when one of the sensor readings deviates from the average sensor reading by an amount greater than a threshold, more particularly when one of the sensor readings deviates from the average sensor reading by an amount greater than the threshold at least a quantity of X times out of Y sensor readings.