A pressure sensor system for determining fluid level in a tank, includes a pressure sensor constructed to exhibit a force value corresponding to a sensed force, and a computer operatively coupled to the pressure sensor. A tank containing fluid is also includes and there is a communication link between the pressure sensor and the tank, thereby allowing determination of the level of fluid in the tank by calibration and interpretation of the force value exhibited by the pressure sensor.

A sensor device includes an electrically conductive base substrate defining a first electrode kept at a reference potential, a membrane defining a second electrode that changes a position thereof in response to a change of surrounding pressure and faces the base substrate, a casing that is kept at the reference potential and is outside the membrane, a capacitance detection circuit to amplify a signal from the membrane and detect an electrostatic capacitance between electrodes at a predetermined sampling cycle, and a signal processing circuit to measure a difference ΔC of electrostatic capacitance values before and after a sampling, compare the difference AC with a predetermined threshold value Cta, and when ΔC≥Cta, determine that a foreign object is attached to the casing. Thus, the attachment of a foreign object can be reliably detected.

According to one embodiment, a calibration method includes placing a pressure sensor on a base material having magnetic properties, placing a magnet on the pressure sensor, attracting the magnet to the base material while interposing the pressure sensor therebetween and applying a predetermined pressing force onto the pressure sensor, detecting a sensor output of a pressure-sensitive portion pressed by the magnet, estimating the deterioration of the pressure sensor by comparing the sensor output with a specified value corresponding to characteristics of the magnet, generating correction data to calibrate the degradation and inputting the generated correction data to the pressure sensor.

A control device for an internal combustion engine is provided that can detect the adherence of deposits to a cylinder pressure sensor without subjecting the internal combustion engine to an impact or the like. A control device for an internal combustion engine equipped with a cylinder pressure sensor detects changes in the sensitivity of the cylinder pressure sensor. If the control device detects a decrease in the sensitivity of the cylinder pressure sensor after detecting an increase in the sensitivity of the cylinder pressure sensor, the control device determines that deposits are adhered to the cylinder pressure sensor.

A method for detecting a wiring fault in a capacitive sensor (1), such as a knock sensor, connected, via a passive acquisition interface (5), to a communication port (P1), that can be configured in either input mode or output mode, of a computer (2), wherein the communication port (P1) is configured in output mode, and a square wave voltage Vn capable of at least partially charging the capacitors (C6, C7, C8a, C8b, C10) of the acquisition interface (5) and the capacitive sensor (1) is generated during a time interval Tc, after which the communication port is switched to its input mode, so that at least one data element representative of the voltage of the capacitors and of the capacitive sensor is acquired, and finally these data are compared with previously stored reference data so that a wiring fault can be deduced if there is no matching between the data.

Systems, devices, and methods for a two wire detection circuit powered system comprising: an electronic switch circuit configured to sense a pressure level above or below a predetermined value and indicate an open or closed switch condition, where the electronic switch circuit provides a contact resistance voltage of about 20 mV in the closed switch condition; and an energy harvester configured to convert 20 mV when the electronic switch circuit is in the closed switch condition to an operating voltage between 3.6 Volts and 5 Volts for the electronic switch circuit to operate without an additional power source.

The present tool and method relate to device fault detection, diagnosis and prognosis. More particularly, the present tool and method store in a database a plurality of measured indicators representative of at least one dynamic condition of the device. The present tool and method further binarize by a processor the plurality of measured indicators, and analyze the plurality of binarized measured indicators using a machine learning data tool for extracting at least one pattern from the binarized measured indicators by adding at least one different constraint to each iteration. The at least one extracted pattern is indicative of whether the device has a fault or not.

The fuel pressure sensor abnormality diagnosis apparatus diagnoses that a fuel pressure sensor is abnormal in the case where, because a state where a detected value of the fuel pressure sensor is less than a target value occurs, a fuel discharge amount of a fuel pump is increased, and as a result, the fuel discharge amount reaches its maximum amount, and even if a predetermined period has elapsed since the fuel discharge amount reaches its maximum amount, the detected value is less than the target value.

An external impact avoiding part makes a sensor failure detection part withhold from determining that a right or left door pressure sensor has failed when a right-left detection difference calculated at first time is a threshold value or larger, and makes a detection value comparison part calculate the right-left detection difference again after a calming time has elapsed. An effect of closing operation of a right door on the right door pressure sensor or an effect of closing operation of a left door on the left door pressure sensor reduces during the calming time. The avoiding part subsequently makes the detection part compare the right-left detection difference calculated again with the threshold value. As a result of the comparison, when the right-left detection difference is the threshold value or larger, the avoiding part makes the detection part determine that the right or left door pressure sensor has failed.

Systems, devices, and methods for a two wire detection circuit powered system comprising: an electronic switch circuit configured to sense a pressure level above or below a predetermined value and indicate an open or closed switch condition, wherein the electronic switch circuit provides a contact resistance voltage of about 20 mV in the closed switch condition; and an energy harvester configured to convert 20 mV when the electronic switch circuit is in the closed switch condition to an operating voltage between 3.6 Volts and 5 Volts for the electronic switch circuit to operate without an additional power source.