METHOD OF OPERATING A SENSOR ASSEMBLY FOR A FLUID TANK OF A MOTOR VEHICLE, AND CORRESPONDING SENSOR ASSEMBLY

Abstract

In a method of operating a sensor assembly for a fluid tank of a motor vehicle, plural sensor elements of the sensor assembly are electrically connected to a sensor controller. The sensor controller determines measuring data from the sensor elements, and transmits the measuring data from at least some of the sensor elements separately and at least in part sequentially to a reprogrammable control unit.

Claims

1. A method of operating a sensor assembly for a fluid tank of a motor vehicle, comprising: electrically connecting plural sensor elements of the sensor assembly to a sensor controller; determining by the sensor controller measuring data from the sensor elements; and transmitting the measuring data from at least some of the sensor elements separately and at least in part sequentially to a reprogrammable control unit.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising providing the sensor controller with an unchangeable programming.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the sensor elements are linked to the sensor controller separately from one another, and further comprising activating the sensor elements by the sensor controller in parallel via their link for determining the measuring data.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein at least some of the sensor elements are jointly linked to the sensor controller, and further comprising activating the sensor elements by the sensor controller multiplexed via their link for determining the measuring data.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the measuring data of all sensor elements are transmitted sequentially to the control unit.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the measuring data are transmitted to the control unit via a single wire interface.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the measuring data are transmitted to the control unit via a two-wire interface.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising determining by the control unit on the basis of the measuring data at least one parameter selected from the group consisting of a fill level of the fluid tank, a physical state value for each of subvolumes of the fluid tank, and a cavity parameter of at least one cavity formed by a fluid in the fluid tank.

9. The method of claim 8, further comprising considering at least one state parameter of the motor vehicle, when determining the parameter.

10. The method of claim 8, further comprising operating by the control unit an actuator, which is operably connected to the fluid tank, as a function of the parameter.

11. The method of claim 1, further comprising executing by the control unit on the basis of the measuring data a functional test of the sensor assembly.

12. A sensor assembly for a fluid tank of a motor vehicle, comprising: a sensor controller; a plurality of sensor elements electrically connected to the sensor controller; and a reprogrammable control unit, said sensor controller being configured to determine measuring data outputted by the sensor elements and to transmit the measuring data for at least some of the sensor elements separately and at least in part sequentially to the control unit.

13. The sensor assembly of claim 12, wherein the sensor controller is provided with an unchangeable programming.

14. The sensor assembly of claim 12, wherein the sensor elements are linked to the sensor controller separately from one another, said sensor controller activating the sensor elements in parallel via their link for determining the measuring data.

15. The sensor assembly of claim 12, wherein at least some of the sensor elements are jointly linked to the sensor controller, said sensor controller activating the sensor elements multiplexed via their link for determining the measuring data.

16. The sensor assembly of claim 12, wherein the measuring data of all sensor elements are transmitted sequentially to the control unit.

17. The sensor assembly of claim 12, wherein the measuring data are transmitted to the control unit via a single wire interface.

18. The sensor assembly of claim 12, wherein the measuring data are transmitted to the control unit via a two-wire interface.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING

[0038] Other features and advantages of the present invention will be more readily apparent upon reading the following description of currently preferred exemplified embodiments of the invention with reference to the accompanying drawing, in which the sole FIG. 1 shows a schematic illustration of a fluid tank of a motor vehicle with a sensor assembly according to the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0039] The depicted embodiment is to be understood as illustrative of the invention and not as limiting in any way. It should also be understood that the figure may not necessarily be to scale. In certain instances, details which are not necessary for an understanding of the present invention or which render other details difficult to perceive may have been omitted.

[0040] Turning now to FIG. 1, there is shown a schematic illustration of a fluid tank, generally designated by reference numeral 1, of a motor vehicle which is not shown in greater detail. The fluid tank 1 includes a sensor assembly 2 which in the exemplified embodiment shown in FIG. 1 includes a plurality of sensor elements 3, of which only few are depicted by way of example. The sensor elements 3 are electrically connected to a sensor controller 4 of the sensor assembly 2.

[0041] Currently preferred is a configuration in which all the sensor elements 3 are separately connected to the sensor controller 4, i.e. via distinct signal lines. The sensor controller 4 is connected via a two-wire interface 5 to a control unit 6. Instead of the two-line interface 5, the provision of any other interface is, of course, also conceivable.

[0042] The sensor elements 3 provide measuring data which are ascertained by the sensor controller 4, for example at least in part, advantageously entirely, in parallel. In the latter case, the sensor controller 4 simultaneously queries all sensor elements 3 and stores the corresponding measuring data. Provision may be made for a correction of the measuring data determined by the sensor controller 4 and subsequent storage of the corrected measuring data.

[0043] The measuring data are then transmitted from the sensor controller 4 via the two-wire interface 5 to the control unit 6. This is implemented for at least some of the sensor elements 3 separately, so that the control unit 6 receives from the sensor controller 4 separate measuring data of at least some of the sensor elements 3. Advantageously, the measuring data of all sensor elements 3 are transmitted separately from one another to the control unit 6, so that the measuring data are present initially in the sensor assembly 4 and subsequently in the control unit 6.

[0044] Transmission of the measuring data is realized at least in part sequentially, so that initially the measuring data of one of the sensor elements 3 and the measuring data of another one of the sensor elements 3 and so forth are transmitted, until the measuring data for all sensor elements 3 have been transmitted to the control unit 6.

[0045] The control unit 6 is reprogrammable, which means that a program code stored in the control unit 6 can be easily exchanged. The sensor controller 4 on the other hand has an unchangeable programming and may be composed of discrete components.

[0046] The control unit 6 assumes the task of analyzing the measuring data after having received the measuring data. For example, the control unit 6 determines on the basis of the measuring data a fill level of a fluid 7 in the fluid tank 1. In addition or as an alternative, the control unit 6 may also determine a physical state of the fluid 7 for particular subvolumes of the fluid tank 1. Also detection of a cavity or determination of a corresponding cavity parameter can easily be implemented by the control unit 6 and analysis of the measuring data by the control unit 6.

[0047] While the invention has been illustrated and described in connection with currently preferred embodiments shown and described in detail, it is not intended to be limited to the details shown since various modifications and structural changes may be made without departing in any way from the spirit and scope of the present invention. The embodiments were chosen and described in order to explain the principles of the invention and practical application to thereby enable a person skilled in the art to best utilize the invention and various embodiments with various modifications as are suited to the particular use contemplated.