VEHICLE COMMUNICATIONS NETWORK TRANSCEIVER, GROUND TRANSLATION CIRCUIT THEREFOR

Abstract: A ground translation circuit (54, 80, 90) in a transmitter (16) of a transceiver (10) of a data transmission network for transferring symbol information contained in analog pulses from circuits referenced to logic signal power (12) to circuits referenced to an independent DC voltage ground return (19) for transmission over a bus (18). Complementary ground translation circuits (100, 106, 114) in a receiver (20) of the transceiver (10) for transferring the analog pulses referenced with respect to the independent DC ground return (19) back to circuits referenced to logic signal power (12).

Description: VEHICLE COMMUNICATIONS NETWORK TRANSCEIVER. GROUND TRANSLATION CIRCUIT THEREFOR In communications networks where multiplexing schemes transfer pulse signals from one node to another, usually ground loops become a source of noise. Noise results especially when large distances separate multiple ground points and during employment of low-level analog circuits. It becomes necessary to provide some form of discrimination or isolation against ground path noise and direct current offset voltages. Grounding of nodes in multinode systems occur at different points resulting in potential differences between grounds; e.g., chassis ground and signal ground. Grounding components in vehicles necessitate this grounding approach. This usually causes unwanted noise voltages in the network. The magnitude of signal levels compared to noise voltages in the network provides a signal-to- noise ratio. If the signal-to-noise ratio affects network operations, then effort to improve the ratio must take place. Past noise reduction remedies included two basic approaches: 1) avoid the ground loops by removing one of the type grounds and converting the system to a single-point ground network. (This provides an impractical remedy since DC currents cause very large voltage drops) ; 2) eliminate or minimize the effects of multiple grounds by isolating the two or more circuits. Isolation can be achieved by using: 1) transformers, 2) common-mode chokes, 3) optical couplers and 4) balanced circuitry. Such techniques yield favorable results, but these techniques require large numbers of isolating components. Such components are costly and may introduce other adverse effects entirely unanticipated. In an effort to minimize isolation problems in multinode networks, a search took place to find other means of isolating ground loops in multinode networks. That search resulted in the present invention which substantially eliminates noise potentials between grounds in multinode networks. The present invention concerns combatting ground noise within transceivers and between transceivers of nodes associated with a multiplexed communications system. In each transceiver, current mirror and programmed control current techniques permit translating analog symbol signals from digital and analog signal ground circuits to circuits associated with bus ground. This transfer occurs with some voltage gain in the signal but without any voltage offsets due to ground noise and with no loss in integrity of the symbol signals. Fig. 1 (A-E) illustrates in block diagram form previous remedies for minimizing ground loop problems in multinode networks; Fig. 2 depicts a multinode network in which the circuits of the present invention apply; Fig. 3 illustrates in schematic and block diagram form a transceiver employing the translation scheme of this invention. With reference to Fig. 1 (previous ground loop circuit solutions) , Fig. 1A depicts a system grounded at two different points with a potential difference (Vg) between a signal ground and a chassis ground. One approach for isolating the noise shown in Fig. IB requires a transformer. The ground noise voltage now appears between the transformer windings and not at the input to the circuit. Such transformers are costly and multiple circuits require multiple transformers. Prior solution technique of Fig. 1C depicts two circuits isolated with a transformer connected as a common-mode choke (also called a longitudinal choke, neutralizing transformer or balun) . This transformer arrangement will transmit DC and differential-mode signals while offering high impedance to common-mode noise current. Fig. ID depicts optical coupling as a means for eliminating common-mode noise. Such coupling breaks the metallic path between two grounds, but optical couplers usually perform poorly for analog circuits because of unsatisfactory linearity through the couplers. Such circuits require two-way networks to accomplish bi-directional communication. Fig. IE illustrates a balanced circuit. In this circuit, common-mode voltages induce equal currents in both halves of the balanced circuit and the balanced receiver responds only to differences between the two inputs. The better the balance, the larger the amount of common-mode rejection. These prior solutions require specific components for developing isolation in the network. These specific components perform the intended isolation function but usually without enhancing the quality of the pulse transmissions. Fig. 2 depicts a multiplexing network 1 that includes the novel isolation scheme contained in a transceiver of the present invention. With the negative terminal grounded to the chassis of a vehicle, battery 2 supplies battery power (+ jjatt ) to the network nodes. Each 5-volt DC regulated power supply 3 of nodes 4-4 receives jjatt and provides, at an output terminal, suitable regulated 5 Vdc to a plurality of signal conditioning circuits. In addition to the regulated power source 3, each node 4 contains a microcontroller (MCU) 5, preferably an 8-bit, single-chip microcontroller, a suitable symbol encoder/decoder(SED) 7, a transceiver 10 and a termination network 11. MCU 5 receives sensor or switch signals and then uses the signals to generate control signals for manipulating SED 7 to produce a plurality of message symbols in a suitable VPWM format. Transceiver 10, interfaced with bus 18 through a termination network 11, accepts the message symbols from SED 7 and translates message symbols referenced with respect to a signal ground return circuit to message symbols referenced with respect to bus ground return. Transceiver 10 then transmits the messages over bus 18 in an analog VPWM format to other nodes 4-4. Each transceiver 10 contains waveshaping and bus transfer circuits. A separate ground return (signal ground return 12) relates to waveshaping circuits while an independent ground return 19 relates to bus transfer circuits. The waveshaping circuits of the transceiver appear in a co-pending patent application of the present inventors, Serial No. 07/951,988, filed September 28, 1992. Bus 18, unlike conventional single- wire buses, does not depend on a large number of turns of twisted wire or shielding material to minimize noise. Bus 18 routes throughout the small area network as an untwisted wire with untwisted wire extensions depending from each node. Some of the noise control results from shaping of the VPWM signals received at the transmitting and receiving portion of transceiver 10. Also in Fig. 2, block diagrams portray several other nodes 4-4 employing the transceiver 10. The single-wire bus 18 routes to interconnect the other nodes 4-4. Transceiver 10 includes both transmitter (TRMTR) 16 and receiver (RCVR) 20 circuits. This invention discloses the ground translation circuits in TRMTR 16 and RCVR 20. With reference now to Fig. 3, this figure depicts in partial block diagram and schematic diagram form a transceiver 10 of the present invention. SED 7 of Fig. 2 produces a plurality of message symbols in a suitable VPWM square-wave format. The square wave signal enters buffer 22 at port A of Fig. 3 and then leaves through port B to enter bounded integrator 24. Integrator 24 inverts and integrates the square-wave signal and then produces at an output port C a symmetrical trapezoid type waveform signal. The trapezoid signal carries pulses having edges with lengthened rise and fall times, reduced amplitudes and established trigger-point-voltages. The established trigger-point-voltages maintain each symbol length equidistant with respect to the pulse width of the symbols expressed in the input square-wave waveform. Bounded waveshaper 36 receives the output signal from bounded integrator 24 at point C. Waveshaper 36 reshapes both pulse corners at the extremities of each edge over a chosen duration. It then produces at port D another trapezoid waveform signal in phase with the input waveforms which includes pulses with increased curvature corners and increased amplitudes with respect to the trip-point voltage. The reshaped trapezoid waveform signal at point D enters voltage-to-current converter device 54 and gets transformed into a controlling voltage for the input loop of buffer transistor 60. The voltage-to-current converter device 54 includes an operational amplifier (op- amp) 58 and transistor 60. The reshaped trapezoid waveform signal at port D applies to a non-inverting terminal of op-amp 58. Op-amp 58 performs a voltage difference measurement with respect to a comparable waveform generated from a feedback associated circuit 70 applied to an inverting terminal. The output of op-amp 58, an analog signal, gets amplified and applied to the base of transistor 60 through a base resistor 62 providing base current to the input loop of the transistor. Battery current from current mirror 80 enters, through the collector terminal, the output loop of transistor 60. This output loop provides a programmed current-sink circuit used to sink current at port E routed from a current mirror circuit 80. Transistor 60 controls the amount of current-sinking between the collector and emitter terminals. Changes in the base voltage cause corresponding changes in the emitter voltage across the emitter resistor 64. Current mirror device 80 connected, in this embodiment to raw battery power, reacts to controlled current signals of buffer transistor 60 in the voltage-to-current converter device 54 connected to one output of device 80. Current mirror device 80 uses the technique of matched base-emitter biasing of matched-pair dual PNP transistors 82 and 84 to produce a current source output which mirrors the controlled current signal. Transistor 82 of the matched pairs acts as a reference.diode with its base terminal shorted to the collector terminal. The current output path of referenced diode 82 routes to the collector of buffer transistor 60 of device 54 and returns to signal ground 12. When transistor 60 operates, it sinks the reference diode current to signal ground. This causes a Vbe of transistor 82 appropriate to that current at the circuit temperature and for that transistor type. Transistor 84 matched to transistor 82 thereby sources the same current to another transistor 92 connected as a reference diode. The emitter of transistor 92 returns current through an emitter resistor 95 to bus return 19, a return independent of signal ground 12. With transistor 92 connected as the second reference diode, the voltage across resistor 95 clamps at one diode drop below the voltage appearing at port F. The pulse voltage across resistor 95 and independent ground 19, illustratively, of about 8.0 V_ , exhibits about 4 times the pulse voltage appearing across resistor 64 and signal ground 12. The PW of both pulses remain constant at, illustratively, 64 μs at the trip points regardless of the changes in ground potential in each node of the network. Hence, any voltage offsets of the signal and bus grounds in each node will not affect the symbol timing content of the messages transferred over the bus. As mentioned supra, the voltage appearing at port F, about 4 times the pulse voltage across resistor 64 of device 54, provides base voltage to emitter-follower connected transistor 97 of base driver circuit 90. The voltage at the emitter of transistor 97 follows the base voltage; hence, transistor 97 sources current to bus 18 now referenced to independent bus return 19. Resistor 96 and cap¬ acitor 98 form a termination network for bus 18. From bus 18 at node 21, bus current, referenced to bus return 19, and symbol information immediately route back to the input of receiver 20, an active load. There, another voltage-to-current converter circuit 100, including an operational amplifier 102 and a buffer transistor 104, controls the pulse current in an input circuit of another current mirror circuit 106. Current mirror circuit 106 comprised of referenced diode 108 and output transistor 110 supplies programmed pulse current to load resistor 112 referenced now to signal ground 12 in an output circuit. Translation of signals from bus return 19 back to signal return 12 occur in current mirror circuit 106. Comparator 114 compares the voltage across resistor 112 with a fixed referenced voltage. The output of comparator 114 provides digital pulse signals referenced with respect to signal ground to SED 7 of Fig. 2. SED 7 uses the digital signal to extract symbol information from the pulses. It is to be understood that the above- described embodiment mainly illustrates the principles of the present invention. Although a combination of discrete component/integrated circuit embodiment is disclosed, a combination integrated circuit/firmware/software equivalent could be developed. One skilled in the art may make changes and modifications to the embodiment disclosed herein and may devise other embodiments without departing from the scope and essential characteristics thereof.

Claims: C L A I M S 1. A ground translation circuit for translating analog signals from a first ground return to a second ground return comprising: a) a first voltage-to-current converter for receiving at an input terminal the analog voltage signals as voltage waveforms referenced to the first ground return and after converting the voltage waveforms to analog current signals producing at an output terminal analog current waveforms that complement the analog voltage signals placed at the input terminals; b) a single wire bus referenced with respect to a second ground return separate from the signal ground return; c) an active load connected to the bus to receive the sourced analog current signals, the active load containing 1) a second voltage- to-current converter for converting potential differences existing between the sourced analog current signal and the second ground return to another analog current signal at an output terminal referenced with respect to the second ground return, 2) a voltage comparator referenced with respect to the signal ground return, and 3) a second current mirror circuit connected between the second voltage-to-current converter and the voltage comparator and connected to receive an input voltage from the raw power source referenced with respect to the second ground return, the second current mirror circuit also having a pair of substantially matched transistors with the DC voltage signals between the base and emitter of the transistors restrained to be equal, the DC current signals from a collector of one of the transistors being coupled to the output of the second voltage-to- current converter so that the second converter controls the sinking of the collector current to the second ground return, the collector of the other transistor sourcing a same amount of analog current signals to a first input terminal of the voltage comparator, a second terminal of the comparator receiving DC current signals from a fixed voltage source of a chosen potential referenced with respect to the signal ground return so that the comparator produces at an output terminal digital pulses having pulse widths equal to the pulse widths of the analog voltage signals applied to the input of the first voltage-to-current converter; and d) a current mirror circuit connected to receive an input direct current (DC) voltage from a raw power source referenced with respect to the second ground return, the current mirror circuit having a pair of substantially matched transistors with the DC voltage between the base and emitter of the transistors restrained to be equal, the current from a collector of one of the transistors being coupled to the output of the first voltage-to-current converter so that the first converter controls the amount of sinking of the collector current to signal ground return, the collector of the other transistor sourcing a same amount of analog current signals to the bus. 2. Apparatus as in claim 1, wherein translation of the analog signal from signal ground return to the second ground return occurs in the first current mirror and the translation of the analog signal from the second ground return back to the signal ground return occurs in the second current mirror. 3. Apparatus of claim 2, wherein the second ground return is the bus ground return. 4. Apparatus as in claim 3, wherein the pulse width of the analog signal remains consistent throughout the transfer from the input terminal of the first voltage-to-current converter to the output terminal of the voltage comparator. 5. Within a transceiver in nodes of a vehicle communications network for transmitting and receiving variable pulse width modulated (VPWM) symbol information over a single wire bus to a plurality of other nodes in the vehicle, the symbol pulses retaining consistent symbol time information during the transmissions, each node receiving DC voltage signals from a vehicle battery includes a regulated power source providing logic signal power and a logic signal return, a microcontroller that operates off signal power and a symbol encoder and decoder (SED) device for supporting bi-directional transmission of variable pulse width modulated (VPWM) symbol data between nodes, a ground translation circuit comprising: a) a first voltage-to-current converter in a transmitter circuit of the transceiver for receiving at an input terminal the analog voltage signals as voltage waveforms referenced to the logic signal ground return from a signal conditioning circuit in the transceiver and, after converting the voltage waveforms to analog current signals, producing at an output terminal analog current waveforms that complement the analog voltage signals placed at the input terminals; b) a current mirror circuit connected to receive an input direct current (DC) voltage from the vehicle battery referenced with respect to an independent battery ground return, the current mirror circuit having a pair of substantially matched transistors with DC voltage between the base and emitter of the transistors restrained to be equal, the DC current signals from a collector of one of the transistors being coupled to the output of the first voltage to current converter so that the analog current signals of the first converter controls the sinking of the collector DC current signals to signal ground return, the collector of the other transistor sourcing a like amount of analog current signals to the bus; c) a receiver circuit of the transceiver connected to the bus to receive the sourced analog current signals, the receiver containing 1) a second voltage-to-current converter for converting potential differences existing between the sourced analog current signal and the independent battery ground return to another analog current signal at an output terminal referenced with respect to the independent ground return, 2) a voltage comparator referenced with respect to the signal ground return, and 3) a second current mirror circuit connected between the second voltage to current converter and the voltage comparator and connected to receive input DC voltage signals from the vehicle battery referenced with respect to the independent ground return, the second current mirror circuit also having a pair of substantially matched transistors with DC voltage signals between the base and emitter of the transistors restrained to be equal, the DC current signals from a collector of one of the transistors being coupled to the output of the second voltage-to-current converter so that the analog current signals from the second voltage- to-current converter controls the sinking of the collector current to the independent ground return, the collector of the other transistor sourcing a like amount of analog current signals to a first input terminal of the voltage comparator, a second terminal of the comparator receiving DC current signals from a fixed voltage source of a chosen potential referenced with respect to the signal ground return so that the comparator produces at an output terminal digital pulses having pulse widths equal to the pulse widths of the analog voltage signals applied to the input of the first voltage-to- current converter. 6. A current mirror circuit for receiving a message signal referenced to a first ground potential and producing at an output terminal the same message signal referenced to a second ground potential, independent of the first ground potential associated with a plurality of terminating loads.

Inventors: HORMEL RONALD F, MIESTERFELD FREDERICK O, HORMEL, RONALD, F., MIESTERFELD, FREDERICK, O.
Applicants: CHRYSLER CORP, CHRYSLER CORPORATION
Application year: 1995
Main classification: H04L25
IPC codes: B60R16, H04B3, H04B15, H04L12, H04L25