Patent Document

RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     The present patent application claims priority to U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 61/351,689 filed Jun. 4, 2010. The entire contents which are herein incorporated by reference. 
    
    
     BACKGROUND 
     The present invention relates to ultrasonic sensors and, more particularly to the diagnostic assessment of such sensors. 
     Ultrasonic transducers can be used to measure a distance to the surface of a liquid. In some situations, a transducer is positioned at the top of a tank for a liquid, such as the fuel tank of an automobile, truck, or other vehicle. An ultrasonic signal is generated by the transducer and the time it takes for the signal to travel from the top of the tank to the surface of the fuel, reflect off the surface of the fuel, and return to the transducer is measured. If certain information about the tank is known, such as its volume or dimensions, the time measurement can be used in a calculation to determine how much fuel is in the tank. Ultrasonic technology for use in determining the type of fuel in a fuel tank has also been developed, including the technology disclosed in commonly assigned U.S. application Ser. No. 12/027,512. 
     SUMMARY 
     Outside of the field of ultrasonic sensing, a number of regulations related to diagnostic requirements for electronic vehicle systems have been promulgated. These regulations include Title 13, California Code Regulations, Section 1968.2, entitled “Malfunction and Diagnostic System Requirements for 2004 and Subsequent Model-Year Passenger Cars, Light-Duty Trucks, and Medium-Duty Vehicles and Engines (OBD II).” This regulation relates to vehicles with diesel engines. In some modern diesel-engine vehicles, liquid catalysts are used in exhaust systems to reduce exhaust emissions. Part of the regulation requires the detection of malfunctions such as the presence of an incorrect catalyst or an insufficient amount of the catalyst. 
     The inventors have recognized that ultrasonic technology can be used to detect the presence of liquid catalysts and malfunctions or error conditions in catalyst systems (such as circumstances where an insufficient amount of or an incorrect catalyst is present) and have developed technology that evaluates a pulse width modulated (“PWM”) signal to determine the presence of malfunctions. 
     The invention provides, among other things, a method to detect a time reference shift failure of a sensor using a PWM output. The invention also provides a method to provide a level measurement of a fluid that has enhanced immunity to time reference shifts using an ultrasonic sensor with PWM output. The invention also provides a method to calculate a specific gravity measurement of a fluid that has enhanced immunity to time reference shifts using an ultrasonic sensor with a PWM output. 
     In one implementation, the invention provides an ultrasonic sensor system having an ultrasonic sensor. The ultrasonic sensor includes a microcontroller, a transducer, a temperature sensor, and a driver. The transducer is electrically connected to the microcontroller and is configured to generate an ultrasonic signal and to receive a reflection of the ultrasonic signal from a surface of a fluid. The temperature sensor is electrically connected to the microcontroller and is configured to generate a temperature signal indicative of a temperature of the fluid. The driver is electrically connected to the microcontroller and is configured to output a pulse-width modulated (PWM) signal based on the temperature signal and the reflection. The PWM signal includes a period, and a plurality of pulses. Each pulse encodes a predetermined parameter and has a width. A diagnostic assessment of the sensor may be performed by evaluating the PWM signal in, for example, a processor connected to the microcontroller. The timing and sequence of pulses in the PWM is evaluated. Additional testing may be performed on the signal  42  based on the time of the pulses. The time of each pulse may be examined to determine whether the time (or width) of the pulses is plausible as compared to predetermined constraints or parameters. 
     A method of performing diagnostics on an ultrasonic sensor that measures a level of a fluid can be carried out by generating, by a transducer, an ultrasonic signal and receiving, via the transducer, a reflection of the ultrasonic signal. A microcontroller calculates a time-of-flight based on a time elapsed between generating the ultrasonic signal and receiving the reflection. The microcontroller further receives a temperature signal from a temperature sensor that indicates a temperature of the fluid. A pulse-width modulated (PWM) signal is generated based on the time-of-flight and the temperature signal. The PWM signal includes a first pulse encoding the level of the fluid, and a second pulse encoding a status of the ultrasonic sensor. A diagnostic assessment of the sensor is performed by evaluating the timing of the pulses of the PWM signal. 
     The invention also provides another method of assessing an ultrasonic sensor that measures a fluid level. The method includes receiving, by a processor, a PWM signal output by the ultrasonic sensor. The PWM signal includes a first pulse encoding a level of a fluid based on a time of flight of an ultrasonic signal through the fluid and based on a temperature of the fluid. The PWM signal also includes a second pulse encoding a status of the ultrasonic sensor. The method further includes the processor performing the diagnostic assessment of the ultrasonic sensor using the PWM signal. 
     Other aspects of the invention will become apparent by consideration of the detailed description and accompanying drawings. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a schematic illustration of an ultrasonic level sensor placed at the bottom of a liquid or fluid container or tank and illustrating the transmission and reflection of sound waves from and to a piezoelectric transducer of the sensor. 
         FIG. 2  is a schematic illustration of the circuitry of the ultrasonic level sensor illustrated in  FIG. 1 , including depictions of a piezoelectric transducer, a temperature sensor in the form of a thermistor, a voltage/transducer driver, a signal conditioning circuit, a microcontroller, an output driver, and a power regulation circuit. 
         FIG. 3  is a graph illustrating differences in the time it takes sound to travel through water, diesel fuel, and diesel exhaust fluid (“DEF”). 
         FIG. 4  is an illustration of a PWM output signal generated by the output driver circuit illustrated in  FIG. 2  (as controlled by the microcontroller in  FIG. 2 ). 
         FIG. 5  is a flow chart illustrating the operation of software executed by a microcontroller or similar device for performing a diagnostic test or assessment on an output signal generated by the output driver. 
         FIG. 6  is a second flow chart illustrating the operation of software executed by a microcontroller or similar device for performing a diagnostic test or assessment on an output signal generated by the output driver. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     Before any embodiments of the invention are explained in detail, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited in its application to the details of construction and the arrangement of components set forth in the following description or illustrated in the following drawings. The invention is capable of other embodiments and of being practiced or of being carried out in various ways. 
       FIG. 1  illustrates an ultrasonic level sensor  10  positioned at the bottom of a tank  12  or similar container filled with a fluid  14 , such as a diesel exhaust fluid (“DEF”) (e.g., AdBlue liquid), having a top surface  15 . The ultrasonic level sensor  10  includes a housing  16 , a piezoelectric transducer  18 , and a printed circuit board  22  with a thermistor and other components (which are described below). A signal from a microcontroller or similar device (which may be amplified or otherwise conditioned by a driver circuit) is provided to the transducer  18 . The transducer  18  generates an ultrasonic sound wave (represented by dashed line  24 ) that propagates through the fluid  14  to the surface  15 . At least a portion of the sound wave (represented by dashed line  26 ) is reflected from the surface  15  back to the transducer  18  (as an echo). In response to receiving the reflection, the transducer  18  generates an electric signal which is provided to a microcontroller on a circuit board  22 . The signal from the transducer  18  is processed in the microcontroller to generate, for example, a signal indicative of the volume of fluid  14  in the tank  12 . 
       FIG. 2  illustrates certain electrical components of the ultrasonic level sensor  10  including the piezoelectric transducer  18 , a thermistor  30 , a voltage driver  32 , a signal conditioning circuit  34 , a microcontroller  36 , a PWM output driver  38 , and a power regulation circuit  40 . The microcontroller includes (or is connected to) memory such as RAM and ROM and executes software that can be stored in the RAM (particularly during execution), the ROM (on a generally permanent basis), or another non-transitory computer readable medium such as other memory or disc. If necessary, the microcontroller can be connected to such memory or a disc drive to read such software. A microprocessor or other programmable device with suitable memory and I/O devices could also be used. 
     Temperature information from the thermistor  30  (or other temperature sensor) is provided to the microcontroller  36  and is used by the microcontroller  36  to help it compensate for variations in the speed of sound that occur as a result of changes in temperature. On a regular basis (or as otherwise programmed), the microcontroller generates a transducer control signal which is delivered to the voltage driver  32 . The voltage driver  32  amplifiers or otherwise conditions the control signal from microcontroller and provides the amplified signal to the transducer  18 . When energized by the amplified signal, transducer  18  produces an output sound wave or, more particularly, an ultrasonic sound wave. In addition to generating sound waves, the transducer  18  also responds to sound waves (such as reflections or echos) by converting the received sound waves into electric signals (referred to as a “reflection signal”). Such signals are conditioned by signal conditioning circuit  34  and provided to the microcontroller  36 . In response to a reflection signal, the microcontroller  36  generates an output signal indicative of the time lapsed between the moment the transducer sent out its ultrasonic signal (based on the transducer control signal) and the moment the transducer received a reflection of the ultrasonic signal (resulting in the generation of a reflection signal). This “time of flight” (the time between generation of the ultrasonic sound wave or ping and receipt of the reflection) can be used to determine the distance from the sensor  10  to the top surface  15 . In other words, the height or level of the fluid in the tank can be determined. (The time between the transmitted ultrasonic pulse and the received echo is proportional to the distance the sound wave traveled through the liquid as expressed by the equation: Distance=Speed×(Time of Flight)/2). Provided other information is available and programmed into the microcontroller, the distance measurement may also be used to determine the volume of fluid in the tank  12 . 
     The microcontroller  36  processes the reflection signal and generates an encoded digital signal. The encoded, digital signal is, in general terms, a PWM signal. The encoded, digital signal is provided (through an electrical connection) to the PWM output driver  38 . As is described in more detail below, the PWM output driver  38  generates a PWM signal  42  ( FIG. 4 ) including information regarding the time of flight as well as other information (discussed below). As its name implies, output driver  38  acts as an intermediary between the microcontroller  36  and other devices and, in particular, helps ensure that information or signals from the microcontroller are in an appropriate form for downstream use. However, the output driver  38  may not be necessary for all implementations and it may be possible to conduct an assessment on the signal generated by the microcontroller directly rather than the enhanced signal  42  generated by the output driver  38 . The PWM signal  42  is provided to a second microcontroller, processor, or similar device. For example, in a vehicle with a diesel engine, the PWM signal is provided to a diesel engine control unit (“DCU”)  44 . The DCU  44  performs a diagnostic assessment (or evaluation or test) on the output signal of the PWM output driver  38 . Like the microcontroller  36 , the second microcontroller, processor, or DCU  44  includes (or is connected to) memory such as RAM and ROM and executes software that can be stored in the RAM (particularly during execution), the ROM (on a generally permanent basis), or another non-transitory computer readable medium such as other memory or disc. If necessary, the second microcontroller can be connected to such memory or a disc drive to read such software. 
     The evaluation performed on the PWM output signal of the driver  38  can determine the existence of a number of errors, including distance measurement errors. Distance measurement errors include at least two types: speed of sound (“SOS”) errors and time measurement (“TM”) errors. 
     SOS errors can cause scaling errors in calculations performed by the microcontroller  36 . SOS errors are more common when level sensing is performed in a tank full of fluid then when a tank is empty. SOS errors can occur when calculations or determinations are made based on incorrect assumptions, such as an assumption that a tank is filled with DEF, when in fact it is filled with a different liquid.  FIG. 3  illustrates how time of flight measurements differ depending upon the type of liquid in which level sensing is performed. In particular, the speed of sound is affected by the density or specific gravity of the substance through which the sound travels. For example, if an ultrasonic level sensor is configured to perform level sensing on a DEF tank, but the tank is incorrectly or accidentally filled with water, when the tank is full the signal generated by the sensor will indicate a level that is above the highest level of the tank (e.g., the reading from the sensor might indicate a level of ˜230 mm for a 200 mm tank). An assessment for this type of error can be referred to as a “over full plausibility check.” 
     SOS errors can also occur due to incorrect temperature compensations. As noted above, the sensor  10  includes a thermistor or other temperature sensor and information from this sensor may be evaluated against temperature information from other sources of temperature information including, for example, temperature information provided to the DCU from, for example, a CAN bus. Thus, it is possible to determine whether the temperature information from the sensor  10  is within a predetermined range of the other temperature information available to the DCU and assess whether the temperature measurement provided by the thermistor  30  is plausible. A temperature compensation error check can be referred to as a temperature plausibility check. 
     As noted, initial time measurements (i.e., distance based on time of flight) are performed or determined by the microcontroller  36 . The assessment of TM (or time measurement) errors is performed by the DCU  44 . In particular, the DCU  44  performs a plausibility check on the time measurement accuracy using the PWM timing of the PWM signal  42 . 
     As best seen by reference to  FIG. 4 , the PWM signal  42  includes a period, T 0 , and a number of pulses: T 1 , T 2 , T 3 , T 4 , and T 5 . Signal  42  is encoded in a manner such that pulse T 1  provides an indication of temperature, pulse T 2  provides an indication of fluid level (distance measurement), pulse T 3  provides an indication of quality (explained further below), pulse T 4  provides an indication of the status of the sensor  10 , and, in the example provided, pulse T 5  is unused (but intended for future use). As a result of pulse T 5  being unused, its presence in the signal  42  is required, but its value is unimportant and, thus, ignored. After pulse T 5 , the signal  42  has an idle state IS. The idle state IS may have a predetermined time, such as twice the length of T 0 . Following the idle period a second signal  42  may be generated and sent to the DCU  44  (or other system) to provide updated information regarding the level of the fluid  14  in the tank  12 . 
     The period T 0  is predetermined and represents, in general, a scaling factor and the longest possible time that any of the pulses in signal  42  may have. In the example shown, T 0  is set to 120 ms (the time between leading edges E 1  and E 2  in signal  42 ). A plausibility check on the PWM signal  42  may be performed by determining the time (or width) of the pulses, including for example, pulse T 2 . If the time of T 2  exceeds T 0 , then a time measurement error has occurred. Additional testing may be performed on the signal  42  based on the time of the pulses. The time of each pulse may be examined to determine whether the time (or width) falls within one of two implausible or not plausible regions, NP 1  and NP 2 , for each period of the signal  42 . In the example shown, each not plausible region has a width of 20 ms. Each pulse (T 1 , T 2 , T 3 , and T 4  (T 5  ignored)), is evaluated to see if its width falls within one of the regions NP 1  or NP 2 . In general, a pulse falling with the region NP 1  is too short (or narrow) and a pulse falling within region NP 2  is too long (or wide). The region between NP 1  and NP 2  is a plausible region, PR. 
     As noted, signal  42  is an encoded signal. In one example, encoding is implemented as follows. The percentage of time T 1  from 20 ms to 100 ms indicates the temperature from −40° to 85° C., according to the formula: Temperature=(T 1 −20)/80 *125−40 degrees C. The percentage of time T 2  from 20 ms to 100 ms indicates the percentage of fluid level in tank  12 , according to the formula: Level=(T 2 −20)/80 percent full. The percentage of time T 3  from 20 ms to 100 ms indicates the speed of sound of the fluid through which the ultrasonic signal is sent (and is used for determining quality) according to the following formula: SOS=(T 2 −20)/80*5+500 meters/second. “Quality” is most often an indication of the type of liquid present within the tank and T 3  can be evaluated against speed-of-sound or specific-gravity values stored in the memory of the microcontroller  36 . As noted, T 5  is a spare pulse with which additional information could be encoded in the signal  42 , if desired. T 4  provides an indication of the status of the sensor  10 , and is discussed in the next paragraph. 
     As shown in Table 1, the sensor  10  operates in a number of states: State  1 , State  2 , and State  3 . As shown in the key for Table 1, State  1  provides an indication regarding whether the sensor is outputting a valid level measurement, State  2  provides an indication regarding the quality of the sensor output, and State  3  provides an indication regarding the operating or operational life of the sensor (e.g., number of hours in use). These states are determined by the microcontroller  36  and not the DCU  44 . 
     
       
         
               
             
               
               
             
               
               
               
               
               
             
           
               
                 TABLE 1 
               
             
             
               
                   
               
               
                 Sensor Status 
               
             
          
           
               
                 Ultrasonic Sensor 
                 PWM-Signal 
               
             
          
           
               
                 State 1 
                 State 2 
                 State 3 
                 Output in % 
                 T 4  in ms 
               
               
                   
               
               
                 0 
                 0 
                 0 
                 10 
                 28 
               
               
                 0 
                 0 
                 1 
                 20 
                 36 
               
               
                 0 
                 1 
                 0 
                 30 
                 44 
               
               
                 0 
                 1 
                 1 
                 40 
                 52 
               
               
                 1 
                 0 
                 0 
                 50 
                 60 
               
               
                 1 
                 0 
                 1 
                 60 
                 68 
               
               
                 1 
                 1 
                 0 
                 70 
                 76 
               
               
                 1 
                 1 
                 1 
                 80 
                 84 
               
               
                   
               
               
                 State 1: level invalid 
               
               
                 State 2: quality invalid 
               
               
                 State 3: life bit (toggled each transmission protocol) 
               
               
                 Active = 1, not active = 0; (undefined state(s) = 0) 
               
             
          
         
       
     
     For the sake of brevity, only a selected number of sensor states from Table 1 are described herein. If the sensor  10  is operating in State  1  (or State  1  is active), a level measurement outside of predetermined bounds has been made. For example, the microcontroller  36  could send the transducer control signal to the transducer  18 , but no reflection signal is received (within a predetermined amount of time). Such a condition could occur due to bonding failures in the transducer (e.g., components within the transducer becoming unglued) or electrical connection failures. Both of these failures result in what is referred to as a “no echo” condition. Failures of the voltage driver  32  and signal conditioning circuit  34  can also result in a “no echo” condition. 
     The “no echo” condition is reported to the DCU  44  (as encoded in T 4 ). The DCU performs a plausibility check on the “no echo” condition. A circumstance in which no echo or reflection would be present is when, for example, the DEF is frozen or the vehicle is on an incline. The DCU plausibility check requires the “no echo” condition to persist over several hours to avoid false indications which can arise from situations such as those just described (the vehicle operates at an angle and operation of the sensor  10  when the DEF is frozen). 
     In addition to the failures or malfunctions mentioned, additional failures can occur. For example, it is possible that the microcontroller  36  may malfunction. Depending on the nature of the microcontroller malfunction, the signal  42  may not be generated (a PWM signal absence). Alternatively, a microcontroller malfunction could cause a time reference shift. In other words, pulses in the digital signal created by the microcontroller could fall outside predetermined timing constraints such as T 0 . Time reference shifts can be detected by the DCU  44  using the PWM timing previously described (e.g., pulses occurring in zones NP 1  or NP 2 ). Because these time reference shifts can be detected, the sensor  10  is said to have immunity from such shifts. Still other failures could occur due to a malfunction of the output driver  38  or power regulation circuit  40 . If a failure of the output driver  38  occurs, a loss of the signal  42  occurs (in most instances). Thus, the signal  42  is not provided to the DCU  44 . Similarly, a failure of the power regulation circuit  40  commonly results in a loss of PWM signal  42  to the DCU  44 . 
     In typical diagnostics systems, signals are evaluated against reference values (without further analysis). However, the use of reference values alone cannot, in general, effectively differentiate between the various types of errors that may occur. For example, it is not, in general, possible (by use of a reference value) to isolate whether a sensor is experiencing a time reference shift failure or the wrong media or fluid has been added to the tank  12 . Similarly, use of a reference value alone is generally insufficient to isolate or distinguish “no echo” conditions from sensor failures or from angled or frozen operation. 
       FIGS. 15 and 16  are flow charts illustrating diagnostic assessments carried out by the DCU  44 . As noted above, although the DCU  44  is used in some embodiments (particularly, in embodiments where the sensor  10  is installed in a diesel engine vehicle) the DCU acts as an assessment device or module and devices other than the DCU  44  such as a standalone microcontroller or microprocessor or even other vehicle systems could be programmed to assess the signal  42 . 
     The process illustrated in  FIG. 5  begins at initialization step  100 . The DCU  44  captures the edge timing of PWM signal  42 , as shown at step  102 . The DCU  44  then determines whether T 0  and T 2  fall within predetermined tolerances (e.g., plausible region PR) (step  104 ). Next, the DCU  44  evaluates T 4  to determine whether the pulse indicates a valid level. If so, the DCU calculates a fluid level for the tank  12  (as shown in step  108 ). Otherwise, the DCU increments an invalid level counter (as shown in step  110 ). If the invalid level counter is greater than 10,000 (or another predetermined threshold) (step  112 ), then an invalid level fault code is set (at step  114 ). Evaluation of the PWM signal  42  then continues back at step  102 . 
     If T 0  and T 2  fall outside of the predetermined tolerances (as determined in step  104 ), a level-out-of-tolerance counter is incremented (as shown in step  118 ). If the counter is greater than 50 (or another predetermined threshold) (step  120 ), then a level-out-of-tolerance fault code is set (step  122 ). Otherwise, processing continues with step  106 . 
     The process illustrated in  FIG. 6  begins at initialization step  200 . The DCU  44  captures the edge timing of PWM signal  42 , as shown at step  202 . The DCU  44  then determines whether T 0  and T 3  fall within predetermined tolerances (e.g., plausible region PR) (step  204 ). Next, the DCU  44  evaluates T 4  to determine whether the pulse indicates a valid level. If so, the DCU  44  calculates a quality for the fluid in the tank  12  (as shown in step  208 ). Otherwise, the DCU increments an invalid quality counter (as shown in step  210 ). If the invalid quality counter is greater than 10,000 (or another predetermined threshold) (step  212 ), then an invalid quality fault code is set (at step  214 ). Evaluation of the PWM signal  42  then continues back at step  202 . 
     If T 0  and T 3  fall outside of the predetermined tolerances (as determined in step  204 ), a quality out of tolerance counter is incremented (as shown in step  218 ). If the counter is greater than 50 (or another predetermined threshold) (step  220 ), then a quality out of tolerance fault code is set (step  222 ). Otherwise, processing continues with step  206 . 
     Thus, the invention provides, among other things, methods and devices for performing a diagnostic assessment on an ultrasonic level sensor. Various features and advantages of the invention are set forth in the following claims.

Technology Category: g