Method and device for controlling a heating element for heating a sensor element of a mass air-flow sensor for a vehicle and mass air-flow sensor system for a vehicle
AssigneeRobert Bosch GmbH
InventorsBenjamin Plogmann, Thomas Schwartzkopff
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Abstract
With respect to a vehicle mass air-flow sensor that includes a temperature sensor for measuring a temperature of a sensor element of the mass air-flow sensor, a method for controlling a heating element for heating the sensor element of a mass air-flow sensor includes identifying a dew formation on the sensor element by evaluating a temperature profile that is recorded during an operation of the vehicle using the temperature sensor, and generating a switch-on signal for switching on the heating element in response to the identification of the dew formation.
Claims12
A method for controlling a heating element to heat a sensor element of a mass air-flow sensor of a vehicle, the mass air-flow sensor including a temperature sensor for measuring a temperature of the sensor element, the method comprising:
- evaluating a temperature profile recorded during an operation of the vehicle using the temperature sensor to identify a dew formation on the sensor element;
- and
- generating a switch-on signal to switch on the heating element in response to the identification of the dew formation,
- wherein the evaluating includes ascertaining a slope of the temperature profile, the dew formation being identified based on the slope.
A device for controlling a heating element to heat a sensor element of a mass air-flow sensor of a vehicle, the mass air-flow sensor including a temperature sensor for measuring a temperature of the sensor element, the device comprising a processor, wherein the processor is configured to:
- evaluate a temperature profile recorded during an operation of the vehicle using the temperature sensor to identify a dew formation on the sensor element;
- and
- generate a switch-on signal to switch on the heating element in response to the identification of the dew formation,
- wherein the evaluating includes ascertaining a slope of the temperature profile, the dew formation being identified based on the slope.
A mass air-flow sensor system for a vehicle, the mass air-flow system comprising:
- a mass air-flow sensor including a sensor element, a temperature sensor, and a heating element, wherein:
- the sensor element is configured to measure a mass air-flow;
- the temperature sensor is configured to measure a temperature of the sensor element;
- the heating element is configured to heat the sensor element;
- and
- a processor, wherein the processor is configured to:
- evaluate a temperature profile recorded during an operation of the vehicle using the temperature sensor to identify a dew formation on the sensor element;
- and
- generate a switch-on signal to switch on the heating element in response to the identification of the dew formation,
- wherein the evaluating includes ascertaining a slope of the temperature profile, the dew formation being identified based on the slope.
A non-transitory computer-readable medium on which are stored instructions that are executable by a processor and that, when executed by the processor, causes the processor to perform a method for controlling a heating element to heat a sensor element of a mass air-flow sensor of a vehicle, the mass air-flow sensor including a temperature sensor for measuring a temperature of the sensor element, the method comprising:
- evaluating a temperature profile recorded during an operation of the vehicle using the temperature sensor to identify a dew formation on the sensor element;
- and
- generating a switch-on signal to switch on the heating element in response to the identification of the dew formation,
- wherein the evaluating includes ascertaining a slope of the temperature profile, the dew formation being identified based on the slope.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.