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US 2017/0317716 A1Published application
Method For The Contactless Tapping Of Communication Signals
AssigneeIfm Electronic GmbH
InventorsWerner Hoch, Alfred Wagner
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AssigneeIfm Electronic GmbH
InventorsWerner Hoch, Alfred Wagner
Estimating the term…
The invention relates to a method for the contactless tapping of communication signals that are exchanged between two communication units, in particular a sensor or actuator and a digital evaluating or control unit, wherein the communication signals are transmitted on a line (2) of a multi-core cable (1) as voltage signals. According to the invention, in order that the communication signals can be tapped also in the case of multi-core cables without the line having to be interrupted for this purpose, the communication signals are tapped capacitively, wherein at least two electrodes (10a, 10b), which lie on the cable sheath and the angular position of which in relation to the cable axis is variable, are used for the tapping and the angular position at which the differential signal between the two electrodes (10a, 10b) is maximized is determined, wherein the at least two electrodes (10a, 10b), each consisting of a plurality of individual electrodes (E1-E8), are designed as collection electrodes and the various angular positions of the collection electrodes (10a, 10b) are achieved in that the association of the individual electrodes (E1-E8) with the at least two collection electrodes (10a, 10b) is sequentially changed by means of a controller (26). The invention further relates to an assembly for performing said method.
a. Method for contactless tapping of communication signals which are exchanged between two communication units, in particular a sensor or an actuator and a digital evaluation or control unit, wherein the communication signals are transmitted as voltage signals on a line of a multi-core cable, comprising the steps of tapping the communication signals capacitively using at least two electrodes which abut on the cable sheathing and whose angular position relative to the cable axis is variable, and wherein that angular position is determined at which the differential signal between both electrodes is maximum, wherein the at least two electrodes are each formed of a plurality of individual electrodes and configured as collector electrodes and the different angular positions of the collector electrodes are achieved such that by means of a controller the allocation of the individual electrodes to the at least two collector electrodes is sequentially changed.
Method according to claim 1, further comprising implementing the change of the allocation of the individual electrodes to the at least two collector electrodes in a multiplexer to which the individual electrodes are interconnected and which is controlled by the controller.
Method according to claim 1, further comprising implementing the change of the allocation of the individual electrodes (E1-E8) to the at least two collector electrodes (10a, 10b) in a logic unit to which the individual electrodes are interconnected and which is controlled by the controller.
Assembly for contactless tapping of communication signals which are exchanged between two communication units, in particular a sensor or an actuator and a digital evaluation or control unit, wherein the communication signals are transmitted as voltage signals on a line of a multi-core cable, wherein the communication signals are transmitted as voltage signals on a line of a multi-core cable, characterized in that the communication signals are tapped capacitively, wherein for tapping at least two electrodes are used which abut on the cable sheathing and whose angular position relative to the cable axis is variable, and wherein that angular position is determined at which the differential signal between both electrodes is maximum, wherein the at least two electrodes are each formed of a plurality of individual electrodes and configured as collector electrodes and the different angular positions of the collector electrodes are achieved such that by means of a controller the allocation of the individual electrodes to the at least two collector electrodes is sequentially changed comprising, a clamp-like tool and an electronic evaluation circuit, wherein said tool comprises a plurality of uniformly distributed electrodes arranged side by side along the inner periphery.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.