Sensor system
AssigneeContinental Automotive GmbH
InventorsThorsten Knittel, Stephan Schürer, Stephen Setescak
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A sensor system has at least one first sensor element for measuring a first physical variable and a second sensor element for measuring a second physical variable. The first sensor element is part of an application-specific integrated circuit which, in addition to the first sensor element, has further electronic circuits. The second sensor element is arranged separately and outside the application-specific integrated circuit. The second sensor element is electrically connected to the application-specific integrated circuit via a first connection point. The application-specific integrated circuit is configurable via the first connection point and the measurement signal from the second sensor element can be read out via the first connection point.
Claims5
A sensor system (1) comprising:
- an application-specific integrated circuit (4) having:
- (a) at least one air mass flow sensor element (2) configured to measure an air mass flow, and
- (b) further electronic circuits (5), including electronic memory elements (16);
- and
- a temperature sensor element (3) configured to measure a temperature of the air mass flow, the temperature sensor element (3) being arranged separately and outside the application-specific integrated circuit (4), the temperature sensor element (3) being electrically connected to the application-specific integrated circuit (4) via a first connection point (6),
- wherein the application-specific integrated circuit (4) is configured such that:
- during a configuration of the application-specific integrated circuit (4), a configuration signal (8) is transmitted to the application-specific integrated circuit (4) via the first connection point (6) to write data relating to a specific application to effect programming of the electronic memory elements (16);
- and
- upon conclusion of the programming of the application-specific integrated circuit (4) via the first connection point (6), the application-specific integrated circuit (4) is configured to read a measurement signal (10) from the temperature sensor element (3) via the first connection point (6).
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.