US-20260126467-A1 - Method for Ascertaining an Erroneous Pulse Signal when Measuring the Speed of a Vehicle

US20260126467A1US 20260126467 A1US20260126467 A1US 20260126467A1US-20260126467-A1

Abstract

A method is disclosed for determining a faulty pulse signal in a speed measurement of a vehicle, particularly a single-track vehicle such as an e-bike, wherein the vehicle has a pulse-based speed sensor on a wheel. The method includes (i) detecting a first, second, third and fourth pulse signal by way of the pulse-based speed sensor, (ii) determining a first difference between the times of the second and the first pulse signals, determining a second difference between the times of the third and the second pulse signals, and determining a third difference between the times of the fourth and the third pulse signals, (iii) determining whether the third pulse signal has been detected too early or too late by comparing the first and/or the second difference to at least one first threshold value, and (iv) determining a type of the third pulse signal based on at least one comparison of the third and the second difference with at least one second threshold value.

Inventors

Joseph Reck

Assignees

ROBERT BOSCH GMBH

Dates

Publication Date: 20260507
Application Date: 20231004
Priority Date: 20221006

Claims (18)

1 . A method for determining a faulty pulse signal in a speed measurement of a vehicle, wherein the vehicle has a pulse-based speed sensor on one wheel, the method comprising: detecting a first, second, third, and fourth pulse signal using the pulse-based speed sensor, determining a first difference between the times of the second and the first pulse signals, determining a second difference between the times of the third and the second pulse signals, and determining a third difference between the times of the fourth and the third pulse signals, determining whether the third pulse signal has been detected too early or too late by comparing the first and/or second difference to at least a first threshold value, and determining a type of the third pulse signal based on at least one comparison of the third and the second difference with at least one second threshold value.
2 . The method according to claim 1 , wherein the vehicle has an additional speed sensor configured to determine a replacement speed.
3 . The method according to claim 2 , wherein the replacement speed is used for speed measurement when it is determined that the third pulse signal has been detected too early or too late.
4 . The method according to claim 3 , wherein a period of time during which the replacement speed is used for speed measurement is determined based on the determined type of the pulse signal.
5 . The method according to claim 1 , wherein the determination of the differences is carried out when two pulse signals are detected by the pulse-based speed sensor, corresponding to a minimum speed of 5 km/h.
6 . The method according to claim 1 , wherein the determination of whether the third pulse signal has been detected too early or too late is carried out when the absolute difference between the first and second difference is less than a third threshold value.
7 . The method according to claim 1 , wherein the determination of the differences is stopped when two valid pulse signals are detected using the pulse-based speed sensor, corresponding to a maximum speed of 20 km/h.
8 . The method according to claim 1 , wherein the determination of the differences is stopped when at least one of the following conditions is present: the replacement speed is below a third threshold value, the wheel of the vehicle is stationary, and no pulse signals are detected from the pulse-based speed sensor for a given period of time.
9 . The method according to claim 1 , wherein the at least one first and/or second threshold value is determined depending on the speed of the vehicle.
10 . A vehicle with a pulse-based speed sensor on one wheel, wherein the vehicle is configured to determine faulty pulse signals in a speed measurement of the vehicle, the vehicle comprising: a detection unit configured to detect a first, second, third and fourth pulse signal by way of the pulse-based speed sensor, a determining device configured to determine a first difference between the times of the second and the first pulse signals, determine a second difference between the times of the third and the second pulse signals, and determine a third difference between the times of the fourth and the third pulse signals, a first determination unit configured to determine whether the third pulse signal has been detected too early or too late by comparing the first and/or second difference with at least one first threshold value, and a second determination unit configured to determine a type of the third pulse signal based on at least one comparison of the third and second difference with at least one second threshold value.
11 . The method according to claim 1 , wherein the vehicle is a single-track vehicle.
12 . The method according to claim 11 , wherein the single-track vehicle is an e-bike.
13 . The method according to claim 1 , wherein the determination of the differences is carried out when five pulse signals are detected by the pulse-based speed sensor, corresponding to a minimum speed of 10 km/h.
14 . The method according to claim 1 , wherein the determination of the differences is carried out when ten pulse signals are detected by the pulse-based speed sensor, corresponding to a minimum speed of 20 km/h.
15 . The method according to claim 1 , wherein the determination of the differences is stopped when five valid pulse signals are detected using the pulse-based speed sensor, corresponding to a maximum speed of 10 km/h.
16 . The method according to claim 1 , wherein the determination of the differences is stopped when ten valid pulse signals are detected using the pulse-based speed sensor, corresponding to a maximum speed of 5 km/h.
17 . The vehicle according to claim 10 , wherein the vehicle is a single-track vehicle.
18 . The vehicle according to claim 17 , wherein the single-track vehicle is an e-bike.

Description

The invention relates to a method for determining a faulty pulse signal in a speed measurement of a vehicle, particularly in a single-track vehicle such as an e-bike. The invention further relates to a vehicle, particularly a single-track vehicle such as an e-bike, with a pulse-based speed sensor on one wheel, wherein the vehicle is configured to determine faulty pulse signals during a speed measurement of the vehicle. Although generally applicable to vehicles, the invention is described with reference to e-bikes. PRIOR ART In vehicles, particularly single-track vehicles such as e-bikes, measuring the speed of the vehicle using a magnetic field sensor is known. A permanent magnet is attached to the rear wheel for this purpose. While the vehicle is in motion, the wheel rotates so that the magnet passes by the magnetic field sensor on the bicycle at regular intervals. This can detect the passing and output a pulse signal. The speed of the e-bike can then be calculated from the wheel circumference and the time offset between two pulses. While the vehicle is in motion, magnetic influences from iron bridges, power poles, or an electric drive unit on the bicycle can interfere with the detection device, causing additional incorrect pulses to be measured or correct and valid pulses not to be detected. As a result, an incorrect speed could be measured by the speed sensor. However, e-bikes in particular require a permanently accurate speed sensor, as the drive support of the e-bike depends on the current speed. DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION In one embodiment, the present invention provides a method for determining a faulty pulse signal in a speed measurement of a vehicle, particularly a single-track vehicle such as an e-bike, wherein the vehicle has a pulse-based speed sensor on a wheel, comprising the steps of: detecting a first, second, third and fourth pulse signal by means of the pulse-based speed sensor,determining a first difference between the times of the second and the first pulse signals, determining a second difference between the times of the third and the second pulse signals, and determining a third difference between the times of the fourth and the third pulse signals,determining whether the third pulse signal has been detected too early or too late by comparing the first and/or the second difference to at least one first threshold value, anddetermining a type of the third pulse signal based on at least one comparison of the third and the second difference with at least one second threshold value. In one embodiment, the present invention provides a vehicle, particularly a single-track vehicle such as an e-bike, with a pulse-based speed sensor on one wheel, wherein the vehicle is configured to determine faulty pulse signals during a speed measurement of the vehicle, comprising: a detection unit configured to detect a first, second, third, and fourth pulse signal using the pulse-based speed sensor,a determining device configured to determine a first difference between the times of the second and the first pulse signals, determine a second difference between the times of the third and the second pulse signals, and determine a third difference between the times of the fourth and the third pulse signals,a first determination unit configured to determine whether the third pulse signal has been detected too early or too late by comparing the first and/or second difference with at least one first threshold value, anda second determination unit configured to determine a type of the faulty third pulse signal based on at least one comparison of the third and second difference with at least one second threshold value. One of the advantages achieved is that it is possible to easily detect whether a pulse signal is faulty. A faulty pulse signal is, in particular, a late or early pulse signal or a missing or additional pulse signal. Another advantage is that the type of the faulty pulse signal can be determined, for example, an early pulse signal or a missing pulse signal. The term “type” is to be understood in the broadest sense and refers, particularly in the claims and preferably in the description, to a category of the pulse signal that describes the cause of the faulty pulse signal. For example, a type could be an early pulse signal caused by real acceleration, or a pulse signal caused by an additional pulse. Further features, advantages and other embodiments of the invention are described in the following or are thereby disclosed. According to one advantageous further development of the invention, the vehicle has an additional speed sensor that determines a replacement speed. For example, the additional speed sensor may estimate the current speed based on accelerations of the vehicle or measure the current speed using a GPS system. One advantage of this is that the speed can be measured in a redundant manner. According to a further advantageous development of the invention, the replacement speed is used for speed