Vehicle device having a base vehicle and a seat unit
A vehicle device comprising a base vehicle and a seat unit being releasably connectable to the base vehicle is described. The base vehicle comprises an electronic control means and a vehicle-side wireless communication means, and the seat unit comprises at least one sensor, a battery, an electronic unit, and a seat-side wireless communication means. In order to provide the electronic control means of the base vehicle with the necessary information about the seat unit in an energy-saving manner, the electronic unit reads-out the status of the at least one sensor in a certain time-scheme and transmits a sensor related signal via the seat-side wireless communications means only if the status of the sensor changed since the previous read-out.
1 . A vehicle device comprising:
a base vehicle and a seat unit being releasably connectable to the base vehicle, wherein the base vehicle comprises an electronic control means and a vehicle-side wireless communication means connected to the electronic control means, and the seat unit comprises:
a seat element;
a sensor;
an electronic unit comprising:
(a) a timing means for generating time-spaced wake-up signals S(t);
(b) a read-out means for reading out the sensor to retrieve values V(t) from the sensor;
(c) a storage means;
(d) a comparing means;
(e) a seat-side wireless communication means adapted for wireless communication with the vehicle-side wireless communication means; and,
a battery for supplying the electronic unit with electrical power, wherein:
(i) the read-out means according to (b) reads out the value V(t) after having received a wake-up signal S(t) according to (a);
(ii) the comparing means according to (d) compares the value V(t) according to (i) with a stored value V s stored in the storage means according to (c);
(iii) the seat-side wireless communications means according to (e) sends out a signal representing the value V(t) if V(t)≠V s and sends out an alive-signal other than the signal representing the value V(t) if V(t)=V s ; wherein the alive-signal is distinct from any sensor-related signal, the base vehicle does not send an acknowledgement in response to the alive-signal, and the electronic unit immediately returns to a first state (sleep mode) after transmitting the alive-signal; and,
(iv) the value V(t) is stored as the new stored value V s if V(t)≠V s .
2 . The vehicle device according to claim 1 , wherein the electronic unit of the seat unit has in addition to the first state (sleep mode) at least a a second state (awake mode), wherein the electrical power consumption in the first state is less than in the second state, and each wake-up signal S(t) of the timing means brings the electronic unit from the first state into the second state.
3 . The vehicle device according to claim 1 , wherein the electronic unit of the seat unit returns to its first state after having sent the alive-signal.
4 . The vehicle device according to claim 1 , wherein the vehicle-side wireless communication means and the seat-side wireless communication means define a bi-directional communication path.
5 . The vehicle device according to claim 4 , wherein the base vehicle sends out an acknowledgement signal to the seat unit after having received a signal according to (iv) from the seat unit.
6 . The vehicle device according to claim 5 , wherein the base vehicle does not send out an acknowledgement signal to the seat unit after having received an alive-signal from the seat unit.
7 . The vehicle device according to claim 6 , wherein the electronic unit of the seat unit returns to its first state after having received the acknowledgement signal.
8 . The vehicle device according to claim 7 , wherein the electronic unit of the seat unit re-sends the signal according to (iii) if not having revived an acknowledgment signal within a waiting time interval after having send out the previous signal according to (iii).
9 . The vehicle device according to claim 8 , wherein the electronic unit returns to its first state if not having received an acknowledge signal after having send a predetermined number of signals according to (iii).
10 . The vehicle device according to claim 1 , wherein the timing means generates a wake-up signal after a resting-time that starts when the electronic unit has transferred from its second state to its first state.
11 . The seat unit adapted for being a part of a vehicle device according to claim 1 and comprising:
a seat element;
a sensor;
an electronic unit comprising:
(a) a timing means for generating time-spaced wake-up signals S(t);
(b) a read-out means for reading out the sensor to retrieve values V(t) from the sensor;
(c) a storage means;
(d) a comparing means;
(e) a seat-side wireless communication means adapted for wireless communication with the vehicle-side wireless communication means; and,
a battery for supplying the electronic unit with electrical power, wherein;
(i) the read-out means according to (b) reads out the value V(t) after having received a wake-up signal S(t) according to (a);
(ii) the comparing means according to (d) compares the value V(t) according to (i) with a stored value V s stored in the storage means according to (c);
(iii) the seat-side wireless communications means according to (e) sends out a signal representing the value V(t) if V(t)≠V s and sends out an alive-signal other than the signal representing the value V(t) if V(t)=V s ; wherein the alive-signal is distinct from any sensor-related signal, the base vehicle does not send an acknowledgement in response to the alive-signal, and the electronic unit immediately returns to a first state (sleep mode) after transmitting the alive-signal; and,
(iv) the value V(t) is stored as the new stored value V s if V(t)≠V s .