IP Library Granted Patent US 10,416,062
Granted Patent B2
US 10,416,062 · App. 15/198,972 · Granted Sep 17, 2019

Soot sensor system

Inventors: Kayvan Hedayat (Weston, MA); John Hart (Lexington, OH); Eric Matson (Bellville, OH); Mark Wilson (Mansfield, OH); Norman Poirier (Raynham, MA)
Assignee: Stoneridge, Inc.
G01N15/0656F01N13/008G01N15/0606F01N2560/05G01N2015/0046
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 10,416,062
App. No.
15/198,972
Granted
Sep 17, 2019
Kind
B2
Abstract

A soot sensor includes a soot sensor including a first element on a first surface of the soot sensor. A soot sensing system may include a soot sensor and circuitry electrically coupled to the first element of the soot sensor. The circuitry is configured to determine an amount of soot accumulated on the first element and to control heating of the first element in response to the soot accumulation.

Claims (119)

1. A soot sensor system comprising:

a soot sensor comprising:

a substrate defining a first surface and a second surface opposing said first surface;

a first trace of conductive material extending between two electrical contacts, said first trace being disposed on said first surface of said substrate; and

a second trace of conductive material extending between two electrical contacts, said second trace being disposed on said first surface of said substrate; and

circuitry electrically coupled to said first and said second traces, said circuitry configured to:

detect soot accumulated on said first surface of said substrate;

control heating of said soot sensor in response to said soot accumulated on said first surface of said substrate; and

cause a sensed current to be applied at one or more of said electrical contacts of at least one of said first trace or said second trace to detect an open circuit of at least one of said first or said second traces.

2. The system of claim 1 , wherein said circuitry is configured to cause a heater current to be applied to at least one of said first or said second traces.

3. The system of claim 1 , wherein said circuitry is configured to detect said open circuit of at least one of said first or said second traces based on a diagnostic sense current.

4. The system of claim 1 , wherein said circuitry is configured to detect soot accumulated on said first surface of said substrate based on a sense current applied to at least one of said first or said second traces.

5. The system of claim 4 , wherein said circuitry is configured to detect said open circuit of at least one of said first or said second traces based on a diagnostic sense current.

6. The system of claim 5 , wherein said diagnostic sense current is the same as said sense current.

7. The system of claim 1 , wherein said circuitry is configured to detect said open circuit of at least one of said first or said second traces based on a sensed current being below a predetermined threshold.

8. The system of claim 1 , wherein said first trace comprises a first set of a plurality of intertwined sections, and said second trace comprises a second set of a plurality of intertwined sections, said first and said second set of said plurality of intertwined sections further including a first and a second subset of intertwined sections, respectively, interweaving with each other.

9. The soot sensor system claim 8 , wherein said circuitry is further configured to detect soot accumulated on said soot sensor based on sensing current from said first subset of intertwined sections to said second subset of intertwined sections.

10. The system of claim 1 , wherein said circuitry is configured to:

select whether to connect said first trace and said second trace in series or in parallel,

wherein when said first trace and said second trace are connected in parallel, said circuitry is further configured to:

cause a sense electrical current to be applied to at least one of said first or said second traces and to detect soot accumulated on said first surface of said substrate; and

cause a heater current to be applied to at least one of said first or said second traces and to control heating of first element in response to said soot accumulated on said first surface of said substrate; and

wherein when said first trace and said second trace are connected in series, said circuitry is further configured to:

cause said sense electrical current to be applied to said first and said second traces and to detect soot accumulated on said first surface of said substrate; and

cause said heater current to be applied to said first and said second traces and to control heating of first element in response to said soot accumulated on said first surface of said substrate.

11. A soot sensor system comprising:

a soot sensor comprising:

a substrate defining a first surface and a second surface opposing said first surface;

a first trace of conductive material extending between two electrical contacts, said first trace being disposed on said first surface of said substrate and comprising a first set of a plurality of intertwined sections; and

a second trace of conductive material extending between two electrical contacts, said second trace being disposed on said first surface of said substrate and comprising a second set of a plurality of intertwined sections;

wherein said first and said second set of said plurality of intertwined sections further include a first and a second subset of intertwined sections, respectively, interweaving with each other; and

wherein said first and said second traces are configured to be coupled to circuitry for detecting soot accumulated on said soot sensor based on sensing current from said first subset of intertwined sections to said second subset of intertwined sections.

12. The soot sensor of claim 11 , said soot sensor system further comprising a switch configured to selectively couple said first trace and said second trace in series.

13. The soot sensor of claim 12 , further comprising said circuitry electrically coupled to at least one of said first or said second traces, said circuitry configured to detect soot accumulated on said first surface of said substrate based on said sense current applied to said first and said second traces coupled in series.

14. The soot sensor of claim 12 , further comprising circuitry electrically coupled to at least one of said first or said second traces, said circuitry configured to cause a heater current to be applied to said first and said second traces coupled in series to at least partially incinerate soot accumulated on said first surface of said substrate.

15. The soot sensor of claim 12 , further comprising circuitry electrically coupled to at least one of said first or said second traces, said circuitry configured to cause a diagnostics sense current to be applied to said first and said second traces coupled in series to detect an open circuit in at least one of said first or said second traces.

16. The soot sensor of claim 11 , further comprising circuitry electrically coupled to at least one of said first or said second traces, said circuitry configured to detect an open circuit of at least one of said first or said second traces based on a current applied thereto.

17. The soot sensor system claim 11 , further comprising said circuitry electrically coupled to said first and said second traces.

18. The soot sensor of claim 11 , said soot sensor system further comprising said circuitry for detecting soot accumulated on said soot sensor based on sensing current from said first subset of intertwined sections to said second subset of intertwined sections.

19. A soot sensor system comprising:

a soot sensor comprising:

a substrate defining a first surface and a second surface opposing said first surface;

a first trace of conductive material extending between two electrical contacts, said first trace being disposed on said first surface of said substrate;

a second trace of conductive material extending between two electrical contacts, said second trace being disposed on said first surface of said substrate; and

a controller coupled to said first and said second traces, said controller configured to:

cause current to be applied to at least one of said first trace or said second trace to detect soot accumulated on said soot sensor;

cause current to be applied to at least one of said first trace or said second trace to control heating of said soot sensor in response to said soot accumulated on said soot sensor; and

cause current to be applied to at least one of said electrical contacts of at least one of said first or said second traces and measuring said current at another one of said electrical contacts of at least one of said first or said second traces to detect an open circuit of at least one of said first or said second traces.

20. The system of claim 19 , wherein said controller is configured to cause a heater current to be applied to at least one of said first or said second traces.

21. The system of claim 19 , wherein said controller is configured to detect said open circuit of at least one of said first or said second traces based on a diagnostic sense current.

22. The system of claim 19 , wherein said controller is configured to cause a sense current applied to at least one of said first or said second traces to detect soot accumulated on said soot sensor.

23. The system of claim 22 , wherein said controller is configured to detect said open circuit of at least one of said first or said second traces based on a diagnostic sense current.

24. The system of claim 23 , wherein said diagnostic sense current is the same as said sense current.

25. The system of claim 19 , wherein said controller is configured to detect said open circuit of at least one of said first or said second traces based on a sensed current being below a predetermined threshold.

26. The system of claim 19 , wherein said first trace comprises a first set of a plurality of intertwined sections, and said second trace comprises a second set of a plurality of intertwined sections, said first and said second set of said plurality of intertwined sections further including a first and a second subset of intertwined sections, respectively, interweaving with each other.

27. The soot sensor system claim 26 , wherein said controller is configured to detect soot accumulated on said soot sensor based on sensing current from said first subset of intertwined sections to said second subset of intertwined sections.

28. A method of operating a soot sensor comprising a first trace and a second trace of conductive material each being disposed on a first surface of a substrate of said soot sensor, said method comprising:

monitoring a sense current through at least one of said first or said second traces, said sense current being representative of soot accumulated on said first surface of said substrate;

providing a heater current through at least one said first trace or said second trace to remove at least a portion of said soot accumulated on at least said first surface of said substrate; and

cause current to be applied at one or more of said electrical contacts of at least one of said first or said second traces to detect an open circuit of at least one of said first or said second trace.

29. The method of claim 28 , further comprising electrically coupling said first and said second trace in series.

30. The method of claim 29 , wherein said sense current is applied to said first and said second trace coupled in series.

31. The method of claim 29 , wherein said heater current is applied to said first and said second trace coupled in series.

32. The method of claim 28 wherein detecting said open circuit comprises applying a diagnostic sense current to at least one of said first or said second traces.

33. The method of claim 32 , wherein said diagnostic sense current is the same as said sense current.

34. The method of claim 28 , wherein detecting said open circuit comprises determining when said current is below a predetermined threshold.

35. The method of claim 28 , wherein said first trace comprises a first set of a plurality of intertwined sections, and said second trace comprises a second set of a plurality of intertwined sections, said first and said second set of said plurality of intertwined sections further including a first and a second subset of intertwined sections, respectively, interweaving with each other; and

wherein monitoring said sense current through at least one of said first or said second traces comprises detecting soot accumulated on said soot sensor based on sensing current from said first subset of intertwined sections to said second subset of intertwined sections.

36. A soot sensor system comprising:

a soot sensor comprising:

a substrate defining a first surface and a second surface opposing said first surface;

a first trace of conductive material disposed on said first surface of said substrate and extending between two electrical contacts, said first trace comprising a first set of a plurality of undulations, said first set of a plurality of undulations further comprising a first subset of a plurality of undulations; and

a second trace of conductive material disposed on said first surface of said substrate and extending between two electrical contacts, said second trace comprising a second set of a plurality of undulations interweaving with said first set of said plurality of undulations, said second set of a plurality of undulations further comprising a second subset of a plurality of undulations interweaving with said first subset of a plurality of undulations;

wherein said first and said second traces are configured to be coupled to circuitry for detecting soot accumulated on said soot sensor based on sensing current from said first and said second traces.

37. The system of claim 36 , further comprising circuitry electrically coupled to said first and said second traces and configured to:

select whether to connect said first trace and said second trace in series or in parallel,

wherein when said first trace and said second trace are connected in parallel, said circuitry is further configured to:

cause a sense electrical current to be applied to at least one of said first or said second traces and to detect soot accumulated on said first surface of said substrate; and

cause a heater current to be applied to at least one of said first or said second traces and to control heating of first element in response to said soot accumulated on said first surface of said substrate; and

wherein when said first trace and said second trace are connected in series, said circuitry is further configured to:

cause said sense electrical current to be applied to said first and said second traces and to detect soot accumulated on said first surface of said substrate; and

cause said heater current to be applied to said first and said second traces and to control heating of first trace in response to said soot accumulated on said first surface of said substrate.

38. The system of claim 37 , wherein said circuitry comprises a switch coupled between one of said first and second electrical contacts of said first trace and one of said first and second electrical contacts of said second trace, said switch being configure to connect said first trace and said second trace in series when said switch is closed.

39. A soot sensor system comprising:

a soot sensor comprising:

a substrate defining a first surface and a second surface opposing said first surface;

a first trace of conductive material extending between two electrical contacts, said first trace being disposed on said first surface of said substrate; and

a second trace of conductive material extending between two electrical contacts, said second trace being disposed on said first surface of said substrate; and

circuitry electrically coupled to said first and said second traces, said circuitry configured to:

detect soot accumulated on said first surface of said substrate;

control heating of said soot sensor in response to said soot accumulated on said first surface of said substrate; and

detect an open circuit of at least one of said first or said second traces based on a sensed current being below a predetermined threshold.

40. A soot sensor system comprising:

a soot sensor comprising:

a substrate defining a first surface and a second surface opposing said first surface;

a first trace of conductive material extending between two electrical contacts, said first trace being disposed on said first surface of said substrate;

a second trace of conductive material extending between two electrical contacts, said second trace being disposed on said first surface of said substrate; and

a controller coupled to said first and said second traces, said controller configured to:

cause current to be applied to at least one of said first trace or said second trace to detect soot accumulated on said soot sensor;

cause current to be applied to at least one of said first trace or said second trace to control heating of said soot sensor in response to said soot accumulated on said soot sensor; and

detect an open circuit of at least one of said first or said second traces based on a sensed current applied to said at least one of said first or said second traces being below a predetermined threshold.

41. A method of operating a soot sensor comprising a first trace and a second trace of conductive material each being disposed on a first surface of a substrate of said soot sensor, said method comprising:

monitoring a sense current through at least one of said first or said second traces, said sense current being representative of soot accumulated on said first surface of said substrate;

providing a heater current through at least one said first trace or said second trace to remove at least a portion of said soot accumulated on at least said first surface of said substrate; and

detecting an open circuit of at least one of said first or said second traces based on current applied to said first or said second trace and determining when said current is below a predetermined threshold.

42. A method of operating a soot sensor comprising a first trace and a second trace of conductive material each being disposed on a first surface of a substrate of said soot sensor, said method comprising:

monitoring a sense current through at least one of said first or said second traces, said sense current being representative of soot accumulated on said first surface of said substrate;

providing a heater current through at least one said first trace or said second trace to remove at least a portion of said soot accumulated on at least said first surface of said substrate;

detecting an open circuit of at least one of said first or said second traces based on current applied to said first or said second trace; and

electrically coupling said first and said second trace in series.

43. The method of claim 42 , wherein said sense current is applied to said first and said second trace coupled in series.

44. The method of claim 42 , wherein said heater current is applied to said first and said second trace coupled in series.

45. A soot sensor system comprising:

a soot sensor comprising:

a substrate defining a first surface and a second surface opposing said first surface;

a first trace of conductive material extending between two electrical contacts, said first trace being disposed on said first surface of said substrate and comprising a first set of a plurality of intertwined sections; and

a second trace of conductive material extending between two electrical contacts, said second trace being disposed on said first surface of said substrate and comprising a second set of a plurality of intertwined sections;

wherein said first and said second set of said plurality of intertwined sections further include a first and a second subset of intertwined sections, respectively, interweaving with each other; and

circuitry configured to be coupled to said first and said second traces for detecting soot accumulated on said soot sensor based on sensing current from said first subset of intertwined sections to said second subset of intertwined sections and for detecting an open circuit of at least one of said first or said second traces based on a current applied thereto.

Assignments (8)
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Sep 16, 2024
From: STANDARD MOTOR PRODUCTS, INC.
To: JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A., AS ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT
Reel/Frame 068597/0388 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Sep 16, 2024
From: JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A., AS ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT
To: STANDARD MOTOR PRODUCTS, INC.
Reel/Frame 068962/0729 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Jun 1, 2022
From: STANDARD MOTOR PRODUCTS, INC.
To: JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A., AS ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT
Reel/Frame 060070/0557 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Apr 5, 2021
From: STONERIDGE, INC.
To: STANDARD MOTOR PRODUCTS, INC.
Reel/Frame 055821/0677 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Apr 2, 2021
From: PNC BANK, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION
To: STONERIDGE, INC.
Reel/Frame 055807/0164 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded May 11, 2018
From: HART, JOHN; MATSON, ERIC; WILSON, MARK
To: STONERIDGE, INC.
Reel/Frame 045778/0370 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded May 11, 2018
From: HEDAYAT, KAYVAN; POIRIER, NORMAN
To: STONERIDGE, INC.
Reel/Frame 045778/0528 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Aug 12, 2016
From: STONERIDGE, INC.; STONERIDGE CONTROL DEVICES, INC.; STONERIDGE ELECTRONICS, INC.
To: PNC BANK
Reel/Frame 039423/0086 →
Continuity (3)
Continuation 13481723 · May 25, 2012
Provisional Application 61490310 · May 26, 2011
Related Publication 20170023461A1 · Jan 26, 2017