Cable adapter and method for collecting and forwarding analog signals from a plurality of sensors in a motor vehicle

1. A cable adapter ( 1 ) for collecting and forwarding analog signals from a plurality of sensors ( 103 , 105 ) in a motor vehicle ( 100 ) comprising:

a first signal input terminal ( 5 ) for connecting the cable adapter ( 1 ) to a first sensor ( 103 ) and for receiving a first signal current ( 20 ),

a second signal input terminal ( 7 ) for connecting the cable adapter ( 1 ) to a second sensor ( 105 ) and for receiving a second signal current ( 22 ),

a signal output terminal ( 9 ), connected to the signal input terminals in a configuration for channeling signals, for connecting the cable adapter ( 1 ) to an electronic control unit ( 113 ) of the motor vehicle ( 100 ) via a line ( 111 ),

wherein the cable adapter ( 1 ) has switching electronics ( 13 ) that are configured to transmit the first and second signal currents ( 20 , 22 ; 21 , 23 ; 21 ′, 23 ′) to the signal output terminal ( 9 ) at a predetermined rhythm,

wherein the signal output terminal ( 9 ) has a predetermined output bandwidth (B 0 ), and the switching electronics ( 13 ) are configured

to code the incoming first and second signal currents ( 20 , 22 ) and to transmit them as a coded output signal current ( 21 , 23 ; 21 ′, 23 ′),

to code the incoming first signal current ( 20 ) into a first predetermined signal band having a first bandwidth (B 3 ) that is narrower than the output bandwidth (B 0 ) of the signal output terminal ( 9 ),

to code the incoming second signal current ( 22 ) into a second predetermined signal band having a second bandwidth (B 4 ) that is narrower than the output bandwidth (B 0 ) of the signal output terminal ( 9 ), and

to transmit the first and second signal currents ( 21 , 23 ; 21 ′, 23 ′) coded into the first and second signal bands to the signal output terminal ( 9 ) as a coded output signal current.

2. The cable adapter ( 1 ) as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the plurality of sensors is composed of brake lining wear sensors of a utility vehicle disc brake.

3. The cable adapter ( 1 ) as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the sum of the first and second bandwidths (B 3 , B 4 ) of the first and second signal bands is narrower than the output bandwidth (B 0 ) of the signal output terminal ( 9 ), and the first and second signal bands are spaced from one another.

4. A cable adapter ( 1 ) for collecting and forwarding analog signals from a plurality of sensors ( 103 , 105 ) in a motor vehicle ( 100 ) comprising:

a first signal input terminal ( 5 ) for connecting the cable adapter ( 1 ) to a first sensor ( 103 ) and for receiving a first signal current ( 20 ),

a second signal input terminal ( 7 ) for connecting the cable adapter ( 1 ) to a second sensor ( 105 ) and for receiving a second signal current ( 22 ),

a signal output terminal ( 9 ), connected to the signal input terminals in a configuration for channeling signals, for connecting the cable adapter ( 1 ) to an electronic control unit ( 113 ) of the motor vehicle ( 100 ) via a line ( 111 ),

wherein the cable adapter ( 1 ) has switching electronics ( 13 ) that are configured to transmit the first and second signal currents ( 20 , 22 ; 21 , 23 ; 21 ′, 23 ′) to the signal output terminal ( 9 ) at a predetermined rhythm,

wherein the signal output terminal ( 9 ) has a predetermined output bandwidth (B 0 ), and the switching electronics ( 13 ) are configured to transmit the incoming first and second signal currents ( 20 , 22 ) in a respective full bandwidth (B 6 ) to the signal output terminal ( 9 ), or to code them into a signal band having the predetermined output bandwidth and to transmit the incoming first and second signal currents ( 20 , 22 ) in the predetermined output bandwidth.

5. The cable adapter ( 1 ) as claimed in claim 4 , wherein the switching electronics ( 9 ) are configured to transmit a respective identification signal to the signal output terminal ( 9 ) upon a change from a transmission of one signal current ( 21 ′) to a subsequent signal current ( 23 ′), wherein the identification signal is representative of the subsequent signal current.

6. The cable adapter ( 1 ) as claimed in claim 5 , wherein the identification signal is composed of a predetermined number ( 27 , 31 ) of voltage pulses ( 29 ) characteristic of the subsequent signal current.

7. The cable adapter ( 1 ) as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the signal input terminals ( 5 , 7 ) are voltage signal terminals.

8. The cable adapter ( 1 ) as claims in claim 6 , wherein the signal input terminals ( 5 , 7 ) have a respective bandwidth in the range of 0 V to 12 V.

9. The cable adapter ( 1 ) as claimed in claim 7 , wherein the signal output terminal ( 9 ) is an analog voltage signal terminal.

10. The cable adapter ( 1 ) as claims in claim 9 , wherein the signal output terminal ( 9 ) has a bandwidth in the range of 0 V to 12 V.

11. The cable adapter ( 1 ) as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the signal output terminal ( 9 ) is a digital signal output terminal and the switching electronics are configured to code the incoming signal currents ( 20 , 22 ) into a signal of a digital data interface.

12. The cable adapter ( 1 ) as claimed in claim 11 , wherein the digital data interface is configured to code the incoming signal currents ( 20 , 22 ) into a signal of a format selected from the list consisting of:

pulse width modulation (PWM),

single edge nibble transmission (SENT),

peripheral sensor interface 5 (PSI5), or

field bus.

13. A method for collecting and forwarding analog signals from a plurality of sensors ( 103 , 105 ) in a motor vehicle ( 100 ) comprising the steps:

receiving a first signal current ( 20 ) from a first sensor ( 103 ) via a first input terminal ( 5 ),

receiving a second signal current ( 22 ) from a second sensor ( 105 ) connected to the sensors ( 103 , 105 ) via a second input terminal ( 7 ),

coding the received first signal current ( 20 ) into a first predetermined signal band having a first bandwidth (B 3 ) that is narrower than a predetermined output bandwidth (B 0 ) of the signal output terminal ( 9 ),

coding the received second signal current ( 22 ) into a second predetermined signal band having a second bandwidth (B 4 ) that is narrower than the predetermined output bandwidth (B 0 ) of the signal output terminal ( 9 ), and

alternately transmitting the coded first and second signal currents ( 21 , 23 ; 21 ′, 23 ′) into the first and second signal bands to the signal output terminal ( 9 ) a predetermined rhythm via a signal output terminal ( 9 ) of the cable adapter ( 1 ),

wherein the sum of the first and second bandwidths (B 3 , B 4 ) of the first and second signal bands is narrower than the predetermined output bandwidth (B 0 ) of the signal output terminal ( 9 ).

14. The method as claimed in claim 13 , wherein the plurality of sensors is composed of brake lining wear sensors of a utility vehicle disc brake.

15. The method as claimed in claim 13 , wherein the first and second signal bands are spaced from one another.

16. The method as claimed in claim 14 ,

wherein the step of transmitting is carried out via the signal output terminal ( 9 ) within the predetermined output bandwidth (B 0 ), and the method comprises:

transmitting the incoming first and second signal currents ( 20 , 22 ) in respective full bandwidths (B 6 ) to the signal output terminal ( 9 ), or

coding the incoming first and second signal currents into a signal band having the predetermined output bandwidth, and transmitting the incoming signal currents in the predetermined output bandwidth.