S Ahmad

Central Electronics Engineering

Research Institute, Pilani

Workshop on
Embedded System in Automobile Industry
Indian Institute of Technology, Mumbai
1st December, 2003

Introductio
n

Automotive Industry Quest

Passenger Car - Performance Improvement,
Reduced Cost, Enhanced Reliability

Conventional Sensor - MEMS Replacement

Newer Possible Applications
Earliest Use - Manifold Absolute Pressure
Sensor - MAP - 1979
Silicon Accelerometer - Airbag - 1990s
Warranty Period - 10Years/ 150,000 Miles
BARC Present

24 April, 2003

Introductio
n

Improved Fuel Efficiency, Emission and

Safety - Federal Standards
Higher Expectations - Performance,
Comfort
Greater Availability - Micro-controller,
Memory, Display and Enhanced Diagnostics
Very Harsh Under the Hood Environment
High Temperature, Shock, Vibration,
Humidity, Corrosive Media, EMC and RFI
Military Grade at Lowest Consumer Price
BARC Present

24 April, 2003

Automotive Sensor
Global Market Growth
BARC Present

24 April, 2003

Automotive Sensor Usage

Early Estimate - 1997
BARC Present
24 April, 2003

Automotive Industry
MEMS Sensors

BARC Present

24 April, 2003

Product Evolution Time

Schedule

BARC Present

24 April, 2003

Top Ten MEMS Markets

Micro-fluidic Biochip
Glucose Monitoring MEMS Sensor
Tire Pressure Sensors
Hard Disc Drive Heads
Inkjet Print Head
Medical Condition Detection Device
Large Format Print Head
Automotive Function Enabling Device
ABS Accelerometer and Gyroscope
Automobile Mass Airflow Sensor
Venture Development Corporation

BARC Present

24 April, 2003

Basic Auto MEMS

Requirements

Crash Sensing - Air Bag Deployment

Vehicle Dynamic Control
Rollover Detection System
Antitheft System
Electronic Parking Brake System
Vehicle Navigation System
Seat Occupancy / Passenger Position
Climate Control
Digital Engine Control
Road Conditions

BARC Present

24 April, 2003

Major Growth Areas

Accelerometer VDC and Airbags

Pressure Sensor Transmission, Brakes,
Diesel Fuel Rails, Refrigeration, Tires, Fuel
Evaporation,Yaw Rates, GPS Backup
Position Sensor Wheel Speed,
Camshaft, Crankshaft, Pedal Positions
Humidity Sensor Cabin Comfort
Distance Sensor Collision Avoidance

BARC Present

24 April, 2003

10

Airbag Deployment

Acceleration - Continuously Measured

Acceleration Exceeds Some Threshold
Measured Acceleration Curve Integrated
Large Velocity Change - Airbag Fired
Steering Wheel and Side Airbag Firing
Earlier Sensors - Distributed g Switch
Insufficient Information On/Off Type
More Expensive , Less Reliable
MEMS Accelerometer - Far Better
Gyroscope - ANALOG Devices Introduced

BARC Present

24 April, 2003

11

Vehicle Dynamic
Control

VDC - Vehicle Skid Control

Contains : Gyroscope, Low g Accelerometer,
Wheel Speed Sensor
Yaw Rate Prediction - Speed Measurement
Gyroscope Measurement - Compared
Larger Difference - Single Wheel Brake or
Torque Reduction Applied, Airbag Fired
Shock / Vibration Tolerant Gyroscopes - Need
ANALO Devices - iMEMS Gyro Better Device

BARC Present

24 April, 2003

12

Vehicle Rollover
Detection

More Appropriate - Vans, Trucks, Sport Vehicle

Roll Angle and Rate Measurement - Tripping
Gyroscope - Roll Rate, Integration - Angle
Z - Axis Acceleration Additional Accelerometer
Sideways Sliding Cause Rollover - Curb/Object
Dual Axes Low g Accelerometer Ideal Solution
Shock/Vibration Resistant Gyros - Necessary
Fast Response Time Gyroscope - Essential

BARC Present

24 April, 2003

13

Security - Antitheft

Vehicle Towing - Popular Type Theft

Tilt Detection System - Effective Sensor
Pan European Specification - 30 Tilt over
3 minute period - i.e. 0.016o tilt per
second
Fluid Tilt Sensor - Possible Use
- Limited Tilt Range, Parked Car @ Large
Tilt Angle - Sensor Ineffective
Harsh Environment - Temperature Change,
Sensor Performance Heavily Impaired
Low g Accelerometers Ideal Tilt Sensor

BARC Present

24 April, 2003

14

Parking Brake
System

Manual Parking Brake Activation

Robust Push or Pull Type Operation
Braking Force Magnitude - No Concern
Electronic Parking Brake - Button
Activation
Sensor Measures Vehicle Inclination
Braking Force Requirement Determined
Brake Applied - Easy Operation
Low g Accelerometers
- Ideal Tilt Detection Sensor
Sometimes Single Sensor Used Both
Antitheft and Parking Brake Systems

BARC Present

24 April, 2003

15

Vehicle Navigation
System

Standard Feature Luxury Cars

Global Positioning System Fundamental Part
GPS - Position and Altitude but No Direction
Magnetometer Early Direction Sensor
Large Ferrous Metal Object - Confused
Magnetometer Performance - Not Reliable
Compass and GPS Initial Start
Travel Direction Match - Map Data - Direction
Gyroscope - When and How Much Car Turned,
Directional Data Match - Map Data
Gyroscope - Heading Information, Low g
Accelerometer Position Data , Integration

BARC Present

24 April, 2003

16

Electronic Engine
Control

Intake Manifold Pressure - Air to Fuel Ratio

Mass Air Flow Devices - MEMS Version
Barometric Pressure - Altitude Information
Rich to Lean Fuel to Air Mixture Decision
Cylinder Pressure Measurement - Performance
Optimization - Piezoelectric/ Fiber Optic Sensor
Exhaust Gas Re-circulation - Capacitive
Pressure
Sensor Better Solution
Hydraulic Fluid Pressure - Isolated Diaphragm
Type Configuration, Sensor ASIC Integration
Fuel Injection - Silicon Fuel Injection Nozzle

BARC Present

24 April, 2003

17

Sensor Cluster System

Same Sensor Family - Variety of Measurements

Accelerometer/Gyros - Sometimes 15 Sensors
Difficult Integration, Unsafe Operation Fear
Inertial Measurement Unit - Six Axes Inertial
Measurements, Proper location Signal Routing
Additional Stand Alone Sensors - Still Required
Sensor Cluster Configuration - More Economical
Solution, Better Micro-controller Utilization

BARC Present

24 April, 2003

18

Commercial Off-the-Shelf
MEMS Pressure Sensor
BARC Present

24 April, 2003

19

6H-SiC High g Piezo-resistive

Accelerometer
BARC Present

24 April, 2003

20

BARC Present

24 April, 2003

21

ARIES Airbag Deployment Test System

BARC Present

24 April, 2003

22

Three Axes MEMS

Accelerometer Sandia
Laboratories
BARC Present

24 April, 2003

23

Delphi Automotive System Air

Bag
BARC Present
24 April, 2003

24

BARC Present

24 April, 2003

25

Piezo-resistive Pressure Sensor - CEERI

BARC Present

24 April, 2003

26

ZnO Piezoelectric Acoustic Sensor - CEERI

BARC Present

24 April, 2003

27

Polysilicon Load Cell - CEERI

BARC Present

24 April, 2003

28

Three Axes Bulk Micro-machined

Accelerometer Test Structure - CEERI
BARC Present
24 April, 2003

29

Sensor Interface ASIC - Schematic

BARC Present

24 April, 2003

30

Sensor Output Without Conditioning

BARC Present

24 April, 2003

31

Corrected Sensor Output

BARC Present

24 April, 2003

32

Universal Signal Conditioner Resistive Bridge

BARC Present

24 April, 2003

33

Intelligent Pressure Sensor Chip

BARC Present

24 April, 2003

34

Capacitive Sensor Interface ASIC

BARC Present

24 April, 2003

35

Conclusions

Automobile MEMS Sensor - Fast Growing

Multi Billion Dollar Industry Growth
Intelligent Sensor Development - Needed
Interface and Signal Conditioning - Essential
Hybrid Approach - Initial Stage
ASICs Use - Commercial ASICS Available
Sensor Cluster Approach Better Solution
Already Late Start Sooner Starting Better

BARC Present

24 April, 2003

36

BARC Present

24 April, 2003

37