# US 10,122,267 B2 · Electronic control device > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 10,122,267 B2 - Document ID: US10122267B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 15/313,270 - Filed: 2015-05-07 - Published: 2017-07-13 - Granted: 2018-11-06 - Earliest claimed: 2014-05-23 - Assignees: Hitachi Automotive Systems, Ltd. - Applicants: Hitachi Automotive Systems, Ltd. - Inventors: Koichi Tsukio - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10122267B2 ## CPC - H02M 3/07: using capacitors charged and discharged alternately by semiconductor devices with control electrode {, e.g. charge pumps} - H02M 3/155: using semiconductor devices only - H03K 5/19: Monitoring patterns of pulse trains (indicating amplitude G01R19/00; indicating frequency G01R23/00; measuring characteristics of individual pulses G01R29/02) - H02M: APPARATUS FOR CONVERSION BETWEEN AC AND AC, BETWEEN AC AND DC, OR BETWEEN DC AND DC, AND FOR USE WITH MAINS OR SIMILAR POWER SUPPLY SYSTEMS; CONVERSION OF DC OR AC INPUT POWER INTO SURGE OUTPUT POWER; CONTROL OR REGULATION THEREOF (transformers H01F; dynamo-electric converters H02K47/00; controlling transformers, reactors or choke coils, control or regulation of electric motors, generators or dynamo-electric converters H02P) - H03K: PULSE TECHNIQUE (measuring pulse characteristics G01R; modulating sinusoidal oscillations with pulses H03C; transmission of digital information H04L; discriminator circuits detecting phase difference between two signals by counting or integrating cycles of oscillation H03D3/04; automatic control, starting, synchronisation or stabilisation of generators of electronic oscillations or pulses where the type of generator is irrelevant or unspecified H03L; coding, decoding or code conversion, in general H03M) ## Abstract In a step-up circuit, which is an electronic control device, changes in current caused by a current rise when stepping up is started and a current drop when stepping up is stopped generate magnetic induction noise due to fluctuations in the electromagnetic induction voltage in signal lines around the step-up circuit. The present invention is a step-up circuit for stepping up by current control, wherein the step-up circuit is provided with a plurality of target current values for retaining a step-up current so that the current is raised in a stepwise manner when stepping up is started and dropped in a stepwise manner when stepping up is stopped. The present invention reduces electromagnetic induction noise generated by the changes in current when stepping up is started and when stepping up is stopped. ## Claims ### Claim 1 An electronic control device comprising: a step-up switching element, a coil, and a diode configured to generate a step-up voltage; and a capacitor mounted to store the step-up voltage, wherein current values at a time of a current rise when stepping up is started are controlled in a stepwise manner such that a plurality of current values are used as a current is increased in the stepwise manner during the current rise, and the current values at a time of a current drop when stepping up is stopped are controlled in the stepwise manner such that the plurality of current values are used as the current is decreased in the stepwise manner during the current drop. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The electronic control device according to claim 1, wherein the current values are controlled in the stepwise manner by varying ON/OFF Duty of the step-up switching element and a frequency. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The electronic control device according to claim 1, further comprising: a current monitor circuit configured to perform current control to step up, wherein a plurality of target current values to control stepping up is provided. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The electronic control device according to claim 3, wherein each of the plurality of target current values is provided with upper and lower limit thresholds of the current, and when the current exceeds a respective target current value of the plurality of target current values, the step-up switching element retains and controls the current so that the current does not exceed the upper and lower limit thresholds of the respective target current value immediately. ### Claim 5 (depends on 3) The electronic control device according to claim 3, wherein each of the plurality of target current values is provided with upper and lower limit thresholds of the current, when the current exceeds a respective target current value of the plurality of target current values, the step-up switching element retains and controls the current so that the current does not exceed the upper and lower limit thresholds of the respective target current value immediately, and a current profile at the time of the current rise in a stepwise manner is varied based on a retaining time to retain and control the current. ### Claim 6 (depends on 3) The electronic control device according to claim 3, wherein each of the plurality of target current values is provided with upper and lower limit thresholds of the current, when the current exceeds a respective target current value of the plurality of target current values, the step-up switching element retains and controls the current so that the current does not exceed the upper and lower limit thresholds of the respective target current value immediately, and a current profile at the time of the current drop in a stepwise manner is varied based on a retaining time to retain and control the current.