Method and system for controlling one of a glow plug heater system and a grid heater system in an automotive vehicle

A method for controlling one of a glow plug heater system and a grid heater system in an automotive vehicle comprising:

• providing a common controller programmed with a first control algorithm for controlling a glow plug heater system and a second control algorithm for controlling a grid heater system and having at least one configurable pin;
• detecting whether the heater system is a glow plug heater system or a grid heater system based on a configuration of the at least one configurable pin and generating a corresponding control signal;
• and
• the controller controlling the glow plug heater system according to the first control algorithm and controlling the grid heater system according to the second control algorithm based on the control signal.

A system for controlling one of a glow plug heater system and a grid heater system in an automotive vehicle and for performing a diagnostic test, the system comprising:

• a common controller programmed with a first control algorithm for controlling a glow plug heater system, a second control algorithm for controlling a grid heater system, and a diagnostic algorithm for performing a self-diagnostic test on the system;
• at least one configurable pin for selecting one of the glow plug heater system, the grid heater system or the diagnostic test and generating a corresponding control signal;
• and
• the common controller controlling the glow plug heater system according to the first control algorithm, controlling the grid heater system according to the second control algorithm, or performing the self-diagnostic test according to the diagnostic algorithm based on the control signal.