Electronic control apparatus for vehicle

An electronic control apparatus for a vehicle, wherein said apparatus executes a plurality of controls associated with driving of the vehicle, said apparatus comprising:

• a first computer and a second computer for independently executing controls wherein each computer is functionally assigned to and executes at least one associated control, and wherein each computer monitors operational states of other computer;
• at least one communication line for allowing the first computer and the second computer to exchange predetermined data necessary for controls with each other;
• at least one monitor line for allowing the first computer and the second computer to exchange predetermined signals necessary for monitoring the operational states of the computers with each other;
• a main processor and an associated sub processor provided in each computer, wherein the main processor executes at least one assigned control;
• a monitoring means provided in the main processor and the associated sub processor in the each computer, wherein the monitoring means allows associated the processors to exchange predetermined signals with each other necessary for monitoring their operational states and for determining whether the operational state of the associated processor is normal;
• a communicating means provided in each computer, wherein the communicating means allows each computer to exchange a first dynamic signal, which inverts every given period, with the predetermined data by way of the communication line when the operational state of each computer is normal;
• a transmitting means provided in each computer, wherein the transmitting means transmits a second dynamic signal, which inverts every given period, to the other computer by way of the monitor line when the monitoring means of each processor determines that the operational state of the other processor is normal, and wherein each transmitting means transmits a signal other than the second dynamic signal to the other computer by way of the monitor line when at least one monitoring means of the processors determines that the operational state of the other processor is abnormal;
• and
• abnormality detecting means provided in each computer, wherein the abnormality detecting means detects an abnormality of the other computer to monitor both the first dynamic signal and the second dynamic signal transmitted from the other computer by way of the communication line and the monitor line.