Method and apparatus providing operation of an integration hub for automotive signals during low voltage conditions
AssigneeFord Motor Company
InventorsBradley Jerome Corbin, Jeffrey Todd Kanoza
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A signal integration hub for automotive sensors measures battery voltage and provides an indication of that voltage to a processing microcontroller. A program executed on the microcontroller distinguishes between convenience and required function sensors and input circuits. When battery voltage is low, the microprocessor substitutes only for the convenience sensors their last debounced value during a time when battery voltage was not low. Inputs from required function sensors are not altered.
Claims14
An integration hub processing automotive signals from signal sources receiving electrical power from an automotive power source, the integration hub comprising:
- a plurality of sensor connections receiving the automotive signals;
- at least one power connection receiving the electrical power from the automotive power source;
- a voltage sensor communicating with the power connection to provide a measure of a voltage of the electrical power to the signal sources;
- a processor communicating with the connections and having inputs receiving the automotive signals and the measure of the voltage and executing a stored program to:
- (a) evaluate the measure of the voltage to determine whether the voltage is above a predetermined voltage threshold;
- (b) when the measure of the voltage is above the predetermined threshold, employing the automotive signals for control functions and storing values of the automotive signals;
- and
- (c) when the measure of the voltage is not above the predetermined threshold, employing stored values of the previous automotive signals for the control functions.
A method of integrating automotive signals from sources receiving electrical power from an automotive power source having variable voltage output, the method comprising the steps of:
- (a) receiving automotive signals from a plurality of sources;
- (b) measuring a voltage of the electrical power to the sources;
- (c) comparing the measured voltage against a predetermined voltage threshold;
- (d) when the measure of the voltage is above the predetermined threshold, employing the automotive signals for control functions and storing values of the automotive signals;
- and
- (e) when the measure of the voltage is not above the predetermined threshold, employing stored values of the previous automotive signals for the control functions.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.