Electronic control device and method for controlling the operation of motor vehicle
AssigneeSiemens Aktiengesellschaft
InventorNorman Marenco
Life of this patent
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Abstract
When a microcontroller, having associated output stages which are used to control components, is used, a digital release signal, in addition to the control signal, is supplied to an output stage which signals the blocking or releasing of the output stage according to the state of the signal. In the event of malfunction in the region of the microcontroller, the output stage can be disconnected. Modulation of the release signal and evaluation of the release signal which is guided to the output stage enables a malfunction in the region of the production of the release signal and/or the transmission of the release signal to be recognized using the absence of the modulation. In the event of malfunction, the output stage can disconnected in a reliable manner.
Claims11
An electronic control device for controlling the operation of motor vehicle components, comprising
- a microcontroller for providing at least one control signal for control of at least one component to be controlled in an operation of the motor vehicle;
- a monitoring device connected for monitoring a correct operation of said microcontroller,
- a release control device configured to output a digital release signal, for signaling:
- a disabling with a first release signal state, if said monitoring device establishes that said microcontroller is not operating correctly;
- or
- an enabling of an activation of the component to be controlled with a second release signal state, if said monitoring device establishes that said microcontroller is operating correctly;
- an output stage for activating and deactivating the component to be controlled based on the control signal and taking into account the release signal state;
- a modulation device connected to said release control device for periodic modulation of the release signal;
- and
- an evaluation device connected to receive and to analyze the release signal fed to said output stage with regard to the periodic modulation, and connected to place said output stage into a predetermined error case state if the periodic modulation is absent.
A method of controlling an operation of a motor vehicle component by way of a control device, the control device comprising:
- a microcontroller for generating at least of one control signal for control of at least one component to be controlled in the operation of the motor vehicle;
- a monitoring device for monitoring a correct operation of the microcontroller;
- a release control device for outputting a digital release signal, by way of which:
- if the monitoring device establishes that the microcontroller is not operating correctly, a first release signal state signals a disabling of the activation of the component to be controlled;
- and
- if the monitoring device establishes that the microcontroller is operating correctly, a second release signal state signals an enabling of the activation of the component to be controlled;
- and
- an output stage for activating and deactivating the component to be controlled based on the control signal, taking into account the release signal;
- and the method which comprises:
- subjecting the release signal provided by the release control device to periodic modulation;
- analyzing the release signal fed to the output stage in respect of the periodic modulation;
- and
- placing the output stage into a predetermined error case state if the periodic modulation is absent.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.