Search

DE-112019006490-B4 - Vehicle control unit

DE112019006490B4DE 112019006490 B4DE112019006490 B4DE 112019006490B4DE-112019006490-B4

Abstract

Vehicle control apparatus, which features: a first characteristic device (5) configured to provide a first characteristic function, a second characteristic device (6) configured to provide a second characteristic function, a control device (2, 32) configured to output a control signal to each of the devices, first characteristic device and second characteristic device, via a signal line, and a supply voltage control device (22, 33, 42, 51) which is provided between the control device and the second characteristic device, where: a minimum operating voltage of the first characteristic device is set to be lower than a minimum operating voltage of the second characteristic device, the supply voltage control device is configured to prevent a situation in which a supply voltage of a device power supplied to the second characteristic device becomes less than an input voltage of the signal line of the control signal transmitted from the control device to the second characteristic device. the first characteristic device includes a safety and security device configured to provide, as the function of the first characteristic, a safety and security function necessary to provide safety and security rather than mere amenity and comfort, and The second characteristic device includes a multimedia device configured to provide a multimedia function as the function of the second characteristic, which is not required to provide as much safety and security as the safety and security function.

Inventors

  • Daiki Yoshihara
  • Takashi Hashizume

Assignees

  • DENSO CORPORATION

Dates

Publication Date
20260513
Application Date
20191203
Priority Date
20181226

Claims (5)

  1. Vehicle control apparatus comprising: a first characteristic device (5) configured to provide a first characteristic function, a second characteristic device (6) configured to provide a second characteristic function, a control device (2, 32) configured to output a control signal to each of the devices, first characteristic device and second characteristic device, via a signal line, and a supply voltage control device (22, 33, 42, 51) provided between the control device and the second characteristic device, whereby: a minimum operating voltage of the first characteristic device is set to be lower than a minimum operating voltage of the second characteristic device, the supply voltage control device is configured to prevent a situation in which a supply voltage of a device power supplied to the second characteristic device becomes lower than an input voltage of the signal line of the control signal transmitted from the control device to the second characteristic device, the The first characteristic device includes a safety and security device configured to provide, as the function of the first characteristic, a safety and security function necessary to provide safety and security rather than mere amenity and comfort; and the second characteristic device includes a multimedia device configured to provide, as the function of the second characteristic, a multimedia function not required to provide as much safety and security as the safety and security function.
  2. Vehicle control apparatus comprising: a first characteristic device (5) configured to provide a first characteristic function, a second characteristic device (6) configured to provide a second characteristic function, a control device (2, 32) configured to output a control signal to each of the devices, first characteristic device and second characteristic device, via a signal line, and a supply voltage control device (22, 33, 42, 51) provided between the control device and the second characteristic device, wherein: a minimum operating voltage of the first characteristic device is set to be lower than a minimum operating voltage of the second characteristic device, and the supply voltage control device is configured to prevent a situation in which a supply voltage of a device power supplied to the second characteristic device is exceeded. characteristic device supplied, is less than an input voltage of the signal line of the control signal which is transmitted from the control device to the second characteristic device, and the supply voltage control device (22, 33) includes a buffer circuit (23, 34) and a pull-up resistor (26).
  3. Vehicle control apparatus according to Claim 2 , wherein: the buffer circuit (34) is included in the control device (32).
  4. Vehicle control apparatus according to Claim 1 , wherein: the supply voltage control device (42) includes a level converter circuit (43).
  5. Vehicle control apparatus comprising: a first characteristic device (5) configured to provide a first characteristic function, a second characteristic device (6) configured to provide a second characteristic function, a control device (2, 32) configured to output a control signal to each of the devices, first characteristic device and second characteristic device, via a signal line, and a supply voltage control device (22, 33, 42, 51) provided between the control device and the second characteristic device, whereby: a minimum operating voltage of the first characteristic device is set to be lower than a minimum operating voltage of the second characteristic device, the supply voltage control device is configured to prevent a situation in which a supply voltage of a device power supplied to the second characteristic device becomes lower than an input voltage of the signal line of the control signal transmitted from the control device to the second characteristic device. is, the control device and the second characteristic device are configured to perform data communication via a clock line and a data line, and the supply voltage control device (51) includes (i) a switching element (52) and a pull-up resistor (53, 54) connected to the clock line, and (ii) a switching element (55) and a pull-up resistor (56, 57) connected to the data line.

Description

Cross-reference to a related registration This application is based on the Japanese patent application JP 2018 - 242744 A , which was submitted on December 26, 2018, and whose contents are hereby incorporated by reference. Technical field The present disclosure relates to a vehicle control apparatus. background For example, a vehicle, such as an automobile, is equipped with a vehicle control unit that integrally controls a variety of functions with different characteristics. Such a vehicle control unit may have a configuration that includes (i) a first characteristic device providing the function of a first characteristic, (ii) a second characteristic device providing the function of a second characteristic, and (iii) a microcomputer that controls the function of both the first and second characteristics. Furthermore, in such a configuration, the function of the first characteristic may be one that requires low-voltage operation, and the function of the second characteristic may be one that does not. In such a case, the microcomputer and the first characteristic device may be powered by a first power supply that provides low-voltage operation, whereas the second characteristic device may be powered by a second power supply that does not provide low-voltage operation. The first characteristic device can be a safety and security device, providing a safety and security function that requires safety and security rather than mere convenience and comfort. The second characteristic device can be a multimedia device, providing a multimedia function that does not require as much safety and security as the safety and security function. A starter activation for starting the vehicle's engine or internal combustion engine requires a high electrical power output, which involves a brief interruption that temporarily reduces the power voltage supplied from the outside to the vehicle's control unit. The configuration described above, in which the microcomputer controls a variety of functions with varying power limitations, must ensure that some functions continue to operate even during this brief interruption. For example, consider a case where the power voltage drops from 10 V or higher to 4 V. In such a case, at 10 V or higher, both the safety and security functions and the multimedia functions operate normally, whereas at 4 V, the multimedia functions must be stopped, while the safety and security functions must continue to operate. The procedure for stopping the multimedia function can be executed by the microcomputer, which stops the output of the control signal to the multimedia device when it detects a drop in the power voltage supplied from the external source. Correspondingly, the device power supply to the multimedia device is stopped due to the drop in power voltage. In this case, it is assumed that the device power supply to the multimedia device stops before the input of the control signal from the microcomputer is stopped. According to this assumption, the voltage continues to be applied to the signal line as if the device power supply were not being delivered. Consequently, the device power supply voltage may be lower than the input voltage of the signal line, and there is a risk of device damage. As a countermeasure for such a situation, it is conceivable to use software control. For example, it reveals JP 2014 - 197370 A The configuration for using software control when an abnormality occurs. From the WO 2018 / 135869 A1 A driver assistance system for collision avoidance control is known, in which the voltage logic and memory logic of a camera system are described. From the US 2019 / 0143968 A1 A driver assistance system for collision avoidance control is known, in which sensors detect a lane and an external vehicle and thereby control steering, braking or acceleration of the own vehicle. Summary of the invention As a countermeasure against device destruction, if the power voltage In the event of a voltage drop, a configuration is conceivable in which the microcomputer detects the drop in power and stops the output of the control signal to the multimedia device, as described above. However, in this configuration, even if the interrupt processing is performed in the microcomputer, the control signal may be output immediately after the voltage drop is detected due to processing that was performed earlier. In this case, it becomes difficult to stop the input of the control signal from the microcomputer before the device power supply is stopped, and it becomes difficult to avoid device damage. It is an objective of the present disclosure to appropriately prevent device damage when the externally supplied power voltage drops. This objective is achieved by the independent claims. Advantageous embodiments are disclosed in the dependent claims. According to an example in the present disclosure, a vehicle control apparatus is provided to include a first characteristic device, a second characteristic device, a contro