Method and device for increasing the safety of operation of an electrical component

• US 20040216940A1
• Filed: 04/09/2004
• Published: 11/04/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 04/11/2003
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Siemens AG
• Original Assignee: Siemens AG
• Inventors: Forstl, Bernhard
• Application Number:
  US10/821,782
• Publication Number:
  US 20040216940A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 180/271
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 77/48 by electrical means
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 81/00 Power-actuated vehicle locks
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 81/54 Electrical circuits for locking several wings simultaneously E05B77/48
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 19/0428 Safety, monitoring G05B19/0423 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/25413 Interrupt, event, state change triggered
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/2628 Door, window
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/2637 Vehicle, car, auto, wheelchair

Abstract

The diagnostics for a switched high-current or safety-relevant load (M) are extended to include active detection of a change in switching state of the load (M) independently of the instant of active actuation by the microcontroller (μC) and/or a superordinate control unit (SG). The diagnostic feedback is preferably applied to a “wake up” interrupt input of the microcontroller (μC). This allows active diagnostics in the event of a state change of the load (M), even if the controller (μC) is in power-down mode (μC_stop).

Claims

1. A method for increasing the safety of operation of an electrical component, in particular of electrical components in a vehicle, comprising the steps of:

actuating a load via a microcontroller,

detecting actively a change in the switching state of a relevant load, and

performing diagnostics irrespective of the instant of actuation of the load by the microcontroller and/or by a superordinate control unit.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein a diagnostic feedback is applied to a wake-up interrupt input of the microcontroller.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein a diagnostic feedback is applied to an input for a non-maskable interrupt as diagnostic readback port.

4. The method according to claim 1, wherein switch-in or disconnection of a load is performed by a vehicle electrical system control unit, wherein a central locking motor preferably being actuated as the load.

5. The method according to claim 1, wherein diagnostic means are used to determine whether a fault state can be eliminated by the microcontroller, wherein remedial action being initiated by a superordinate control unit if the microcontroller fails.

6. A device for increasing the safety of operation of an electrical component in a circuit, particularly of electrical components in a vehicle, wherein a load is connected to a microcontroller for actuation, comprising means of actively detecting a change in switching state of the load which are designed to act, independently of the instant of active triggering of a microcontroller, upon the microcontroller and/or a superordinate control unit.

7. The device according to claim 6, wherein the device further comprises:

means for actuating a load via a microcontroller, and

means for performing diagnostics irrespective of the instant of actuation of the load by the microcontroller and/or by a superordinate control unit.

8. The device according to claim 6, comprising a vehicle electrical system control unit for switching in or disconnecting the load as specified by the microcontroller.

9. The device according to claim 6, wherein the additional hardware compared to known system is essentially combined in the microcontroller.

10. The device according to claim 6, wherein diagnostic means are provided for identifying a fault state which cannot be eliminated by the microcontroller, and wherein said diagnostic can also take remedial action.

11. A device for increasing the safety of operation of an electrical component, in particular of electrical components in a vehicle, comprising:

means for actuating a load via a microcontroller,

means for detecting actively a change in the switching state of a relevant load, and

means for performing diagnostics irrespective of the instant of actuation of the load by the microcontroller and/or by a superordinate control unit.

12. The device according to claim 11, wherein a diagnostic feedback is applied to a wake-up interrupt input of the microcontroller.

13. The device according to claim 11, wherein a diagnostic feedback is applied to an input for a non-maskable interrupt as diagnostic readback port.

14. The device according to claim 11, comprising a vehicle electrical system control unit for switch-in or disconnection of a load, and a central locking motor preferably being actuated as the load.

15. The device according to claim 11, comprising a superordinate control unit coupled with said means for performing diagnostic to determine whether a fault state can be eliminated by the microcontroller, wherein remedial action being initiated by the superordinate control unit if the microcontroller fails.