System and method for dealing with component obsolescence in microprocessor-based control units

• US 20060282254A1
• Filed: 06/10/2005
• Published: 12/14/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 06/10/2005
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Bayerische Motoren Werke AG
• Original Assignee: Bayerische Motoren Werke AG
• Inventors: Kaindl, Michael, Ananny, John
• Application Number:
  US11/149,710
• Publication Number:
  US 20060282254A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 703/23
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/2028 eliminating a faulty processor or activating a spare
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/2038 with a single idle spare processing component

Abstract

A method of dealing with a microprocessor used in a first vehicle system control unit becoming obsolete. The method comprises providing a second vehicle system control unit for performing substantially the same operation as that of the first vehicle system control unit, wherein the second vehicle system control unit includes a microprocessor emulation unit having a programmable hardware device adapted to emulate the operation of the core functional portion of the microprocessor. The programmable hardware device may comprise a field programmable gate array (FPGA) device, a field programmable logic device (FPLD), a programmable logic array (PLA), a mask programmable logic device (MPLD), a programmable array logic (PAL) device, or a complex programmable logic device (CPLD). The microprocessor emulation unit may include substantially the same firmware and physical interface of the obsolete microprocessor.

Claims

1. A method of dealing with a microprocessor used in a first vehicle system control unit becoming obsolete, comprising providing a second vehicle system control unit for performing substantially the same operation as said first vehicle system control unit, wherein said second vehicle system control unit includes a microprocessor emulation unit having a programmable hardware device that emulates an operation of a core functional portion of said microprocessor.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein said programmable hardware device comprises a field programmable gate array (FPGA) device.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein said programmable hardware device comprises a field programmable logic device (FPLD).

4. The method of claim 1, wherein said programmable hardware device comprises a programmable logic array (PIA).

5. The method of claim 1, wherein said programmable hardware device comprises a mask programmable logic device (MPLD).

6. The method of claim 1, wherein said programmable hardware device comprises a programmable array logic (PAL) device.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein said programmable hardware device comprises a complex programmable logic device (CPLD).

8. The method of claim 1, wherein said first vehicle system control unit includes a memory device storing a first firmware for said microprocessor, and wherein said microprocessor emulation unit comprises a memory device storing a second firmware being substantially the same as said first firmware.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein said microprocessor includes a first physical interface, and wherein said microprocessor emulation unit comprises a second physical interface being substantially the same as said first physical interface.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein said microprocessor emulation unit comprises a voltage regulator adapted to convert a first voltage appropriate for biasing said microprocessor to a second voltage appropriate for biasing said programmable hardware device.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein said microprocessor emulation unit includes a memory device for storing an emulation program for use by said programmable hardware device in emulating said operation of said core functional portion of said microprocessor.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein said microprocessor emulation unit comprises an interface for testing, debugging and/or programming said programmable hardware device.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein said second vehicle system control unit includes a first printed circuit (PC) board and a second printed circuit (PC) board attached to said first printed circuit (PC) board, wherein said second printed circuit (PC) board includes said microprocessor emulation unit.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein second printed circuit (PC) board includes a plurality of pins that mate with corresponding sockets on said first printed circuit (PC) board.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein a pin configuration of said plurality of pins is substantially the same as a pin configuration of said microprocessor.

16. The method of claim 1, wherein said second vehicle system control unit includes a printed circuit (PC) board comprising a plurality of sockets configured to mate with a plurality of pins of said microprocessor emulation unit.

17. A first vehicle system control unit for replacing a second vehicle system control unit having a microprocessor, comprising a microprocessor emulation unit including a programmable hardware device adapted to emulate an operation of a core functional portion of said microprocessor of said second vehicle system control unit.

18. The first vehicle system control unit of claim 17, wherein said programmable hardware device comprises a field programmable gate array (FPGA) device.

19. The first vehicle system control unit of claim 17, wherein said programmable hardware device comprises a field programmable logic device (FPLD).

20. The first vehicle system control unit of claim 17, wherein said programmable hardware device comprises a programmable logic array (PLA).

21. The first vehicle system control unit of claim 17, wherein said programmable hardware device comprises a mask programmable logic device (MPLD).

22. The first vehicle system control unit of claim 17, wherein said programmable hardware device comprises a programmable array logic (PAL) device.

23. The first vehicle system control unit of claim 17, wherein said programmable hardware device comprises a complex programmable logic device (CPLD).

24. The first vehicle system control unit of claim 17, wherein said microprocessor emulation unit further comprises a memory device storing a first firmware that is substantially the same as a second firmware used by said microprocessor of said second vehicle system control unit.

25. The first vehicle system control unit of claim 17, wherein said microprocessor emulation unit further comprises a first physical interface being substantially the same as a second physical interface of said microprocessor of said second vehicle system control unit.

26. The first vehicle system control unit of claim 17, wherein said microprocessor emulation unit comprises a voltage regulator to generate a first voltage appropriate for biasing said programmable hardware device from a second voltage appropriate for biasing said microprocessor unit.

27. The first vehicle system control unit of claim 17, wherein said microprocessor emulation unit comprises a memory device for storing an emulation program for use by said programmable hardware device in emulating said operation of said core functional portion of said microprocessor.

28. The first vehicle system control unit of claim 17, wherein said microprocessor emulation unit comprises an interface for testing, debugging and/or programming said programmable hardware device.

29. The first vehicle system control unit of claim 17, comprising a first printed circuit (PC) board and a second printed circuit (PC) board attached to said first printed circuit (PC) board, wherein said second printed circuit (PC) board includes said microprocessor emulation unit.

30. The first vehicle system control unit of claim 29, wherein said second printed circuit (PC) board includes a plurality of pins that mate with corresponding sockets on said first printed circuit (PC) board.

31. The first vehicle system control unit of claim 30, wherein a pin configuration of said second printed circuit (PC) board is substantially the same as a pin configuration of said microprocessor.

32. The first vehicle system control unit of claim 17, comprising a printed circuit (PC) board including a plurality of sockets configured to mate with a plurality of pins of said microprocessor emulation unit.

33. A vehicle control system including a plurality of control units, wherein at least one of said control unit includes a programmable hardware device that emulates an operation of an obsolete microprocessor.

34. A microprocessor emulation unit to replace a microprocessor, comprising:

a programmable hardware device adapted to emulate an operation of a core functional portion of said microprocessor; and

a non-volatile memory including a first firmware substantially the same as a second firmware for said microprocessor.