Method for the control of an assembly

• US 20090164077A1
• Filed: 12/23/2008
• Published: 06/25/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 12/24/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Magna Powertrain AG & Company KG (Magna International Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Magna Powertrain AG & Company KG (Magna International Incorporated)
• Inventors: Kiessner-Haiden, Martin
• Granted Patent: US 8,315,761 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/67
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 2061/0053 Initializing the parameters of the controller
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 61/0202 the signals being electric F16H61/04 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/25297 Identify controlled element, valve, and read characteristics

Abstract

A method for the control of an assembly by a control unit, in particular in a motor vehicle, wherein the assembly includes at least one component, at least one actuator associated with the component, and an additional control unit having a first non-volatile memory section that is connected to the control unit. The control unit includes a second non-volatile memory section. Classification information associated with the assembly and stored in the first non-volatile memory section is read out and transmitted to the control unit. The transmitted classification information is stored in the second non-volatile memory section. Subsequently, the classification information stored in the second, non-volatile memory section is read out and transmitted to the additional control unit. The disclosure furthermore relates to a an assembly group that comprises the assembly and the control unit, with the control unit and the additional control unit of the assembly being connected to one another by a data transmission path.

Claims

1. A method for the control of an assembly by a control unit, in particular in a motor vehicle, wherein the assembly includes at least one component, at least one actuator associated with the component and an additional control unit having a first non-volatile memory section which is connected to the control unit, with the control unit including a second non-volatile memory section, comprising:

reading out and transmitting classification information associated with the assembly and stored in the first non-volatile memory section to the control unit;

the transmitted classification information being stored in the second non-volatile memory unit; and

reading out and transmitting the classification information stored in the second non-volatile memory section to the additional control unit.

2. The method in accordance with claim 1, wherein the classification information transmitted to the additional control unit is stored in the first non-volatile memory section if the first non-volatile memory section does not contain any classification information.

3. The method in accordance with claim 1, wherein the classification information transmitted to the additional control unit is not stored in the first non-volatile memory section if the first non-volatile memory section already contains classification information.

4. The method in accordance with claim 1, wherein the classification information is used by the control unit for the adaptation of at least one map to improve the control of the assembly.

5. The method in accordance with claim 1, wherein the classification information is composed of at least two pieces of partial information, with one of the pieces of partial information being associated with the component as a component classification and the other piece of partial information being associated with the actuator as an actuator classification.

6. The method in accordance with claim 5, wherein the pieces of part information of the classification information stored in the second non-volatile memory section are overwritten by the corresponding pieces of partial information transmitted to the control unit.

7. The method in accordance with claim 5, wherein the actuator and the additional control unit associated with the actuator are replaced in case of service by a replacement actuator and by a replacement additional control unit associated with the replacement actuator whose first non-volatile memory section only includes the actuator classification.

8. The method in accordance with claim 7, wherein the actuator classification includes information characterizing a typical actuator or information determined individually for the replacement actuator.

9. The method in accordance with claim 5, wherein, on a replacement of the component and/or of the actuator without replacement of the additional control unit, the component classification and/or the actuator classification is/are each replaced by information that characterizes a typical component or a typical actuator, respectively, or that was determined individually for the component or the replacement actuator respectively.

10. The method in accordance with claim 5, wherein the pieces of partial information transmitted to the additional control unit are not stored in the first non-volatile memory section if the first non-volatile memory section already contains values for the corresponding pieces of partial information.

11. The method in accordance with claim 5, wherein the pieces of partial information transmitted to the additional control unit are stored in the first non-volatile memory section if the first non-volatile memory section does not contain any values for the corresponding pieces of partial information.

12. The method in accordance with claim 1, wherein the classification information associated with the assembly and/or the pieces of partial information associated with individual components of the assembly are determined where the individual components are manufactured and are stored in the first non-volatile memory section.

13. The method in accordance with claim 1, wherein the transmission of the classification information to the control unit takes place at predetermined times or after reception of a request signal.

14. The method in accordance with claim 1, wherein the transmission of the classification information to the additional control unit takes place at predetermined times or after reception of a request signal.

15. The method in accordance with claim 1, wherein the classification information includes information on the tolerance class of the component and/or of the actuator.

16. The method in accordance with claim 1, wherein the classification information includes a characteristic of the assembly, of the component and/or of the actuator.

17. The method in accordance with claim 1, wherein the transmission of the classification information takes place digitally.

18. An assembly group having a controllable assembly and a control unit, in particular for a motor vehicle, the assembly comprising:

at least one component;

at least one actuator associated with the component; and

an additional control unit having a first non-volatile memory section, with the control unit including a second non-volatile memory section and with the control unit and the additional control unit being connected to one another by a data transmission path,

wherein the first non-volatile memory section stores classification information associated with the assembly;

the data transmission path is made such that the classification information is transmitted between the additional control unit to the control unit; and

the control unit transmits classification information to the additional control device.

19. The assembly group in accordance with claim 18, wherein the additional control unit includes a test unit that checks the memory content of the first non-volatile memory section and stores the classification information, or parts thereof, transmitted to the additional control unit in the first non-volatile memory section if no classification information or if some incomplete information is stored in the first non-volatile memory section.

20. The assembly group in accordance with claim 18, wherein the control unit includes a memory unit that overwrites the classification information, or parts thereof, stored in the second non-volatile memory section by the classification information, or parts thereof, transmitted by the additional control unit.

21. The assembly group in accordance with claim 18, wherein some of the pieces of classification information are transmitted independently of one another via the data transmission path and/or are stored and/or read out in the first and second non-volatile memory sections.

22. The assembly group in accordance with claim 18, wherein the component is a torque transmission clutch.

23. The assembly group in accordance with claim 18, wherein the assembly is a transfer case.

24. The assembly group in accordance with claim 18, wherein the data transmission path includes a CAN bus between the control unit and the additional control unit.