METHOD OF CONTROLLING ELECTRONIC CONTROLLER UNITS

• US 20180018011A1
• Filed: 09/26/2017
• Published: 01/18/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 05/20/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Renesas Electronics Corporation
• Original Assignee: Renesas Electronics Corporation
• Inventors: ASANO, Masahiro, NISHIHARA, Yuriko
• Granted Patent: US 10,126,797 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/26 Power supply means, e.g. regulation thereof for memories G11C
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/3234 Power saving characterised by the action undertaken
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 13/36 for access to common bus or bus system
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/40013 Details regarding a bus controller
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/40039 Details regarding the setting of the power status of a node according to activity on the bus
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 10/00 Energy efficient computing, e.g. low power processors, power management or thermal management
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 30/50 in wire-line communication networks, e.g. low power modes or reduced link rate

Abstract

Power supply of ECUs connected to a communication network is optimally controlled so that power consumption is reduced. A transceiver/receiver converts a message of a differential signal received via a CAN bus into a digital signal. A select circuit determines whether the converted message is in a CAN format or a UART format. If it is in the UART format, the select circuit outputs a message to the UART circuit. A UART circuit determines whether the message matches a UART format. If matched, an ID determination circuit determines whether the input message is specifying a CAN ID of its own ECU. If it is the CAN ID of the ECU, the ID determination circuit outputs an enable signal to turn on a regulator and supply power to an MCU and an actuator.

Claims

1. A method of controlling electronic controller units comprising the step of:

connecting a plurality of electronic controller units which has a first electronic controller unit, a second electronic controller unit, and a third electronic controller unit to a communication bus;

outputting a first message and a second message via the communication bus in this order by the first electronic controller unit;

when the second electronic controller unit receives the first message, stopping output of messages to the communication bus for a predetermined time; and

when the third electronic controller unit whose mode is a standby mode receives the second message, determining whether an ID included in the second message identifies itself or not, and shifting the mode of the third electronic controller unit from the standby mode to an active mode when the ID identifies itself.

2. The method of controlling electronic controller units according to the claim 1,

wherein, after elapse of the predetermined time, a mode of the second electronic controller unit shifts to a mode capable of outputting the messages to the communication bus.

3. The method of controlling electronic controller units according to the claim 1,

wherein the second electronic controller unit has:

a communication interface unit; and

a controller unit,

when the second electronic controller unit receives the first message, a mode of the controller unit shifts to the standby mode, and a mode of the communication interface unit shifts to a reception idle mode of the massage from the communication bus.

4. The method of controlling electronic controller units according to the claim 1,

wherein a mode of the third electronic controller unit shifts from the active mode to the standby mode after elapse of a predetermined time from a state in which a power supply voltage has been supplied from a battery of an automobile.

5. The method of controlling electronic controller units according to claim 1,

wherein the communication bus is a control area network (CAN) bus, and

each of the plurality of electronic controller units includes an interface unit corresponding to the CAN bus.

10. The method of controlling electronic controller units according to claim 2

wherein the communication bus is a control area network (CAN) bus, and

each of the plurality of electronic controller units includes an interface unit corresponding to the CAN bus.

11. The method of controlling electronic controller units according to claim 3,

wherein the communication bus is a control area network (CAN) bus, and

each of the plurality of electronic controller units includes an interface unit corresponding to the CAN bus.

12. The method of controlling electronic controller units according to claim 4,

wherein the communication bus is a control area network (CAN) bus, and

each of the plurality of electronic controller units includes an interface unit corresponding to the CAN bus.

6. A method of controlling a first electronic controller unit, a second electronic controller unit, and a third electronic controller unit, that are connected to a control area network (CAN) bus of an automobile, comprising the steps of:

(a) outputting a first message to the CAN bus by the first electronic controller unit;

(b) when the second electronic controller unit receives the first message, stopping output of messages to the CAN bus for a predetermined time;

(c) after the step (b), outputting a second message to the CAN bus by the first electronic controller unit; and

(d) when the third electronic controller unit whose mode is a standby mode receives the second message, determining whether an ID included in the second message identifies itself or not, and shifting a mode of the third electronic controller unit from the standby mode to an active mode when the ID identifies itself.

7. The method of controlling electronic controller units according to the claim 6,

wherein, after elapse of the predetermined time, a mode of the second electronic controller unit shifts to a mode capable of outputting the messages to the CAN bus.

8. The method of controlling electronic controller units according to the claim 6,

wherein the second electronic controller unit has:

a communication interface unit; and

a controller unit,

when the second electronic controller unit receives the first message, a mode of the controller unit shifts to the standby mode, and a mode of the communication interface unit shifts to a reception idle mode of the massage from the CAN bus.

9. The method of controlling electronic controller units according to the claim 6,

wherein a mode of the third electronic controller unit shifts from the active mode to the standby mode after elapse of a predetermined time from a state in which a power supply voltage has been supplied from a battery of an automobile.