Monitoring system for program controlled apparatus
First Claim
1. Monitoring system for a program controlled device for operating systems in an automotive vehicle, the automotive vehicle having electronically program controlled devices which repetitively, cyclically control and cause operating events for the engine of the vehicle including at least one of ignition and fuel injection, in which the program control is effected by electrical program signals having characteristics defining the program, and said signals are subject to spurious noise and erroneous disturbance signals occurring in an automotive vehiclein which the program controlled signals include cyclically recurring signal sequences which further include supervisory or monitoring check pulses,said program controlled device (10) having a check pulse line or bus (C) on which the monitoring or check pulses appear, and said program controlled device controlling the repetitive occurrence of said at least one event,comprising, in accordance with the invention,a source of operating power for the program controlled device,monitor means connected to said check pulse line or bus (C) and sensing regular recurrence of said check pulse, said monitor means being connected to and controlling the program controlled device to reset the program and commence a new program cycle upon failure to sense occurrence of the monitor or check pulse by said monitor means subsequent to a previously sensed check pulse, andan emergency switching system (15, 16) coupling said operating power source to the program controlled device and having an input which, when energized, causes said emergency switching system to disconnect the operating power source from the program controlled device to disable the program controlled device.
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Abstract
To supervise a program controlled device which is subject to stray noise or disturbance pulses, particularly microprocessor controlled automotive vehicle electronic systems, a timing circuit is provided responsive to check pulses added to the program and defining a timing interval, the monitoring system distinguishing between disturbance pulses and static defects by supervising the control pulses and, upon failure of the control pulses, generating a program restart or interrupt signal, respectively, which both initiate a new start of the program cycle or, respectively, define a timing interval which, upon failure to sense further control pulses, initiates energization of an emergency switching system. Continuous failure to receive control pulses also can initiate the emergency switching system. To permit start-up, and before control pulses are obtained, a time delay circuit is provided which disables the monitoring system upon switching ON of the program controlled device at least for the time period of one check pulse cycle.
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Citations
21 Claims
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1. Monitoring system for a program controlled device for operating systems in an automotive vehicle, the automotive vehicle having electronically program controlled devices which repetitively, cyclically control and cause operating events for the engine of the vehicle including at least one of ignition and fuel injection, in which the program control is effected by electrical program signals having characteristics defining the program, and said signals are subject to spurious noise and erroneous disturbance signals occurring in an automotive vehicle
in which the program controlled signals include cyclically recurring signal sequences which further include supervisory or monitoring check pulses, said program controlled device (10) having a check pulse line or bus (C) on which the monitoring or check pulses appear, and said program controlled device controlling the repetitive occurrence of said at least one event, comprising, in accordance with the invention, a source of operating power for the program controlled device, monitor means connected to said check pulse line or bus (C) and sensing regular recurrence of said check pulse, said monitor means being connected to and controlling the program controlled device to reset the program and commence a new program cycle upon failure to sense occurrence of the monitor or check pulse by said monitor means subsequent to a previously sensed check pulse, and an emergency switching system (15, 16) coupling said operating power source to the program controlled device and having an input which, when energized, causes said emergency switching system to disconnect the operating power source from the program controlled device to disable the program controlled device.
Specification