Electronic control system for automotive vehicle

• US 5,832,401 A
• Filed: 04/25/1996
• Issued: 11/03/1998
• Est. Priority Date: 04/27/1995
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Transtechnology Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Jatco Limited (Nissan Motor Co., Ltd.)
• Inventors: Sugimoto, Yoshihisa, Ueda, Yoshiaki
• Primary Examiner(s): ZANELLI, MICHAEL J
• Application Number:
  US08/637,392
• Time in Patent Office: 922 Days
• Field of Search: 701/53, 701/54, 701/55, 701/56, 701/36, 701/48, 477/101, 477/107, 477/109, 477/110, 477/111, 477/116
• US Class Current: 701/55
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 10/04 including control of propulsion units
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 10/06 including control of combustion engines
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 10/11 Stepped gearings
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 30/18 Propelling the vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 30/1819 Propulsion control with control means using analogue circuits, relays or mechanical links
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 2061/0053 Initializing the parameters of the controller
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 61/0213 characterised by the method for generating shift signals

Abstract

An electronic control system for an automotive vehicle includes communication portion provided between first and second control units and, specification information presenting portion arranged at the side of the first control unit for presenting specification information of the second control unit to the second control unit via the communication portion, specification information analyzing portion arranged at the side of the second control unit for analyzing the specification information, and control content setting portion arranged at the side of the second control unit for setting content of control depending upon the specification information on the basis of a result of analysis by the specification information analyzing portion. From the first control unit to the second control unit, the content of control of the second control unit is set depending upon the specification information by presenting the second control unit via the communication portion.

Claims

1. An electronic control system for an automotive vehicle comprising:

a first control unit;

a second control unit;

communication means provided between said first and second control units;

specification information presenting means arranged within said first control unit for presenting specification information to said second control unit via said communication means for a given period after initiation of operation of said first and second control units;

specification information analyzing means arranged within said second control unit for analyzing said specification information, said specification information analyzing means having a storage portion for storing the specification information presented by said specification information presenting means; and

control content setting means arranged within said second control unit for setting content of control depending upon said specification information on the basis of a result of analysis by said specification information analyzing means.

2. An electronic control system for an automotive vehicle as claimed in claim 1, wherein said first control unit is an electronic control system for controlling an engine, said specification information presenting means presents at least one of vehicle type information, shipping destination information and engine type information, and said second control unit is an automatic transmission control unit for controlling an automatic transmission.

3. An electronic control system for an automotive vehicle as claimed in claim 1, wherein said control content setting means sets at least one of shift pattern of said automatic transmission and control content of a line pressure upon shifting.

4. An electronic control system for an automotive vehicle as claimed in claim 1, wherein said communication means has an analog signal line.

5. An electronic control system for an automotive vehicle as claimed in claim 1, wherein said communication means has a digital signal line.

6. An electronic control system for an automotive vehicle comprising:

a first control unit;

a second control unit;

communication means provided between said first and second control units;

specification information presenting means arranged within said first control unit for presenting specification information to said second control unit via said communication means;

specification information analyzing means arranged within said second control unit for analyzing said specification information; and

control content setting means arranged within said second control unit for setting content of control depending upon said specification information on the basis of a result of analysis by said specification information analyzing means,

wherein said communication means starts communication between said first and second control means when an ignition switch of the automotive vehicle is turned ON.

7. An electronic control system for an automotive vehicle comprising:

a first control unit;

a second control unit;

communication means provided between said first and second control units;

specification information presenting means arranged within said first control unit for presenting specification information to said second control unit via said communication means;

specification information analyzing means arranged within said second control unit for analyzing said specification information; and

control content setting means arranged within said second control unit for setting content of control depending upon said specification information on the basis of a result of analysis by said specification information analyzing means,

wherein said second control means has means for transmitting a communication termination signal to said first control means via said communication means when reading of said specification information presented from said first control means via said communication means is completed, and

said first control means waits for said communication termination signal from said second control means for controlling a control object of said first control means.

8. An electronic control system for an automotive vehicle comprising:

a first control unit;

a second control unit;

communication means provided between said first and second control units;

specification information presenting means arranged within said first control unit for presenting specification information to said second control unit via said communication means;

specification information analyzing means arranged within said second control unit for analyzing said specification information; and

control content setting means arranged within said second control unit for setting content of control depending upon said specification information on the basis of a result of analysis by said specification information analyzing means,

wherein said specification information processing means presents said specification information to said second control means via said communication means for a given period after starting up of the engine of the automotive vehicle.