Wake-up circuit for a remotely located vehicle control module

• US 6,300,879 B1
• Filed: 07/22/1999
• Issued: 10/09/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 07/22/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: FCA US LLC (Stellantis NV)
• Original Assignee: Daimler Chrysler Corporation (Mercedes-Benz Group AG)
• Inventors: Farago, Paul L., Regan, Patrick M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Lieu, Julie
• Application Number:
  US09/359,461
• Time in Patent Office: 810 Days
• Field of Search: 340/654, 340/635, 340/461, 345/7
• US Class Current: 340/654
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 1/12 Mirror assemblies combined with other articles, e.g. clocks
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2001/1215 with information displays

Abstract

A wake-up circuit is provided for a vehicle control module interconnected via a bus network to a vehicle data communication system of a motor vehicle. The wake-up circuit includes an input voltage source; a bus detection stage for detecting bus activity on the bus network, an input stage for supplying the input voltage, and an output stage for supplying an output voltage to the vehicle control module. In operation, the bus detection stage provides an input signal in response to detecting bus activity on the bus network. In response to receiving the input signal from the bus detection stage, the input stage supplies a voltage from the input stage to the output stage. The output stage in turn regulates the output voltage to the vehicle control module.

Claims

1. A wake-up circuit for a vehicle control module interconnected via a bus network to a vehicle data communication system of a motor vehicle, the vehicle control module being remotely located from the vehicle data communication system, comprising:

an input voltage source;

a bus detection stage for detecting bus activity on the bus network, said bus detection stage being operative to provide an input signal in response to detecting bus activity;

an input stage connected to said input voltage source and said bus detection stage, said input stage being operative to supply a voltage from said input voltage source in response to receiving said input signal from said bus detection stage, said input stage including a MOSFET device, wherein the drain of said MOSFET device is connected to said input voltage source and the gate of said MOSFET device is connected to said bus detection stage;

an output stage operatively connected to said input stage for supplying an output voltage to the vehicle control module in response to the voltage supplied by the input stage, the output stage including a voltage regulator for supplying the output voltage to the vehicle control module, wherein said voltage regulator is connected to the source of said MOSFET device; and

a noise isolation stage positioned between said input stage and said output stage for isolating said voltage regulator from the remainder of the wake-up circuit.

2. The wake-up circuit of claim 1 wherein said input voltage source is further defined as a battery for the motor vehicle.

3. The wake-up circuit of claim 1 wherein said bus detection stage further comprises a transistor, wherein the base of said transistor is connected to the bus network.

4. The wake-up circuit of claim 1 wherein said noise isolation stage further comprises a series pass transistor.

5. The wake-up circuit of claim 1 wherein said vehicle control module is further defined as a trip computer embedded in a mirror assembly of the motor vehicle.

6. A wake-up circuit for a mirror module embedded in a rearview mirror assembly of a motor vehicle, the mirror module interconnected via a bus network to a vehicle data communication system, comprising:

an input voltage source;

a first transistor for detecting bus activity on the bus network, said first transistor being operative to provide an input signal in response to detecting bus activity, said first transistor receiving a bias voltage on the base of said first transistor from said bus network;

a MOSFET device connected to said input voltage source and said first transistor, said MOSFET device being operative to supply a voltage from said input voltage source in response to receiving said input signal from said first transistor; and

a voltage regulator operatively connected to said MOSFET device for supplying an output voltage to the mirror module in response to the voltage supplied by said input voltage source.

7. The wake-up circuit of claim 6 wherein said input voltage source is further defined as a battery for the motor vehicle.

8. The wake-up circuit of claim 6 wherein said first transistor receives a bias voltage on the base on said first transistor from said bus network.

9. The wake-up circuit of claim 6 wherein the drain of said MOSFET device is connected to said input voltage source and the gate of said MOSFET device is connected to the collector of said first transistor.

10. The wake-up circuit of claim 6 wherein said voltage regulator is connected to the source of said MOSFET device.

11. The wake-up circuit of claim 6 further comprises a series pass transistor positioned between said MOSFET device and said voltage regulator for isolating said voltage regulator the remainder of the wake-up circuit.

12. The wake-up circuit of claim 6 wherein said mirror module is further defined as a trip computer embedded in the rearview mirror assembly of the motor vehicle.