Method for detecting errors of microprocessors in control devices of an automobile

• US 6,704,628 B1
• Filed: 11/20/2001
• Issued: 03/09/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 10/01/1997
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Continental Teves AG & Co. OHG (Continental AG)
• Original Assignee: Continental Teves AG & Co. OHG (Continental AG)
• Inventors: Latarnik, Michael, Fennel, Helmut
• Primary Examiner(s): Marc-Coleman, Marthe Y.
• Application Number:
  US09/509,864
• Time in Patent Office: 840 Days
• Field of Search: 701/29, 701/43, 701/102, 701/91, 180/404, 714/11, 714/6, 714/47
• US Class Current: 701/29
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/0757 by exceeding a time limit, i.e. time-out, e.g. watchdogs

Abstract

The present invention relates to a method of error detection of a microprocessor in a control unit of an automotive vehicle, wherein a control unit can send and receive data by way of a data bus, wherein the output of the microprocessor is monitored by a watchdog circuit, wherein the watchdog circuit compares the signals output by the microprocessor with predetermined signal patterns, and an error is detected when the signals output by the microprocessor are not concurrent with one of the predetermined signal patterns.

Further, the present invention relates to a method of error detection of microprocessors in control units of an automotive vehicle, wherein a first control unit can exchange data with at least one further control unit by way of a data bus, wherein the data necessary for performing at least part of the controlling or regulating task of the first control unit are sent from this first control unit to the at least one further control unit by way of the data bus, so that corresponding to the controlling or regulating method in the first control unit, the data to be determined and, if necessary, output by the first control unit are reproduced by the at least one further control unit, and an error is detected when the data determined in the first control unit differ from the data determined in the at least one further control unit.

Instead of the transmission by way of the data bus, sending the data necessary for performing the controlling or regulating task of the first control unit directly to the further control unit is also possible.

Claims

1. Method of detecting errors of microprocessors used in a control units of an automotive vehicle, wherein the control units send and receive data by way of a data bus, comprising the steps of:

associating a first and second microprocessor with a first and second control unit, respectively,

comparing the signals output by the first and a second microprocessor with predetermined signal patterns; and

generating an error signal when the signals output by the first and second microprocessors are not concurrent with at least one of the predetermined signal patterns;

sending data to be output by the first control unit to the second control unit by way of the data bus; and

combining the data being output as one or more check sums.

2. Method as claimed in claim 1, further including the step of sending the data to be output by the first control unit back into the first control unit by way of the data bus.

3. Method as claimed in claim 1, further including the step of using the second and a third control unit, for comparing the signals output by the first microprocessor and generating an error signal if the output data of the first control unit differs from the output data of the second and third control units.

4. Method as claimed in claim 1, further including the step of deactivating the erring control unit when an error is detected.

5. Method as claimed in claim 4, further including the step of reassigning the controlling or regulating task of the deactivated control unit to one of the remaining non-deactivated control units.

6. Method of error detection of a microprocessor used in a control unit of an automotive vehicle, wherein a control unit sends and receives data by way of a data bus, comprising the steps of:

comparing the signals output by the microprocessor with predetermined signal patterns;

generating an error signal when the signals output by the microprocessor are not concurrent with at least one of the predetermined signal patterns; and

checking the data to be determined by the first control unit by using a second control unit and a third control unit, and generating an error signal if the output data of one of the first, second, or third control units differs from the output data of the other two control units.

7. Method of error detection of a microprocessor used in a control unit of an automotive vehicle, wherein a control unit sends and receives data by way of a data bus, comprising the steps of:

comparing the signals output by the microprocessor with predetermined signal patterns, and

generating an error signal when the signals output by the microprocessor are not concurrent with at least one of the predetermined signal patterns, and

sending the data to be output by the first control unit back into the first control unit by way of the data bus.