Control unit for a load

• US 7,096,104 B2
• Filed: 08/01/2002
• Issued: 08/22/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 08/01/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Continental Automotive GmbH (Continental AG)
• Original Assignee: Siemens AG
• Inventors: Stangl, Herbert
• Primary Examiner(s): Knight, Anthony
• Assistant Examiner(s): BARNES-BULLOCK, CRYSTAL JOY
• Application Number:
  US10/210,654
• Publication Number:
  US 20030028300A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,482 Days
• Field of Search: 700 12- 14, 700/21, 700/79, 700296-298, 713320-324, 713/300, 361/195, 307 38- 41, 307139-141, 307/141.4, 307/141.8, 714 22- 24, 714/14, 714/1, 714/2, 714/30, 714/37, 714/48, 714/55, 714/56, 714/703, 714/799, 714/814, 714/815, 701/36, 701/49, 701/29, 701/31, 323/299, 340/309.16, 340/309.4, 340/309.5, 340/309.8, 340/825.57, 340/531, 340/532, 327/594
• US Class Current: 701/49
• CPC Class Codes: B60J 7/0573 power driven arrangements, e.g. electrical

Abstract

Control unit for a load, in particular for a sliding sunroof control of a vehicle, having a microprocessor and having an integrated voltage regulator for generating the supply voltage of the microprocessor from the battery voltage of an on-board battery, in which case, in order to switch on the microprocessor the latter is fed its supply voltage by means of a wake-up pulse for a predetermined switch-on duration and said supply voltage is maintained as long as the microprocessor outputs trigger signals.

Claims

1. A control unit for a load, said control unit comprising:

a microprocessor,

an integrated voltage regulator for generating the supply voltage of the microprocessor from a battery voltage of an on-board battery,

a switching element which is arranged between the on-board battery and the voltage regulator,

an input having wake-up capability, to which a wake-up pulse can be fed for the switch-on of the microprocessor, and which thereupon switches on the switching element for a predetermined switch-on duration by means of a control signal, as a result of which the microprocessor is fed a supply voltage by the voltage regulator for said predetermined switch-on duration, wherein the microprocessor outputs trigger signals as long as the microprocessor is fed a supply voltage and an oscillator assigned to the microprocessor generates a processor clock signal, and

a coupling circuit, which maintains the switching state of the switching element as long as trigger signals are fed to said coupling circuit.

2. A control unit as claimed in claim 1, wherein a wake-up pulse is generated when the switch for the load is actuated.

3. A control unit for a sliding sunroof control of a vehicle as claimed in claim 1, wherein a wake-up pulse is generated when the vehicle is opened by means of remote control.

4. A control unit for a sliding sunroof control of a vehicle as claimed in claim 1, wherein a wake-up pulse is generated when the ignition of the vehicle is switched on.

5. A control unit for a sliding sunroof control of a vehicle as claimed in claim 1, wherein a wake-up pulse is generated when the switch for the sliding sunroof control is actuated.

6. A control unit for a load, said unit comprising:

a microprocessor comprising a first output for controlling the load and a second output for transmitting trigger signals,

an oscillator for supplying a clock signal for the microprocessor,

a power supply unit,

a switching element which is arranged between the power supply and the microprocessor,

a wake-up circuit controlling the switching element, wherein the wake-up circuit activates the switching element for a predetermined time upon receipt of an input signal, and

a dynamic link comprising an input coupled with the second output of the microprocessor and an output for controlling the switching element.

7. The control unit as in claim 6, wherein the wake-up circuit is a monostable multivibrator.

8. A control unit as in claim 6, wherein the dynamic link is a monostable multivibrator.

9. A control unit as in claim 6, further comprising a voltage regulator coupled between the switch and the microprocessor.

10. A control unit as in claim 9, wherein the voltage regulator comprises a reset output coupled with a reset input of the microprocessor.

11. A control unit as in claim 6, further comprising a key switch for generating the wake-up pulse.

12. The control unit as in claim 11, wherein the key switch comprises an input coupled with the power supply unit and an output coupled with an input of the microprocessor and wherein the input of the microprocessor is coupled with an input of the wake-up circuit.