Electronic control unit and passenger detection apparatus for vehicle

• US 7,162,342 B2
• Filed: 01/16/2004
• Issued: 01/09/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 01/21/2003
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: DENSO Corporation
• Original Assignee: DENSO Corporation
• Inventors: Ishida, Shoichi
• Primary Examiner(s): BEAULIEU, YONEL
• Application Number:
  US10/758,244
• Publication Number:
  US 20040162657A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,089 Days
• Field of Search: 701 45- 47, 701/36, 280734-736, 340/425.5, 340/438, 331/2, 331/58, 324/202, 307/9.1, 307/10.1, 307/10.6, 307/10.7
• US Class Current: 701/45
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/01115 specific data frames
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/01 Electrical circuits for triggering passive safety arrangements, e.g. airbags, safety belt tighteners, in case of vehicle accidents or impending vehicle accidents electrical circuits for transmission of signals between steering wheel and the vehicle itself B60R16/027; for electrically actuating belt retractor locking means B60R22/343
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/01516 using force or pressure sensing means

Abstract

In a passenger detection apparatus for a vehicle, a microcomputer conducts a timer counting operation using a sub-clock signal fed from an CR oscillation circuit in a stand-by state and carries out a zero-point correction on a load sensor in an activated state. In addition, the microcomputer calibrates the accuracy of the timer count through the use of a main clock signal fed from a crystal oscillator. This enables the timer count to be conducted in a low current dissipation state by the CR oscillation circuit, and enables the accuracy of the timer count to be surely maintained through the calibration based on the main clock signal.

Claims

1. An electronic control unit for a vehicle which is made to carry out a count through the use of a timer in response to a direct power supply from a battery and to fall into a stand-by state and which is placed into an activation when a count value reaches a preset timer activation time or when an ignition key is turned on, said control unit comprising:

first oscillation means for supplying a main clock signal at the activation; and

second oscillation means for supplying a sub-clock signal to carry out the timer count,

with the accuracy of the timer count using said sub-clock signal being calibrated through the use of said main clock signal.

2. The unit according to claim 1, wherein an oscillation frequency of said second oscillation means is lower than an oscillation frequency of said first oscillation means.

3. The unit according to claim 1, wherein said first oscillation means comprises an oscillator using mechanical resonance while said second oscillation means comprises an oscillator using electrical resonance.

4. The unit according to claim 3, wherein said first oscillation means comprises one of a crystal oscillator and a ceramic oscillator while said second oscillation means comprises a CR oscillation circuit.

5. The unit according to claim 1, further comprising a microcomputer made to operate on the basis of said main clock signal fed from said first oscillation means, with said first and second oscillation means being incorporated into said microcomputer.

6. The unit according to claim 1, further comprising:

a microcomputer made to operate on the basis of said main clock signal fed from said first oscillation means; and

a timer circuit made to operate on the basis of said sub-clock signal fed from said second oscillation means,

with a clock waveform outputted from said timer circuit being externally inputted to said microcomputer.

7. The unit according to claim 1, wherein a count of said sub-clock signal is made with respect to a given count value of said main clock signal, and the accuracy of the timer count using said sub-clock signal is calibrated on the basis of a sub-dock count result.

8. The unit according to claim 7, further comprising storage means in which the sub-clock count result and a sub-clock count value corresponding to said timer activation time are stored in a state where they are associated with each other.

9. The unit according to claim 7, wherein a sub-clock count value corresponding to said timer activation time is calculated on the basis of the sub-clock count result.

10. The unit according to claim 1, wherein a count of said main clock signal is made with respect to a given count value of said sub-clock signal, and the accuracy of the timer count using said sub-clock signal is calibrated on the basis of a main clock count result.

11. The unit according to claim 10, further comprising storage means in which the main clock count result and a sub-clock count value corresponding to said timer activation time are stored in a state where they are associated with each other.

12. The unit according to claim 10, wherein a sub-clock count value corresponding to said timer activation time is calculated on the basis of the main clock count result.

13. The unit according to claim 1, wherein, whenever the activation is made periodically through the timer count using said sub-clock signal, the accuracy of the timer count using said sub-clock signal is calibrated through the use of said main clock signal.

27. The unit according to claim 1, wherein said first oscillation means is configured to stop oscillating operation thereof during a time period in which said count value does not reach said preset timer activation time, and said ignition key is not turned on.

14. A passenger detection apparatus for a vehicle made to detect a load on a vehicle seat Through the use of a load sensor for making a decision on a state of a passenger on the basis of a load detection result and to implement a count through a timer upon receipt of direct power supply from a battery and take a stand-by condition and made to be activated when a count value reaches a preset timer activation time for carrying out a zero-point correction on said load sensor, said apparatus comprising:

first oscillation means for supplying a main clock signal at the activation; and

second oscillation means for supplying a sub-clock signal to implement the timer count,

with the accuracy of the timer count using said sub-clock signal being calibrated through the use of said main clock signal.

15. The apparatus according to claim 14, wherein an oscillation frequency of said second oscillation means is lower than an oscillation frequency of said first oscillation means.

16. The apparatus according to claim 14, wherein said first oscillation means comprises an oscillator using mechanical resonance while said second oscillation means comprises an oscillator using electrical resonance.

17. The apparatus according to claim 16, wherein said first oscillation means comprises one of a crystal oscillator and a ceramic oscillator while said second oscillation means comprises a CR oscillation circuit.

18. The apparatus according to claim 14, further comprising a microcomputer made to operate on the basis of said main clock signal fed from said first oscillation means, with said first and second oscillation means being incorporated into said microcomputer.

19. The apparatus according to claim 14, further comprising:

a microcomputer made to operate on the basis of said main clock signal fed from said first oscillation means; and

a timer circuit made to operate on the basis of said sub-clock signal fed from said second oscillation means,

with a clock waveform outputted from said timer circuit being externally inputted to said microcomputer.

20. The apparatus according to claim 14, wherein a count of said sub-clock signal is made with respect to a given count value of said main clock signal, and the accuracy of the timer count using said sub-clock signal is calibrated on the basis of a sub-clock count result.

21. The apparatus according to claim 14, further comprising storage means in which the sub-clock count result and a sub-clock count value corresponding to said timer activation time are stored in a state where they are associated with each other.

22. The apparatus according to claim 20, wherein a sub-clock count value corresponding to said timer activation time is calculated on the basis of the sub-clock count result.

23. The apparatus according to claim 14, wherein a count of said main clock signal is made with respect to a given count value of said sub-clock signal, and the accuracy of the timer count using said sub-clock signal is calibrated on the basis of a main clock count result.

24. The apparatus according to claim 23, further comprising storage means in which the main clock count result and a sub-clock count value corresponding to said timer activation time are stored in a state where they are associated with each other.

25. The apparatus according to claim 23, wherein a sub-clock count value corresponding to said timer activation time is calculated on the basis of the main clock count result.

26. The apparatus according to claim 14, wherein, whenever the activation is made periodically through the timer count using said sub-clock signal, the accuracy of the timer count using said sub-clock signal is calibrated through the use of said main clock signal.

28. The apparatus according to claim 14, wherein said first oscillation means is configured to stop oscillating operation thereof during a time period in which said count value does not reach said preset timer activation time, and an ignition key is not turned on.