Vehicle controller

• US 7,376,498 B2
• Filed: 02/10/2005
• Issued: 05/20/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 04/20/2004
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
• Inventors: Shimamura, Kotaro, Morita, Yuichiro, Kanekawa, Nobuyasu, Sasaki, Shoji, Sakurai, Kohei
• Primary Examiner(s): Beaulieu; Yonel
• Application Number:
  US11/053,842
• Publication Number:
  US 20050234614A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,195 Days
• Field of Search: 701/29, 701 33- 36, 701 41- 43, 180/6.2, 180/6.24, 180/280, 180/443, 180/446, 280/5.51, 342/61, 342/70, 342/71
• US Class Current: 701/29
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 5/049 detecting sensor failures
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 5/0493 detecting processor errors, e.g. plausibility of steering direction

Abstract

A vehicle controller which can realize a reduced cost and high reliability at the same time. A control target status signal outputted from a control target is inputted to a monitoring unit. The monitoring unit compares a control command value with the control target status signal to determine whether the control target operates normally as per the control command value. When the monitoring unit determines that the control target does not operate normally, it outputs a failure detected signal to an actuator driving unit.

Claims

1. A vehicle controller comprising:

a control circuit receiving a first signal and outputting a driving signal;

an actuator driving circuit receiving the driving signal from said control circuit and outputting a second signal;

a monitoring circuit for comparing the first signal with a third signal and outputting a failure detected signal to said actuator driving circuit when a difference between the first signal and the third signal exceeds a predetermined value; and

an actuator which is driven by the actuator driving circuit wherein;

the first signal is a control command value which is used for controlling a control target,

the control target is driven by the actuator, and

the third signal is a control target status signal which is fed back from the control target.

2. The vehicle controller according to claim 1, wherein said monitoring circuit comprises:

a comparing unit for comparing the first signal with the third signal; and

a comparison trigger signal generator for generating a trigger signal to start a comparison in said comparing unit.

3. The vehicle controller according to claim 1, wherein said monitoring circuit receives the first signal via said control circuit.

4. The vehicle controller according to claim 1, wherein said monitoring circuit sends a normal operation confirmation signal to said control circuit.

5. The vehicle controller according to claim 4, wherein the normal operation confirmation signal is periodically sent, and if said control circuit cannot receive the normal operation confirmation signal for a predetermined period, said control circuit outputs a second failure detected signal, and

supply of power to an external actuator is cut off with outputting of one of the failure detected signal from said monitoring circuit and the second failure detected signal from said control circuit.

6. The vehicle controller according to claim 1, wherein the logical product of the driving signal and the failure detected signal is computed such that supply of power to an external actuator is cut off when any of said control circuit and said monitoring circuit is failed.

7. The vehicle controller according to claim 1, wherein said vehicle controller is a device for controlling a steering motor which generates a steering force depending on a steering operation input, and

the first signal represents a steering angle command value of a vehicle which is produced in accordance with a signal value from a sensor for measuring a steering operation input.

8. The vehicle controller according to claim 1, wherein when said monitoring circuit outputs the failure detected signal, said actuator driving circuit stops supply of power to said actuator and said control circuit stops reception of the control command value.

9. A The vehicle controller according to claim 1, wherein said vehicle controller is a device for controlling the actuator which generates a braking force, and

the control command value is a command value indicating a force applied to press a brake pad against a disk rotor in accordance with a signal value from a brake pedal position sensor for measuring a brake pedal operation input.

10. The vehicle controller according to claim 1, wherein the control target is a steering force generation mechanism.

11. The vehicle controller according to claim 1, wherein the control target is a braking force generating mechanism.