Control unit for vehicle and total control system therefor

• US 7,653,462 B2
• Filed: 01/23/2006
• Issued: 01/26/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 07/26/1993
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
• Inventors: Katayama, Hiroshi, Morinaga, Shigeki, Ishii, Junichi, Kayano, Mitsuo, Kurata, Kenichiro, Minowa, Toshimichi, Yoshida, Yoshiyuki
• Primary Examiner(s): PIPALA, EDWARD J
• Application Number:
  US11/336,902
• Publication Number:
  US 20060206241A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,464 Days
• Field of Search: 701/1, 701/29, 701/31, 701/33, 701/35, 701/36, 701/102, 701/114, 701/115, 340/438, 714/724, 714/730, 714/736
• US Class Current: 701/1
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2050/0005 Processor details or data handling, e.g. memory registers or chip architecture
• CPC Class Codes: F01N 11/007 the diagnostic devices measuring oxygen or air concentration downstream of the exhaust apparatus
• CPC Class Codes: F01N 2550/02 Catalytic activity of catalytic converters
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 2041/285 the sensor having a signal processing unit external to the engine control unit
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 2200/0404 Throttle position
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 2200/0406 Intake manifold pressure
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 2200/501 Vehicle speed
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 37/02 one of the functions being ignition
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 41/1454 the characteristics being an oxygen content or concentration or the air-fuel ratio
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 41/187 using a hot wire flow sensor
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 41/263 the program execution being modifiable by physical parameters
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 41/266 the computer being backed-up or assisted by another circuit, e.g. analogue
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 19/00 Programme-control systems
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 19/0423 Input/output
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/21015 Easy expansion, extension of I-O
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/21021 Intelligent I-O, executes tasks independently from main cpu
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/21127 Signal adaption I-O
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/21137 Analog to digital conversion, ADC, DAC
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/21138 Variable filtering as function of kind of sensor signal
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/23277 Use of separate interface software, main program calls functions from it
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/23371 : Fixed and variable memory for parameters or user program
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/24125 : Watchdog, check at timed intervals
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/25243 : Digital filter
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/25301 : Expansion of system, memory
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/25341 : Single chip programmable controller
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/25435 : Multiplex for analog signals
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/25451 : Connect module to bus using interface with adaptive logic
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/2637 : Vehicle, car, auto, wheelchair
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 12/0802 : Addressing of a memory level in which the access to the desired data or data block requires associative addressing means, e.g. caches
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/66 : of program code stored in read-only memory [ROM]
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/70 : Software maintenance or management
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/40 : Engine management systems

Abstract

A vehicle control unit includes interface software memory means storing an interface software program for connecting an application software program with an OS (operating system) in an internal ROM, a CPU (central processing unit) for performing computation for the application software program and the interface software program, a RAM (erasable memory) storing data such as the result of computation, an I/O unit for extending the control unit, and extending means for communicating memory data through a bus or a LAN. A single-chip micro-computer used in vehicle control permits an increase in input/output points or the addition of functionality, in which case an application software program can continue to be used simply by rewriting the interface software program, without further remanufacturing of the core unit.

Claims

1. A control unit for controlling a vehicle, said control unit comprising:

at least one application program which computes control information for controlling actuators that control operational condition of said vehicle, based on vehicle operational information computed from sensor signals generated by a plurality of sensors; and

an interface program which is separate and distinct from said at least one application program, for i) receiving said sensor signals from the plurality of sensors and processing said sensor signals to compute said vehicle operational information for use in said at least one application program, and ii) receiving said control information from said application program and processing said control information to compute control signals to be sent to said actuators;

wherein the at least one application program and the interface program are modifiable independently of each other, such that when one of said at least one application program and said interface program is modified, the other can be used without modification.

2. Apparatus for controlling a vehicle, said apparatus comprising:

a control unit;

a plurality of sensors for generating sensor signals that characterize operational condition of said vehicle;

a plurality of actuators for controlling operational condition of said vehicle;

at least one application program that is accessible in said control unit, which application program computes control information for controlling said actuators, based on vehicle operational information computed from sensor signals generated by said sensors; and

an interface program that is accessible in said control unit and which is separate and distinct from said at least one application program, for i) receiving said sensor signals from said plurality of sensors and processing said sensor signals to compute said vehicle operational information for use in said at least one application program, and ii) receiving said control information from said at least one application program processing said vehicle operational information to compute control signals to send to said actuators;

wherein the at least one application program and the interface program are modifiable independently of each other, such that when one of said at least one application program and said interface program is modified, the other can be used without modification.