Vehicle control system for detecting a short-circuit condition between redundant position sensors

• US 20060206252A1
• Filed: 03/10/2005
• Published: 09/14/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 03/10/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC (General Motors Company)
• Original Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations Incorporated (Motors Liquidation Co. GUC Trust)
• Inventors: Katrak, Kerfegar K.
• Granted Patent: US 7,340,337 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/70
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 11/106 Detection of demand or actuation
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 11/107 Safety-related aspects
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 2009/0294 Throttle control device with provisions for actuating electric or electronic sensors
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 2200/602 Pedal position
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 2400/08 Redundant elements, e.g. two sensors for measuring the same parameter
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 9/02 concerning induction conduits throttle valves, or arrangements thereof in conduits F02D9/08
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 9/105 having a throttle position sensor detection of actuation F02D11/106

Abstract

A control system includes a device having a position between minimum and maximum positions. First and second sensor modules sense the position of the device and generate first and second position values. A control module receives the position values and computes first and second normalized position values that represent a fraction of a range between minimum and maximum values of the first position value and between minimum and maximum values of the second position value. The control module suspends a control procedure that is based on at least one of the first normalized position value and/or the second normalized position value while a difference between the first and second normalized position values is greater than or equal to a first predetermined value and while at least one of the first normalized position value and/or the second normalized position value is less than or equal to a second predetermined value.

Claims

1. A control system, comprising:

a device having a position between minimum and maximum positions;

first and second sensor modules that sense said position of said device and that generate first and second position values, respectively; and

a control module that receives said first and second position values and that computes first and second normalized position values that represent a fraction of a range between minimum and maximum values of said first position value and between minimum and maximum values of said second position value, respectively,

wherein said control module suspends a control procedure that is based on at least one of said first normalized position value and/or said second normalized position value while a difference between said first and second normalized position values is greater than or equal to a first predetermined value and while at least one of said first normalized position value and/or said second normalized position value is less than or equal to a second predetermined value.

2. The control system of claim 1 wherein said first and second position values increase as said device moves from said minimum position to said maximum position.

3. The control system of claim 2 wherein a minimum value of said first position value is greater than a minimum value of said second position value and wherein a maximum value of said first position value is greater than a maximum value of said second position value.

4. The control system of claim 2 wherein said first and second position values increase at different rates as said device moves from said minimum position to said maximum position.

5. The control system of claim 1 wherein said first predetermined value increases as said device moves from said minimum position to said maximum position.

6. The control system of claim 1 wherein said control module activates an alarm indicator when said difference between said first and second normalized position values is greater than or equal to said first predetermined value for a predetermined time period.

7. The control system of claim 1 wherein said control module conducts said control procedure based on the lower of said first or second normalized position values when said difference between said first and second normalized position values is greater than or equal to said first predetermined value and said first and second normalized position values are both greater than said second predetermined value.

8. The control system of claim 1 wherein said control module conducts said control procedure based on an average of said first and second normalized position values when said difference between said first and second normalized position values is less than said first predetermined value.

9. The control system of claim 1 wherein, after said control module previously detects that said difference between said first and second normalized position values is greater than or equal to said first predetermined value, said control module conducts said control procedure based on the lower of said first or second normalized position values when said control module subsequently detects that said difference between said first and second normalized position values is less than said first predetermined value.

10. The control system of claim 1 wherein said first and second sensor modules include first and second sensor resistances, respectively, wherein values of said first and second sensor resistances both one of increase or decrease as said device moves from said minimum position to said maximum position, and wherein said first and second sensor modules generate said first and second position values based on said first and second sensor resistances, respectively.

11. The control system of claim 10 wherein said first and second sensor resistances are generated during a resistive ink deposition process.

12. The control system of claim 1 further comprising first and second conductors having first ends that communicate with said first and second sensor modules, respectively, and second ends that communicate with said control module, wherein said first sensor module transmits said first position values on said first conductor and said second sensor module transmits said second position values on said second conductor.

13. The control system of claim 1 wherein said device is one of an accelerator pedal, a brake pedal, a clutch pedal, or a throttle blade of a vehicle.

14. The control system of claim 13 wherein said device is an accelerator pedal and wherein said control module adjusts a position of a throttle blade of said vehicle during said control procedure.

15. The control system of claim 1 wherein said first predetermined value is greater than or equal to 0.05 and said second predetermined value is less than or equal to 0.09.

16. A vehicle control system, comprising:

an accelerator pedal having a position between minimum and maximum positions;

first and second sensor modules that sense said position of said accelerator pedal and that generate first and second position values, respectively;

a control module that receives said first and second position values and that computes first and second normalized position values that represent a fraction of a range between minimum and maximum values of said first position value and between minimum and maximum values of said second position value, respectively; and

a throttle blade, wherein said control module adjusts a position of said throttle blade based on at least one of said first normalized position value and/or said second normalized position value,

wherein said control module foregoes adjusting said position of said throttle blade while a difference between said first and second normalized position values is greater than or equal to 0.05 and while at least one of said first normalized position value and/or said second normalized position value is less than or equal to 0.09.

17. A method for operating a control system, comprising:

sensing a position of a device with a first sensor module, wherein said position of said device is between minimum and maximum positions and wherein said first sensor module generates a first position value;

sensing said position of said device with a second sensor module, wherein said second sensor module generates a second position value;

computing a first normalized position value that represents a fraction of a range between minimum and maximum values of said first position value;

computing a second normalized position value that represents a fraction of a range between minimum and maximum values of said second position value; and

suspending a control procedure that is based on at least one of said first normalized position value and/or said second normalized position value while a difference between said first and second normalized position values is greater than or equal to a first predetermined value and while at least one of said first normalized position value and/or said second normalized position value is less than or equal to a second predetermined value.

18. The method of claim 17 wherein said first and second position values increase as said device moves from said minimum position to said maximum position.

19. The method of claim 18 wherein a minimum value of said first position value is greater than a minimum value of said second position value and wherein a maximum value of said first position value is greater than a maximum value of said second position value.

20. The method of claim 18 wherein said first and second position values increase at different rates as said device moves from said minimum position to said maximum position.

21. The method of claim 17 wherein said first predetermined value increases as said device moves from said minimum position to said maximum position.

22. The method of claim 17 further comprising activating an alarm indicator when said difference between said first and second normalized position values is greater than or equal to said first predetermined value for a predetermined time period.

23. The method of claim 17 further comprising conducting said control procedure based on the lower of said first or second normalized position values when said difference between said first and second normalized position values is greater than or equal to said first predetermined value and said first and second normalized position values are both greater than said second predetermined value.

24. The method of claim 17 further comprising conducting said control procedure based on an average of said first and second normalized position values when said difference between said first and second normalized position values is less than said first predetermined value.

25. The method of claim 17 further comprising:

detecting that said difference between said first and second normalized position values is greater than or equal to said first predetermined value;

subsequently detecting that said difference between said first and second normalized position values is less than said first predetermined value; and

conducting said control procedure based on the lower of said first or second normalized position values.

26. The method of claim 17 wherein said first and second sensor modules include first and second sensor resistances, respectively, wherein values of said first and second sensor resistances both one of increase or decrease as said device moves from said minimum position to said maximum position, and wherein said first and second sensor modules generate said first and second position values based on said first and second sensor resistances, respectively.

27. The method of claim 26 further comprising generating said first and second sensor resistances during a resistive ink deposition process.

28. The method of claim 17 wherein said device is one of an accelerator pedal, a brake pedal, a clutch pedal, or a throttle blade of a vehicle.

29. The method of claim 28 further comprising adjusting a position of a throttle blade of said vehicle during said control procedure, wherein said device is an accelerator pedal.

30. The method of claim 17 wherein said first predetermined value is greater than or equal to 0.05 and said second predetermined value is less than or equal to 0.09.

31. A method for operating a vehicle control system, comprising:

sensing a position of an accelerator pedal with a first sensor module, wherein said position of said accelerator pedal is between minimum and maximum positions and wherein said first sensor module generates a first position value;

sensing said position of said accelerator pedal with a second sensor module, wherein said second sensor module generates a second position value;

computing a first normalized position value that represents a fraction of a range between minimum and maximum values of said first position value;

computing a second normalized position value that represents a fraction of a range between minimum and maximum values of said second position value;

adjusting a position of a throttle blade based on at least one of said first normalized position value and/or said second normalized position value; and

bypassing said adjusting step while a difference between said first and second normalized position values is greater than or equal to 0.05 and while at least one of said first normalized position value and/or said second normalized position value is less than or equal to 0.09.