METHOD FOR OPERATING DRIVE CONTROL UNITS IN A MOTOR VEHICLE, AND MOTOR VEHICLE

• US 20130103237A1
• Filed: 03/29/2011
• Published: 04/25/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 04/17/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Audi AG (Volkswagen AG)
• Original Assignee: Audi AG (Volkswagen AG)
• Inventors: Graf, Johann, Steinbrueck, Martin
• Granted Patent: US 8,589,010 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/22
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 25/04 operating on the propulsion system, e.g. engine or drive motor
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 10/06 including control of combustion engines
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 10/08 including control of electric propulsion units, e.g. motors or generators
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 20/00 Control systems specially adapted for hybrid vehicles hybrid vehicle design, B60K6/00; electric vehicles B60L
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2050/0006 Digital architecture hierarchy
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2540/043 Identity of occupants
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 50/0098 Details of control systems ensuring comfort, safety or stability not otherwise provided for
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 903/902 Prime movers comprising electrical and internal combustion motors

Abstract

In a motor vehicle having two different drives, in particular an internal combustion engine and an electric drive, there are two control units for the respective drives and a leading control unit (Hybrid), which preferably controls the internal combustion engine and assigns torque to the individual drives when there are torque requests. Corresponding request signals are sent and implemented only if the existence of a certain situation (key inserted, “terminal 15”) is detected by an engine immobilizer control unit (EI master). In order for not too much time to pass due to the querying of the engine immobilizer control unit, the leading control unit informs the other control units that a query is sent so that the other control units can also send a query already.

Claims

1-6. -6. (canceled)

7. A method for operating a plurality of drive control units respectively assigned to a plurality of drives of a motor vehicle, the method comprising:

receiving at a master control unit, presettings relating to a total torque which is to be applied jointly by the plurality of drives of the motor vehicle, the master control unit acting as a hybrid control unit;

performing an interrogation process by outputting an interrogation from the master control unit to an immobilizer control unit;

when the interrogation is output to the immobilizer control unit, sending a signal from the master control unit to at least one slave drive control unit to communicate performance of the interrogation process, so that the at least one slave drive control unit can also transmit an interrogation to the immobilizer control unit;

individually assigning, at the master control unit, drive torques respectively to the plurality of drives; and

outputting at least one request signal from the master control unit only if the immobilizer control unit has returned an enable signal, each request signal being used to communicate one of the partial torques to a corresponding slave drive control unit so that the slave drive control unit can output a control signal to communicate drive torque information to the assigned drive only if the immobilizer control unit has returned an enable signal to the slave drive control unit.

8. The method according to claim 7, wherein

the master control unit operates as a drive control unit assigned to one of the drives of the motor vehicle.

operating drive control units, each of which outputs a control signal.

9. The method according to claim 7, wherein

the master control unit operates as a drive control unit assigned to an internal combustion engine, and

the master control unit outputs a control signal to communicate drive torque information to the internal combustion engine only if the immobilizer control unit has returned an enable signal to the master control unit.

10. The method according to claim 7, wherein

a transmission control unit is assigned to and outputs a control signal to, a transmission of the motor vehicle, and

when the interrogation is output from the master control unit to the immobilizer control unit, the master control unit also communicates performance of the interrogation process to the transmission control unit, so that the transmission control unit can also transmit an interrogation to the immobilizer control unit.

11. The method according to claim 7, wherein the at least on slave drive control unit comprises an electric motor drive control unit.

12. The method according to claim 11, wherein

the master control unit operates as a drive control unit assigned to an internal combustion engine, and

the master control unit outputs a control signal to communicate drive torque information to the internal combustion engine only if the immobilizer control unit has returned an enable signal to the master control unit.

13. The method according to claim 12, wherein

a transmission control unit is assigned to and outputs a control signal to, a transmission of the motor vehicle, and

when the interrogation is output from the master control unit to the immobilizer control unit, the master control unit also communicates performance of the interrogation process to the transmission control unit, so that the transmission control unit can also transmit an interrogation to the immobilizer control unit.

14. A motor vehicle comprising:

an internal combustion engine;

a first drive control unit associated with the internal combustion engine, to transmit control signals to the internal combustion engine;

an electric drive;

a second drive control unit associated with the electric drive, to transmit control signals to the electric drive; and

a master control unit to output an interrogation to an immobilizer control unit, to communicate the outputting of the interrogation to all the drive control units other than itself, to assign torque requests to the internal combustion engine and the electric drive, and to communicate the torque requests to all drive control units other than itself, if the immobilizer control unit HAS returned a predetermined response signal to the interrogation, wherein the master control unit is acts as a hybrid control unit.

15. The motor vehicle according to claim 14, wherein the master control unit is the first drive control unit.

16. The motor vehicle according to claim 14, wherein

the motor vehicle further comprises:

a transmission; and

a transmission control unit associated with the transmission,

the master control unit is configured to send the transmission control unit transmit request signals and a signal which communicates the outputting of the interrogation.

17. The motor vehicle according to claim 15, wherein the motor vehicle further comprises:

a transmission; and

a transmission control unit associated with the transmission, the master control unit is configured to send the transmission control unit transmit request signals and a signal which communicates the outputting of the interrogation.

18. The motor vehicle according to claim 14, further comprising:

a transmission; and

p2 a transmission control unit associated with the transmission, wherein transmission control unit acts as the master control unit, and communicates the outputting of the interrogation and the torque requests to the first and second drive control units.