Sleep mode for vehicle monitoring system

• US 6,198,995 B1
• Filed: 03/31/1998
• Issued: 03/06/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 03/31/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Lear Corporation EEDS and Interiors Incorporated (Lear Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Lear Automotive Dearborn, Incorporated (Lear Corporation)
• Inventors: Benzie, Thomas, Settles, Steven
• Primary Examiner(s): Cuchlinski, Jr., William A.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Broadhead, Brian J
• Application Number:
  US09/052,782
• Time in Patent Office: 1,071 Days
• Field of Search: 701/29, 701/33, 701/36, 701/31, 701/32, 340/438, 340/439, 340/517, 340/518, 340/693.3, 307/9.1, 307/10.1, 307/10.7, 307/141, 307/141.4, 713/300, 713/320, 713/322, 713/323, 713/500, 713/501, 713/201, 710/36, 710/47, 710/44, 710/109, 710/220, 710/46, 710/19, 710/18, 710/6, 710/15
• US Class Current: 701/29
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 16/0315 using multiplexing techniques multiplexing for transmission of signals G08C15/00; multiplexing for electrical communication in general H04J
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/92 Energy efficient charging or discharging systems for batteries, ultracapacitors, supercapacitors or double-layer capacitors specially adapted for vehicles

Abstract

After a vehicle has entered a sleep mode, the disclosed method places the vehicle monitoring system into longer and longer nap periods provided the monitoring system does not receive a wake-up signal from one of a plurality of vehicle subsystems. During the nap periods, the monitoring system requires a reduced amount of operating power thereby decreasing the parasitic current drain on the battery during the sleep mode.

Claims

1. A method of operating a vehicle monitoring system having inputs from a plurality of vehicle subsystems comprising the steps of:

1) placing the vehicle into a sleep mode wherein wake-up signals are not normally placed on the inputs by the plurality of vehicle subsystems;

2) scanning the inputs through repetitive cycles for wake-up signals;

3) timing said scanning through a predetermined time period; and

4) increasing the time between cycles from scanning step to scanning step in response to a lack of wake-up signals on at least certain of the inputs in each predetermined time period for each prior scanning step.

2. A method as set forth in claim 1 further defined as increasing the time between cycles by a discrete amount of time from scanning step to scanning step.

3. A method as set forth in claim 2 further defined as increasing the time between cycles up to a maximum amount of time.

4. A method as set forth in claim 1 wherein said increasing of step 4) only occurs when there is a lack of wake-up signals on all of the inputs.

5. A method as set forth in claim 1 including decreasing the time between cycles from scanning step to scanning step in response to a wake-up signal on at least certain of the inputs.

6. A method as set forth in claim 5 further defined as classifying the wake-up signal from each vehicle subsystem into one of a plurality of priority levels.

7. A method as set forth in claim 6 further defined as decreasing the amount of time between cycles based upon said priority level of said wake-up signal.

8. A method as set forth in claim 6 further defined as decreasing the amount of time between cycles to a first predetermined amount in response to a first priority level wake-up signal and decreasing the amount of time between cycles to a second predetermined amount in response to a second priority level wake-up signal with said first and second predetermined amounts being different.

9. A method as set forth in claim 5 including waking the vehicle when said wake-up signal has been verified.

10. A system for monitoring a vehicle having a plurality of vehicle subsystems each capable of transmitting a wake-up signal, the system comprising:

a controller receiving a plurality of inputs, with each input received from one of the plurality of vehicle subsystems;

an operating program for placing said controller into a sleep mode and scanning said inputs through repetitive cycles for wake-up signals while timing said scanning through a predetermined time period, and for increasing the time between cycles from scanning step to scanning step in response to a lack of wake-up signals on at least certain of said inputs in each predetermined time period for each prior scanning step.

11. A system as set forth in claim 10 wherein said operating program increases the time between cycles by a discrete amount of time from scanning step to scanning step.

12. A system as set forth in claim 11 wherein said operating program increases the time between cycles up to a maximum amount of time.

13. A system as set forth in claim 10 wherein said operating program decreases the time between cycles from scanning step to scanning step in response to a wake-up signal on at least certain of the inputs.

14. A system as set forth in claim 13 wherein said operating program classifies the wake-up signal from each vehicle subsystem into one of a plurality of priority levels.

15. A system as set forth in claim 14 wherein said operating program decreases the amount of time between cycles based upon said priority level of said wake-up signal.

16. A system as set forth in claim 15 wherein said operating program decreases the amount of time between cycles to a first predetermined amount in response to a first priority level wake-up signal and decreases the amount of time between cycles to a second predetermined amount in response to a second priority level wake-up signal with said first and second predetermined amounts being different.

17. A system as set forth in claim 13 wherein said operating program wakes the vehicle when said wake-up signal has been verified.