Combination of electric rotary machine and electronic control unit in automobile

• US 8,818,590 B2
• Filed: 10/26/2009
• Issued: 08/26/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 11/26/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Valeo Equipements Electriques Moteur (Valeo SE)
• Original Assignee: Valeo Equipements Electriques Moteur (Valeo SE)
• Inventors: Cuoq, Damien
• Primary Examiner(s): Cheung, Calvin
• Assistant Examiner(s): QUILLEN, ALLEN ERNEST
• Application Number:
  US13/129,737
• Publication Number:
  US 20120060047A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,765 Days
• Field of Search: 701/22, 320/4, 320/32, 320/104, 320/125, 320/132
• US Class Current: 701/22
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 41/26 using computer, e.g. microprocessor
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/654 using techniques specially adapted for alterable solid state memories, e.g. for EEPROM or flash memories
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/445 Program loading or initiating bootstrapping G06F9/4401; security arrangements for program loading or initiating G06F21/57

Abstract

A system including at least one electric rotary machine and an integrated control circuit and an electronic control unit, the system being embarked in an automobile. The integrated control circuit of the system includes a RAM connected to the electronic control unit via a data communication link, and the electronic control unit includes a rewritable memory. The system further includes a configuration data permanent storage of the system in the rewritable memory as well as an upload of the configuration data into the RAM during a configuration phase of the system. The system herein enables the integrated control circuit of the electric rotary machine to be standardized by virtue of the fact that the configuration data are no longer written in a read-only memory but reside in a RAM of this circuit.

Claims

1. A combination of a alternator-starter system and of an electronic control unit separate from and electrically connected to said alternator-starter system via a data communication link, said alternator-starter system being installed in an automobile and comprising:

an alternator-starter provided for operating in a recuperative braking mode and a torque booster mode;

an AC/DC converter;

a DC/DC converter;

an electrical energy storage unit electrically connected between said AC/DC converter and said DC/DC converter; and

an integrated control circuit controlling modes of operation of said alternator-starter system based on internal state thereof and a state of said automobile;

said integrated control circuit including a RAM connected to said electronic control unit via said data communication link;

said electronic control unit including a rewritable memory comprising a permanent storage of configuration data of said system in said rewritable memory,

said configuration data is uploadable into said RAM during an initialization phase of said system;

said configuration data comprising at least one of a parameter table and a control software component;

an uploading period of said configuration data being masked by an anticipated command to startup said system.

2. The combination according to claim 1, wherein error detection is carried out on said configuration data uploaded into said integrated control circuit, after uploading of said data.

3. The combination according to claim 2, wherein default configuration data are used by said integrated control circuit as an error is detected.

4. The combination according to claim 3, wherein said default configuration data are the last valid configuration data used by the integrated control circuit.

5. The combination according claim 2, wherein new default configuration data are uploaded into said RAM of said integrated control circuit as an error is detected.

6. The combination according to claim 1, wherein said integrated control circuit is built around an ASIC.

7. The combination according to claim 1, wherein said alternator-starter is an alternator and said integrated control circuit is a regulator of said alternator.

8. The combination according to claim 1, wherein said electronic control unit is an engine control unit of said automobile.

9. The combination according to claim 1, wherein said alternator-starter system further comprises a low DC voltage battery electrically connected to said electrical energy storage unit via said DC/DC converter.