Communications: electrical – Continuously variable indicating – With meter reading
Patent
1993-04-28
1995-05-09
Horabik, Michael
Communications: electrical
Continuously variable indicating
With meter reading
361103, H04Q 900, B60R 1602
Patent
active
054144167
DESCRIPTION:
BRIEF SUMMARY
TECHNICAL FIELD
The present invention pertains to a control module cluster unit for motor vehicles, which is a modularized electronic control device formerly separately present; a plurality of such control modules are used as a cluster collectively mounted in one casing.
BACKGROUND ART
On a motor vehicle a plurality of electronic control units (hereinafter termed the ECU's) are mounted by each object and function of control. As a means for exchanging information between the ECU's, a serial data communication device has been known (for example, a device disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. Sho 62-237895).
The ECU's are interconnected by a serial data link, so that each ECU will be able to utilize data inputted by other ECU, thereby dispensing with duplex wirings between each ECU and each sensor in order to decrease the number of wirings.
However, since the ECU's are connected by wiring harness, there will occur such a disadvantage that if information are exchanged at a high speed between the ECU's, there arises a radiated noise which will affect a car radio, TV, etc. It is, therefore, difficult to reduce noise without decreasing the communication speed. Besides, there is a problem of an effect of external noise, the prevention of which will be required.
To perform serial data communication between the ECU's, a power source circuit and an input/output circuit are required between the ECU's, which, therefore, will be demanded to be decreased in overall weight and size because of a limited mounting space.
In view of the above-described problem, the present invention has been accomplished and has as its object to provide a control module cluster unit capable of constituting a highly reliable vehicle control system for motor vehicles which is capable of high-speed data communication between the ECU's while restraining the effect of noise.
DISCLOSURE OF INVENTION
According to the present invention, the control module cluster unit comprises, as shown in FIG. (1A), a plurality of control modules including modularized control functions for controlling a plurality of equipment mounted on a motor vehicle; a mother board connecting these control modules with each other in such a manner that communication among them can be effected; and an input/output module connected with the mother board, for performing the input of data to, and output of data from, each equipment to be controlled; all of the plurality of control modules, mother board, and input/output modules are housed in one casing.
Furthermore, in the present invention are provided a plurality of control module cluster units claimed in claim 1 described above; these cluster units are distributed in desired locations corresponding to the locations of the equipment to be controlled; and the cluster units are connected by means of a high-speed communication means; that is, there are adopted control module cluster units of distributed arrangement for motor vehicle.
Furthermore, in the present invention the control module cluster unit described above has a fail-safe mechanism for preventing a temperature rise in the interior of the casing which includes, as shown in FIG. 1 (B), a temperature detecting means for detecting a casing interior temperature, and a function stop control means for stopping a less important function of the unit when the casing interior temperature detected is above a specific value.
In the present invention of the above constitution, when one signal is inputted into a plurality of control modules, the signal thus inputted into the input/output module can be distributed to each control module through the mother board, thereby enabling preventing the duplicate use of the input/output circuit. Furthermore, because a plurality of control modules are present within one casing, it is possible to collectively assemble such commonly usable circuits as control modules of the power source circuit and other circuits for holding results of learning in one casing. Furthermore, exchange of information between the control modules is done through
REFERENCES:
patent: 4631641 (1986-12-01), Brombal et al.
patent: 4821145 (1989-04-01), Corfitts et al.
patent: 4967311 (1990-10-01), Ferchau et al.
patent: 5010322 (1991-04-01), Fry et al.
patent: 5119497 (1992-06-01), Freige et al.
Higuchi Kazuhiro
Ina Katsuhiro
Tsuji Katsuhisa
Uchida Akira
Yamakita Hiroshi
Horabik Michael
Nippondenso Co. Ltd.
LandOfFree
Temperature dependent control module cluster unit for motor vehi does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this patent.
If you have personal experience with Temperature dependent control module cluster unit for motor vehi, we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Temperature dependent control module cluster unit for motor vehi will most certainly appreciate the feedback.
Profile ID: LFUS-PAI-O-1709036