Electrical transmission or interconnection systems – Vehicle mounted systems – Automobile
Reexamination Certificate
2000-08-15
2002-11-05
Jackson, Stephen W. (Department: 2836)
Electrical transmission or interconnection systems
Vehicle mounted systems
Automobile
C307S009100, C303S009000, C303S122020
Reexamination Certificate
active
06476515
ABSTRACT:
This application is based on Japanese Patent Application Nos. 11-248874 filed Sep. 2, 1999 and 11-350263 filed Dec. 9, 1999, the contents of which are incorporated hereinto by reference.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to an electric control system for an automotive vehicle, and more particularly to an improvement in reliability of such an electric control system.
2. Discussion of Related Art
As an example of such an electric control system for an automotive vehicle, a brake control system is disclosed in JP-B2-2791964. This brake control system includes two central control devices, four brake control devices corresponding to respective four wheels of an automotive vehicle, and an input device. The input device is a sensing device including various sensors such as a brake-pedal position sensor, wheel deceleration sensors, a steering angle sensor, brake temperature sensors, brake-lining thickness sensors, braking force sensors, and wheel speed sensors. The output signals of the brake-pedal position sensor, the wheel deceleration sensors and the steering angle sensor are applied to the two central control devices, while the output signals of the brake temperature sensors, the brake-lining thickness sensors, the braking force sensors and the wheel speed sensors are applied to the four brake control devices. One of the two central control devices controls two of the four brake control devices, while the other central control device controls the other two brake control devices. Each central control device calculates a desired barking force to be generated by a wheel brake for each wheel, on the basis of the output signals received directly from the sensors, and the output signals of the corresponding brake-lining thickness sensor and wheel speed sensor, which are received from the corresponding brake control device and which represent the brake lining thickness value and the wheel speed. The central control device applies data representative of the calculated desired braking force to the brake control device, which in turn controls the wheel brake for barking the wheel, on the basis of the desired braking force data received from the central control device and the output signals of the sensors. Thus, the control of the wheel brake is partly implemented by one of the two central control device and is also partly implemented by one of the four brake control devices. The required capacity of each central control device according to this control arrangement can be made smaller that that of a central control device which is arranged to directly control the brake for each wheel. Similarly, the required capacity of each brake control device can be made relatively small and inexpensive.
The brake control system indicated above employs two power source devices one of which is adapted to supply an electric energy to the two brake control devices connected to one of the two central control devices, and the other of which is adapted to supply an electric energy to the other two brake control device connected to the other central control device. In the event where at least one of the two brake control devices which are powered by one of the two power source devices becomes defective, the supply of the electric energy to those two brake control devices is terminated, and the other two normal brake control devices are operated to control the corresponding two wheel brakes for braking the corresponding wheels of the vehicle.
However, the brake control system described above still has a room for improvement. Namely, if a sensor connected to the central control device becomes defective, for instance, the central control device cannot calculate the desired braking force, and the corresponding brake control devices become inoperable to control the wheel brakes. In the event where one of the two power source devices becomes defective, the two brake control devices connected to that defective power source device are not operable.
The control arrangement disclosed in JP-B2-2791964 is considered generally applicable to any other electric control system for an automotive vehicle, provided the electric control system includes a peripheral control device for controlling an electrically controlled actuator device, a central control device connected to the peripheral control device, and an input device whose output is by the central and peripheral control devices, which cooperate with each other to control the actuator device. In this case, too, the control arrangement has a room for improvement.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide an electric control system for an automotive vehicle, which includes a central control device, a peripheral control device and an input device and which is economical to manufacture and has an improved operating reliability.
The above object may be achieved according to any one of the following modes of the present invention, each of which is numbered like the appended claims and depends from the other mode or modes, where appropriate, to indicate and clarify possible combinations of elements or technical features. It is to be understood that the present invention is not limited to the technical features or any combinations thereof which will be described for illustrative purpose only. It is to be further understood that a plurality of elements or features included in any one of the following modes of the invention are not necessarily provided all together, and that the invention may be embodied without some of the elements or features described with respect to the same mode.
(1) An electric control system for an automotive vehicle, including a peripheral control device for electrically controlling an actuator device, a central control device connected to the peripheral control device, and a input device, the central control device and the peripheral control device cooperating with each other to control the actuator device on the basis of an output of the input device, wherein the input device is connected to both of the central control device and the peripheral control device.
The input device may take various forms. For instance, the input device may be adapted to receive information from an external sensing device by wireless transmission or through a communication line. Alternatively, the input device may permit the operator of the vehicle to enter necessary information, or may be a sensing device adapted to detect a physical quantity or quantities and generates an output signal representative of the detected quantity or quantities. For instance, the input device includes a sensor provided according to the mode (2) of this invention, which will be described. The sensor may be a sensor adapted to detect an amount of operation of a manually operated member operable by the operator, such as a sensor provided according to the mode (3) of this invention, which will also be described. Alternatively, the sensor may be a sensor adapted to detect a physical quantity which varies irrespective of an operation by the operator, for example, a sensor adapted to detect a temperature.
In the electric control system constructed according to the above mode (1) of this invention, the input device described above is connected to both of the central control device and the peripheral control device. Where the input device consists of a single sensor, this sensor is connected to both the central control device and the peripheral control device. Where the input device consists of a plurality of sensors, at least one of these sensors is connected to both of the central and peripheral control devices.
When the central control device and the peripheral control device are both normal, the central control device and the peripheral control device cooperate with each other to control the actuator device. For example, the central control device is arranged to determine a desired amount of operation of the actuator device on the basis of the output of the input device, and supply data representative
Aizawa Hiroaki
Kojima Seiichi
Niwa Satoru
Sawada Naoki
Yamamoto Takayuki
Deberadinis Robert L
Jackson Stephen W.
Kenyon & Kenyon
Toyota Jidosha & Kabushiki Kaisha
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