Electric lamp and discharge devices: systems – Special application – Vehicle
Patent
1995-08-03
1997-09-23
Pascal, Robert
Electric lamp and discharge devices: systems
Special application
Vehicle
315 80, 36443112, 36443104, 307 101, B60Q 126
Patent
active
056708459
DESCRIPTION:
BRIEF SUMMARY
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to electronic control systems for vehicles.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Modern day vehicles are electrically extremely complex. This demand for complexity has led to an ever increasing complexity of the vehicle wiring harness through which the electrical equipment of the vehicles are powered and controlled. It has been proposed to supply each item of electrical equipment via an intelligent control unit. In accordance with that proposal each control unit would be specifically tailored to the particular associated item of equipment. Whilst such an arrangement appears superficially to afford the most economic and technically satisfactory solution, on closer analysis this may not in fact be the case. Tailoring control units to specific tasks involves more certification and increased development costs. Current European and International certification requirements for electronic circuitry for vehicles are set out in 72/245/EEC, ECE 10 and CSA C108A. This certification procedure includes testing a particular unit for electromagnetic compatibility. If, following the certification of a particular unit, that unit is changed either by altering its hardware or its software, the unit must be recertified. This recertification involves considerable further costs which are additional to the development costs inherent in the change. Furthermore, tailoring control units to specific tasks inevitably means that units cannot be interchanged. This reduces manufacturing flexibility and ability to provide an immediate temporary solution in an emergency, for example, by replacing a faulty unit in a priority position by a satisfactory working unit provided as a spare or from a non-priority position.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
According to the present invention there is provided apparatus for controlling the electrical functions in a plurality of different locations of a vehicle comprising a plurality of electronic control units each of which is disposed to control electrical function(s) in a particular one of those locations, and a plurality of activation devices disposed to feed control signals to one or more of the units under the control of a vehicle occupant wherein the control units are all identical and are programmed to control all the functions in all the locations and comprise means for identifying which program to activate in dependence upon the particular location of the unit whereby one unit may be substituted for another where necessary.
In a preferred embodiment of the invention relating to an automobile, electronic control units are provided to respectively control individual front left and right and rear lamp clusters. Further units control an alarm windscreen wipers, door locks and window lifts, the seats and mirrors. Each unit comprises input for receiving signals from the corresponding activation device such as a switch and outputs for feeding electric current to the devices to be controlled. Inputs are provided for receiving electronic messages from other units. Circuitry is also provided for activating the unit from a normally quiescent state. Each unit comprises an EPROM for storing programs for all the functions which the unit will be called upon to carry out so that the unit can be employed in any position in the automobile and an E.sup.2 PROM for storing data which is to be retained when the unit is disconnected or off. The means for determining which program to activate comprises a detector for detecting the resistance at the point in the circuit when the unit is plugged in and comparing this with a table of resistances in the unit.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
In order that the invention may be more clearly understood, one embodiment thereof will now be described, by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:
FIG. 1 diagrammatically shows a vehicle incorporating an electronic control system according to the invention,
FIG. 2 diagrammatically shows a unit forming part of the system of FIG. 1 for controlling certain
REFERENCES:
patent: 4293947 (1981-10-01), Brittain
patent: 4682294 (1987-07-01), Duc et al.
patent: 4760275 (1988-07-01), Sato et al.
patent: 4942571 (1990-07-01), Moller et al.
patent: 5121386 (1992-06-01), Wolfsgruber et al.
patent: 5247446 (1993-09-01), Motz et al.
Becker Michael Christopher
Brassington David
Butler Philip Samuel
Fullalove Nicholas Jonathan
Grant Philip
Pascal Robert
Philogene Haissa
Rolls-Royce Motor Cars Limited
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