GB2178600A - Unified control centre for automobiles - Google Patents

Abstract

Output unit 15, power switching unit 16 and fault detection unit 17 are mounted independently of power supply unit 11, input unit 12, microcomputer 13 and supplementary unit 14 in order to facilitate repair or replacement of these units in case of fault. The units are equipped with components for protection against mishandling. Preferably, the microcomputer 13 is programmed so that when the centre is connected to a testing device it automatically performs a sequential and complete check of the input unit 12, the output unit 15 and the power switching unit 16 so that if there is any irregularity in any of these units the test stops automatically and that part of the relevant unit in which the fault is found is indicated. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Unified control centre for automobiles This invention relates to a unified control centre for automobiles.

The applicant's earlier application No.

8518219 discloses a unified control centre for automobiles which comprises a microcomputer a power supply unit, an input unit, an output unit And a supplementary unit, all of which are mounted on a printed circuit board, to which they are connected by their respective connection terminals, and the whole assembly is housed and protected in a box made of suitable material.

Electronics as applied to the automotive industry is no longer an auxiliary aspect, having become in the last five years a key factor for general control of automobiles. Over and above the advantages and novel technical solutions described in the earlier application, an improvement is now proposed which is fundamentally based on the self-test possibility of the centre itself, all at the will of the driver.

This should not be confused with the centre's function of giving warning of faults which it detects in the normal operation of the automobile when it is running.

Moreover, the application of the centre to different types of automobiles has required an improvement in both the functionality of the centre and in the possibility of adapting the centre itself to all the types by only changing the programme in the microcomputer and adapting the output parts to the demands of certain functionalities. The output parts comprise solid-state switching components (transistors, bipolars, mos transistors, thyristors) or conventional electromechanical components (relays). These devices may be permanently installed in the centre or else housed in connectors, which will facilitate their interchangeability.

The microcomputer programme incorporates the instructions required to carry out a service test by means of connecting a test tool to the centre for verification of both inputs and outputs, indicating the correct or incorrect state of the input or output lines, state of relays, fuses and other components. All this facilitates the repair of non-electronic parts of the centre such as inputs and outputs with their respective connections and the relays previously mentioned.

Moreover, if the microcomputer receives any interference, the microprocessor starts the programme again thanks to the existence of the supplementary unit. Although this was described in the earlier application, complete interruption of the programme was not provided for. Now, a further new improvement is proposed consisting of the possibility of the microcomputer reacting to an emergency situation in such a way that safety functions like the indicator blinker lights, door-lock low beams and windshield wipers are ready for manual operation or are automatically connected. The microcomputer should also give an optical signal to indicate such an emergency condition.

The same centre may be capable, without any basic change, of carrying out dynamic, non-static checks of the principal parameters which it should control as its main purpose of helping the automobile driver. In this respect, the input unit which forms part of the centre is basically related to the switches controlled by the driver for actuation of the respective services, and with several devices composed of conventional, open-close and bimetallic sensors for example.

To handle the increased complexity of the signals to be processed, originated in the different parts of the automobile and transmitted by complex sensors of all types, the centre, as previously defined, is preferably equipped with the necessary circuits in the input and control units to allow perfect processing of the data sent by the sensors arranged at different points in the automobile, so that there is sensor-centre-sensor communication, which carries out a specific action on a certain part, generating an analog or digital indication or else activating an acoustical or optical alarm, closing a relay, moving the needle of a galvanometer, changing digits in a digital display or switching on a pilot or other actions.

The basic difference between a conventional sensor and a sensor adapted to the centre forming a sensor plus centre system, may be understood for example in the first case with the operation of a system for measuring the engine oil level, in which a level measurement is made as soon as the circuit has been closed with the ignition key; the initial indication given of this measurement remains constant throughout the whole time that the vehicle remains in operation, until a new stopstart operation of the vehicle is carried out.

In the second case, sensor plus centre, however, the measurement may be "dynamic", that is, carried out initially with the vehicle stopped and afterwards in a cyclic way, with each interval of time pre-set by the computer programme in such a way that if the oil level were to drop during the operation of the automobile, the centre will give indication of such circumstance as response in the centre-sensor-centre communication. The same example can be applied for other sensors of fluid levels, temperature and other parameters.

Thus, the centre is preferably improved by receiving information from the activated sensors by performance of a centre-sensor-centre dialogue of cyclic, non-static form. At the same time, the reading cycle made by the programme can be varied with respect to its duration according to the information sent by the sensors or according to the state of other sensors of the vehicle.

Likewise, the use of this type of sensorcentre-sensor communication will permit the inter-relating of functions according to the information received.

The foregoing functions of the improved centre are an enunciative sample of the capacity of the centre, but they should not by any means be taken in a limitative sense, since it is easy to understand that, on the basis of the aforementioned concepts, other different services may be added to those enumerated or else, without increasing their number, their purpose may be changed by merely varying the programming of the microcomputer.

The operating cycle of the centre of the invention will be described further with reference to the accompanying drawing in which Fig. 1 is a block diagram showing the interconnection of the components, the limits of the control centre being shown by a broken line; and Fig. 2 is a slightly modified version of the control centre of the invention.

The control centre consists of a power supply unit 11, an input unit 12, a microprocessor 13, a supplementary unit 14, an output unit 15 as weli as a power switching unit 16 and a fault detection unit 17. The output unit 15, the power switching unit 16 and the fault detection unit 17 are mounted independently of the power supply unit, the input unit, the microcomputer and the supplementary unit in order to facilitate their repair or replacement in the case of fault, and in all cases these units are equipped with components for protection against mishandling.

Under normal operation, the signals generated by the microcomputer 13 through its outputs travei to the output unit 15 where the signals are converted to the required operating voltage of the unit 16. As soon as the driver connects the contact or ignition key and closes the circuit, the microcomputer 13 can perform a self-test and, if a fault is detected in the output unit 15, because the appropriate power supply is not received by the unit 16 in any of its switchings, a signal is sent to the inputs of the microcomputer 13 and the driver is given an optical warning signal by means of a pilot lamp located on the instrument panel.

Moreover, the microcomputer 13 incorporates a programme in its memory so that when the centre is connected to a testing device, it automatically performs a complete check of the operation of the input 12 and the output 15 units, in such a way that if any defect at all were to exist, the test would automatically stop and indicate that part of the input unit 12 or output unit 15 which is affected. This test is performed to determine whether the cause of poor operation lies in the input unit 12, the output unit 15, the power switching unit 16 or the microcomputer 13. The separation of the output unit 15 and the power switching unit 16 in this case eases repair of the fault for the operator.

Likewise, if despite the operation of the supplementary unit 14 the microcomputer 13 continues to be incapable of reacting to an emergency situation, the centre incorporates a circuit which generates appropriate signals so that safety functions, such as indicator blinker lights, door-blocks, low beams and windshield wipers switch to manual or automatic operating modes, while a signal is simultaneously emitted by the microcomputer 13, which is converted through the output unit 15 and the power switching unit 16 into an optical or acoustical warning on the dashboard of the automobile.

With reference to the modified version of the centre shown in Fig. 2, the operating cycle of this further improved centre is characterised in that there is dual connection between the input unit 12 and the microprocessor 13 and in that this communication is cyclic so that the programming of the microcomputer 13 permits the type of cycle of said communications to be varied from the information received from the input unit 12 and the latter according to the different sensors.

Moreover, the programming of the microcomputer 13 permits, by communication from the input unit 12 the microcomputer and from the microcomputer 13 to the input unit 12 to inter-relate functions according to the information picked up from several sensors through the input unit 12 and processed by the microprocessor 13.

Claims (8)

1. A unified control centre for automobiles comprising a power supply unit, an input unit, a microcomputer, a supplementary unit, an output unit with an associated power switching unit, and a fault detection unit, all duly connected, characterised in that the output unit, the power switching unit and the fault detection unit are mounted independently of the power supply unit, the input unit, the microcomputer and the supplementary unit in order to facilitate their repair or replacement in the case of fault, and in all cases these units are equipped with components for protection against mishandling.

2. A control centre as claimed in claim 1, characterised in that the microcomputer is programmed so that when the centre is connected to a testing device, it automatically performs a sequential and complete check of the input unit, the output unit and the power switching unit so that if there is any irregularity in any of them, the test stops automatically and the part of the input unit, the output unit or the power switching unit in which the fault is found is indicated.

3. A control centre as claimed in claims 1 or 2, characterised in that when the driver of the vehicle closes the circuit with the ignition key a self-test of the output unit and the power switching unit is performed thanks to the signals sent to the input of the microcomputer, and, in the event of a fault in the output unit or the power switching unit, the microcomputer emits a signal which is convertible into an optical or acoustical warning on the dashboard of the automobile.

4. A control centre as claimed in any preceding claim, characterised in that the centre incorporates a circuit which automatically switches to manual or automatic service the safety functions such as indicator blinker lights, door-block, low beams and windshield wipers, when, despite the action of the supplementary unit on the microcomputer, irregularities of the microcomputer are not corrected, and upon such an occurrence the microcomputer warns the driver of the irregularity by means of an optical or acoustical signal.

5. A control centre as claimed in any preceding claim characterised in that processing of information from the input unit, through sensors installed in the differents parts of the automobile, is achieved by dual communication between the microcomputer and the input unit in a periodic manner.

6. A control centre as claimed in claim 5 characterised in that the periodicity of the dual communication between the microcomputer and the input unit can be varied by the microcomputer according to the information received from the input unit and the latter from its sensors.

7. A control centre as claimed in claim 5 or 6 characterised in that the dual communication between the microcomputer and the input unit permits with the help of the programme of the microcomputer, the inter-relating of functions according to the information picked up from several sensors and processed by the microcomputer.

8. A unified control centre for automobiles substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and as illustrated by Fig. 1 or Fig. 2 of the accompanying drawings.