JP2000213790A - Electronic controller - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To reduce the power consumption at waiting by means of a power circuit which varies the output and a switch which controls the input, bypassing a regulator IC. SOLUTION: This electronic controller varies the output of a power circuit 1, turns off the first switch, turns off the second switch, bypasses a regulator IC3, and supplies the output from the power circuit 1 to a control circuit 2', if an apparatus such as an air conditioner or the like is waiting, based on the instruction of a microcomputer 2. At usual operation, this turns on the first switch, turns off the second switch, and performs the voltage supply to the control circuit 2' through the regulator IC3 from the power circuit 1. This can reduce power consumption, bypassing the regulator IC3 at the time of waiting.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a power supply circuit for reducing a control output during a so-called standby state and a switch for bypassing a regulator IC, for example, in a state where normal operation is performed after waiting for an output signal from a remote controller or a timer switch. The present invention relates to an electronic control device such as an air conditioner that reduces power consumption by using an electronic control device.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art A power supply circuit used in a conventional air conditioner of this type is configured as shown in FIG. The power supply circuit 1 outputs a fixed 12 V DC voltage for the actuator and outputs the fixed voltage to the regulator IC 3.
The power supply of the control system circuit 2 'is converted into a DC voltage of 5 V through the control circuit 2', and the voltage is supplied to the microcomputer 2 as the control system circuit 2 '. In addition, power paths of an analog circuit and a control circuit for driving a circulation path of a compressor or the like of an air conditioner are not particularly considered, and are physically mixed in the same printed circuit board.

[0003]

However, in the air conditioner having such a structure, the voltage from the power supply circuit is not necessary because the analog circuit is stopped during the standby state, but the control system circuit operates. A constant output voltage is required to achieve this. Nevertheless, in the conventional control system circuit shown in FIG. 3, even during standby, the same voltage as during operation is output from the power supply circuit to the regulator IC in order to obtain a voltage for the control system circuit. However, during standby, it is sufficient that the regulator IC supplies a voltage necessary for operating the control system circuit. Therefore, in the conventional example, useless power loss occurs in the regulator IC, and the power consumption in the power supply circuit is large.

Further, when the timer operation of the air conditioner is set, it is necessary to grasp the surrounding environment in order to smoothly control the air conditioner after the time is up, and obtain an input from a sensor as information on the surrounding environment. For this reason, there has been a problem that the power consumption by the analog circuit is always more than necessary.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention is directed to solving the problems of the prior art described above. A power supply circuit for varying the output and a switch for bypassing the regulator IC and controlling its input reduce the power consumption during standby. It is an object of the present invention to provide an electronic control device that reduces power consumption.

[0006]

In order to achieve the above object, an electronic control unit according to the present invention is an electronic control unit for a device having a control system circuit controlled by a microcomputer, and comprises: A power supply circuit that varies its output based on an instruction, and a regulator I that converts an output voltage from the power supply circuit to a voltage for a control system circuit
C, a first switch provided between the power supply circuit and the regulator IC for turning on / off an input to the regulator IC,
A second switch for turning on / off the connection between the power supply circuit and the control system circuit, bypassing the regulator IC.

Further, the microcomputer reduces power consumption during standby of the air conditioner by setting only input / output ports to high impedance to reduce power consumption under specific conditions such as during standby of the air conditioner. Features.

[0008] Further, there is provided a third switch for separating an output from the power supply circuit into a control system circuit and an analog system circuit, and turning on / off an input to the analog system circuit. It is characterized by controlling power by a computer to reduce power consumption during standby of the air conditioner.

The third switch is configured to turn on / off at a specific time when the air conditioner is set to the timer operation, thereby reducing the power consumption during the timer operation.

According to the above configuration, when the air conditioner is on standby, the regulator IC that converts the voltage by the variable output of the power supply circuit and the on / off operation of the first and second switches based on the instruction from the microcomputer. Power consumption can be kept low as long as the control system circuit (microcomputer) can be driven without any intervention.

Further, the input / output ports of the microcomputer are made to have high impedance to reduce the power consumption for pull-up processing and the like. The input to the analog circuit without the power supply is stopped, and the supply of voltage to the analog circuit is turned on / off at regular intervals.
By turning off and driving a sensor or the like for grasping surrounding conditions, power consumption during timer operation can be reduced.

[0012]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below in detail with reference to the drawings. (Embodiment 1) FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a schematic configuration of a power supply circuit in an electronic control unit of an air conditioner according to Embodiment 1 of the present invention. Here, components having substantially the same functions and corresponding to the components described in FIG. 3 showing the conventional example are denoted by the same reference numerals, and the same applies to the following drawings. In FIG. 1, reference numeral 1 denotes a power supply circuit that varies the output by control, 2 denotes a microcomputer, 2 ′ denotes a control system circuit, 3 denotes a regulator IC that converts a voltage output from the power supply circuit to a voltage for the control system circuit,
Is a first switch for turning on / off the input to the regulator IC 3, and 5 is a second switch for turning on / off the connection between the power supply circuit 1 and the control system circuit 2 ', bypassing the regulator IC 3.

Next, the operation of the first embodiment configured as described above will be described. First, microcomputer 2
If the air conditioner is on standby based on the instruction, the output of the power supply circuit 1 is varied, for example, the voltage is changed from 12 V to 5 V, the first switch 4 is turned off, and the second switch 5 is turned on. Without going through the regulator IC3
A voltage output from the power supply circuit 1 is supplied to a control system circuit.
Also, when the air conditioner is in normal operation, the first switch 4 is turned on and the second switch 5 is turned off, so that the input from the power supply circuit 1 to the regulator IC 3 is performed.
A voltage is supplied to the control system circuit (see Table 1).

[0014]

[Table 1] As described above, when the input from the power supply circuit 1 to the regulator IC 3 is in the standby state of the air conditioner and the first switch 4 is turned off, the power consumption of the regulator IC 3 can be reduced. Here, since the first switch 4 and the second switch 5 have an exclusive relationship, they may be configured as one switch that is alternately switched.

Further, voltage is supplied to the control system circuit 2 'by turning on / off the first and second switches 4 and 5 based on the instruction of the microcomputer 2, and the control of each unit in the control system circuit 2' is performed. Microcomputer 2 that performs
, Power consumption is reduced by using a function of controlling a connected input / output port using a high impedance command, except for a control circuit used under specific conditions during standby.

The input / output port of the microcomputer 2 has a constant input impedance, and a signal line is normally pulled up or the like to stabilize the input / output of the port. Since the leakage current flows through the input impedance described above and cannot be ignored as the number of ports increases, for example, an analog switch or the like is provided and each port is set to high impedance during standby to reduce the leakage current and reduce power consumption. .

(Embodiment 2) FIG. 2A shows an electronic control unit for an air conditioner according to Embodiment 2 of the present invention, in which the output of a power supply circuit is separated into a control system circuit and an analog circuit. FIG. 2B is a block diagram showing a sensor circuit of an analog circuit for obtaining an ambient environment. FIG.
1A and 1B, 1 is a power supply circuit, 2 is a microcomputer, 2 'is a control system circuit, and 3 is a regulator I.
C, 4 are first switches, 5 is a second switch, 6 is an analog circuit, 6 'is a sensor circuit, 6 "is a sensor, and 7 is a third switch for turning on / off an input to the analog circuit 6. .

As shown in FIG. 2A, the electronic control circuit separates the voltage output from the power supply circuit and operates as an analog system which is not operated when the air conditioner is on standby. The input to the circuit 6 is turned off by the third switch 7 to reduce the power consumption of the air conditioner.

Also, in the standby state of the timer setting operation, the sensor 6 ″ connected via the sensor circuit 6 ′ shown in FIG. 2B is used to smoothly control the operation after setting the timer. In order to obtain information on the surrounding environment of the air conditioner, the voltage is supplied only when necessary, such as turning on the third switch of the analog circuit 6 at regular intervals based on an instruction from the microcomputer 2 so that the timer can be used. Reduce the power consumption of microcomputer during operation.

[0020]

As described above, according to the present invention,
When a device such as an air conditioner is on standby, the first and second switches are turned on / off based on an instruction from the microcomputer.
By turning off the power, the power consumption can be kept low as long as the control system circuit (microcomputer) can be driven without the intervention of a regulator IC that converts the voltage from the power supply circuit to the control system circuit. By turning on / off the third switch at regular intervals of supply, power consumption during timer operation can be reduced.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram illustrating a schematic configuration of a power supply circuit in an electronic control device of an air conditioner according to Embodiment 1 of the present invention.

FIG. 2A is an electronic control device for an air conditioner according to a second embodiment of the present invention in which the output of a power supply circuit is separated into a control system circuit and an analog circuit, and FIG. Block diagram showing a sensor circuit of an analog circuit to obtain an environment

FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing a schematic configuration of a power supply circuit and a control system circuit of a conventional air conditioner.

[Explanation of symbols]

 REFERENCE SIGNS LIST 1 power supply circuit 2 microcomputer 2 ′ control circuit 3 regulator IC 4 first switch 5 second switch 6 analog circuit 6 ′ sensor circuit 6 ″ sensor 7 third switch

Claims (4)

[Claims] 1. An electronic control device for a device having a control system circuit controlled by a microcomputer, comprising: a power supply circuit that varies its output based on an instruction from the microcomputer; and a voltage output from the power supply circuit. A regulator IC for converting a voltage to a voltage for a control system circuit, a first switch provided between the power supply circuit and the regulator IC for turning on / off an input to the regulator IC,
An electronic control device, comprising: a second switch that bypasses the regulator IC and turns on / off a connection between the power supply circuit and the control system circuit. 2. The power consumption of the air conditioner during standby is reduced by setting only the input / output ports to high impedance to reduce power consumption under specific conditions such as during standby of the air conditioner. The electronic control device according to claim 1, wherein: 3. A third switch for separating an output from the power supply circuit into a control system circuit and an analog system circuit, and turning on / off an input to the analog system circuit. Is controlled by a microcomputer,
The electronic control device according to claim 1, wherein power consumption during standby of the air conditioner is reduced. 4. The power supply according to claim 3, wherein the third switch is turned on / off at a specific time when the air conditioner is set to a timer operation, thereby reducing power consumption during the timer operation. Electronic control unit.