JP2002138895A - Internal combustion engine control device and data communication system using internal combustion engine control device - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an ECU in which at least one part of a control program and a control data can be read out or write by a data communication without removing a recording means recording the control program or the control data of an engine. SOLUTION: The ECU 20 and a personal computer(PC) 100 can be connected by a cable 110 of a general-purpose communication interface such as RS232C and the like. The PC100 can be connected to a server computer 200 of a parts center by Internet 210. A control program and a control data of an engine 10 are recorded in a non-volatile flash memory which can be rewritten in the ECU 20. The server computer 200 at a remote place can read out the control program or the control data of the ECU 20 through the PC100 and the rewritten data of the control program or the control data can be transmitted from the server computer 200 to the ECU 20 through the PC100.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an internal combustion engine (hereinafter referred to as "internal combustion engine").
An engine control device (hereinafter, referred to as "the internal combustion engine"), which records a control program and control data for controlling the engine in a rewritable non-volatile recording device and reads and writes the control program or control data through a communication circuit. The engine control unit is called ECU)
About. Further, the control program or control data recorded in the ECU may be received by the server computer from the client computer via the communication line, or may be written by the client computer from the server computer. The present invention relates to a data communication system using an ECU for writing data into a memory.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art For example, when replacing an injector as a fuel injection device at a vehicle repair shop or the like, a rewritable nonvolatile recording means of an ECU such as an EEPROM (Elec) is used in accordance with the characteristics of a newly installed injector.
trically Erasable Programmable Read Only Memory)
It may be necessary to update the control program or control data of the engine recorded in the flash memory or the like.

[0003] Even when the injector is not replaced, it may be necessary to update the control program or control data recorded in the recording means of the ECU in order to improve the control program or control data. In some cases, the user may want to read out the control program or control data in order to confirm the appropriateness of the control programmer or control data recorded in the recording means.

[0004]

However, depending on the repair shop, for example, a device for reading characteristic data such as the injection amount and responsiveness displayed on the injector by a two-dimensional code or the like, or data recorded on recording means. May not own a rewriting device. In addition, it may be difficult for a normal repair shop to create data for updating a control program or control data based on characteristic data of an injector to be newly installed and existing control data.

[0005] It is possible to send an injector to be newly assembled and a recording means for recording control data from a parts factory to a manufacturing company or a parts center of an injector and receive a recording means for updating the recorded data, but it is necessary to obtain it. There is a problem that the number of days is long.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is an object of the present invention to provide an E / E system capable of reading or writing at least a part of a control program and control data by data communication without removing a recording means for recording an engine control program or control data.
CU. Another object of the present invention is to provide an EC
Data using an ECU that allows the server computer to read at least a part of the engine control program and the control data recorded in the first recording means of U, or to obtain the control program and the control data write data from the server computer. A communication system is provided.

[0007]

According to the present invention, the control program and the control data are recorded in the first electrically rewritable nonvolatile recording means. The ECU has a communication program for controlling data communication performed through the communication circuit.
Therefore, at least a part of the control program and the control data recorded in the first recording unit can be read or written without removing the first recording unit from the ECU.

According to the ECU of the present invention,
Since data communication is performed by the general-purpose communication interface through the communication circuit, the data communication can be easily performed by the general-purpose communication interface such as RS232C. According to the third aspect of the present invention, the shape or size of the terminal of the communication circuit is different from that of the terminal of the general-purpose communication interface, and the terminal of the communication circuit is connected to the terminal of the general-purpose communication interface. A connection member is provided.
The terminal portion of the communication circuit of the ECU can be enlarged, and the connection force with the connection member can be increased.

According to the ECU described in claim 4 of the present invention,
The communication program is recorded in an electrically non-rewritable second recording means. Since there is no need to change the communication program, for example, a non-rewritable and inexpensive ROM (Read Onl
y Memory), the manufacturing cost is reduced.

According to the ECU described in claim 5 of the present invention,
A predetermined area is read or written with respect to a control program or control data recorded in the first recording means. Since the entire control program or control data recorded in the first recording means is not read or written, the time required for data communication is reduced.

An ECU according to claim 7 or 10 of the present invention.
According to this, when the signal level of the input terminal of the communication circuit and the signal level of the input terminal other than the communication circuit are simultaneously turned on for a predetermined time or more, the communication program is started. Even if the signal level of one input terminal is turned on for a predetermined time or longer due to noise or the like, the communication program does not start unless noise occurs at the other input terminals. According to the ECU of the present invention, when an error is detected in the instruction received from the communication circuit, an error detection is transmitted from the communication circuit. Updating of the control program or control data with illegal data can be prevented.

According to the ECU of the ninth aspect of the present invention,
The communication circuit includes a signal holding circuit that enables signal output when the signal level of a predetermined input terminal of the communication circuit is kept on for a predetermined time or more. By using, for example, an FF (flip-flop) as the signal holding circuit, it is not necessary to keep the signal level of the input terminal on during the execution of the communication program. Further, the ECU resets the FF, so that the ECU can end the execution of the communication program.

According to the ECU of the present invention, at least a part of the terminals of the communication circuit is shared with terminals other than the communication circuit. Since the terminals of the communication circuit are not used in a normal engine operating state, the number of terminals can be reduced by sharing the terminals with other terminals.

According to a data communication system using an ECU according to a twelfth aspect of the present invention, if a PC (personal computer) is provided as a client computer at a repair shop, a control program or control program for the ECU is provided through a communication line such as the Internet. Data can be easily transmitted from a repair shop to a server computer such as a parts center. Further, the client computer receives the write data from the server computer, and the control program or control data of the ECU can be easily updated with the write data. Therefore, even in a remote place, for example, a repair shop overseas, the appropriateness of the engine control program or control data can be confirmed in a parts center in a short time. Further, it can be updated to an appropriate control program or control data in a short time.

According to the data communication system using the ECU according to the present invention, when replacing the injector, the characteristic data of the injector to be newly assembled and the control data of the engine are transmitted from the client computer in the repair shop to the parts center or the like. And the client computer receives the optimal control program or write data of the control data from the server computer, and can update the control program or control data of the ECU. According to the data communication system using the ECU described in claim 14 of the present invention, the client computer can receive the latest version of the communication program for controlling data communication with the ECU from the server computer.

[0016]

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing an embodiment of the present invention. ECU and EC of the present invention
One embodiment of a data communication system using U is shown in FIG. The engine 10 is a four-cylinder engine, and an injector 11 is attached to each cylinder. The ECU 20 inputs various sensor signals for detecting the operation state of the engine 10 and controls the engine 10 according to the engine operation state. The PC 100 as the client computer has an RS
A general-purpose communication interface such as 232C can be connected to the ECU 20 via the cable 110. The terminal portion 20a of the ECU 20 is larger than the standard of the general-purpose communication interface. The adapter 111 as a connection member connects the cable 110 of the general-purpose communication interface to the terminal 20a. By connecting the terminal section 20a larger than the standard of the general-purpose interface to the adapter 111,
The connection between the terminal portion 20a and the adapter 111 is strengthened.
The PC 100 can be connected to the server computer 200 at the parts center via the Internet 210 as a communication line.

As shown in FIG. 2, the ECU 20 has a CPU
(Central Processing Unit) 21, sensor input circuit 3
0, control signal input circuit 31, control signal output circuit 32, communication circuit 40, power supply circuit 33, RAM (Random Access Me
mory) 35, ROM 36 and F / M (Flash Memory)
37 and the like.

The CPU 21 as a processing means executes a communication program recorded in a ROM 36 as a second recording means and a control program recorded in a rewritable nonvolatile F / M 37 as a first recording means. I do. In the F / M 37, control data of the engine 10 is recorded in addition to the control program of the engine 10.

The sensor input circuit 30 inputs various sensor signals for detecting the operating state of the engine 10. The control signal input circuit 31 inputs a control signal that defines the operating state of the engine 10 in addition to the sensor signal. The control signal output circuit 32 sends a control signal for setting an engine operating state to each part of the engine 10. The power supply circuit 33 is connected to the ECU 20
Is supplied with power to each element. The RAM 35 is a ROM 36
Communication program recorded in F / M37
Provides a work area for the control program recorded in the.

As shown in FIG. 3, the communication circuit 40 has an integrating circuit 41, a slice circuit 42, a differentiating circuit 43, a holding circuit (FF) 44 as a signal holding circuit, a power switch circuit 45, and a transceiver circuit 46. ing. Integration circuit 41, slice circuit 42, differentiation circuit 43, and FF4
Reference numeral 4 constitutes a starting unit.

The integrating circuit 41, the slicing circuit 42 and the differentiating circuit 43 output pulse signals from the differentiating circuit 43 when the switching signals A and B sent from the PC 100 to the ECU 20 are simultaneously turned on for a predetermined time or more. .
The “ON state” here means that the PC 100 and the EC
This indicates that the state has become "communicable" in which communication with U20 is possible. The FF 44 latches the pulse signal output from the differentiating circuit 43 and sends a communication enable signal to the CPU 21.
The switching signals A and B are set on and off by, for example, a dip switch. Even if one of the switching signals A and B is turned on by noise, if the other switching signal is not turned on, the differentiating circuit 43 does not output a pulse signal, and the FF4
4 does not output a communication enable signal.

When the communication enable signal output from the FF 44 is turned on, the power switch circuit 45 turns on the transceiver circuit 46.
Power supply to each element. Each element of the transceiver circuit 46 is driven by an enable signal sent from the CPU 21. Instead of switching the power switch circuit 45 by the communication enable signal of the FF 44, the enable signal may be controlled by the communication enable signal.

In FIG. 3, the switching signals A and B are dedicated signals. On the other hand, as shown in FIG. 4, by switching the control input signal of the input terminal of the ECU 20 by the switch circuit 50, one input terminal is shared as the input terminal of the control input signal or the input terminal of the switching signal B. It is also possible. During normal engine operation, the switching signal B side is turned off by the common release signal. Note that the switching signal A may be used as the sharing release signal. In this case, in the communication circuit 40, if the path from the terminal for inputting the switching signal A to the integration circuit 41 and the switch circuit 50 are connected,
The number of terminals can be reduced.

Next, a data communication procedure when replacing the injector 11 will be described. (1) For example, when replacing the injector 11 attached to the second cylinder of the engine 10 at a repair shop or the like, the injector 11 to be newly assembled to the second cylinder is
Is captured by the digital camera 90. The characteristic data of the injector 11 is data indicating the injection amount and the responsiveness of the injector 1. The characteristic data is marked on the injector 11 as a known two-dimensional code, for example.

(2) Information such as characteristic data of the injector 11 to be newly assembled to the engine 10 photographed by the digital camera 90 and a cylinder number for assembling the injector 11 is input to the PC 100. (3) RS232, one of the general-purpose communication interfaces
The terminal part 20a of the communication circuit 40 of the ECU 20 and the communication terminal part of the PC 100 are connected by the C cable 110.

(4) If the PC 100 does not have a communication program for performing data communication with the ECU 20, the communication program is transmitted from the server computer 200 of the parts center to the PC 10.
0 downloads. (5) The dip switches corresponding to the switching signals A and B of the ECU 20 are turned on, and the power of the ECU 200 is turned on.
Then, as shown in FIG. 5, it is determined in step 300 whether the communication enable signal, that is, the output of the FF 44 is on. If communication is possible, that is, if the output of the FF 44 is on, the process proceeds to step 301 to start a communication program. If the communication is not possible, that is, if the output of the FF 44 is off, the process shifts to step 302 to start the engine control program.

(6) The PC 100 reads the control data from the ECU 20 and sends it to the server computer 200 together with the already obtained characteristic data of the injector 11 and information such as the cylinder number. When communicating with the PC 100, the communication program of the ECU 20 checks whether there is an error in the instruction from the PC 100. For example, the instruction format is invalid, the data write area is invalid, and the like. P
If there is an error in the instruction of C100, ECU 20 transmits to PC 100 that the error has been detected.

(7) The server computer 200 is a PC 1
The write data of the control data is created based on the data received from 00, and the write data is further converted into a two-dimensional code and created. (8) The server computer 200 transmits the write data and the two-dimensional data to the PC 100.

(9) The PC 100 transmits the received write data to the ECU 20 via the cable 110. The PC 100 prints the received two-dimensional code. The printed two-dimensional code is stored as repair data. (10) The ECU 20 updates the control program or the control data with the received write data. (11) The connection between the PC 100 and the server computer 200 is cut off, and the connection between the PC 100 and the ECU 20 is cut off. Thereafter, the dip switches corresponding to the switching signals A and B of the ECU 20 are turned off.

In one embodiment of the present invention described above, the EC
U20 has a communication circuit 40 for performing data communication with PC 100 and a communication program, and has a non-volatile F which can rewrite an engine control program or engine control data.
/ M37. Therefore, the injector 1
When exchanging 1, the characteristic data of the injector 11 and the control data of the ECU 20 are transmitted from the PC 100 to the server computer 200 of the remote parts center via the Internet, and appropriate write data is transmitted from the server computer 200 to the PC 100. it can. Thereby, writing of the control data or the control program recorded in the ECU 20 can be easily realized in a short time.

In this embodiment, the control program or control data of the ECU 20 is written using the data communication system shown in FIG. In addition to writing the control program or control data in the control program or control data, the PC 100 may read out the control program or control data of the ECU 20 and transmit the control program or control data to the server computer 200. In the present embodiment, the data communication between the ECU 20 and the PC 100 is performed by the general-purpose communication interface, but may be performed by a dedicated communication interface.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a schematic configuration diagram showing an ECU of the present invention and a data communication system using the ECU.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing an ECU of the embodiment.

FIG. 3 is a block diagram illustrating a communication circuit according to the present embodiment.

FIG. 4 is a block diagram illustrating an input terminal sharing circuit according to the present embodiment.

FIG. 5 is a flowchart showing activation of a control program or a communication program of the ECU.

[Explanation of symbols]

 Reference Signs List 10 engine (internal combustion engine) 11 injector (fuel injection device) 20 ECU (internal combustion engine control device) 20a terminal unit 21 CPU (processing means) 36 ROM (second recording means) 37 F / M (first recording means) 40 communication Circuit 41 Integrating circuit (starting means) 42 Slice circuit (starting means) 43 Differentiating circuit (starting means) 44 FF (signal holding circuit, starting means) 100 PC (client computer) 110 Cable 111 Adapter (connecting means) 200 Server computer 210 Internet (communication line)

Continued on the front page (51) Int.Cl. ⁷ Identification symbol FI Theme coat II (reference) // G05B 19/05 G05B 19/05 A F term (reference) 3G084 DA13 DA27 EB02 EB06 5B076 AC03 BB06 EB03 5H220 AA08 BB12 CC09 CX09 EE01 FF02 HH01 JJ12 JJ16 JJ29

Claims (14)

[Claims] 1. A non-volatile first recording means for recording a control program and control data for controlling an internal combustion engine and electrically rewriting at least a part of the control program and the control data, a communication circuit, An internal combustion engine control comprising: a nonvolatile second recording unit that records a communication program that controls data communication performed through the communication circuit; and a processing unit that executes the control program and the communication program. apparatus. 2. The internal combustion engine control device according to claim 1, wherein data communication is performed by a general-purpose communication interface through said communication circuit. 3. The terminal part of the communication circuit is different in shape or size from the terminal part of the general-purpose communication interface, and a connecting member for connecting the terminal part of the communication circuit and the terminal part of the general-purpose communication interface is provided. The internal combustion engine control device according to claim 2, further comprising: 4. The internal combustion engine control device according to claim 1, wherein said second recording means is electrically non-rewritable. 5. The communication program reads or writes the control program or the control data recorded in the first recording means in a predetermined area specified by an instruction received from the communication circuit. The internal combustion engine control device according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein: 6. The communication device according to claim 1, further comprising: a start unit that starts the communication program when a signal level of a predetermined input terminal of the communication circuit is kept on for a predetermined time or more. An internal combustion engine control device according to claim 1. 7. When the signal level of a predetermined input terminal of the communication circuit and the signal level of a predetermined input terminal other than the communication circuit maintain an ON state for a predetermined time or more, the activating means executes the communication program. The internal combustion engine control device according to claim 6, wherein the internal combustion engine control device is started. 8. The communication program according to claim 1, wherein the communication program detects an error of an instruction received from the communication circuit, and transmits an error detection from the communication circuit when detecting an error. An internal combustion engine control device according to any one of the preceding claims. 9. The communication circuit according to claim 1, further comprising a signal holding circuit for turning on an output signal when a signal level of a predetermined input terminal of the communication circuit is kept on for a predetermined time or more. An internal combustion engine control device according to any one of claims 1 to 8. 10. The signal holding circuit outputs an output signal when a signal level of a predetermined input terminal of the communication circuit and a signal level of a predetermined input terminal other than the communication circuit maintain an ON state for a predetermined time or more. The internal combustion engine control device according to claim 9, wherein the control device is turned on. 11. The internal combustion engine control device according to claim 8, wherein at least a part of the terminals of the communication circuit are shared with terminals other than the communication circuit. 12. The internal combustion engine control device according to claim 1, a client computer that performs data communication with the internal combustion engine control device via the communication circuit, and a communication line with the client computer. A data communication system using an internal combustion engine control device, comprising: a server computer that performs data communication. 13. When the fuel injection device of the internal combustion engine is replaced, the server computer transmits the fuel injection device to the internal combustion engine based on the characteristic data of the fuel injection device and the control data recorded in the first recording means. 13. The internal combustion engine according to claim 12, wherein the client computer receives the write data, and writes the write data in at least a part of the control program and the control data recorded in the first recording unit according to an instruction of the client computer. A data communication system using a control device. 14. The data communication system using an internal combustion engine control device according to claim 12, wherein the client computer receives a communication program for performing data communication with the internal combustion engine control device from the server computer. .