JP2006051902A - Control unit for vehicular apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a control unit for a vehicular apparatus capable of accommodating a number of vehicle models and grades by combining one type of control substrate with a plurality of types of appropriate operation substrates, reducing the number of parts, improving productivity, and providing extraordinarily preferable reduction in cost. <P>SOLUTION: This control unit 1 for the vehicular apparatus, which needs to change controls contents due to different operations or preset target values depending on vehicle models or the grades, is formed as a separate body which can be electrically connected with the control substrate 2 and the operation substrate 3. A storage device in which the operations and the preset target values corresponding to the vehicle models and the grades are stored is attached on the operation substrate side. The control substrate reads the contents of the storage device attached to the combined operation substrate to perform control corresponding to the various operations and the preset target values. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2006,JPO&NCIPI

Description

  In the present invention, the vehicle is required to be controlled with high accuracy in order to improve the uniformity of the temperature distribution in the room due to the difference in grade even in the same vehicle type, or Similarly, even in the same vehicle type, it may be necessary to change the control method, such as changing the part where comfort can be obtained for the air conditioner due to differences in usage such as pick-up and private use for customers. It is an object of the present invention to provide a device configuration method that can be easily handled and can be implemented at low cost.

  Conventionally, when this type of request occurs, the entire control unit is made new so that the request can be satisfied. For example, as described above, when air conditioners for company and business use and private use are required, two or more types of air conditioners suitable for each purpose can be manufactured. In addition, countermeasures have been taken, such as attaching and shipping the one that is well suited to the contents requested by the customer or the purpose of use of the vehicle.

  However, the above-described conventional method involves costs such as a cost for manufacturing a plurality of types of devices and a cost for managing them, and is expensive. Therefore, for example, as shown in FIG. 3, a required device (part) such as a back sonar 90 is attached to the microcomputer 30 that controls the speedometer M1, the tachometer M2, etc., and the back sonar 90 is controlled. A memory 60 storing a program for executing the program is attached to the microcomputer 30, and a switch SW3 is further provided.

  When the switch SW3 is turned on, the contents of the memory 60 are associated with the microcomputer 30 and the operation of the back sonar 90 is performed. In this way, when the vehicle performs the back, the microcomputer 30 executes the program in the added memory 60 to operate the back sonar 90, and if there is an obstacle behind the vehicle, The back sonar 90 notifies the driver of the danger by an appropriate means such as a buzzer.

Therefore, according to this method, the purpose can be achieved with the addition of the minimum necessary parts to notify the danger at the time of retreat, and those additions can be performed on existing parts. Almost no new parts are created, and new functions can be added at a very low cost. The switch SW3 may be used in combination with a switch for turning on the backup lamp.
JP 2001-250444 A

  However, the above-described conventional configuration can be implemented only when there is a computer with sufficient processing capacity. For example, as in a recent air conditioner, the temperature for each seat is set in consideration of the direction of sunlight. It can be controlled, or it is a wide cabin where 7 to 9 passengers can be mounted, and two compressors are arranged and controlled in front and rear of the car body to give comfortable conditions to all of them In addition, the burden on the computer becomes heavy, and in reality, even if the model is the same, it is necessary to adopt programs with different program contents, computer processing capabilities, etc., depending on the grade, which complicates the overall configuration. Is the actual situation.

  Therefore, even if it is the same vehicle type as described above, the control unit must be manufactured in accordance with each grade, resulting in troublesome itself. For example, as shown in FIG. Are of the same shape, but the CPU 21 mounted on the control board 2 side has a different processing capability depending on the grade, and accordingly, a completely different program is required, which takes time for development. Alternatively, a plurality of types of storage elements 33 that store programs must be used properly, resulting in confusion in the production process (reference numerals are largely the same as in FIG. 1, so compare with FIG. 1). ) And other problems.

  As a specific means for solving the above-described conventional problems, the present invention is a control unit for vehicle equipment that requires different operation contents and set target values depending on the vehicle type and grade, and also requires the control contents to be changed. The control unit is formed as a separate body that can be electrically connected to the control board and the operation board. On the side of the operation board, the operation content and the set target value according to each vehicle type and grade are set. The stored storage element is attached, and the control board reads out the contents of the storage element attached to the combined operation board, thereby performing control that matches the different operation contents for each vehicle type and grade, and the set target value. By providing a control unit for a vehicular device characterized in that it is configured to perform only the storage elements having different contents corresponding to the number of grades, etc. In is intended to solve the problems as possible corresponding to all grades.

  According to the present invention, the operation board having a different design depending on the vehicle type and grade of the vehicle is formed separately from the control board that does not cause much difference, and the storage element storing the control program is arranged on the operation board side. By adopting a configuration, combining a single type of control board and multiple types of operation boards as appropriate can handle a large number of vehicle types and grades, reducing the number of parts and improving productivity. And has an extremely excellent effect on cost reduction.

  In addition, since the memory element mounted with a different control program mounted on the operation board side uses a write-type ROM memory element or the like, the cost does not substantially change depending on the program contents. It is possible to consider that the memory element has the same cost as the memory element.

  Below, this invention is demonstrated in detail based on embodiment shown in a figure. What is shown by the code | symbol 1 in FIG. 1 is the control unit of the apparatus for vehicles which concerns on this invention, and is typically used for the control of the air conditioner of a vehicle, etc. In the present invention, the control unit 1 is divided into a control board 2 and an operation board 3, and the control board 2 and the operation board 3 can be connected by a harness (or flexible printed wire) 4 or the like. It can be electrically integrated.

  On the control board 2, for example, temperature control is performed in the passenger compartment according to the calculation result of the CPU 21, the input circuit 22 that is an interface for inputting the operation content by the occupant to the CPU 21, and the calculation result of the CPU 21. An output circuit 23 for controlling the blower fan 10 for blowing cool air is provided. Note that the output circuit 23 is not only used for controlling the blower fan 10 described above, but has passed through the outside air and the heater core 13 so as to have an appropriate temperature after passing through the evaporator 12, for example, as shown in FIG. An output circuit 23 for controlling the damper 11 and the like for appropriately mixing the warm air is also prepared. The output circuits 23 are connected to devices such as the blower fan 10 and the damper 11 described above.

  In addition, as shown in FIG. 2, the control board 2 is often integrated with a main part of a device to be controlled, such as the blower fan 10 and the evaporator 12, and when assembled in a vehicle, Usually, it is covered with the lining of the passenger compartment and cannot be seen directly. On the other hand, the operation board 3 is installed in the vicinity of the instrument panel in the driver's seat so as to be visible.

  For example, the operation board 3 includes a display unit 31 for displaying information such as a set temperature, an air volume, and a currently used air outlet, and an operation unit 32 including a push button and a switch for setting the above conditions. A storage element 33 that stores a program for operating the CPU 21 mounted on the control board 2 side according to the present invention is mounted.

  As for the harness 4 for connecting the control board 2 and the operation board 3, the user's requirements input by the operation unit 32 are transmitted to the CPU 21 as in the conventional case, and the above described The result of the control performed by the CPU 21 based on the requirements is sent back to the display unit 31 for display.

  Here, in the vehicle unit control unit 1 of the present invention, the harness 4 also transmits the program stored in the storage element 33 attached to the operation board 3 side, and is attached to the control board 2 side. The CPU 21 is activated.

  Here, if the control board 2 and the operation board 3 are described in more detail, the control board 2 side is basically provided with only one type for at least one vehicle type. In principle, the same CPU 21, the same input circuit 22, and the same output circuit 23 are attached.

  On the other hand, the operation board 3 side has different functions such as a function that can be attached depending on the grade and a function that cannot be attached even in the same vehicle type. On the other hand, the substrate 3 that cannot be attached, the substrate 3 that is attached, and the like are different, and the assembly is performed so as to correspond to the grade difference.

  For example, in grades intended for personal use, air conditioning outlets are not provided in the rear half of the vehicle body, that is, on the rear seat side, but for business use or company use. In the grade for the purpose, a blowout port is often provided in the vicinity of the rear seat, and the operation unit 32 for this purpose is provided on the operation board 3.

  As described above, if the functions are different, the program for the CPU 21 is naturally different accordingly. Therefore, the operation board 3 manufactured for a vehicle of a grade intended to be used for the above-mentioned business use includes: A rear seat operation unit 32 and a storage element 33 to which a program for causing the CPU 21 to perform an operation corresponding to the operation of the operation unit is added.

  As described above, according to the present invention, a program corresponding to the operation board 3 is originally provided on the side of the operation board 3 on which parts must be mounted so as to be suitable for each grade. By adopting a configuration in which the stored storage elements are arranged, it is possible to make the control board 2 side common among vehicles having different grades even in one vehicle type, thereby reducing costs. Further, the fact that the operation board 3 and the program mounted on the operation board 3 correspond to each other does not cause erroneous assembly, and the management surface in the assembly line is simplified.

  Further, when a model change or the like is performed, it is sufficient to perform mainly on the operation board 3 side, and the development man-hour can be reduced. Further, with respect to the control board 2 side, vehicles of the same grade can be shared between different vehicle types, and productivity can be improved and management costs can be reduced. In the above-described embodiment, the description has been given with respect to an example when the present invention is applied to an air conditioner. However, if the operation portion is required to have a different appearance and the control portion has a substantially similar configuration, for example, an audio device Alternatively, the present invention can be applied to other devices such as a car navigation system whose configuration is extremely complicated by using both an audio device and a route guide (navigation).

It is explanatory drawing which shows schematically the example of a structure of the control unit of the apparatus for vehicles which concerns on this invention. It is explanatory drawing which shows the example of a structure of the part of the ventilation fan which is the object which a control board controls, a damper, and an evaporator. It is explanatory drawing which shows the example of a structure of a prior art example. It is explanatory drawing which shows the example of a structure of another prior art example.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... Control unit of apparatus for vehicles 2 ... Control board 21 ... CPU
DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 22 ... Input circuit 23 ... Output circuit 3 ... Operation board 31 ... Display part 32 ... Operation part 33 ... Memory | storage element 4 ... Harness 10 ... Blower fan 11 ... Damper 12 ... Evaporator 13 ... Heater core

Claims (2)

  In a control unit for a vehicle device that requires different operation contents and set target values depending on the vehicle type and grade, and the control contents need to be changed, the control unit is separately connected to the control board and the operation board. Formed as a body, on the side of the operation board, a storage element storing the operation content and setting target value according to each vehicle type and grade is attached, and the control board is attached to the combined operation board A control unit for a vehicular device, wherein the control unit is configured to perform control in accordance with the vehicle type, different operation content for each grade, and a set target value by reading the content of the attached storage element.   The control unit according to claim 1, wherein the control unit is for an air conditioner panel.

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