JPH07232604A - On-vehicle network controller - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To reduce power consumption in the case of an ignition switch OFF, in a in-vehicle network formed by connecting a plurality of electronic control units (ECU) to one another. CONSTITUTION:A meter ECU 100, a high beam ECU 200, a door ECU 300, and a hazard ECU 400 are connected to one another by a bus. The meter ECU 100 is provided with a CPU 102, a high beam bulb 10, a door bulb 20, and a hazard bulb 30 and the high beam switch ECU 200 is provided with a CPU 203, a high beam switch 201, and an oscillation circuit 202 of 100Hz. When ignition is put off, CPU 102, 203 are in their stopped states and when the high beam switch 201 is put on, a start signal of 100Hz is transmitted to the meter ECU 100 so as to be output to a hard filter 101 via a gate 103. Only a signal corresponding to 100Hz in a hard filter 101 is output so that the high beam bulb 10 is lit.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a vehicle network controller, and more particularly to the operation of a specific electronic controller when the ignition switch is off.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In recent years, various electronic control units (hereinafter referred to as "ECUs") have been mounted on vehicles as the functions of the vehicles have increased.
The plurality of ECUs are mutually connected to form a network. In such an in-vehicle network, when the ignition switch is turned off, the ECU is set to a sleep state in order to reduce power consumption, and the sleep state is released when the activation signal arrives to operate. . That is, when the activation signal is input to the ECU in the sleep state, the microcomputer in the ECU operates and various switches in the ECU are controlled under the control of the microcomputer.

For example, in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 3-25046 and Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 4-283140, ECUs that are not required for operation when the ignition is turned off are set in a sleep state, and the sleep of each ECU is turned on by turning on an operation switch. It has been shown to be released.

[0004]

As described above, in the conventional in-vehicle network, each ECU is set to the sleep state, the microcomputer in the ECU is started by the arrival of the activation signal, and each ECU is operated according to the input communication data. It is a configuration that drives a switch (valve) in the ECU,
All the ECUs start up once the start signal arrives, and then the microcomputers in each ECU identify the communication data and drive the switches, etc., so that the power consumption for starting the microcomputers in all the ECUs is wasted. There was a problem.

Further, in the conventional in-vehicle network, the microcomputer in each ECU is first activated by a start signal and then the switches and the like are controlled. Therefore, for example, when the microcomputer fails, an emergency such as a hazard lamp is generated. There is also a problem in that the meter ECU cannot display the important signal for use.

The present invention has been made in view of the above-mentioned problems of the prior art. The purpose of the present invention is to start up only the ECU associated with the start signal even when the start signal arrives.
Another object of the present invention is to provide an in-vehicle network control device that can activate only a desired switch without using a microcomputer in the ECU.

[0007]

In order to achieve the above object, the in-vehicle network control device according to claim 1 connects a plurality of electronic control devices each including a microcomputer and a switch. An in-vehicle network control device for controlling the in-vehicle network,
Setting means for setting the operation of the microcomputer to a stop state or a sleep state when the ignition switch is off, and an electronic control related to the electronic control device when a start signal is transmitted from one of the plurality of electronic control devices. Drive means for directly operating a switch in the device without going through the microcomputer.

In order to achieve the above object, the in-vehicle network control device according to a second aspect is the in-vehicle network control device according to the first aspect, wherein the activation signal has a frequency corresponding to each switch. The driving means drives a switch in the associated electronic control unit according to the frequency of the activation signal.

[0009]

In the in-vehicle network control device according to the first aspect, when the ignition switch is off, the operation of the microcomputer is stopped or set to the sleep state as in the conventional case. Then, when the activation signal is input in this state, the driving means directly drives the switch in the related ECU without starting the microcomputer.

As described above, by driving a desired switch without using a microcomputer, it is not necessary to start all the ECUs by inputting a start signal,
Moreover, since no microcomputer is used, an important start signal can be transmitted to each switch even when the microcomputer fails.

In the in-vehicle network control device according to the second aspect, the activation signal has a frequency corresponding to each switch. For example, a high beam switch as a switch,
If there is a door switch and a hazard switch, the frequencies are set to 100 Hz for the high beam signal, 200 Hz for the door signal, and 300 Hz for the hazard signal, respectively. By thus assigning different frequencies to the respective switches, the driving means can identify which switch should be driven, and can drive only the corresponding switch without the intervention of the microcomputer.

[0012]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS A preferred embodiment of an in-vehicle network control device of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 shows a block diagram of the configuration of this embodiment.

Meter ECU 100, high beam ECU 2
00, a door ECU 300, and a hazard ECU 400 are provided and are connected to each other by a bus. Each ECU 10
Each of 0, 200, 300 and 400 has a microcomputer (CPU) for controlling the inside of the ECU and various switches. That is, in the ECU 200, the CPU 20
3 has a high beam switch 201, the ECU 300 has a CPU (not shown) and a door switch 301, and
The CU 400 has a CPU (not shown) and a hazard switch 401. In addition, the meter ECU 100 is CP
U102, high beam valve 10, door valve 2
0, has a hazard valve 30. Each ECU
The communication ICs 106 and 206 transmit and receive communication data to and from the communication ICs 100 and 200. ECU 300, 400 (communication I
The same applies to C (not shown).

Further, the communication IC 10 of the meter ECU 100
The gate 103 is connected to the reception terminal RX of 6.
The gate 103 is further connected to the hard filter 101. The on / off operation of the gate 103 is controlled by the gate control signal GATE3 from the CPU 102. The hard filter 101 is composed of four frequency filter circuits, and each frequency filter circuit is 100 Hz for high beam.
Frequency filter circuit, 200Hz frequency filter circuit for doors, 300Hz frequency filter circuit for hazards, and 400Hz frequency filter circuit for wakeup. When each frequency arrives, the control circuit assigned to each frequency is turned on. It is a thing. For example, a start signal of 100 Hz is sent via the bus to the meter ECU 10
When input to 0, a signal is output only from the Q terminal of the 100 Hz frequency filter circuit for high beam in the hard filter 101. Each frequency filter circuit of the hard filter 101 is connected to a control circuit 107 assigned to each frequency, and the control circuit is composed of driving transistors. The driving transistor further includes the high beam valve 10 and the door valve 2 described above.
0, connected to each valve of the hazard valve 30. The Q output of the wakeup frequency filter circuit of the hard filter 101 is sent to the CPU via the latch circuit 104.
It is connected to V _DD of 102, and the CPU 102 starts up by inputting a wakeup signal. The circuit 107 including the driving transistor is connected to each of the frequency filter circuits in the hard filter 101, and the gate 103, the hard filter 101, the circuit 104, and the circuit 107 constitute the driving circuit of this embodiment.

On the other hand, the ECU 200 has the high beam switch 201 as described above, and the high beam switch 201 is connected to the oscillation circuit 202 of 100 Hz. The 100 Hz oscillator circuit 202 further includes a gate 204
Is connected to the transmission terminal TX of the communication IC 206 via. ON / OFF control of the gate 204 is performed by a gate signal GATE2 from the CPU 203. Also, communication IC
The reception terminal RX of 206 is output to the CPU 203 and the hard filter 208. The hard filter 208 has a wakeup frequency filter circuit of 400 Hz, and the Q terminal of the wakeup frequency filter circuit is further connected to the input terminal of the latch circuit 207. The output of the latch circuit 207 is connected to V _DD of the CPU 203 as in the meter ECU 100, and the CPU 203 receives the wakeup signal.
Stands up. The ECU 300 has almost the same configuration as the ECU 200, except that a door switch 301 is provided and the door switch 301 is connected to a 200 Hz oscillation circuit. Further, the ECU 400 is provided with a hazard switch 401, and the hazard switch 4
01 is connected to an oscillation circuit with an oscillation frequency of 300 Hz. Note that each oscillation frequency is not limited to the setting in this embodiment, and can be changed as appropriate.

The in-vehicle network of this embodiment has the above-mentioned configuration, and its operation will be described in detail below with reference to the flowchart of FIG. For convenience of explanation, when the ignition switch is off, the ECUs 100, 20
0, 300, 400 CPUs are in a stopped state, and
It is assumed that a wakeup signal is input by turning on the ignition switch. A method for stopping each CPU will be described later.

First, the time when the ignition switch is turned on (during normal operation) will be described. In FIG. 2, first, it is determined whether or not a wakeup signal (400 Hz) has arrived (S101). This determination is made based on whether or not a signal is output from the Q terminal of the wakeup frequency filter circuit in the hard filters 101 and 208 in each ECU. That is, 400H is sent to each ECU via the bus.
When the wakeup signal of z is input, a signal is output from the wakeup frequency filter circuit in the hard filters 101 and 208, and is input to the input terminals of the latch circuits 104 and 107. The latch circuits 104 and 207 are connected to V _{DD of the} respective ECUs 102 and 203 via the control circuit.
The CPUs 102 and 203 are thereby started up (S102). When the CPUs 102 and 203 start up, the CPUs 102 and 203 then disable the gates 103 and 204 and enable the gate 205, respectively. The gate 103 is a communication IC 106 and a hard filter 1
The gate connected between 01 and, therefore, the gate 103
By disabling, the communication data input from the bus via the communication IC 106 is not input to the hard filter 101 and is input only to the CPU 102. On the other hand, the gate 204 is a gate provided between the oscillation circuit 202 and the communication IC 206. By disabling the gate 204, each activation signal from the oscillation circuit is transmitted to the communication IC 206.
It is not input to the communication IC 206 via the gate 205 from the transmission control terminal TX of the CPU 203. In this way, by disabling the gates 103 and 204, the communication data input from the bus will not be transmitted to the hard filter 1.
01 is not input to the CPU 102, and the high beam switch 201 is not connected to the CPU 20.
Since it is connected to the input terminal 3 of the CPU 203
The output from the communication data is output to other ECUs via the communication IC 206 (door switch 301,
The same applies to the hazard switch 401). This operation is nothing but a normal operation in which the CPUs 102 and 203 in each ECU perform communication control.
Communication between U is performed (S104, S105).

Next, the operation when the ignition is off will be described. In the case where the ignition switch is turned off in FIG. 2, YES is determined in S104, and the CPUs 102 and 203 in the respective ECUs have the gates 103 and 20.
4 is valid and the gate 205 is invalid. When the ignition switch is turned off, the power supply changes from the normal power supply to the backup power supply (V _CC ) and the CPUs 102, 20
3 is a wakeup latch circuit 1 by a V _CC off signal
A reset signal is output to 04 and 207. When the wakeup latch circuits 104 and 207 are reset, V
_DD becomes 0 volt, and the CPUs 102 and 203 are completely turned off (S107). If the ignition switch is off and no wakeup is input,
In S101, it is always determined to be NO, and it is determined whether or not another input signal (for example, a high beam signal, a door signal, a hazard signal) has arrived (S108). For example, the ECU 2
When the high beam switch 201 in 00 is turned on, the 100 Hz oscillation circuit 202 connected to the high beam switch 201 outputs a 100 Hz start signal. Since the gate 204 is set to the valid state in S106, the 100 Hz start signal output from the oscillation circuit is sent to the meter ECU 10 via the communication IC 206 and the bus.
It is output to 0. The communication IC 106 outputs the input activation signal to the CPU 102 and the gate 103.
Since the operation of 102 is stopped, no processing is performed. On the other hand, since the gate 103 has been enabled in S106, the 100 Hz activation signal is further output to the hard filter 101. In the hard filter 101, only the Q terminal of the high-beam frequency filter circuit outputs, so that the start signal input via the bus is 10
It is recognized that the signal is 0 Hz, that is, the signal from the high beam switch 201. The output (Q terminal) from the high beam frequency filter circuit is output to the input terminal of the control circuit 107, the drive transistor is turned on, and the high beam bulb 10 is turned on (S108, S11).
0, S111). When the high beam switch 201 is turned off, the 100 Hz output from the oscillation circuit 202 is output.
Is turned off, the signal is turned off from the Q terminal of the high-beam frequency filter circuit, and the control circuit 107
Drive transistor is turned off. As a result, the high beam bulb 10 is turned off.

On the other hand, the door switch 30 in the ECU 300
When 1 is turned on, a start signal having a frequency of 200 Hz is input to the meter ECU 100 via the bus. And, like the above-mentioned 100 Hz start signal,
A 200 Hz activation signal is input to the hard filter 101 via the gate 103, a signal is output only from the Q terminal of the door frequency filter circuit, and is output to the input terminal of the control circuit 107 to turn on the drive transistor to turn on the door valve 20. Is turned on (S112, S113). Also, E
When the hazard switch 401 in the CU 400 is turned on, a 400 Hz activation signal is similarly sent to the meter EC.
It is input to the hard filter 101 in U100, a signal is output only from the Q terminal of the hazard frequency filter circuit, and the hazard valve 30 is turned on (S114).

As described above, when the ignition switch is turned off, the gates 103 and 204 are made effective, and the high beam switch 201, the door switch 301, and the hazard switch 401 are turned on / off to turn the C of the meter ECU 100 on and off.
It is possible to directly activate the high beam valve 10, the door valve 20, and the hazard valve 30 in the meter ECU 100 without passing through the PU 102, and the CPU of each ECU is kept in a stopped state until consumption of a wakeup signal and consumed. Electric power is reduced and each ECU
Even if the CPU therein fails, an emergency switch such as a hazard switch can be reliably operated.

As described above, in this embodiment, the analog signal of a predetermined frequency is transmitted from each switch to the meter ECU 100 via the bus, and the desired valve is directly driven without the intervention of the microcomputer. For example, in the case of an abnormal situation such as a break in the bus line, it is possible to output an analog signal of a predetermined frequency from each switch to the meter ECU 100 via the power line. FIG. 3 shows the configuration in such a case.
The power supply line (+ B) is connected between the gate 204 of the ECU 200 and the gate 103 of the meter ECU 100 via a capacitor. The same applies to the ECUs 300 and 400. Therefore, for example, when the high beam switch 201 is turned on, a 100 Hz activation signal from the oscillation circuit 202 is output to the power supply line via the gate 204, and the gate 103 outputs 1 to the hard filter 101 via this power supply line.
A 00 Hz start signal is output. As a result, even if the bus is disconnected, it is possible to operate an emergency hazard switch, for example.

Further, in the present embodiment, the case of the meter ECU is shown in particular, but another ECU, for example, the column ECU as the transmission ECU and the headlamp EC as the reception ECU.
The same applies to the case of U and the like.

[0024]

As described above, according to the in-vehicle network control device of the first or second aspect, even if the start signal is transmitted in the ignition switch-off state, only the switch in the related ECU is transmitted. Can be directly driven, so that an increase in power consumption can be suppressed. Further, since the desired switch is operated without going through the microcomputer in each ECU, the desired switch can be operated even if the microcomputer fails, and the reliability of the network can be improved.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a circuit configuration diagram of an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is an operation flowchart in the embodiment.

FIG. 3 is a circuit configuration diagram of another embodiment of the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

100, 200, 300, 400 ECU (electronic control unit) 102, 203 CPU (microcomputer) 10 High beam valve 20 Door valve 30 Hazard valve 201 High beam switch 301 Door switch 401 Hazard switch

Claims (2)

[Claims] 1. An in-vehicle network control device for controlling an in-vehicle network formed by connecting a plurality of electronic control devices each including a microcomputer and a switch, wherein the microcomputer is provided when an ignition switch is turned off. And a setting means for setting the operation of the electronic control unit to a sleep state and a switch in the electronic control unit related to the electronic control unit when a start signal is transmitted from one of the plurality of electronic control units. An in-vehicle network control device, comprising: a driving unit that is operated directly without intervention. 2. The in-vehicle network control device according to claim 1, wherein the activation signal has a frequency corresponding to each switch, and the drive means is a switch in an electronic control device associated with the activation signal according to the frequency of the activation signal. An in-vehicle network control device for driving a vehicle.