MXPA00008637A - Digital electronic control unit - Google Patents

Abstract

This invention relates to a digital electronic control unit for operating domestic and commercial appliances comprising a plurality of linear and non-linear sensors (2a to 2d), analog multiplexer (3), analog to digital convertor (4), linearity offset and sensitivity correction circuit (5), central control unit (6), digital noise filter (7), digital demultiplexer (8), control latches (9a to 9f) and non-volatile memory (17). The said digital electronic control unit further includes at least one of the following at the input of the said central control unit:real-time clock (C), remote control interface (R), network interface (N). An implementation in the form of an Application Specific Integrated Circuit (ASIC) results in a miniature and cost effective control element.

Description

DIGITAL ELECTRONIC CONTROL UNIT Field of the Invention This invention relates to a digital electronic control unit with control capabilities based on real-time clock, remote control and network operation to control the functions of domestic and commercial appliances such as washing machines, refrigerators, dishwashers, electric ovens, and the like.

Background of the Invention Many modern control systems that are used for industrial or commercial applications incorporate the following characteristics: 1) Control actions based on a real time clock (Time of day). 2) Operation in networks of several devices to share resources or data, as well as to provide remote access to a device over the network. 3) Remote control using a remote control device to be held by hand.

REF .: 122492 The use of computers in control systems has further increased the need for such intercommunications. Finally, the rapid growth of the Internet and its rapid expansion reaching offices and houses in the movement towards the "society that operates in the network" of the near future, is expected to generate demand for the operation on the Internet of several of them. These developments have led to the. need for communication skills even in the average devices of the house. Therefore it is expected that household appliances could also require such capabilities. Most device designs with such capabilities use microcomputers or microcontrollers as the key component for control. Although this approach works very well, it is not the most efficient or cost effective for many applications. In particular, the cost-sensitive mass-volume application area of household appliances requires special interconnection circuits, such as AC power switching devices, for which additional physical devices are needed when they are used. microcontrollers. These additional physical elements can easily increase the cost and size of the control for the device very significantly. The use of a special, custom physical element provides a better solution, but the existing designs of such custom physical devices are highly specialized for a particular application or apparatus. Each product of the device therefore needs its own designed design of physical element to the measure. The most desirable solution is one in which a specially designed physical element, suitable for the full range of apparatuses, is configured for use in each specific product. Such a design could provide the flexibility of microprocessor-based designs at a significantly lower cost and size. The object of this invention is to provide a digital, flexible electronic control unit for use in commercial and domestic appliances, which provides the capabilities of real-time control, remote control and network operation. To achieve this objective, this invention provides a digital electronic control unit characterized by: - a plurality of excitation circuits of the sensors each of which excites an external detector element, the sensing elements or detectors convert the detected parameter into a signal electric, an analog multiplexer that receives the signal from each of the external sensor elements, and selectively directs one of the signals to its output, an analog to digital converter connected to the output of the analog multiplexer, which converts the output of the multiplexer to the digital form, a correction circuit for sensitivity, displacement and linearity, connected to the output of the digital-to-analog converter to correct the digital values received from it, using the sensor calibration data stored in the non-volatile memory, a central control unit that receives the corrected output of the correction circuit of the sensitivity and displacement of the linearity, and generates the control signals necessary for the operation of the device, as well as the selection signals to control the analog multiplexer, using the control data supplied by the non-volatile memory, - a digital noise filter connected to the output of the central control unit, to eliminate false outputs, - a digital demultiplexer connected to the output of said digital noise filter and controlled by the central control unit for selecting the output at which the input from said digital noise filter will be connected, a plurality of control retaining circuits, each being connected to an output of the digital demultiplexer, for storing the digital data received from it and that triggers the necessary part of the device to correct the detected parameter , a non-volatile memory that stores the data and the control parameters required for the operation of the central control unit, the correction circuits of the displacement and / or the sensitivity of the linearity, the protective circuits and output excitation, a clock signal oscillator that provides the timing signals necessary for the operation of the required circuits of the digital electronic control unit, a real time clock that provides the day time data, - a remote control interconnection unit, which provides the ability to receive input from the user and provides responses to the user from / to a remote control device, a network interconnection unit, which provides the capability for bidirectional transfer of data between the digital control unit and other devices. The remote control interconnection unit is a remote interconnection unit of infrared or ultrasonic or radio frequency. The interconnection unit of the network is for a network based on a Transport Control Protocol / Internet Protocol (TCP / IP) such as for Internet connectivity. The interconnection unit of the network is for a network based on a Network Bar of the Controller Area (CAN). Said sensor elements are linear or non-linear transducers. The central control unit and the correction circuit of the sensitivity and the linearity displacement are digital logic circuits. The output of each of the control retaining circuits is connected to an output protection and excitation circuit to drive a switching device to drive the necessary part of the apparatus to correct the detected parameter. To provide inputs defined for the user and selections to define the desired values of the control parameters, a plurality of input means for the user is connected to the central control unit through the analog multiplexer, the analog to digital converter, and the correction circuit of the sensitivity and the displacement of the linearity. The variable means for the user are the potentiometers or the switches. A screen drive unit is connected to the output of the central control unit for selective display of either the detected parameter or the value specified by the user from the user's input means on an external display device. An audio driver unit is connected to the output of the central control unit to generate audio signals for user attention using an external audio transducer. The power supply for driving the digital electronic control unit consists of a low loss capacitive voltage reduction network followed by a voltage retention device, a rectifier and a filtering network to provide a DC voltage. The complete digital electronic control unit including the real time clock, the remote control interconnection unit and the interconnection unit of the network, except the power supply, the detection elements, the variable means for the user and the external switching devices, is implemented as a Specific Circuit for the Customized application (ASIC), to provide a control element in miniature and effective in terms of cost. The ASIC also excludes non-volatile memory to provide larger capacities for data storage, but includes a memory interconnect block to connect it to external non-volatile memory. The output protection and excitation circuit includes a thermal protection circuit, an overcurrent protection circuit, an overvoltage protection circuit and a soft start circuit to provide an effective reduced voltage start to the load during the initial period drive. The frequency of the clock oscillator varies from 32 KHz - 25 MHz and is preferably 4 MHz. The interconnection unit of the network, in one mode is to connect to a network based on a TCP / IP protocol, such as for connect to the Internet. In another modality, the interconnection unit of the network is designed to connect to a system of the Controller Area Network (CAN).

In still another embodiment, the interconnection unit of the network is designed to connect to a cable network. A digital electronic control unit has been described in the co-pending PCT application No. PCT / IN 99/00029. The present application includes the facilities for network operation, remote control and control based on the time of day using a real time clock. These facilities have not been claimed or described in said co-pending application. The invention will now be described with reference to the appended drawings, in which: Figure 1 shows the digital electronic control unit that includes the real time clock, the remote control interconnection, and an interconnection with the network, according to this invention, using potentiometers to provide a variable input for the user. Figure 2 shows an alternative mode of the unit, which uses switches to provide a variable input for the user. Figure 3 shows a modality in which the complete digital electronic control circuit including the real time clock, the remote control interconnection unit and the network interconnection unit, except the power supply, the external sensing elements , variable means for the user and external switching devices, are implemented as an Application Specific Integrated Circuit (ASIC). Figure 4 shows an alternative mode in the form of an ASIC in which the non-volatile memory is also external to the ASIC. This facilitates the use of larger non-volatile memory capabilities. Figure 5 shows the internal structure of the protection and excitation circuit of the output. Figure 6 shows the transformerless power supply used to supply power to the electronic control unit. Figure 7 shows an application of the electronic control unit in a washing machine. Figure 8 shows an application of the electronic control unit in a refrigerator.

Detailed description of the invention Referring to the drawings, the points [the - Id] show the external sensor elements. The excitation circuits of the sensors [2a-2d] provide polarization signals for the sensors. The analog multiplexer [3] selects the signal from one of the sensor elements based on the selection data of the Central Control Unit [6] which are then converted to the digital form by the analog to digital converter [4] . This digital output is adjusted to verify the linearity of the sensor, the displacement and the sensitivity by the linearity, sensitivity and displacement correction circuits [5] that receive the correction factor data in the digital form from a non-volatile memory [17] This corrected digital output is supplied to the central control unit [6] which stores the data. The input of the user is received by means of external potentiometers [12a-12c] and is used by the central control unit [6] in the company of the stored digital data, received from the correction circuits of linearity, sensitivity and offset [5] to generate the control signal to correct the detected parameter. This control signal is passed through the digital filter [7] to remove the noise and then applied to the input of the digital demultiplexer [8] which directs it to one of the control retention circuits [9a - 9f] under the control of the central control unit [6]. The output of each control retention circuit is connected to a protection and excitation circuit of the output [10a-lOf]. Each protection and excitation circuit of the output excites or drives an external switching device [lia-llf] to drive the relevant part of the apparatus to correct the detected parameter. The central control unit [6] excites a display excitation unit [13] to display the user input or the value of the detected parameter on an external display unit [14], and also an audio excitation unit [15] to provide an audio output through an external audio transducer [16]. The central control unit [6] receives the day time data from a real-time clock unit [C] which makes it possible to carry out control actions based on the requirements of the time of day. A remote control interconnect unit [R] connected to the central control unit [6] provides the ability to receive the user's input data from a manual remote control unit. The interconnection unit of the network [N] connects the central control unit [6] to external devices, which may be other similar digital control units or other devices such as computers, and makes possible the exchange of data between the various devices in the network. A Clock Circuit [18] and a non-volatile memory [17] are connected to several points in the circuit as indicated.

In Figure 2, the user's variable inputs originate from the external switches [20a -20c], instead of the potentiometers. Figure 3 shows an implementation of the electronic control unit including the real-time clock, the interconnection unit of the remote control and the interconnection unit of the network and excluding the external blocks [the-Id], [lla-llf] , [12a-12c], [14], [16], [19], and [20a-20c] in the form of an Application-Specific Integrated Circuit (ASIC) [21] to provide a solution that is both miniaturized as effective in terms of cost. Figure 4 shows another modality using an ASIC [22] in which the non-volatile memory is external to the ASIC to provide a larger storage capacity. An interconnect block [23] of the non-volatile memory is provided in the ASIC to connect to the external non-volatile memory [24]. Figure 5 shows the internal structure of each protection and excitation circuit of the output. The protection circuits against an overcurrent [25], protection against overheating [26] and protection against overvoltage [27] within each protection circuit and excitation of the output verify the electrical conditions at the output of each device. external switching [lla-llf] and limit or cut the excitation of the same in the case of overload conditions. Additionally, a soft start excitation circuit [28] provides a gradual start excitation signal to minimize the voltage on the external switching device [lla-llf] as well as the load (apparatus). Figure 6 shows the transformerless power supply [29] of 2 to 8 volts, used to provide power to the electronic control unit. A capacitor voltage drop network [30], with a Zener diode voltage setting [31] reduces the input voltage of C.A. high voltage at a low value. This voltage of c.a. of small value is then rectified and filtered by a diode [32] and then filtered by a capacitor [33] to produce a supply of c e. of small voltage that supplies power to the circuit. Figure 7 shows an application of the electronic control unit in a washing machine [34]. A water level sensing element [35] placed inside the wash tank detects the water level in the tank, a temperature sensing element [36] inside the wash tank detects the water temperature while a detection element of the detergent level [37] placed inside the detergent supply tank detects the detergent level. The water fill valve [38], the heating coil [39], the detergent filling valve [40], the agitator motor [41], the motor reversing switch [42] and the drain valve of water [43] are controlled by the electronic control unit [45] based on the signals received from the various sensor elements and the user adjustment switches [44]. The status and user settings are displayed on the interconnection panel of the user of the machine [46] and when required, the alarms are announced on the audio unit [47]. A manual remote control unit [RC] is also used to control user settings and receive status information, remotely. A real-time clock [CL] on the front panel of the washing machine displays the time information of the day and can be used to adjust or set the control actions, for example the activation or deactivation of the washing machine in the times scheduled during the day. A network [NW] connects the washing machine to other appliances in the home and to the home computer (not shown), to provide a computer-controlled operation from inside the house. Figure 8 shows an application of the electronic control unit in a refrigerator [48]. A temperature sensing element [49] placed inside the freezer compartment senses the temperature near the cooling coils [50], another temperature sensing element [51] placed inside the main compartment detects the temperature inside the compartment while a third temperature sensing element [52] detects the temperature of the compressor housing. A door switch [53] located on the door frame detects the open-closed condition of the refrigerator door. The digital electronic control unit [54] receives the signal from each of these detector elements and operates the compressor unit [55], the circulation fan [56], the refrigerator light

[57] and the door opening alarm [58] based on the signals received from each of the sensor elements and switches. In addition, the refrigerator has a real-time clock [RCL] displayed on the front panel [FP] that is used to display the time of the day as well as to define the control actions at the scheduled times of the day. The interconnection of the network within the digital electronic control unit is also used to connect the refrigerator to a [NET] network in the home that connects the various devices to a central home computer [not shown] for verification and control.

OPERATION: The sensor elements [the-Id] (which can be linear or non-linear transducers) are excited by the driver circuits of the sensor [2a-2d] and produce analog voltage signals in response to the detected parameters. These analog voltage signals are applied to the inputs of the analog multiplexer [3]. The analog multiplexer [3] outputs the signal from one of the detector elements to the analog to digital converter [4] under the control of the channel selection signals received from the central control unit [6]. The analog-to-digital converter [4] produces a digital output that is the equivalent of the analog voltage supplied as its input. This digital output corresponding to the signal received from the selected detector element is received by the correction circuits of linearity and sensitivity and displacement [5] and modified by it, using the data stored in the non-volatile memory [ 17] at the time of manufacture of the electronic control unit, to correct the deviations of the sensitivity, the displacements and the non-linearities in the output of the detection element. This produces a value of the detected digital parameter, corrected. The central control unit and the correction circuits for linearity and sensitivity and displacement are digital logic circuits. The value of the correct detected parameter is stored by the central control unit [6] which receives these values for each of the detection elements. In addition, the central control unit [6] also receives the inputs supplied by the users from the potentiometers [12a-12c] or the switches [20a-20c]. The values of these inputs and the values of the stored parameters are evaluated by the central control unit [6] according to the control data that is supplied by the non-volatile memory [17]. The result of the evaluation is in the form of a digital value that is output from the central control unit [6] to the input of the demultiplexer [7] in the company of the selection signals that determine the output to which the result Its directed. The evaluation sequence is repeated for each output of the demultiplexer in a repetitive manner. In addition, the central control unit [6] also outputs digital signals to excite the display excitation unit [13] and the audio drive unit [15] in accordance with the control data supplied by the non-volatile memory. [17] The output from the demultiplexer is stored in one of the control latching circuits [9a-9f] based on the selection control signals generated by the central control unit [6], and is used to enable / disable the protective circuit and excitation of the corresponding output [lOa-lOf]. Each circuit of protection and excitation of the output [lOa-lOf] when enabled by its corresponding control retention circuit [9a-9f], generates the necessary signals to excite the external switching device [lla-llf] to drive the relevant part of the device to correct the detected parameter. The circuit of protection and excitation of the output [lOa-lOf] also verifies the conditions of the load continuously and deactivates the excitation to the external switching device [lla-llf] if overload conditions are encountered. A real-time clock unit [C] provides an input of the time of day to the central control unit [6] to enable control actions based on the values of the time of the day. A remote control interconnection unit [R] connected to the central control unit [6] makes it possible for the user to input the data to remote control, in place from the front panel of the digital control unit, with the help of a manual remote control device, which can be a remote control transceiver of infrared, ultrasonic or radio frequency. An interconnection unit of the network [N] connected to the central control unit [6] provides the facility to connect the digital control unit to other devices, such as other units or similar digital control computers, to exchange the information. A Clock Circuit [16] based on a Quartz Crystal oscillator in the frequency range of 32 KHz-25 MHz generates all of the timing signals necessary to operate each circuit block, while an Energy Supply [ 18] supplies the necessary voltage and current to each circuit block of the electronic control unit. A figital electronic control unit has been described in the co-pending PCT application No. of the same applicant. The present application includes the facilities for the operation in the network, the remote control and the control based on the time of day using a real time clock. These facilities have not been claimed or described in said co-pending application.

It is noted that in relation to this date, the best method known by the applicant to carry out the aforementioned invention, is the conventional one for the manufacture of the objects to which it relates.

Having described the invention as above, property is claimed as contained in the following

Claims (20)

1. A digital electronic control unit, characterized in that it comprises: - a plurality of excitation circuits of the sensors each of which excites an external detector element, the sensor elements or detectors convert the detected parameter into an electrical signal, an analog multiplexer that receives the signal from each of the external sensor elements, and selectively directs one of the signals to its output, an analog-to-digital converter connected to the output of the analog multiplexer, which converts the output of the multiplexer to the digital form, - a circuit of correction of sensitivity, displacement and linearity, connected to the output of the digital-to-analog converter to correct the digital values received from it, using the sensor calibration data stored in the non-volatile memory, a central control unit that receives the corrected output of the sensitivity correction circuit and linearity, and generates the control signals necessary for the operation of the device, as well as the selection signals to control the analog multiplexer, using the control data provided by the non-volatile memory, a digital noise filter connected to the output of the central control unit, to eliminate false outputs, - a digital demultiplexer connected to the output of said digital noise filter and controlled by the central control unit to select the output at which the input from said noise filter digital is going to be connected, a plurality of control retention circuits, each one connected to an output of the digital demultiplexer, to store the digital data received from it and that drives the necessary part of the apparatus to correct the detected parameter, a non-volatile memory that stores the data and the control parameters required for the operation of the unit d of central control, displacement correction circuits and / or linearity sensitivity, protection circuits and output excitation, a clock signal oscillator that provides the timing signals necessary for the operation of the required circuits of the digital electronic control unit, the central control unit is further connected to at least one of the following apparatuses as its input: a real-time clock which provides the data of the time of day, a remotely control interconnection unit, which provides the ability to receive user input and provides responses to the user from / to a remote control device, - a network interconnect unit, which provides the capability for bidirectional transfer of data between the digital control unit and other devices.

2. A digital electronic control unit according to claim 1, characterized in that the remote control interconnection unit is one of the remote control interconnection units of infrared or ultrasonic or radiofrequency.

3. A digital electronic control unit according to claim 1, characterized in that the remote control interconnection unit is a remote radio frequency interconnection unit.

4. A digital electronic control unit according to claim 1, characterized in that the remote control interconnection unit is an ultrasonic remote interconnection unit.

5. A digital electronic control unit according to claim 1, characterized in that the interconnection unit of the network is for a network based on a Transport Control Protocol / Internet Protocol (TCP / IP) such as Internet connectivity. .

6. A digital electronic control unit according to claim 1, characterized in that the interconnection unit of the network is for a network based on the busbar of a network of the. Controller area (CAN).

7. A digital electronic control unit accor to claim 1, characterized in that the interconnection unit of the network is for a cable network.

8. A digital electronic control unit accor to claim 1, characterized in that the detection elements are linear or non-linear transducers.

9. A digital electronic control unit accor to claim 1, characterized in that the central control unit and the correction circuit of the sensitivity and the linearity displacement are digital logic circuits.

10. A digital electronic control unit accor to claim 1, characterized in that the output of each of the control retention circuits is connected to an output protection and excitation circuit, to drive a switching device to drive the necessary part of the device to correct the detected parameter. '

11. A digital electronic control unit accor to claim 1, characterized in that to provide the inputs defined by the user and the selections to define the desired values of the control parameters, a plurality of user input means are connected to the unit. of central control through the analog multiplexer, the analog to digital converter, and the correction circuit of the sensitivity and the displacement of the linearity.

12. A digital electronic control unit accor to claim 1, characterized in that the variable means for the user are potentiometers or switches.

13. A digital electronic control unit accor to claim 1, characterized in that a screen drive unit is connected to the output of the central control unit for the selective display of either the detected parameter or the value specified by the user from the user's input means on an external display device.

14. A digital electronic control unit accor to claim 1, characterized in that an audio driver unit is connected to the output of the central control unit to generate the audio signals for user attention using an external audio transducer.

15. A digital electronic control unit accor to claim 1, characterized in that the supply of energy to provide power to the electronic control unit consists of a network for the fall of the low loss capacitive voltage followed by a clamping device or voltage retention, a rectifier and a filtering network to provide a DC voltage.

16. A digital electronic control unit accor to claim 1, characterized in that the complete digital electronic control unit that includes the real time clock, the remote control interconnection unit and the interconnection unit of the network except the supply of the Energy, the detector elements, the variable means for the user and the external switching devices, are implemented as a Custom Integrated Application Specific Circuit (ASIC), to provide a miniature and cost effective control element .

17. A digital electronic control unit accor to claim 16, characterized in that the ASIC also excludes non-volatile memory to provide larger data storage capacities, but includes an interconnect block of memory for connection to the memory non-volatile external.

18. A digital electronic control unit accor to claim 1, characterized in that the protection and excitation circuit of the output includes a thermal protection circuit, an overcurrent protection circuit, an overvoltage protection circuit and a starting circuit soft to provide an effective reduced voltage boost to the load during the initial activation period.

19. A digital electronic control unit according to claim 1, characterized in that the frequency of the clock oscillator varies from 32 KHz -25 MHz.

20. A digital electronic control unit according to claim 19, characterized in that the frequency of the clock oscillator is preferably 4 MHz.