WO2022189213A1

WO2022189213A1 - Decentralised control system and method for operating a decentralised control system

Info

Publication number: WO2022189213A1
Application number: PCT/EP2022/055158
Authority: WO
Inventors: Janosch ACKERMANN; Manuel BREMM
Original assignee: Eugen Forschner Gmbh
Priority date: 2021-03-09
Filing date: 2022-03-01
Publication date: 2022-09-15
Also published as: DE102021105678A1

Abstract

The invention relates to a decentralised control system (100) in a vehicle (200), wherein the decentralised control system (100) has at least one decentralised smart module (10), a central control unit (20) and a bus (30) which connects the at least one smart module (10) to the central control unit (20), wherein the at least one smart module (10) can be or is connected to at least one sensor (40), wherein the at least one decentralised smart module (10) is designed to receive sensor data from the at least one sensor (40), convert said data into bus sensor data and transmit said data to the bus (30), wherein the central control unit (20) is designed to receive bus sensor data transmitted by the at least one decentralised smart module (10) from the bus (30), process the received bus sensor data, produce actuator control data based on the processing result and transmit said data to the bus (30), and wherein the decentralised smart module (10) is designed only to convert the sensor data into bus sensor data, with no further processing, and all the processing of the bus sensor data takes place within the central control unit (20). The invention also relates to a corresponding method for operating a decentralised control system (100).

Description

DECENTRALIZED CONTROL SYSTEM AND METHOD OF OPERATING A DECENTRALIZED CONTROL SYSTEM

The present invention relates to a decentralized control system in a vehicle. Furthermore, the invention relates to a method for operating a decentralized control system.

STATE OF THE ART

Control systems are used for a wide variety of purposes in vehicles. The control systems typically have control units, in particular in the form of microprocessors, which are connected to sensors and receive sensor data from them. The sensor data are then evaluated in the control units and control signals are generated therefrom. These control signals are in turn passed on to actuators that are connected to the control units and convert the control signals into switching states.

Since a large number of different sensors are distributed widely within a vehicle, a large number of control units are usually used, which are also distributed in the vehicle. An example of a typical control unit is given in DE 102010 006621 A1.

A disadvantage of the systems known from the prior art is that these control systems are cost-intensive due to the large number of sensors and control units. The object of the present invention is to provide an improved sensor system and an associated method. In particular, a sensor system that is easy to implement and inexpensive to provide should be specified.

DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION

The object is achieved with a decentralized control system according to claim 1 and a method according to claim 10. Advantageous developments of the invention are the subject matter of the dependent claims.

The solution according to the invention consists in particular of specifying a decentralized control system in a vehicle, the decentralized control system having at least one decentralized smart module, a central control unit and a bus connecting the at least one smart module to the central control unit, the at least one smart Module is designed to be connectable or connected to at least one sensor, the at least one smart module being designed to receive sensor data from the at least one sensor, convert it into bus sensor data and transmit it to the bus, the central control unit being designed to do this , receiving bus sensor data transmitted by the at least one smart module from the bus, processing the received bus sensor data and, based on the processing result, generating actuator control data and transmitting it to the bus, and wherein the smart module is only designed to received sensor data without wide convert re processing into bus sensor data, and the entire processing processing of the bus sensor data takes place within the central control unit.

The bus is preferably a LIN bus or a CAN bus. Particular preference is given to a CAN bus that has a simple and stable structure that enables secure data transmission between the individual communication participants, ie the smart modules and the central control unit.

The smart module is preferably connected or designed to be connectable to a number of sensors. Sensors react to a physical variable and convert it into an electrically analyzable signal. For example, the following physical variables are measured by the sensor: temperature, pressure, substance concentration, frequency, for example speed, electromagnetic and electrical properties, for example light or conductivity.

The central control unit is preferably a processor. The central control unit can have a memory or be connected to one. By processing the received bus sensor data, the central control unit is designed to evaluate the sensor data and, based on the evaluation, to generate corresponding control signals for driving actuators as actuator control data. The actuator control data causes an effect in the actuator when transferred from the corresponding actuator.

The decentralized smart module is also preferably a processor, in particular a microprocessor. It should be emphasized that the smart module or the corresponding processor is simpler than the processor of the central control unit. As a result, the smart module cannot carry out more complex processing and evaluation. Rather, the processor used for the smart module is adapted so that it can only carry out the processing steps required to convert the sensor data into bus sensor data. The smart module can also be understood as a simple decentralized communication unit and the central control unit as a complex communication unit.

According to the invention, the smart module is only designed to convert the received sensor data into bus sensor data without further processing. Bus sensor data is sensor data that can be transmitted using a bus. The smart module is therefore used to make the sensor data bus-capable. In particular, the smart module is not designed to further process the received sensor data. The smart module can thus be designed as a simple module that is not able to carry out further processing of the sensor data. The smart modules are therefore much cheaper to provide than the central control unit. In contrast to this, complex smart modules are used in the prior art, which can also further process and evaluate the sensor data.

The above restrictions, according to which the smart module is only designed to convert the received sensor data into bus sensor data without further processing, refers only to sensor data. If the smart module is designed to be connected or connectable to an actuator, the smart module is also designed accordingly to read data belonging to the actuator, such as actuator control data, from the bus and to bring about a corresponding conversion in the actuator. However, the actuators are not yet described at this point, since the simplest implementation of the smart module is only designed with sensors.

Since the smart module according to the invention is suitable for converting the sensor data into bus sensor data, simple sensors can be used which cannot output bus sensor data but only analog or digital output signals. The smart module is therefore suitable for constructing simple sensors for bus transmission. As a result, it is no longer necessary to use intelligent sensors that can process the sensor data directly and output it to the bus. Here too, the provision of simple sensors is significantly cheaper than the provision of intelligent sensors, so that considerable costs can be saved.

Overall, it is therefore possible to connect a number of simple sensors to a simple smart module and thus to transmit the sensor data as bus sensor data to the central control unit, in which the sensor data are further processed.

In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, a large number of decentralized smart modules are distributed in the vehicle.

Thus, multiple smart modules are arranged at different locations in the vehicle. Sensors, particularly simple sensors, located near one of the smart modules can then be connected to that smart module. The smart module then receives the sensor data sent by the sensors and transfers this to the central control unit as bus sensor data. With several smart modules, all sensors in the vehicle can be covered.

According to an advantageous development of the invention, the at least one smart module is designed to collect the sensor data received from the at least one sensor and to transmit it cyclically to the bus. The smart module can have a memory unit for collecting the sensor data.

A particularly advantageous embodiment of the present invention provides that a cycle time in which the sensor data is cyclically transmitted to the bus can be parameterized.

This allows the cycle time to be adjusted. In this way, measured values that are not time-critical or do not change so quickly can be transmitted less frequently. Since data is then transmitted at long intervals, there is no high bus load.

According to an advantageous further development of the invention, the smart module can be connected or is connected to at least one actuator, the smart module being designed to read the actuator control data transmitted from the central control unit from the bus and to transmit it to the actuator.

In this way, in addition to converting the sensor data, the smart module can also be used to read and transmit the actuator control data. A transmission of the actuator control data causes a conversion of actuator switching states specified by means of the actuator control data. The actuator is designed to implement an actuator switching state specified by means of the actuator control data. In addition to sensors, the smart module is also connected or connectable to actuators. Typical actuators are, for example, relays, valves, contactors, LEDs, or electrically operated motors.

According to a further development of this embodiment, the smart module is designed to read the actuator control data transmitted by the central control unit from the bus and, based on the transmitted actuator control data, to connect or disconnect a supply line to the actuator.

Typically, actuators have to be controlled with an amplification circuit because their performance exceeds the performance of processors. In the prior art, a supply line then had to be laid for each actuator for operation. Since the smart module is designed to connect or separate the supply line to the actuator based on the transmitted actuator control data, the United can easily transmit the control signal in the form of actuator control data from the central control unit Bus to be implemented on the actuator. Thus, the connection of the corresponding actuator to the supply line based on the transmitted actuator control data represents a transmission of the actuator control data to the actuator.

The smart module is therefore preferably only designed to convert the received sensor data into bus sensor data without further processing, and to read the actuator control data transmitted from the central control unit from the bus and to transmit it to the actuator. The transmission preferably takes place by connecting the actuator to the supply line. The smart module is then only designed to convert the received sensor data into bus sensor data without further processing, and to connect the at least one actuator to the supply line and to disconnect it from it based on the actuator control data received.

A further embodiment of the present invention provides that the at least one smart module is designed to cyclically read the actuator control data from the bus and transmit it to the actuator.

According to a further embodiment of the present invention, the smart module has a large number of digital and/or analog inputs and outputs for connecting to sensors and actuators.

Thanks to the inputs and outputs, the smart module can be connected to a large number of sensors and actuators. In particular, it is a parameterizable number of inputs and outputs. In this way, the same smart module can be used universally, i.e. connected to different sensors or actuators and a different number of sensors or actuators.

In an advantageous embodiment it is provided that the smart module is arranged in an HV unit of the vehicle.

In particular, the smart module is arranged in a housing of the HW unit. The HV unit can be a unit with several high-voltage components, for example. The high-voltage components can be on-board Act charger (OBC), a power distribution unit (PDU), a battery, a DC / DC converter or the like.

The object is also achieved by means of a method for operating one of the decentralized control systems described above, which has the following steps: receiving sensor data from the at least one sensor by means of the at least one smart module; converting the received sensor data into bus sensor data in the at least one smart module; and transmitting the bus sensor data from the at least one smart module to the bus.

In particular, the steps also take place in the order specified. The aspects and advantages already described in connection with the decentralized control system are equally valid for the method. Accordingly, the advantages and aspects already mentioned with regard to the individual decentralized control systems can be transferred to the method and will not be repeated individually here.

In an advantageous development of the invention, the method also has the following steps: receiving the bus sensor data from the bus by means of the central control unit; processing the received bus sensor data in the central control unit; Generating actuator control data based on a processing result of processing the received bus sensor data in the central control unit; and transferring the actuator control data to the bus.

According to an advantageous development of the invention, the method also has the following steps: receiving the actuator control data from the bus using the smart module; and transmitting the actuator control data from the decentralized smart module to the actuator.

The decentralized control system described is intended in particular for use in a vehicle, in particular an electric vehicle. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Further features, advantages and embodiments of the invention result from the following description of embodiments of the decentralized control system and the corresponding method with reference to the figures. Show it:

Fig. 1 is a schematic representation of a vehicle with a decentralized Steuersys system; and

2 shows a schematic representation of an inventive smart module.

EMBODIMENTS OF THE INVENTION

Fig. 1 shows a schematic representation of a vehicle 200 with a decentralized control system 100.

The decentralized control system 100 has two decentralized smart modules 10 . The two decentralized smart modules 10 are arranged at different points in the vehicle 200 . Here, a smart module 10 is arranged in a front area and a smart module 10 is arranged in a rear area of the vehicle 200 . However, this is only an example. Overall, a large number of decentralized smart modules 10 can be distributed at any desired locations in vehicle 200 .

The smart modules 10 are connected to a bus 30 . The bus 30 connects the smart modules 10 to a central control unit 20.

2 shows an exemplary smart module 10 in an enlarged representation. It can be seen here that the smart module 10 is designed to be connected to two sensors 40 . The number of sensors 40 is also purely exemplary here. In principle, the smart module 10 is designed to be connectable or connected to a large number of sensors 40 .

The smart module 10 is designed to receive sensor data from the sensors 40 . For this purpose, the smart module 10 has a large number of analog or digital inputs 11 and 12 outputs. The Smart converts the received sensor data Module 10 in bus sensor data and transmits them to the bus 30. Thus, the sensors 40 can be designed as simple sensors 40, which can only output analog or digital output signals, no bus sensor data.

The smart module 10 is therefore designed to train simple sensors 40 to be bus-capable. However, the smart module 10 is not designed to evaluate the sensor data received. The smart module 10 is only designed to convert the received sensor data to bus sensor data, so that these are appro net for bus transmission.

All processing of the sensor data takes place in the central control unit 20 . The central control unit 20 preferably processes all sensor data from all smart modules 10 . The central control unit 20 is designed to receive bus sensor data from the bus 30 transmitted by the at least one smart module 10 . Then the received bus sensor data is processed and actuator control data is generated based on the processing result. The central control unit 20 then transmits the actuator control data back to the bus 30.

The actuator control data are used to control actuators 50. Actuators 50 are also connected to smart module 10. Only one actuator 50 embodied as an LED is shown in FIG. 2 as an example. However, it would also be conceivable for several and other actuators 50 to be connected to the smart module 10 . The smart module 10 is designed to read the actuator control data transmitted by the central control unit 20 from the bus 30 and to transmit it to the actuator 50 . For example, it would be conceivable as a transmission that, based on the transmitted actuator control data, a supply line 60 is electrically connected to or disconnected from the actuator 50 . In this way, the actuator 50 is selectively supplied with power.

It goes without saying that in the present invention there is a connection between features that have been described in connection with method steps and features that have been described in connection with corresponding devices. Thus, method features described are also to be regarded as device features belonging to the invention—and vice versa—even if this was not explicitly mentioned. It should be noted that the features of the invention described with reference to individual embodiments or variants, such as the type and design of the individual components and their exact dimensioning and spatial arrangement, can also be present in other embodiments, unless otherwise stated or prohibits itself for technical reasons. In addition, of such features of individual embodiments described in combination, not all features necessarily have to be implemented in a relevant embodiment.

Claims

patent claims

1. Decentralized control system (100) in a vehicle (200), wherein the decentralized control system (100) has at least one decentralized smart module (10), a central control unit (20) and the at least one smart module (10) with the central len bus (30) connecting the control unit (20), wherein the at least one smart module (10) is designed to be connectable or connected to at least one sensor (40), wherein the at least one smart module (10) is designed to transmit sensor data from the at least receiving a sensor (40), converting it into bus sensor data and transmitting it to the bus (30), the central control unit (20) being designed to receive bus sensor data transmitted from the at least one smart module (10). the bus (30) to receive conditions to process the received bus sensor data and based on the processing result to generate actuator control data and to the bus (30) to transmit, and wherein the smart module (10) is only designed to receive gene Sens ordaten to convert without further processing in bus sensor data, and the ge entire processing of the bus sensor data within the central control unit (20) takes place.

2. Decentralized control system (100) according to claim 1, characterized in that a multiplicity of decentralized smart modules (10) is distributed in the vehicle.

3. Decentralized control system (100) according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the at least one smart module (10) is designed to collect the sensor data received from the at least one sensor (40) and transmit it cyclically to the bus (30) transferred to.

4. The decentralized control system (100) as claimed in claim 3, characterized in that a cycle time in which the sensor data is transmitted cyclically to the bus (30) can be parameterised.

5. Decentralized control system (100) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the smart module (10) is designed to be connectable or connected to at least one actuator (50), and wherein the smart module (10) is designed to to read from the central control unit (20) transmitted actuator control data from the bus (30) and to transmit it to the actuator (50).

6. Decentralized control system (100) according to claim 5, characterized in that the smart module (10) is designed to read the actuator control data transmitted from the central control unit (20) from the bus (30) and based on the transmitted actuator control data, to connect or disconnect a supply line (60) to the actuator (50).

7. Decentralized control system (100) according to claim 5 or 6, characterized in that the at least one smart module (10) is designed to read the actuator control data cyclically from the bus (30) and transmit it to the actuator (50). gene.

8. Decentralized control system (100) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the smart module (10) has a large number of digital and/or analog inputs and outputs (11, 12) for connecting to sensors (40) and actuators (50).

9. Decentralized control system (100) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the smart module (10) is arranged in a HV unit of the vehicle (200).

10. A method for operating a decentralized control system (100) according to any one of the preceding claims, having the following steps: - Receiving sensor data from the at least one sensor (40) by means of the at least one smart module (10);

- Converting the received sensor data into bus sensor data in the at least one smart module (10); and

- Transmission of the bus sensor data from the at least one smart module (10) to the bus (30).

11. A method for operating a decentralized control system (100) according to claim

10, the method further comprising the steps of:

- Receiving the bus sensor data from the bus (30) by means of the central control unit (20);

- Processing the received bus sensor data in the central control unit

(20);

- Generating actuator control data based on a processing result of the processing of the received bus sensor data in the central control unit (20); and

- Transmission of the actuator control data to the bus (30).

12. A method for operating a decentralized control system (100) according to claim

11, the method further comprising the steps of:

- Receiving the actuator control data from the bus (30) by means of the smart module (10); and

- Transmission of the actuator control data from the decentralized smart module (10) to the actuator (50).