A water pump control method, device, system, vehicle, medium and product

Abstract

The present invention relates to the field of automobile engine technology, and discloses a water pump control method, device, system, vehicle, medium, and product. The system includes: an electronic control unit, an electronic water pump, a relay, and a battery; the positive and negative poles of the battery are respectively connected to the electronic water pump, the electronic control unit is connected to the electronic water pump, and one end of the relay is connected between a second communication interface of the electronic water pump and the positive pole of the battery; the relay is configured to conduct when the vehicle is powered on and disconnect when the vehicle is powered off; the electronic water pump operates at a preset speed when communication with the electronic control unit is disconnected and a high-level signal from the relay is received; the electronic control unit sends a first control instruction to the electronic water pump when the vehicle is powered on to stop the electronic water pump; the execution priority of the first control instruction is higher than the priority of a first protection module controlling the electronic water pump to operate at the preset speed. The present invention avoids power consumption waste and damage to the electronic water pump caused by the operation of the electronic water pump during vehicle production.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to the technical field of automobile engines, and in particular to a water pump control method, device, system, vehicle, medium and product. Background Art

[0002] Electronic water pump communication protocols typically include the local interconnect network (LIN) communication protocol and the controller area network (CAN) communication protocol. The electronic control unit can send control signals to the electronic water pump via the LIN communication protocol or the CAN communication protocol, so that the electronic water pump operates according to the control signals. However, if the LIN communication protocol or the CAN communication protocol fails, the electronic control unit cannot control the electronic water pump. To address this problem, Chinese patent CN116557281A provides a solution that connects a relay between the positive terminal of the battery and a communication interface of the electronic water pump. When the vehicle is powered on, the relay sends a high level. When the electronic water pump receives the high level, the emergency protection function is activated and the electronic water pump controls itself to operate. When the vehicle is powered off, the relay sends a low level. When the electronic water pump receives the low level, the electronic water pump controls itself to stop operating. This solution not only achieves control of the electronic water pump when the electronic water pump loses communication with the electronic control unit, but also realizes the use of low-power level relays, reducing the cost of the electronic water pump control system. However, this solution presents a new problem: the electronic control unit (ECU) is not flashed with the application layer software program when the components leave the factory. This requires a software flash on the vehicle assembly line, tailored to the vehicle model. Before flashing the ECU, the vehicle must be powered on. During the flashing process, the ECU software program cannot communicate with the electronic water pump. Since the vehicle is powered on, the electronic water pump receives a high-level signal from the relay and automatically determines that the emergency protection function needs to be activated, operating at a preset speed. This situation wastes power and, for vehicle assembly lines where antifreeze is added after the ECU software program is flashed, can cause dry wear on the electronic water pump bearings, resulting in irreversible damage. Summary of the Invention

[0003] In view of this, the present invention provides a water pump control method, device, system, vehicle, medium and product to solve the problems of power consumption waste and electronic water pump damage caused by the operation of electronic water pumps during vehicle production.

[0004] In a first aspect, the present invention provides a water pump control system, which includes: an electronic control unit, an electronic water pump, a relay, and a battery; the positive and negative poles of the battery are respectively connected to the electronic water pump, the electronic control unit is connected to the electronic water pump through a first communication interface, one end of the relay is connected to the second communication interface of the electronic water pump, and the other end of the relay is connected to the positive pole of the battery; the relay is used to be turned on when the vehicle is powered on and disconnected when the vehicle is powered off; a first protection module is deployed in the electronic water pump, and the first protection module is used to operate at a preset speed when it detects that the communication between the electronic water pump and the electronic control unit is disconnected and receives a high-level signal from the relay, and the first protection module is also used to stop its own operation when it receives a low-level signal from the relay; a second protection module is deployed in the electronic control unit, and before the electronic control unit is software-flashed, the second protection module is used to send a first control instruction to the electronic water pump when the vehicle is powered on, and the first control instruction is used to stop the electronic water pump; the execution priority of the first control instruction is higher than the priority of the first protection module to control the electronic water pump to operate at a preset speed.

[0005] According to the above technical means, the water pump control system provided by the present invention deploys a second protection module for the electronic control unit to be flashed that has not been flashed with software, based on the hardware of the original system. The second protection module can be an execution program deployed at the bottom layer, or it can be a small chip that inherits the corresponding function. The second protection module is used to send a first control instruction to the electronic water pump when the vehicle is powered on, when the electronic control unit has not been flashed with software. Once the electronic water pump receives the first control instruction, it stops its own operation in response to the first control instruction. Even if the subsequent electronic control unit to be flashed starts to flash the software and is disconnected from the electronic water pump, the electronic water pump will determine whether the first control instruction has been executed before executing the preset speed operation. If the first control instruction is executed, the execution priority of the first control instruction is higher, and the operation of the electronic water pump is always stopped. In the production process of the vehicle, not only energy consumption is reduced, but also the electronic water pump can be prevented from dry grinding without adding coolant, thereby reducing the risk of damage to the electronic water pump.

[0006] In some optional implementations, the second protection module is in a shielded state after the software of the electronic control unit is flashed.

[0007] In the second aspect, the present invention provides a water pump control method, which is applied to an electronic control unit, and the method includes: receiving a vehicle power-on signal before software flashing; in response to the vehicle power-on signal, calling a second protection module to send a first control instruction to the electronic water pump, so that when the electronic water pump receives the first control instruction, it stops its own operation in response to the first control instruction; performing software flashing after sending the first control instruction, and disconnecting the communication between the electronic control unit and the electronic water pump during the software flashing process, wherein, when the electronic water pump detects that the communication with the electronic control unit is disconnected and the relay is high-level, it will give priority to the execution of the first control instruction over the preset speed operation and keep stopping its own operation.

[0008] According to the above technical means, the water pump control system provided by the present invention, on the basis of the hardware of the original system, deploys a second protection module for the electronic control unit to be flashed that has not been flashed with software. The second protection module is used to send a first control instruction to the electronic water pump when the electronic control unit is powered on. Once the electronic water pump receives the first control instruction, it stops its own operation in response to the first control instruction. Even if the electronic control unit to be flashed subsequently starts to flash the software and is disconnected from the electronic water pump, the electronic water pump will determine whether the first control instruction has been executed before executing the preset speed operation. If the first control instruction is executed, the execution priority of the first control instruction is higher, and the operation of itself is always stopped. In the production process of the vehicle, not only energy consumption is reduced, but also the electronic water pump can be prevented from dry grinding without adding coolant, thereby reducing the risk of damage to the electronic water pump.

[0009] In some optional implementations, the method further includes: shielding the second protection module when the software flashing is completed.

[0010] According to the above technical means, the present invention automatically blocks the function of the second protection module when the electronic control unit completes software flashing, so that the first control instruction of the electronic control unit is only issued before flashing. After flashing, the electronic control unit controls the electronic water pump normally through the electronic control unit control logic after software flashing, avoiding repeated issuance of the first control instruction, which causes the electronic water pump to stop continuously.

[0011] In some optional implementations, the method further includes: after the software flashing is completed, sending a second control instruction to the electronic water pump, so that the electronic water pump terminates the operation corresponding to the first control instruction according to the second control instruction and controls its own operation.

[0012] According to the above technical means, when a vehicle is offline for engine testing, the electronic water pump has already been filled with coolant and the ECU software has been flashed. The ECU can then control the electronic water pump through its own control logic. The second control instruction issued by the ECU's speed control logic has a higher priority than the first control instruction, thereby stopping the first control instruction and ending the electronic water pump's continuous stop mode, allowing the electronic water pump to enter normal operation mode. This allows the electronic water pump to enter the normal testing process without causing damage to the electronic water pump.

[0013] In a third aspect, the present invention provides a water pump control method, which is applied to an electronic water pump, and the method includes: receiving a high-level signal from a relay and a first control instruction sent by an electronic control unit, the first control instruction being an instruction sent by a second protection module when the electronic control unit to be software-written is powered on; stopping its own operation in response to the first control instruction; when the first protection module detects that the communication with the electronic control unit is disconnected, determining whether the first control instruction is currently being executed; if the first control instruction is being executed, not executing the preset speed operation, and keeping its own operation stopped; if the first control instruction is not being executed, executing the preset speed operation.

[0014] In some optional embodiments, the method further includes: when receiving a second control instruction sent by the electronic control unit, stopping executing the operation corresponding to the first control instruction according to the second control instruction and controlling its own operation, wherein the second control instruction is an instruction sent by the electronic control unit after being flashed.

[0015] In some optional embodiments, the method further includes: when the first protection module detects that the communication connection between the electronic water pump and the electronic control unit is interrupted and the electronic water pump is operating at a preset speed, detecting whether a low-level signal emitted by the relay is received; when the low-level signal emitted by the relay is detected, controlling the electronic water pump to stop operating through the first protection module.

[0016] According to the above technical means, after the electronic control unit is successfully flashed, if the vehicle is powered on and the electronic control unit and the electronic water pump lose communication, the electronic water pump enters the emergency protection function and calls the first protection module to operate the water pump at a preset speed. When the vehicle is powered off again, the relay changes from a high level to a low level, thereby controlling the electronic water pump from the operating state of the emergency protection function to a stopped state, reducing the energy consumption of the battery.

[0017] In a fourth aspect, the present invention provides a water pump control device, which is applied to an electronic control unit, and the device includes: a power-on module, which is used to receive a vehicle power-on signal before software flashing; a first control instruction sending module, which is used to respond to the vehicle power-on signal and call the second protection module to send a first control instruction to the electronic water pump, so that when the electronic water pump receives the first control instruction, it stops its own operation in response to the first control instruction; a flashing module, which is used to perform software flashing after sending the first control instruction, and disconnect the communication between the electronic control unit and the electronic water pump during the software flashing process, wherein, when the electronic water pump detects that the communication with the electronic control unit is disconnected and the relay is high-level, it will give priority to the execution of the first control instruction over the preset speed operation and keep stopping its own operation.

[0018] In a fifth aspect, the present invention provides a water pump control device for an electronic water pump, the device comprising: a first control instruction receiving module for receiving a high-level signal from a relay and a first control instruction sent by an electronic control unit (ECU), the first control instruction being sent by a second protection module when the ECU to be software-flashed is powered on; a first stop module for stopping the ECU in response to the first control instruction; a first determination module for determining whether the first control instruction is currently being executed when the first protection module detects a disconnection in communication with the ECU; a second stop module for not executing a preset speed operation and stopping the ECU if the first control instruction is currently being executed; and an emergency operation module for executing a preset speed operation if the first control instruction is not currently being executed. In a sixth aspect, the present invention provides a vehicle comprising: a housing, tires, an engine, a transmission mechanism, a vehicle controller, and the water pump control system provided in the first aspect, wherein the engine, transmission mechanism, vehicle controller, and water pump control system are mounted in the housing, the tires are mounted on the transmission mechanism, the engine is configured to drive the tires to rotate via the transmission mechanism according to control information from the vehicle controller, and the water pump control system is mounted near the engine via piping for dissipating heat from the engine.

[0019] In a seventh aspect, the present invention provides a computer-readable storage medium having computer instructions stored thereon, the computer instructions being used to enable a computer to execute the method of the second aspect, the third aspect or any corresponding embodiment thereof.

[0020] In an eighth aspect, the present invention provides a computer program product comprising computer instructions for causing a computer to execute the method of the second aspect, the third aspect or any corresponding embodiment thereof.

[0021] The technical solution provided by the present invention has the following advantages:

[0022] (1) According to the above technical means, the water pump control system provided by the present invention deploys a second protection module for the electronic control unit to be flashed that has not been flashed with software, based on the hardware of the original system. The second protection module can be an execution program deployed at the bottom layer, or a small chip that inherits the corresponding function. The second protection module is used to send a first control instruction to the electronic water pump when the electronic control unit is powered on. Once the electronic water pump receives the first control instruction, it stops its own operation in response to the first control instruction. Even if the electronic control unit to be flashed subsequently starts to flash the software and is disconnected from the electronic water pump, the electronic water pump will determine whether the first control instruction has been executed before executing the preset speed operation. If the first control instruction is executed, the execution priority of the first control instruction is higher, and the operation of the electronic water pump is kept stopped. In the production process of the vehicle, not only energy consumption is reduced, but also the electronic water pump can be prevented from dry grinding without adding coolant, thereby reducing the risk of damage to the electronic water pump.

[0023] (2) According to the above technical means, the present invention automatically blocks the function of the second protection module when the software of the electronic control unit is flashed, so that the first control instruction of the electronic control unit is only issued before flashing. After flashing, the electronic control unit controls the electronic water pump normally according to the logic after flashing, avoiding the repeated issuance of the first control instruction, which causes the electronic water pump to stop continuously.

[0024] (3) According to the above technical means, when the vehicle is offline for engine testing, the electronic water pump has been filled with coolant and the software of the electronic control unit has been flashed. The electronic control unit can issue a second control instruction to control the electronic water pump through its own control logic. The second control instruction has a higher priority than the first control instruction, so it can stop the first control instruction, end the continuous stop mode of the electronic water pump, and put the electronic water pump into normal operation mode, so that the electronic water pump enters the normal test process, will not cause damage to the electronic water pump, and improve the reliability of the vehicle test department.

[0025] (4) According to the above technical means, after the electronic control unit software is flashed, if the vehicle is powered on and the electronic control unit and the electronic water pump lose communication, the electronic water pump enters the emergency protection function and calls the first protection module to operate the water pump at a preset speed. When the vehicle is powered off again, the relay changes from a high level to a low level, thereby controlling the electronic water pump from the operating state of the emergency protection function to the stopped operating state, thereby reducing the energy consumption of the battery. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0026] In order to more clearly illustrate the specific embodiments of the present invention or the technical solutions in the prior art, the following briefly introduces the drawings required for use in the specific embodiments or the description of the prior art. Obviously, the drawings described below are some embodiments of the present invention. For ordinary technicians in this field, other drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without paying any creative work.

[0027] Figure 1 It is a structural diagram of a water pump control system in related technology;

[0028] Figure 2 It is a flow chart of a related art water pump control method;

[0029] Figure 3 This is a schematic structural diagram of a water pump control system according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0030] Figure 4 is a flow chart of a water pump control method according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0031] Figure 5 is another flow chart of a water pump control method according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0032] Figure 6 is another flow chart of a water pump control method according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0033] Figure 7 is a structural schematic diagram of a water pump control device according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0034] Figure 8 2 is another structural schematic diagram of a water pump control device according to an embodiment of the present invention. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0035] To make the purpose, technical solutions, and advantages of the embodiments of the present invention more clear, the technical solutions in the embodiments of the present invention will be clearly and completely described below in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in the embodiments of the present invention. Obviously, the described embodiments are part of the embodiments of the present invention, not all of the embodiments. Based on the embodiments of the present invention, all other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art without making creative efforts shall fall within the scope of protection of the present invention.

[0036] The communication protocol of the electronic water pump usually includes the local interconnect network (LIN) communication protocol and the controller area network (CAN) communication protocol. The electronic control unit can send control signals to the electronic water pump through the LIN communication protocol or the CAN communication protocol, so that the electronic water pump operates according to the control signal. However, if the LIN communication protocol or the CAN communication protocol fails, the electronic control unit cannot control the electronic water pump. In order to solve this problem, Figure 1 As shown, a technical solution provided by the current related technology is to connect the relay between the positive electrode of the battery and the second communication interface of the electronic water pump, the first communication interface of the electronic water pump is connected to the electronic control unit, and the positive and negative electrodes of the battery are respectively connected to the electronic water pump. The control logic provided is as follows Figure 2 As shown, when the vehicle is powered on, the relay sends a high level. Upon receiving the high level, the electronic water pump activates the emergency protection function and controls its own operation. When the vehicle is powered off, the relay sends a low level. Upon receiving the low level, the electronic water pump stops its own operation. This solution not only enables control of the electronic water pump when communication with the electronic control unit is disconnected, but also, because the relay is connected between the positive terminal of the battery and the electronic water pump's second communication port, the current flowing through the relay is very low. It also enables the use of low-power relays, reducing the cost of the electronic water pump control system. Low-power relays are compact and require less space. However, this solution presents a new problem: the electronic control unit is not flashed with the application layer software program at the factory. This requires flashing the software program according to the specific vehicle model on the vehicle assembly line. Before flashing the electronic control unit, the vehicle must be powered on. During the flashing of the electronic control unit software, communication with the electronic water pump is impossible. Since the vehicle is powered on, the electronic water pump receives the high level signal from the relay and automatically determines that the emergency protection function needs to be activated, i.e., it operates at a preset speed. This situation not only wastes power, but also, for vehicle assembly lines where antifreeze is added after the electronic control unit software is reprogrammed, it can cause dry wear of the electronic water pump bearings, resulting in irreversible damage. Reversing the order of antifreeze addition and control unit software reprogramming on the vehicle assembly line would incur significant costs for production line restructuring. To address these issues, the present invention provides the following solution.

[0037] According to an embodiment of the present invention, Figure 3As shown, a water pump control system is provided, which includes: an electronic control unit 2, an electronic water pump 1, a relay 4, and a battery 3; the positive and negative poles of the battery 3 are respectively connected to the electronic water pump 1, and the battery 3 is used to provide operating energy for the electronic water pump. The electronic control unit 2 is connected to the electronic water pump 1 through a first communication interface 13, one end of the relay 4 is connected to the second communication interface 14 of the electronic water pump 1, and the other end of the relay 4 is connected to the positive pole of the battery 3; the relay 4 is used to be turned on when the vehicle is powered on and disconnected when the vehicle is powered off; a first protection module is deployed in the electronic water pump 1, and the first protection module is used to operate at a preset speed when it detects that the communication between the electronic water pump 1 and the electronic control unit 2 is disconnected and receives a high-level signal from the relay 4. The first protection module is also used to stop its own operation when it receives a low-level signal from the relay 4; a second protection module is deployed in the electronic control unit 2, and before the electronic control unit is software-written, the second protection module is used to send a first control instruction to the electronic water pump 1 when the vehicle is powered on, and the first control instruction is used to stop the electronic water pump 1 from operating; the execution priority of the first control instruction is higher than the priority of the first protection module to control the electronic water pump to operate at a preset speed.

[0038] Specifically, the water pump control system provided by the embodiment of the present invention is optimized while maintaining the hardware structure of the original system. Relay 4 is configured to conduct when the vehicle is powered on and disconnect when the vehicle is powered off. Thus, when the vehicle is powered on, relay 4 sends a high level signal to the electronic water pump 1, and when the vehicle is powered off, it sends a low level signal to the water pump. The original software control logic is as follows: when the electronic water pump 1 loses communication with the electronic control unit 2 and receives a high level signal from relay 4, the emergency protection function is activated, and the electronic water pump 1 operates at a preset speed. Upon receiving a low level signal from relay 4, the electronic water pump 1 stops operating. On this basis, for the electronic control unit 2 that has not been flashed (hereinafter referred to as the electronic control unit to be flashed), the optimization method is as follows: the embodiment of the present invention flashes a logic into its underlying storage area, or deploys a small chip with a protection function, namely a second protection module. The second protection module can be a program or a hardware module that executes the corresponding program. The existence of the program is similar to the flashing of the BIOS on the motherboard, and the electronic control unit to be flashed starts when it is powered on. The second protection module is used to send the first control instruction to the electronic water pump 1. The first control instruction signal in the embodiment of the present invention means that the electronic water pump 1 does not operate. The specific content of the first control instruction is determined by negotiation between the supplier of the electronic control unit 2 and the supplier of the electronic water pump 1. For the electronic water pump 1, the priority level of this first control instruction is higher than the level of the instruction for the first protection module of the electronic water pump 1 to operate at a preset speed.

[0039] When the electronic water pump 1 receives the first control instruction and the instruction to enable the emergency protection function at the same time, the electronic water pump 1 executes the non-operation instruction of the first control instruction, and does not execute the instruction of the first protection module to operate the electronic water pump 1 at a preset speed.

[0040] According to the above technical approach, before flashing the electronic control unit (ECU) to be flashed, the vehicle must be powered on. After powering on, the ECU to be flashed immediately executes the second protection module and sends a first control instruction to the electronic water pump 1. Once the electronic water pump 1 receives the first control instruction, it ceases operation in response to the first control instruction. Subsequently, when the ECU to be flashed begins software flashing, it disconnects from the electronic water pump 1. Even after disconnection, the electronic water pump 1 determines whether the first control instruction has been executed before operating at the preset speed. If the first control instruction has been executed, it takes precedence over the first control instruction, and the pump remains stopped. This optimization measure prevents the electronic water pump 1 from operating during the software flashing of the ECU on the vehicle production line. This avoids energy waste and, for vehicles where antifreeze is added after the ECU 2 program is flashed, solves the problem of dry grinding of the electronic water pump 1 bearings, improves product quality, and saves the substantial expense of reconfiguring the vehicle assembly line by switching the order of antifreeze filling and ECU program flashing.

[0041] In addition, the second protection module is in a shielded state after the software of the electronic control unit is flashed, to prevent the first control instruction from being repeatedly sent after the software is flashed, thereby affecting the normal use of the water pump.

[0042] According to an embodiment of the present invention, an embodiment of a water pump control method is also provided. It should be noted that the steps shown in the flowchart of the accompanying drawings can be executed in a computer system such as a set of computer executable instructions, and although a logical order is shown in the flowchart, in some cases, the steps shown or described can be executed in an order different from that shown here.

[0043] In this embodiment, a water pump control method is provided, which can be used in the above-mentioned electronic control unit, such as Figure 4 As shown, the process includes the following steps:

[0044] Step S401, receiving a vehicle power-on signal before software flashing;

[0045] Step S402 , in response to a vehicle power-on signal, calling a second protection module to send a first control instruction to the electronic water pump, so that the electronic water pump stops its own operation in response to the first control instruction when receiving the first control instruction;

[0046] Step S403: After sending the first control instruction, the software is flashed, and the communication between the electronic control unit and the electronic water pump is disconnected during the software flashing process. When the electronic water pump detects that the communication with the electronic control unit is disconnected and the relay has a high-level signal, it will give priority to the first control instruction over the preset speed operation and keep stopping its own operation.

[0047] Specifically, the water pump control system provided by the technical present invention requires that the vehicle be powered on before the electronic control unit to be flashed is flashed. After the vehicle is powered on, the electronic control unit to be flashed immediately runs the second protection module and sends the first control instruction to the electronic water pump. Once the electronic water pump receives the first control instruction, it stops its own operation in response to the first control instruction. Subsequently, the electronic control unit to be flashed begins software flashing and is disconnected from the electronic water pump. When the electronic water pump is disconnected from the communication protocol connection with the electronic control unit, the electronic water pump will detect the disconnection of the electronic control unit communication and the high level of the relay (power-on state), thereby starting the emergency protection function of the first protection module, and making the electronic water pump run at a preset speed.

[0048] However, even if the connection is disconnected, the electronic water pump will determine whether the first control instruction has been executed before executing the preset speed operation. If the first control instruction has been executed, the execution priority of the first control instruction is higher, and the electronic water pump will continue to stop its own operation and will not execute the preset speed operation. Through this optimization measure, the present invention achieves that the electronic water pump does not operate when the control unit software of the vehicle production line is flashed. Energy waste is avoided. At the same time, for models where antifreeze is added after the electronic control unit program flashing process, the problem of dry grinding of the electronic water pump bearing is solved, and the electronic water pump product has a protective effect. In addition, most production lines often flash the software of the electronic control unit first, and then add coolant to the water pump. In order to solve the problem of dry grinding of the electronic water pump bearing, some companies change the order of the production line, instead filling the water pump with coolant first and then flashing the software of the electronic control unit. Although this can solve the problem raised in the background technology, exchanging the order of the two processes of antifreeze filling and control unit program flashing will incur huge costs for the transformation of the vehicle production line. The technical solution provided by the present invention can also significantly save the huge costs incurred by the transformation of the production line.

[0049] In some optional implementation manners, a water pump control method provided in this embodiment further includes:

[0050] Step a1: When the software flashing is completed, shield the second protection module.

[0051] Specifically, in an embodiment of the present invention, upon completion of software flashing of the electronic control unit, the second protection module is shielded. For the second protection module in the form of a program, the shielding operation can be understood as automatically overwriting the underlying second protection module. For the second protection module in the form of a small chip, the shielding operation can be understood as shielding the activation of the second protection module. When the electronic control unit is not to be flashed, there is no problem of controlling the operation of the electronic water pump during the electronic control unit software flashing, and thus there is no need to circumvent the problem of the electronic water pump operation during the electronic control unit software flashing. In this case, the software flashed into the electronic control unit overwrites the underlying software logic of the electronic control unit to be flashed, causing the logic of the electronic control unit to send the first control instruction after power-on to fail. As a result, the first control instruction of the electronic control unit is only issued before the flashing. After the flashing, the second protection module no longer operates, and the electronic control unit issues the second control instruction according to its own control logic to normally control the electronic water pump, such as controlling the start and stop of the electronic water pump and the specific speed, thereby avoiding the repeated issuance of the first control instruction causing the electronic water pump to continuously stop.

[0052] In some optional implementation manners, a water pump control method provided in this embodiment further includes:

[0053] Step b1, after the software is flashed, a second control instruction is sent to the electronic water pump, so that the electronic water pump stops executing the operation of the first control instruction according to the second control instruction and controls its own operation.

[0054] Specifically, after the electronic control unit is flashed and the step of adding coolant to the electronic water pump is completed, the vehicle offline engine test step is continued. Figure 5 As shown, during this step, the electronic water pump has been filled with coolant and the ECU software has been flashed, allowing the ECU to directly control the electronic water pump. The second control instruction issued by the ECU has a higher priority than the first control instruction, thereby stopping the first control instruction, ending the electronic water pump's continuous stop mode and returning it to normal operation mode. This allows the electronic water pump to enter the normal test process, preventing damage to the electronic water pump and improving the reliability of the vehicle test process.

[0055] The embodiment of the present invention also provides a water pump control method, which can be used for the above-mentioned electronic water pump, such as Figure 6 As shown, the process includes the following steps:

[0056] Step S601, receiving a high-level signal from a relay and a first control instruction sent by an electronic control unit, where the first control instruction is an instruction sent by a second protection module when the electronic control unit to be software-flashed is powered on;

[0057] Step S602, in response to the first control instruction, stopping its own operation;

[0058] Step S603: When the first protection module detects that the communication with the electronic control unit is disconnected, it is determined whether the first control instruction is currently being executed;

[0059] Step S604: If the first control instruction is being executed, the preset speed operation is not executed and the operation is stopped;

[0060] Step S605: If the first control instruction is not being executed, the preset speed operation is executed.

[0061] Specifically, for the explanation of the principles of steps S601 to S605, reference may be made to the relevant descriptions of the aforementioned steps S401 to S403. The relevant implementation principles are the same and will not be repeated here.

[0062] An embodiment of the present invention provides a water pump control method, further comprising:

[0063] Step c1, when receiving the second control instruction sent by the electronic control unit, stop executing the operation corresponding to the first control instruction according to the second control instruction and control its own operation. The second control instruction is the instruction sent by the electronic control unit after flashing.

[0064] Specifically, for the explanation of the principle of step c1, reference may be made to the relevant descriptions of the aforementioned steps b1 to b2. The relevant implementation principles are the same and will not be repeated here.

[0065] An embodiment of the present invention provides a water pump control method, further comprising:

[0066] Step d1, when the first protection module detects that the communication connection between the electronic water pump and the electronic control unit is interrupted and the electronic water pump is running at a preset speed, detecting whether a low-level signal is received from the relay;

[0067] Step d2: When a low-level signal is detected from the relay, the electronic water pump is controlled to stop running through the first protection module.

[0068] Specifically, after the ECU is successfully flashed, if the vehicle is powered on and the ECU and electronic water pump lose communication again, the electronic water pump enters the emergency protection function, which activates the first protection module and operates at a preset speed. When the vehicle is powered off again, the relay switches from a high level to a low level. When the electronic water pump detects the low-level relay signal, it switches from the emergency protection mode to a stopped state, improving the overall control process and reducing battery energy consumption.

[0069] This embodiment also provides a water pump control device for implementing the above-mentioned embodiments and preferred embodiments. Details already described will not be repeated here. As used below, the term "module" may refer to a combination of software and / or hardware that implements a predetermined function. Although the devices described in the following embodiments are preferably implemented in software, implementation using hardware, or a combination of software and hardware, is also possible and contemplated.

[0070] This embodiment provides a water pump control device, which is applied to an electronic control unit, such as Figure 7 As shown, including:

[0071] Power-on module 701, used to receive a vehicle power-on signal before software flashing;

[0072] a first control instruction sending module 702 for invoking the second protection module to send a first control instruction to the electronic water pump in response to a vehicle power-on signal, so that the electronic water pump stops its own operation in response to the first control instruction upon receiving the first control instruction;

[0073] The flashing module 703 is used to perform software flashing after sending the first control instruction, and to disconnect the communication between the electronic control unit and the electronic water pump during the software flashing process. When the electronic water pump detects that the communication with the electronic control unit is disconnected and the relay has a high-level signal, it will give priority to executing the first control instruction over the preset speed operation and keep stopping its own operation.

[0074] In some optional embodiments, the device further comprises:

[0075] The overwriting module is used to shield the second protection module when the software flashing is completed.

[0076] The offline test power-on module is used to send a second control instruction to the electronic water pump after the software flashing is completed, so that the electronic water pump stops the first control instruction and controls its own operation according to the second control instruction.

[0077] This embodiment provides a water pump control device, which is applied to an electronic water pump, such as Figure 8 As shown, including:

[0078] A first control instruction receiving module 801 is configured to receive a high-level signal from the relay and a first control instruction sent by the electronic control unit. The first control instruction is an instruction sent by the second protection module when the electronic control unit to be software-flashed is powered on;

[0079] A first stopping module 802 is configured to stop its own operation in response to a first control instruction;

[0080] A first judgment module 803 is configured to judge whether a first control instruction is currently being executed when the first protection module detects that the communication with the electronic control unit is disconnected;

[0081] The second stop module 804 is configured to stop the operation at the preset speed if the first control instruction is being executed;

[0082] The emergency operation module 805 is configured to execute a preset speed operation if the first control instruction is not being executed.

[0083] In some optional embodiments, the device further comprises:

[0084] The water pump response control module is used to stop the first control instruction according to the second control instruction and control its own operation when receiving the second control instruction sent by the electronic control unit. The second control instruction is the instruction sent by the electronic control unit after flashing.

[0085] a power-off detection module, configured to detect whether a low-level signal from the relay is received when the first protection module detects that the communication connection between the electronic water pump and the electronic control unit is interrupted and the electronic water pump is running at a preset speed;

[0086] The stop module is used to control the electronic water pump to stop running when it detects that the relay has sent a low-level signal.

[0087] The further functional description of each of the above modules and units is the same as that of the above corresponding embodiments and will not be repeated here.

[0088] The water pump control device in this embodiment is presented in the form of a functional unit, where the unit refers to an ASIC (Application Specific Integrated Circuit) circuit, a processor and memory that executes one or more software or fixed programs, and / or other devices that can provide the above functions.

[0089] The embodiment of the present invention further provides a vehicle having the above Figure 3The water pump control system shown can implement the aforementioned water pump control method. The vehicle comprises a housing, tires, an engine, a transmission mechanism, a vehicle controller, and a water pump control system. The engine, transmission mechanism, vehicle controller, and water pump control system are mounted within the housing, while the tires are mounted on the transmission mechanism. The engine drives the tires through the transmission mechanism based on control information from the vehicle controller. The water pump control system is installed near the engine via piping to dissipate heat from the engine. The engine can be either an engine or an electric motor. The housing is the vehicle's overall external frame. The transmission mechanism includes components such as the steering wheel, drive shaft system, and gearbox. The vehicle controller is a controller chip that receives user commands and issues vehicle control instructions.

[0090] The embodiment of the present invention also provides a computer-readable storage medium. The above-mentioned method according to the embodiment of the present invention can be implemented in hardware, firmware, or implemented as a computer code that can be recorded in a storage medium, or implemented as a computer code that is originally stored in a remote storage medium or a non-temporary machine-readable storage medium and downloaded through a network and will be stored in a local storage medium, so that the method described herein can be stored in such software processing on a storage medium using a general-purpose computer, a dedicated processor, or programmable or dedicated hardware. Among them, the storage medium can be a magnetic disk, an optical disk, a read-only storage memory, a random access memory, a flash memory, a hard disk or a solid-state drive, etc.; further, the storage medium can also include a combination of the above-mentioned types of memory. It can be understood that a computer, a processor, a microprocessor controller or programmable hardware includes a storage component that can store or receive software or computer code. When the software or computer code is accessed and executed by a computer, a processor or hardware, the method shown in the above embodiment is implemented.

[0091] A portion of the present invention may be applied as a computer program product, such as a computer program instruction, which, when executed by a computer, can call or provide the method and / or technical solution according to the present invention through the operation of the computer. Those skilled in the art should understand that the form in which the computer program instruction exists in a computer-readable medium includes, but is not limited to, a source file, an executable file, an installation package file, etc. Accordingly, the way in which the computer program instruction is executed by the computer includes, but is not limited to: the computer directly executes the instruction, or the computer compiles the instruction and then executes the corresponding compiled program, or the computer reads and executes the instruction, or the computer reads and installs the instruction and then executes the corresponding installed program. Here, the computer-readable medium may be any available computer-readable storage medium or communication medium that can be accessed by the computer.

[0092] Although the embodiments of the present invention have been described with reference to the accompanying drawings, those skilled in the art may make various modifications and variations without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention. Such modifications and variations are all within the scope defined by the appended claims.

Claims

1. A water pump control system, characterized in that: The system includes: an electronic control unit, an electronic water pump, a relay, and a battery; The positive electrode and negative electrode of the battery are respectively connected to the electronic water pump, the electronic control unit is connected to the electronic water pump via a first communication interface, one end of the relay is connected to the second communication interface of the electronic water pump, and the other end of the relay is connected to the positive electrode of the battery; The relay is used to be turned on when the vehicle is powered on and turned off when the vehicle is powered off; The electronic water pump is provided with a first protection module, which is configured to operate at a preset speed when detecting that the electronic water pump is disconnected from the electronic control unit and receiving a high-level signal from the relay, and to stop operating itself when receiving a low-level signal from the relay; A second protection module is deployed in the electronic control unit. Before the software of the electronic control unit is flashed, the second protection module is used to send a first control instruction to the electronic water pump when the vehicle is powered on. The first control instruction is used to stop the electronic water pump. The execution priority of the first control instruction is higher than the priority of the first protection module controlling the electronic water pump to operate at a preset speed.

2. The system according to claim 1, wherein: The second protection module is in a shielded state after the electronic control unit software is flashed.

3. A water pump control method, characterized in that: The electronic control unit applied to the water pump control system provided in any one of claims 1-2, the method comprising: Receive vehicle power-on signal before software flashing; In response to the vehicle power-on signal, calling the second protection module to send a first control instruction to the electronic water pump, so that the electronic water pump stops its own operation in response to the first control instruction when receiving the first control instruction; After sending the first control instruction, software flashing is performed, and the communication between the electronic control unit and the electronic water pump is disconnected during the software flashing process. When the electronic water pump detects that the communication with the electronic control unit is disconnected and a high-level signal from the relay is received, the electronic water pump gives priority to the execution of the first control instruction over the preset speed operation and keeps stopping its own operation. The relay is a relay with one end connected to the second communication interface of the electronic water pump and the other end connected to the positive pole of the battery.

4. The method according to claim 3, characterized in that The method further comprises: When the software flashing is completed, the second protection module is shielded.

5. The method according to claim 4, characterized in that The method further comprises: After the software is flashed, a second control instruction is sent to the electronic water pump, so that the electronic water pump terminates the operation corresponding to the first control instruction according to the second control instruction and controls its own operation.

6. A water pump control method, characterized in that: The electronic water pump used in the water pump control system provided by any one of claims 1-2, the method comprising: receiving a high-level signal from the relay and a first control instruction sent by the electronic control unit, wherein the first control instruction is an instruction sent by the second protection module when the electronic control unit to be flashed is powered on, and the relay is a relay having one end connected to the second communication interface of the electronic water pump and the other end connected to the positive electrode of the battery; In response to the first control instruction, stop its own operation; When the first protection module detects that the communication with the electronic control unit is disconnected, determining whether the first control instruction is currently being executed; If the first control instruction is being executed, the preset speed operation is not executed and the self-operation is kept stopped; If the first control instruction is not being executed, the preset speed operation is executed.

7. The method according to claim 6, characterized in that The method further comprises: When receiving the second control instruction sent by the electronic control unit, the operation corresponding to the first control instruction is stopped according to the second control instruction, and the self-operation is controlled. The second control instruction is an instruction sent by the electronic control unit after flashing.

8. The method according to claim 6, characterized in that The method further comprises: When it is detected by the first protection module that the communication connection between the electronic water pump and the electronic control unit is interrupted and the electronic water pump is running at the preset speed, detecting whether a low-level signal emitted by the relay is received; When a low-level signal is detected from the relay, the electronic water pump is controlled to stop running through the first protection module.

9. A water pump control device, characterized in that: An electronic control unit applied to a water pump control system according to any one of claims 1 to 2, the device comprising: Power-on module, used to receive vehicle power-on signal before software flashing; a first control instruction sending module, configured to call the second protection module to send a first control instruction to the electronic water pump in response to the vehicle power-on signal, so that the electronic water pump stops its own operation in response to the first control instruction when receiving the first control instruction; A flashing module is used to perform software flashing after sending the first control instruction, and to disconnect the communication between the electronic control unit and the electronic water pump during the software flashing process, wherein, when the electronic water pump detects that the communication with the electronic control unit is disconnected and a high-level signal from the relay is received, the electronic water pump will give priority to the execution of the first control instruction over the preset speed operation and keep stopping its own operation; the relay is a relay having one end connected to the second communication interface of the electronic water pump and the other end connected to the positive pole of the battery.

10. A water pump control device, characterized in that: An electronic water pump used in a water pump control system according to any one of claims 1 to 2, the device comprising: a first control instruction receiving module, configured to receive a high-level signal from the relay and a first control instruction sent by the electronic control unit, wherein the first control instruction is an instruction sent by the second protection module when the electronic control unit to be software flashed is powered on, and the relay is a relay having one end connected to the second communication interface of the electronic water pump and the other end connected to the positive terminal of the battery; a first stopping module, configured to stop its own operation in response to the first control instruction; a first determining module, configured to determine whether the first control instruction is currently being executed when the first protection module detects that the communication with the electronic control unit is disconnected; a second stopping module, configured to, if the first control instruction is being executed, not to execute the preset speed operation and to keep stopping the operation itself; The emergency operation module is configured to execute a preset speed operation if the first control instruction is not being executed.

11. A vehicle, characterized in that: include: A housing, a tire, an engine, a transmission mechanism, a vehicle controller and a water pump control system provided in claim 1, wherein the engine, the transmission mechanism, the vehicle controller and the water pump control system are installed in the housing, the tire is installed on the transmission mechanism, the engine is used to drive the tire to rotate through the transmission mechanism according to control information from the vehicle controller, and the water pump control system is installed near the engine through a pipeline for dissipating heat from the engine.

12. A computer-readable storage medium, characterized in that The computer-readable storage medium stores computer instructions, and the computer instructions are used to enable a computer to execute the method according to any one of claims 3 to 5 or 6 to 8.

13. A computer program product, characterized in that The method comprises computer instructions for causing a computer to execute the method according to any one of claims 3 to 5 or 6 to 8.

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