Door handle controller, automobile door handle and automobile

Abstract

The utility model discloses a door handle controller, car door handle and car, the door handle controller includes printed circuit board and SOC chip, the SOC chip sets up on the printed circuit board, the SOC chip has integrated power module, control module, communication module and input output interface, the power module is used for converting input voltage into working voltage to the control module, communication module and input output interface power supply, control module with communication module connects to handle communication data, and with input output interface connects to drive external device, communication module is used for with external host system communication, input output interface is used for connecting external device. SOC chip integrates power module, control module, communication module and other function modules in single package structure, and the kind and quantity of discrete components on PCB are greatly reduced, and circuit layout is simplified, and production cost and assembly complexity are reduced.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This utility model relates to the automotive field, and more particularly to a door handle controller, a car door handle, and a car. Background Technology

[0002] As automobiles become increasingly intelligent, car door handles, as one of the components that directly interact with users, are becoming more complex and diverse in function, no longer limited to traditional mechanical unlocking. Today's car door handles need to integrate multiple functions such as electronic lock control, communication with the vehicle's central control system, and status monitoring, which places higher demands on door handle controllers. Traditional car door handle controllers often use multiple discrete chips and components to implement different functions, such as separate power management chips, control chips, and communication chips, and connect them through complex circuit board wiring. This design approach has many drawbacks:

[0003] 1. Too many types and quantities of components

[0004] Existing automotive door handle controllers typically employ a distributed design, such as directly mounting microcontrollers (MCUs), voltage regulators (LDOs), and LIN transceivers on the PCB. This design results in an excessive number and variety of components, leading to complex circuitry. Too many components not only increase the controller's cost but also complicate the manufacturing process, impacting production efficiency due to the need to install and debug multiple components. Furthermore, the complex circuitry increases the difficulty of later maintenance and troubleshooting.

[0005] 2. PCB size is too large

[0006] Because existing door handle controllers have too many components, the required PCB size is correspondingly too large. However, the internal space of a car door handle is relatively small, and in actual installation, there is often insufficient space to place the PCB. This not only limits the layout and design of other components inside the door handle, but may also lead to an unreasonable overall structure of the door handle due to the forced installation of a large PCB, affecting its aesthetics and practicality. It may even affect the heat dissipation performance of various components due to space constraints, reducing the reliability and lifespan of the product.

[0007] 3. Weak EMC performance

[0008] In existing door handle designs, the large variety and quantity of components on the PCB, coupled with a crowded layout, makes it easy for these components and circuits to interfere with each other. This interference can lead to unstable signal transmission, increasing the risk of various controller problems, such as malfunctions and communication interruptions. In the complex electromagnetic environment of a car, weak EMC performance can significantly reduce the stability and reliability of the door handle controller, failing to meet the electromagnetic compatibility requirements of modern automobiles. Summary of the Invention

[0009] In order to overcome the defects in the prior art, the first objective of this utility model is to provide a door handle controller, the second objective of this utility model is to provide a car door handle, and the third objective of this utility model is to provide a car.

[0010] To achieve the above objectives, the technical solution adopted by this utility model is as follows:

[0011] Firstly, a door handle controller includes:

[0012] Printed circuit boards;

[0013] A System-on-Chip (SOC) chip is disposed on the printed circuit board. The SOC chip integrates a power module, a control module, a communication module, and an input / output interface. The power module converts the input voltage into the operating voltage and supplies power to the control module, the communication module, and the input / output interface. The control module is connected to the communication module to process communication data and is connected to the input / output interface to drive external devices. The communication module is used to communicate with an external main control system. The input / output interface is used to connect external devices.

[0014] Integrating the power module, control module, communication module, and input / output interfaces into a single SOC chip significantly reduces the number and types of components, simplifying the circuit structure. This not only lowers production costs but also simplifies the manufacturing process, improves production efficiency, and facilitates later maintenance and troubleshooting.

[0015] The high integration of SOC chips significantly reduces the number of components that need to be placed on the printed circuit board (PCB), thereby effectively reducing the PCB size. This is crucial for car door handles with limited space, solving the problem of insufficient space to place the PCB in the door handle due to the excessively large PCB size in traditional designs. This allows for a more rational internal structure design of the door handle and improves both the overall aesthetics and practicality.

[0016] Traditional door handle PCBs suffer from poor EMC performance due to their numerous components, crowded layout, and mutual interference between components and circuits. This invention, however, integrates various functional modules using a SOC chip, reducing the number of components and wiring length on the PCB, lowering the likelihood of electromagnetic interference, enhancing the electromagnetic compatibility of the door handle controller, improving its stability and reliability in complex automotive electromagnetic environments, ensuring stable signal transmission, and reducing the occurrence of misoperation and communication interruptions.

[0017] Optionally, the power module, control module, communication module, and input / output interface are housed in the same package structure.

[0018] The aforementioned packaging structure refers to integrating the power module, control module, communication module, and input / output interfaces of the SOC chip into a single chip housing. This packaging structure helps shorten the electrical connection paths between modules, reduces signal transmission delays and interference, and also protects the internal modules to a certain extent from external physical factors and electromagnetic interference, thereby improving the stability and reliability of the entire SOC chip and the door handle controller.

[0019] Optionally, the power supply module is a low-dropout linear regulator (LDO). A LDO can operate stably with a small difference between the input and output voltages, effectively reducing power consumption. Simultaneously, the LDO has high output voltage stability and low ripple, providing a stable operating voltage for the control and communication modules within the SOC chip, ensuring stable and reliable operation of each module, thereby improving the performance and stability of the entire door handle controller.

[0020] Optionally, the control module includes a timer, a watchdog timer, a non-volatile memory, and a random access memory. The timer, watchdog timer, non-volatile memory, and random access memory are interconnected and communicate with each other through the bus inside the SOC chip. The timer is responsible for generating timing signals to coordinate the working sequence of each module. The watchdog timer is used to monitor the system operating status and trigger a reset in case of a fault. The non-volatile memory is used to store critical data for a long time, and the random access memory is used to temporarily store dynamic data during operation.

[0021] Optionally, the communication module is a transceiver supporting the LIN bus protocol. The LIN bus protocol is a low-cost serial communication protocol. The LIN bus protocol itself is low-cost, and its hardware design is relatively simple, reducing the hardware cost of the communication module and the overall production cost of the door handle controller. The LIN bus protocol is widely and maturely used in the automotive electronics field, possessing good anti-interference capabilities and enabling stable and reliable data transmission in the complex electromagnetic environment of a vehicle, ensuring the accuracy and stability of communication between the door handle controller and the external main control system. A transceiver supporting the LIN bus protocol facilitates integration and expansion with other LIN bus-based electronic devices in the vehicle, allowing the door handle controller to be better integrated into the overall automotive electronic system architecture and achieve greater interoperability.

[0022] Optionally, the input / output interface is a general-purpose input / output interface (GPIO). GPIO can be flexibly configured as input or output modes through software programming, allowing the door handle controller to easily connect to various types of external devices, such as door lock actuators and door status detection sensors. Whether receiving external signals or outputting control signals, this can be achieved through corresponding GPIO configurations, eliminating the need for additional dedicated interfaces and greatly enhancing the system's scalability and adaptability. Because GPIO can meet various input / output requirements, it reduces the need for multiple dedicated interfaces, thereby simplifying the hardware circuit design of the door handle controller, reducing design costs and complexity, and also helping to reduce the size of the PCB board, aligning with the trend of miniaturization in automotive components. The number of GPIO pins can be set according to actual needs, such as up to 16.

[0023] Optionally, the SOC chip adopts a QFN24 package.

[0024] Optionally, the printed circuit board is further provided with peripheral electronic components that are electrically connected to the SOC chip. The peripheral electronic components include TVS diodes and decoupling capacitors. The peripheral electronic components are used for power filtering, signal conditioning and improving electromagnetic compatibility.

[0025] TVS diodes (Transient Voltage Suppressor diodes) can quickly clamp overvoltage to a safe value when a circuit is subjected to a sudden high-energy surge, effectively protecting sensitive components such as SOC chips from damage. Decoupling capacitors filter the power supply, removing high-frequency noise and providing a more stable and clean power supply to the SOC chip. They also help reduce signal interference from power fluctuations, acting as signal conditioning. These peripheral electronic components work together to significantly improve the electromagnetic compatibility of the door handle controller, enabling stable and reliable operation in the complex automotive electromagnetic environment, reducing the risk of malfunctions due to electromagnetic interference, and improving overall product performance and lifespan.

[0026] Secondly, a car door handle, including the aforementioned door handle controller.

[0027] Thirdly, a type of automobile, including the aforementioned automobile door handle.

[0028] Due to the application of the above technical solution, the present invention has the following advantages compared with the prior art:

[0029] 1. SOC chips integrate power modules, control modules, communication modules and other functional modules into a single package structure, which greatly reduces the types and number of discrete components on the PCB, simplifies circuit layout, and reduces production costs and assembly complexity.

[0030] 2. By reducing the number of PCB components and simplifying wiring, the PCB size is significantly reduced, solving the problem that traditional door handles are difficult to fit into limited installation space due to their large PCB size, thus improving product adaptability and structural compactness.

[0031] 3. SOC chip integration reduces signal interference between multiple chips, while peripheral components are specifically designed to eliminate power supply noise and suppress transient voltage surges, thereby improving overall electromagnetic compatibility and ensuring stable operation of the controller in complex electromagnetic environments.

[0032] To make the above and other objects, features and advantages of this utility model more apparent and understandable, preferred embodiments are described below in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. Attached Figure Description

[0033] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in the embodiments of this utility model or the prior art, the drawings used in the description of the embodiments or the prior art will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, the drawings described below are only some embodiments of this utility model. For those skilled in the art, other drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without creative effort.

[0034] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the SOC chip structure in an embodiment of this utility model;

[0035] Figure 2 This is a structural block diagram of the door handle controller in an embodiment of this utility model.

[0036] The reference numerals in the above figures are as follows: 1. Printed circuit board; 2. SOC chip; 21. Power module; 22. Control module; 23. Communication module; 24. Input / output interface; 3. Peripheral electronic components. Detailed Implementation

[0037] The technical solutions of the present utility model will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings of the embodiments. Obviously, the described embodiments are only some embodiments of the present utility model, and not all embodiments. Based on the embodiments of the present utility model, all other embodiments obtained by those of ordinary skill in the art without creative effort are within the protection scope of the present utility model.

[0038] Example 1: See Figures 1-2 As shown, a door handle controller includes a printed circuit board 1 (PCB), a SOC chip 2 disposed on the printed circuit board 1, and a plurality of peripheral electronic components 3.

[0039] The SOC chip 2 integrates a power module 21, a control module 22, a communication module 23, and multiple input / output interfaces 24. The power module 21, control module 22, communication module 23, and input / output interfaces 24 are housed within the same chip housing. Specifically, the power module 21 converts the input voltage into the operating voltage and supplies power to the control module 22, communication module 23, and input / output interfaces 24; the control module 22 is connected to the communication module 23 to process communication data and is also connected to the input / output interfaces 24 to drive external devices; the communication module 23 communicates with an external main control system; and the input / output interfaces 24 are used to connect external devices.

[0040] Specifically, the power module 21 provides a stable operating voltage directly to the control module 22, communication module 23, and input / output interface 24 through the power lines inside the SOC chip 2. The output terminal of the power module 21 is connected to the power input terminals of each module through a power supply network formed by the metal layer inside the SOC chip 2, achieving low-noise and low-loss voltage distribution. The control module 22 is connected to the communication module 23 through the connection lines inside the SOC chip 2, and is used to send commands and receive data from the external main control system. The control module 22 is connected to the GPIO signal lines of the input / output interface 24 through its internal circuitry, realizing signal acquisition and drive control of external devices. The communication module 23 is connected to the external main control system through the LIN bus physical interface integrated inside the SOC chip 2, and completes serial communication based on the LIN protocol. The internal data bus is responsible for the encapsulation and parsing of protocol data. The GPIO pins of the input / output interface 24 are connected to the control module 22 through the signal lines inside the SOC chip 2, and are also directly electrically connected to external devices through the chip package pins to realize signal input / output.

[0041] All power, data, and signal transmission between modules is completed through predefined physical circuits within the SOC chip 2, eliminating the need for external PCB routing, significantly shortening signal paths, and reducing transmission delay and electromagnetic interference risks.

[0042] In an optional implementation, the power module 21 is a low-dropout linear regulator (LDO). A LDO can operate stably with a small difference between the input and output voltages, effectively reducing power consumption. Simultaneously, the LDO's high output voltage stability and low ripple provide a stable operating voltage for the control module 22, communication module 23, and other components within the SOC chip 2, ensuring stable and reliable operation of each module and thus improving the overall performance and stability of the door handle controller.

[0043] In an optional implementation, the control module 22 includes a timer, a watchdog timer, a non-volatile memory, and a random access memory. The timer, watchdog timer, non-volatile memory, and random access memory are interconnected and communicate with each other through the bus inside the SOC chip 2. The timer is responsible for generating timing signals to coordinate the working sequence of each module. The watchdog timer is used to monitor the system operating status and trigger a reset in case of a fault. The non-volatile memory is used to store key data for a long time, and the random access memory is used to temporarily store dynamic data during operation.

[0044] In an optional implementation, the communication module 23 is a transceiver supporting the LIN bus protocol. The LIN bus protocol is a low-cost serial communication protocol. The LIN bus protocol itself is low-cost, and its hardware design is relatively simple, reducing the hardware cost of the communication module 23 and the overall production cost of the door handle controller. The LIN bus protocol is widely and maturely used in automotive electronics, possesses good anti-interference capabilities, and can reliably transmit data in the complex electromagnetic environment of a car, ensuring the accuracy and stability of communication between the door handle controller and the external main control system. A transceiver supporting the LIN bus protocol facilitates integration and expansion with other LIN bus-based electronic devices in the car, enabling the door handle controller to be better integrated into the overall automotive electronic system architecture and achieve greater interoperability.

[0045] In an optional implementation, the input / output interface 24 is a general purpose input / output interface 24 GPIO.

[0046] In an optional implementation, the SOC chip 2 is in a QFN24 package.

[0047] In an optional embodiment, the printed circuit board 1 is further provided with peripheral electronic components 3 electrically connected to the SOC chip 2. The peripheral electronic components 3 include TVS diodes and decoupling capacitors. The peripheral electronic components 3 are used for power filtering, signal conditioning and improving electromagnetic compatibility.

[0048] This embodiment also discloses an automobile door handle, including the aforementioned door handle controller, which is installed inside the door handle housing.

[0049] This embodiment also discloses a car, including the aforementioned car door handle.

[0050] This utility model uses specific embodiments to illustrate the principle and implementation of the utility model. The above description of the embodiments is only for the purpose of helping to understand the method and core idea of ​​the utility model. At the same time, for those skilled in the art, there will be changes in the specific implementation and application scope based on the idea of ​​the utility model. Therefore, the content of this specification should not be construed as a limitation of the utility model.

Claims

1. A door handle controller, characterized in that, include: Printed circuit boards; A System-on-Chip (SOC) chip is disposed on the printed circuit board. The SOC chip integrates a power module, a control module, a communication module, and an input / output interface. The power module converts the input voltage into the operating voltage and supplies power to the control module, the communication module, and the input / output interface. The control module is connected to the communication module to process communication data and is connected to the input / output interface to drive external devices. The communication module is used to communicate with an external main control system. The input / output interface is used to connect external devices.

2. The door handle controller according to claim 1, characterized in that, The power module, control module, communication module, and input / output interface are integrated into the same package structure.

3. The door handle controller according to claim 1, characterized in that, The power module is a low-dropout linear regulator.

4. The door handle controller according to claim 1, characterized in that, The control module includes a timer, a watchdog timer, non-volatile memory, and random access memory. The timer, watchdog timer, non-volatile memory, and random access memory are interconnected and communicate with each other through the bus inside the SOC chip. The timer is responsible for generating timing signals to coordinate the working sequence of each module. The watchdog timer is used to monitor the system operating status and trigger a reset in case of a fault. The non-volatile memory is used to store critical data for a long time, and the random access memory is used to temporarily store dynamic data during operation.

5. The door handle controller according to claim 1, characterized in that, The communication module is a transceiver that supports the LIN bus protocol.

6. The door handle controller according to claim 1, characterized in that, The input / output interface is a general purpose input / output interface (GPIO).

7. The door handle controller according to claim 1, characterized in that, The SOC chip is packaged in a QFN24 package.

8. The door handle controller according to claim 1, characterized in that, The printed circuit board is also provided with peripheral electronic components that are electrically connected to the SOC chip. The peripheral electronic components include TVS diodes and decoupling capacitors. The peripheral electronic components are used for power filtering, signal conditioning and improving electromagnetic compatibility.

9. A car door handle, characterized in that, Includes the door handle controller as described in any one of claims 1-8.

10. A car, characterized in that, Including the car door handle as described in claim 9.

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