VEHICLE CONTROL DEVICE AND METHOD FOR CONTROLLING A VEHICLE CONTROL DEVICE

The vehicle control unit addresses the issue of increased quiescent current by interrupting data transmission or placing ECUs in a receive-only mode when electrical components are activated for extended periods, reducing power consumption and battery discharge without additional components.

DE112016001241B4Active Publication Date: 2026-02-12ASTEMO LTD
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Patent Information

Application Number
DE112016001241
Authority / Receiving Office
DE · DE
Patent Type
Patents
Current Assignee / Owner
Priority Date
2015-03-17
Filing Date
2016-02-19
Publication Date
2026-02-12
Estimated Expiration
2036-02-19

AI Technical Summary

Technical Problem

In vehicles with multiple ECUs, the quiescent current increases when the ignition is switched off due to prolonged activation of electrical components, leading to battery discharge and increased power consumption.

Method used

A vehicle control unit with a first control unit and a second control unit connected via an in-vehicle network, where data transmission is interrupted or the first control unit is put into a receive-only mode if the actuating switch is in an on state for an extended period, and the ignition is off, preventing unnecessary activation of other ECUs.

Benefits of technology

Reduces quiescent current and prevents battery discharge by ensuring ECUs enter a sleep state when the ignition is off, while avoiding additional circuitry costs.

✦ Generated by Eureka AI based on patent content.

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Abstract

A vehicle control unit, including: a first control unit (2-1) with a microcomputer (15) that detects a state of an actuating switch (16) of an electrical component (3), monitors a signal indicating a state of an ignition key and controls the electrical component (3); and characterized by a second control unit (2-2) which is connected to the first control unit (2-1) via a vehicle-internal network (1a, 1b), where the microcomputer (15) when the actuating switch (16) of the electrical component (3) in the first control unit (2-1) is determined to be in an ON state for a longer period of time and the ignition key is determined to be in an OFF state, data transmission from the first control unit (2-1) to the second control unit (2-2) is interrupted, or the first control unit (2-1) is put into a receive-only mode, a driver of a vehicle is notified of a fault and performs a process to detect the cancellation of a longer-term on-state of the actuating switch (16), if the actuating switch (16) of the electrical component (3) is determined to be in the on-state for a longer period of time and the ignition key is determined to be in the on-state, and stores an error report in a memory device and interrupts the notification of the driver if the long-term on state of the actuating switch (16) persists continuously for a certain number of times or continuously for a certain period of time when the ignition key is in the off state after the process for detecting the cancellation of the long-term on state of the actuating switch (16).
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Citation Information

Patent Citations

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    DE102007006035A1

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