MODULAR EXPANDABLE ELECTRONIC CONTROL UNIT

Abstract

Modular expandable electronic control unit (10) comprising - an electronic circuit board (12), in which a conductor track (18, 18') is arranged on at least one side in the region of the side edges, which conductor track encloses a first, inner region (14) of the side and separates it from an outer region (16) of the side, wherein at least one module connection terminal (20) for electrically connecting the electronic circuit board (12) to at least one electronic module (22, 22') is arranged in the outer region (16), - a housing comprising two halves (24, 26) for accommodating the electronic circuit board (12), wherein at least one housing half (24, 26) has a circumferential, at least partially electrically conductive shielding wall (28, 30) which, in the assembled state of the housing, sits at least partially on the conductor track (18, 18') arranged on at least one side of the electronic circuit board (12) and effects electrical contact between the conductor track (18, 18') and the at least partially electrically conductive shielding wall (28, 30) of the respective housing half (24, 26), - wherein at least one housing half (26) has at least one receptacle (32, 32') accessible from outside the housing in the assembled state for the at least one electronic module (22, 22'), so that the at least one electronic module (22, 22') can be arranged on the outside of the housing half (26) - wherein the at least one receptacle (32, 32') is arranged such that the at least one electronic module (22, 22') which can be placed in the receptacle on the outside of the housing half can be electrically connected to the at least one module connection terminal (20) arranged in the outer region (16) of the electronic board (12), and - wherein the electronic circuit board (12) has electrical connections between the at least one module connection terminal (20) and one or more electronic assemblies arranged on the inner region (14).

Description

[0001] The present disclosure relates to a modularly expandable electronic control unit, in particular for use in motor vehicles.

[0002] Electronic control units (ECUs) are primarily used in automotive engineering for various control and regulation tasks and typically have one or more electronic circuit boards housed in a housing to protect the electronics. Control units used in motor vehicles must be designed for different environmental influences depending on their installation location. For example, a control unit located near a heat source such as an internal combustion engine must be designed for wide temperature ranges to protect the sensitive electronics from damage caused by excessively high outside temperatures. A control unit located in a location with high levels of humidity must be appropriately sealed to prevent moisture from penetrating the electronics. Protection for a control unit, particularly against dust and other contaminants, is also important to prevent, for example, short circuits and fire.In addition, due to the increasing density of electronics in motor vehicles, control units must also be designed for appropriate electromagnetic compatibility (EMC). To meet these diverse requirements for control units in the automotive environment, the control unit housings are usually specially adapted to the electronics to be housed and the installation location.

[0003] For example, EP 2 594 122 A2 shows an electronic control unit for the automotive sector in which two metallic housing halves enclose an inner area of ​​the circuit board on both sides and rest on a surrounding metallic track, thus protecting the sensitive electronics inside and establishing electrical contact via connectors located outside the housing. However, modular expandability is not provided.

[0004] To expand an electronic control unit with additional systems, these systems can be integrated as additional modules in the same housing as the main electronic component or main module using so-called board-to-board connectors. Board-to-board connectors are special connectors mounted on printed circuit boards that are used to electrically connect two or more printed circuit boards.

[0005] However, this type of system integration at the module level can pose the following problems: Interference-free operation cannot often be guaranteed for EMC and thermal reasons, as an added module can influence the behavior of the main module compared to normal operation of the main module without an integrated system on the module. Adding a system to an ECU module after the ECU has been produced is problematic because, for example, the ECU's warranty cannot usually be maintained by the manufacturer. The flexibility when adding modules to an existing ECU is limited.

[0006] For example, DE 103 07 082 A1 discloses a control unit for a motor vehicle's electrical system, which includes a plug-in card slot within the housing for inserting additional devices or modules. However, no further details about the housing, EMC shielding, etc. are provided.

[0007] EP 1 782 667 A1 describes a concept for a base station for telecommunications transmission, the requirements of which regarding dirt, temperature and EMC influences are not comparable to those in the automotive sector. Although modular extensions are described, the details of the design remain unclear. Fig. 4 a sketchy exploded view of a basic assembly 402 with an opening in the central area, the dimensions of which probably match the internal antenna 403 shown as a block and which can probably be closed by a common cover 404, but the type of opening, electrical connections between the parts as well as possible shielding cannot be seen in more detail here.

[0008] In Fig. 12 ff., another embodiment is shown, in which individual segments are formed within the housing and on the circuit board, and the segments are mutually shielded from each other via corresponding shielding walls and electrical grounding paths on the circuit board. Fig. 12, an optional additional printed circuit board 1210 is provided for a transmission interface, which can be connected within the corresponding segment when the housing is open via connector 1211. In a central area of ​​the housing, 1209 shows an unspecified mechanical interface to an optional internal antenna, whereby the position clearly differs from that of the additional printed circuit board 1210, and again the type of opening, electrical connections between the parts, and any shielding cannot be determined in detail here.

[0009] The publication DE 10 2010 026 953 A1 shows in Fig. 1 shows a circuit board 1 in a plan view, with no cover shown for clarity. The electronic circuit is required to operate the electronically controlled electric motor of a fuel pump. Electronic components 2 of an electronic circuit are arranged on the circuit board 1 and are interconnected via conductor tracks 3. In the edge area of ​​the circuit board, a self-contained metallic track 4 is arranged, which surrounds the electronic circuit. The self-contained metallic track 4, like the conductor tracks 3, is made of copper. The circuit board 1 is made of an epoxy-based synthetic resin. On one side, the circuit board 1 has, outside the self-contained metallic track 4, several openings 9 which are lined with copper. The openings 9 form contacts 10 for connecting the electronic circuit to corresponding electrical connecting lines which are arranged in Fig. 1 are not shown. In Fig. Figure 2 shows a cross-sectional view of the printed circuit board 1. The electronic circuit with the components 2 is arranged on both the top and bottom sides of the printed circuit board 1 within the respective self-contained metallic track 4. A metal cover 5 is soldered onto each of the metallic tracks 4, completely covering the electronic circuit with the components 2. The edges 6 of the cover 5 are flange-like and directed outward to provide a good contact surface for the connection to the printed circuit board 1. The printed circuit board 1 and the cover 5 thus form the housing 7.

[0010] US 2008 / 0 130 259 A1 discloses a device for shielding components on a printed circuit board in a radio base station. The printed circuit board comprises a first circuit section and a second circuit section, as well as a conductive edge region arranged on the printed circuit board between the first circuit section and the second circuit section. A conductive shielding cover is attachable over at least the first circuit section, with one wall end of the cover being connected to the edge section by an intermediate conductive seal.

[0011] The following describes a modularly expandable electronic control unit, particularly for use in motor vehicles.

[0012] According to a first aspect, a modularly expandable electronic control unit is disclosed, comprising the following: an electronic circuit board, on at least one side of which a conductor track is arranged in the region of the side edges of the electronic circuit board, said conductor track enclosing a first, inner region of the side and separating it from an outer region of the side. This outer region is therefore located in the region of the side edges of the electronic circuit board and thus on the surface spatially outside the inner region enclosed by the conductor track, which is preferably electrically connected to electrical ground as a grounding track. In this outer region, at least one module connection terminal is arranged for electrically connecting the electronic circuit board to at least one electronic module.

[0013] The housing comprises two halves for accommodating the electronic circuit board. At least one housing half comprises a circumferential, at least partially electrically conductive shielding wall, which, when the housing is assembled, rests at least partially on the conductor track arranged on at least one side of the electronic circuit board and establishes electrical contact between the conductor track and the at least partially electrically conductive shielding wall of the respective housing half.

[0014] At least one housing half has on the outside, i.e. on the outer side facing away from the housing interior and separated by the housing wall, at least one receptacle for the at least one electronic module, which is accessible from outside the housing in the assembled state.

[0015] The at least one receptacle is arranged such that the at least one electronic module, optionally placed in the receptacle, i.e. additionally placed, can be electrically connected to the at least one module connection terminal arranged in the outer region of the electronics board. The electronics board has electrical connections between the at least one module connection terminal and one or more electronic assemblies arranged on the inner region. The receptacle is formed externally, preferably also in the form of a recess in the wall of the housing half which accommodates the electronic module, wherein the wall of the housing half is arranged in any case in the inner region of the electronics board between the electronic module in the receptacle and the electronics board.The electronic module is preferably arranged in the receptacle parallel to the electronic circuit board such that a first part of the electronic module covers the inner region of the electronic circuit board, with the wall of the housing located there in between, as already explained above. A second part of the electronic module, i.e., differing from the first, is arranged above the outer region of the electronic circuit board and is connected there to the electronic circuit board through an opening with the at least one module connection terminal. The electronic circuit board can be a multi-layer circuit board. The electrical connections between the at least one module connection terminal and one or more electronic components arranged on the inner region can then be implemented in one or more inner layers of the multi-layer circuit board.

[0016] In particular, the electronic board can be designed to implement standard functions of the control unit, and the at least one module connection port can be designed to implement further functions of the control unit via an electronic module connected to it via the connected electronic module.

[0017] The control unit can be designed such that an electronic module connected to the at least one module connection port can be replaced without disassembling the housing halves of the control unit's housing. The two housing halves preferably rest circumferentially on the electrical conductor tracks with the shielding walls and enclose the inner area of ​​the electronics board in an EMC-tight manner. The optional electronic module is arranged in its receptacle on the outside of at least one of the housing halves, where it is accessible and can be connected via the module connection port, which is also located in the outer area, without having to open either housing half.

[0018] At least one of the receptacles can be designed to accommodate an electronic module with a cooling element.

[0019] Protective covers may be provided for the receptacles, which are designed to be attached to one of the housing halves.

[0020] At least one of the housing halves can have an integrated heat sink for cooling at least one assembly arranged on the electronic board.

[0021] At least one cable connection terminal can be arranged in the outer region of the electronics board, and the electronics board can have electrical connections between the at least one cable connection terminal and one or more electronic assemblies arranged on the inner region, wherein at least one housing half has a receptacle for each cable connection terminal.

[0022] The at least one cable connection terminal can be arranged in a corner region of the electronic board, and in particular each cable connection terminal can be arranged in a corner region of the electronic board such that the plug-in direction of each cable connection terminal has an angle of approximately 45° to the side edges of the electronic board in the side plane.

[0023] In a further preferred embodiment, as long as no electronic module is mounted in a receptacle on the outside of the housing, a protective cover is provided which, arranged within the receptacle, covers the opening to the at least one module connection port. This protective cover is of course smaller than the protective cover which would extend over the receptacle and the electronic module inserted therein, but at the same time protects the area of ​​the module connection port or the connection plug already pre-assembled there against external influences. In addition, this inner protective cover can be designed to be much simpler, for example as an adhesive film, possibly with a metallic intermediate layer for EMC protection, or it can be designed so that it cannot be removed non-destructively and can therefore serve as evidence of tampering, i.e. if the protective cover is destroyed, any damage or tampering would be documented and the warranty would be void.

[0024] According to a further aspect, an electronic module is disclosed which is designed to extend the functionality of a control unit as disclosed herein and has an electronic board, wherein a connection terminal is arranged on one side of the electronic board such that when the electronic board is placed in a receptacle of a housing half of the control unit, the connection terminal electrically contacts a module connection terminal of the electronic board of the control unit.

[0025] Further features will become apparent from the following description in conjunction with the embodiment shown in the drawings. SHORT DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING

[0026] The drawing shows Fig. 1 an exploded view of an embodiment of a modularly expandable electronic control unit in a perspective view obliquely from above; Fig. 2 is another exploded view of the Fig. 1 shown embodiment in a perspective view obliquely from below; Fig. 3 an exploded view of another embodiment of a modularly expandable electronic control unit in a view obliquely from above; Fig. 4 a perspective view of the further embodiment of a modularly expandable electronic control unit of Fig. 3 in assembled condition; Fig. 5B a plan view of the inside of the upper housing half and Fig. 5A on the top of the electronic board of the Fig. 1 shown control unit; and Fig. 6A is a plan view of the inside of the lower housing half and Fig. 6B on the underside of the electronic board of the Fig. 1 shown control unit Fig. Figure 7A outlines a further design and the position of the cut, which in Fig. 7B is shown in detail Fig. 7B Section through a part of the assembly according to Fig. 7A Fig. 8A three-dimensional representation of the shape and position of the electronic board and optional electronic modules according to the design according to Fig. 7A without housing Fig. 8B Top view of the position of the electronic board and optional electronic modules according to the design according to Fig. 7A without housing Fig. 9A design with two optional electronic modules Fig. 9B Design without optional electronic modules and open retainer, but protective cover within the retainer for the opening to the module connection port Fig. 10A Top view of the design without optional electronic modules and open receptacle still without protective cover over the opening to the module connection port Fig. 10B Top view of the design according to Fig. 9B DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0027] In the following description, identical, functionally identical, and functionally related elements may be provided with the same reference symbols. Absolute values ​​are given below only as examples and are not to be understood as limiting.

[0028] In the Fig. 1 and Fig. 2 shows a perspective view of a control unit 10 which can be modularly expanded with additional electronic modules.

[0029] The control unit 10 has an electronics circuit board 12, which forms the main module of the control unit 10 and implements standard functions of the control unit. The electronics circuit board 12 can have a conductor track 18 on both sides, i.e., its top and bottom sides. This conductor track 18 is arranged in the edge region of the circuit board 12 and runs around the entire circuit board 12, so that this particularly closed conductor track 18 forms an inner region 14 and an outer region 16 separated from this by the conductor track 18. The circuit board 12 can also be equipped with electronic components on both sides, i.e., its top and bottom sides.

[0030] Conductor track 18 is intended as a grounding track. Fig. 5A and Fig. 6B shows an example of the circuit board 12 in which the conductor track 18 on the top side of the circuit board 12 is circumferential in the edge area ( Fig. 5A) and another conductor track 18' on the underside of the board 12 also running around the edge area ( Fig. 6B).

[0031] In the outer region 16 of the circuit board, one or more module connection terminals 20 and 20''' and / or one or more cable connection terminals 20', 20'' can be arranged on its top and / or bottom side. The cable connection terminals 20', 20'' can in particular each be arranged in a corner region of the circuit board 12, and in particular such that their plug-in direction forms an angle of approximately 45° to the side edges of the circuit board 12 in the lateral plane thereof, thereby mechanically preventing the ingress of water, dirt, or dust without further sealing measures ("umbrella principle"). Electronic components and / or assemblies can be arranged in the inner region 14.

[0032] The components / assemblies on the inner region 14 can be electrically connected to a module connection terminal 20, 20''' via one or more lines which are implemented over one or more inner layers of the in particular multi-layer circuit board 12, so that the conductor tracks 18 and 18', viewed perpendicular to the plane of the circuit board 12, enclose the inner layers of the circuit board 12.

[0033] The housing of the control unit 10 has two housing halves 24 and 26: Fig. 5B shows a plan view of the inside of the first housing half 26; Fig. 6A shows, on the right, a top view of the inside of the second housing half 24. Both housing halves 24, 26 each have a circumferential, at least partially electrically conductive shielding wall 28 or 30. The shielding wall 28 can be formed integrally with the respective housing half 24, 26 and, in particular, can be made of the same material as the housing half 24, 26. For electrical shielding, the shielding wall 28 can be formed from a conductive material such as copper or coated with such a material.

[0034] In the assembled state of the housing, when both housing halves 24 and 26 are joined together and the circuit board 12 is arranged in the housing, the shielding wall 28 of the housing halves 24 and 26 sits at least partially on the conductor track 18 and 18', so that there is electrical contact between the conductor track 18, 18' and the shielding wall 28 of the respective housing half 24, 26.

[0035] As a result, the inner area 14 of the circuit board 12 on the top and bottom sides can be effectively shielded from EMC influences by the housing halves 24, 26 and the shielding wall 28.

[0036] The upper housing half 26 has receptacles 32 and 32' for electronic modules 22 and 22', respectively, for expanding the functionality of the main board 12 of the control unit 10. The receptacles 32 and 32' are accessible from outside the housing and are provided on the outer wall of the housing half 26 in such a way that, when the housing is assembled, the module connection ports 20, 20''' are accessible via these receptacles 32, 32', and an electronic module 22 placed in a receptacle can be contacted with the module connection port 20 present in the respective receptacle via a connector 25. Whether the connector 25 is already pre-assembled on the module connection port 20 or on the electronic module 22 is irrelevant for the function.

[0037] It should be emphasized, however, that the position of the module connection terminals 20, 20''' on the main board 12 is arranged in the outer edge area 16 and thus separate from the protected inner area 14.

[0038] The electronic modules 22, 22' can be designed to expand the functionality of the circuit board 12, for example, by providing customer-specific software and / or hardware. Data can be exchanged between the electronic module 22 and the circuit board 12 via an electronic interface provided by the connector 25 and the module connection terminal 20. For example, the electronic interface can provide a bus connection between the circuit board 12 and the electronic module 22, and a processor on the electronic module 22 can execute customer-specific software that can expand the functionality of the circuit board 12 through additional functions. Likewise, the electronic module 22' can be connected to the circuit board 12 via an electronic interface. As shown in Fig. As can be seen from Figure 1, the electronic module 22' can be cooled by a cooling element such as a fan 23''. In particular, the fan 23'' can be arranged above an assembly that generates waste heat during operation, which must be dissipated by the fan 23''.

[0039] A cooling element such as a fan can also be arranged on the electronics module 22, if the space for it is available. It is also conceivable that the electronics module 22' has no further function and serves only to connect a cooling element, in particular an active fan, thus enabling the control unit to be used under very demanding thermal conditions requiring correspondingly high cooling performance. Active convection can also improve the overall thermal resilience of the assembly.

[0040] The receptacles 32 and 32' can be closed with protective covers 33 and 33' to protect the electronic modules 22, 22' from external influences such as excessively high or low temperatures, moisture, dirt, etc. The protective covers 33, 33' can in particular also be made of a conductive material to shield the electronic modules 22, 22' from EMC influences. The protective covers 33, 33' can also be designed to seal the receptacles 32, 32' to prevent moisture penetration, for example, using rubber seals. A protective cover can also provide at least one opening for discharging waste heat from the receptacle closed by the protective cover, such as the opening in the cover 33'' above the fan 23'' for discharging the waste heat dissipated by the fan 23'' from a module out of the receptacle 32'.

[0041] The upper housing half 26 can also have receptacles 34, 34' for the cable connection terminals 20', 20'', which can be designed such that they shield the cable connection terminals 20', 20'' from external influences such as moisture, EMC and also mechanical stress.

[0042] Furthermore, the upper housing half 26 can have an integrated heat sink 35, particularly in the form of cooling fins, which can serve to cool at least one module arranged on the top and / or bottom of the circuit board 12. Modules arranged on the bottom of the circuit board 12 can be cooled from below and have a thermal connection to the heat sink 35 on the top of the circuit board 12.

[0043] Fig. 3 shows in perspective a control unit 10' which, like the one in Fig. 1 and Fig. The control unit 10 shown in Figure 2 can be modularly expanded with additional electronic modules and differs from this in that a different electronic module 22'' with electrical plug connections 23 is placed in the receptacle 32 and, accordingly, differently designed protective covers 33'', 33''' are used to cover the receptacles 32, 32'. The protective cover 33'' is designed in such a way that it allows access to the electrical plug connections 23 of the electronic module 22'' from outside the control unit 10'.

[0044] Fig. 4 shows this control unit 10' in the assembled state, ie with assembled housing halves 24 and 26 and mounted protective covers 33'' and 33''' over the receptacles for the electronic modules.

[0045] Clearly visible in Fig. 4 also shows the orientation of the cable connection ports provided in the receptacles 34, 34', whose main plug-in axes extend at an angle of approximately 45° to the side edges of the control unit 10'. This means that the cable connection ports on both sides of the control unit 10, 10' are aligned downwards by approximately 45°, which can be advantageous for installation in a motor vehicle.

[0046] Regarding the Fig. 5 and Fig. 6, attention should again be drawn to the mirror-symmetrical course of the conductor track 18, 18' on the corresponding side of the circuit board 12 to the respective conductive shielding wall 28, 30. In the assembled state of the control unit, when both housing halves 24 and 26 are assembled and the circuit board 12 is located between the housing halves, the circumferential and at least partially electrically conductive shielding walls 28, 30 rest at least partially on the conductor track 18, 18' on the corresponding side of the circuit board 12, so that the inner region 14 of the circuit board 12 can be efficiently shielded from EMC influences by the shielding walls 28, 30 and the housing halves 24, 26. In particular, the inner region 14 can be electrically shielded from the outer region 16, so that EMC influences from the electronic modules 22, 22', 22'' and possibly the cable connection terminals 20', 20'' on the inner region 14 can be avoided or at least suppressed.

[0047] Good in Fig. 6B also shows the position of the module connection terminals 20 on the electronics board 12 for connecting optional electronic modules in the outer area 16 outside the inner area 14 shielded by the conductor track 18 with the shielding wall 30. The housing half 26 is therefore also closed over the inner area 14, ie the recess 32 on the outside on the outer wall is shielded from its inner area and in particular from the inner area 14 of the electronics board 12 by the wall of the housing.

[0048] Fig. 7A outlines a further embodiment of the invention in which the cable connection terminals 20', 20'' and optional electrical plug-in terminals 23 on the optional electronic modules 22 are all arranged on the same side of the housing, although this is irrelevant for the basic functions. Fig. 7A serves primarily to clarify the position of the cut that is Fig. 7B is shown in detail.

[0049] This shows Fig. 7B shows a section through a part of the assembly according to Fig. 7A. Starting in Fig. 7B shows the lower housing half 24 from below, which shows a chamber above the inner region 14 of the main board 12, in which components on this main board 12 can be arranged in a protected manner. This chamber is delimited laterally by the shielding wall 30. As already explained, the shielding wall 30 extends to the lower side of the main board 12 and is there in contact with the grounding conductor track 18. On the top side of the main board 12, the upper housing half 26 also forms a chamber for components on the main board 12, which are protected laterally by the corresponding shielding wall 28 and also by the wall of the housing 26 at the top, both from the environment and from the optional electronics module 22, which is arranged in the receptacle 32. The receptacle 32 is therefore arranged on the outside of the essentially closed housing.

[0050] As in Fig. As can be clearly seen in Figure 7B, the main board 12 extends laterally beyond the inner area 14 (the boundary is visible through the two outer walls 28, 30) into the outer area 16, where the connector 25 for connecting the optional electronics module 22 to the module connection port on the main board is located. This makes it possible to ship the control unit with just the main board 12, fully protected by the two closed housing halves 24, 26, for example, between suppliers and OEMs, or even to use it when no electronic modules 22 are required. Furthermore, the control unit 10 can be retrofitted with an electronics module 22 at any time, or replaced with a new one, without having to open the housing halves 24, 26. Thus, the inner area 14 is and remains permanently protected. Only the additional outer shield 33 is opened for this purpose if necessary.

[0051] Fig. 8A three-dimensional representation of the shape and position of electronic board 12 and optional electronic modules 22 according to the embodiment according to Fig. 7A without the housing halves 24 and 26. These Fig. 8A serves primarily to better understand the Fig. 7B. Fig. 8B shows the exact top view of the position of the optional electronic modules 22 over the different areas (14, 16) of the electronic board according to the embodiment according to Fig. 7A. It is particularly important to follow the course of the grounding track 18 on the main board 12, which is located in the middle area of ​​the Fig. 8B, but the area below the electronic modules 22 is continued here in a sketchy dashed line to ultimately illustrate the position of the inner area 14 to the outer area 16 on the electronics (main) board (12). The electronics module 22 is arranged such that a first part of the electronics module 22 covers the inner area 14 of the electronics board (12). Of course, the wall of the housing half 26 is actually located there between the electronics module 22 and the electronics board 12, and had to be omitted here in order to be able to depict 22 above 12 at all.

[0052] A second, i.e. different, part of the electronic module 22 is arranged above the outer region 16 of the electronic circuit board 12 and is connected there to the electronic circuit board 12 via the at least one module connection terminal 20 or the connector 25 arranged there. The electronic module 22 thus lies parallel above the electronic circuit board 12 and covers part of the outer region 16 with one part and part of the inner region 14 with another part, wherein the housing wall is located in the housing half between the inner part 14 and the electronic module, while the housing half 26 has an opening 37 for the connector 25 in the area covering the outer region 16 in order to connect the electronic module 22 to the module connection terminal 20.

[0053] Fig. 9A shows again a three-dimensional overall view of the design according to the Fig. 7 and Fig. 8with two optional electronic modules (22), which are hidden here behind their protective covers 33 and are only recognizable by the optional connections 23. Fig. In comparison, Figure 9B shows a design without optional electronic modules and with the receptacle 32 remaining open. Firstly, it is clearly visible how the housing wall of the housing half continues to protect the inner area of ​​the mainboard, even if the receptacle 32 itself remains open. However, according to a preferred development, a protective cover 36 is provided within the receptacle 32 over the opening (37 concealed under 36) to the module connection port (20 also concealed here).

[0054] For this reason, Fig. 10A a plan view of the design without optional electronic modules and the receptacle 32 remaining open and without a protective cover (36 omitted here) and thus the opening 37 in the housing wall, which is actually concealed underneath, to the module connection port 22 or the connector 25 arranged there. However, since in this situation environmental influences and EMC interference could reach at least the outer area 16 of the main board 12, this opening 37 is preferably closed with the protective cover 36, as in Fig. 10B, namely if the control unit 10 is to be sold or operated without the optional electronic module.

[0055] A control unit with a housing as disclosed herein can be designed, for example, with protection class IP42 for an operating temperature range of -40°C to +85°C. A heat sink integrated into the housing can be made, for example, from AlSi9Cu3 die-cast aluminum. AlMg3 metal sheets can be used as the covering material. The cooling concept can be implemented actively (with, for example, a 23-inch fan) and / or passively (with, for example, a heat sink 35 integrated into the housing half 26).

[0056] The concept of a modularly expandable electronic control unit described here offers the following advantages and possibilities: - It enables the integration of an electronic module into an existing control unit, which can flexibly expand the functionality of the main module of the control unit. - Freedom from interference due to EMC and thermal reasons can be ensured, as the housing can shield the electronic board of a control unit implementing a main module from EMC and thermal influences. This ensures that the behavior of the main module is not affected by EMC or thermal influences, even if an additional electronic module is connected to the control unit. In particular, this ensures "freedom from interference" according to ISO 26262 for safety-relevant applications in vehicles. - Even after the production of an ECU, one or more electronic modules can be added without having to open the ECU housing to expose the electronic board implementing the main module of the ECU, which could lead to a loss of a manufacturer's warranty. - A high degree of flexibility is achieved. For example, a cooling fan can be optionally integrated into the control unit instead of an additional system. List of reference symbols 10 Control unit 12 Electronic board 14 inner area of ​​the electronic board 16 outer area of ​​the electronic board 18 closed (grounding) conductor track on the electronic board 20; 20''' module connection ports on the electronic board for connecting optional electronic modules (22) 20', 20'' cable connection ports 22, 22' optional electronic modules in receptacles (32) on the outside of at least one of the housing halves 23 optional electrical connectors on the optional electronic modules (22) 23'' optional fan 24, 26 housing halves 25 Connector between electronic board (12) and optional electronic module (22) 28, 30 Shielding wall 32, 32' Mounting holes for optional electronic modules (22) on the outside of the housing halves 33, 33' Protective covers for the 32 and 32' mounts 33'', 33''' Protective covers for the connectors 23 and the optional fan (23'') 34, 34' receptacles for the cable connection terminals 20', 20'' 35 heat sinks integrated into one half of the housing 36 Protective cover inside the holder (32) for the opening (37) to the module connection port (20) in case no electronic module (22) is mounted 37 Opening in the receptacle (32) of the housing half (26) for the connector (25) between the module connection terminal (20) and the electronic module (22)

Claims

[1] Modular expandable electronic control unit (10) comprising - an electronic circuit board (12), in which a conductor track (18, 18') is arranged on at least one side in the region of the side edges, which conductor track encloses a first, inner region (14) of the side and separates it from an outer region (16) of the side, wherein at least one module connection terminal (20) for electrically connecting the electronic circuit board (12) to at least one electronic module (22, 22') is arranged in the outer region (16), - a housing comprising two halves (24, 26) for accommodating the electronic circuit board (12), wherein at least one housing half (24, 26) has a circumferential, at least partially electrically conductive shielding wall (28, 30) which, in the assembled state of the housing, sits at least partially on the conductor track (18, 18') arranged on at least one side of the electronic circuit board (12) and effects electrical contact between the conductor track (18, 18') and the at least partially electrically conductive shielding wall (28, 30) of the respective housing half (24, 26), - wherein at least one housing half (26) has at least one receptacle (32, 32') for the at least one electronic module (22, 22') accessible from outside the housing in the assembled state, so that the at least one electronic module (22, 22') can be arranged on the outside of the housing half (26) - wherein the at least one receptacle (32, 32') is arranged such that the at least one electronic module (22, 22') which can be placed in the receptacle on the outside of the housing half can be electrically connected to the at least one module connection terminal (20) arranged in the outer region (16) of the electronic board (12), and - wherein the electronic circuit board (12) has electrical connections between the at least one module connection terminal (20) and one or more electronic assemblies arranged on the inner region (14). [2] Control device according to claim 1, characterized by that the receptacle is formed on the outside of the wall of the housing half, wherein the wall of the housing half is arranged in the receptacle between the electronic module (22, 22') and the electronic board (12). [3] Control device according to claim 2, characterized bythat the electronic module (22, 22') is arranged in the receptacle (32) such that a first part of the electronic module (22, 22') covers the inner region (14) of the electronic circuit board (12), wherein the wall of the housing half (26) is located there between the electronic module (22, 22') and the electronic circuit board (12) and a second part of the electronic module (22, 22') is arranged above the outer region (16) of the electronic circuit board (12) and is connected there to the electronic circuit board (12) via the at least one module connection terminal (20). [4] Control device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized by that the electronic circuit board (12) is a multi-layer circuit board, wherein the electrical connections between the at least one module connection terminal (20) and one or more electronic assemblies arranged on the inner region (14) are implemented in one or more inner layers of the multi-layer circuit board. [5] Control device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized by that the electronics board (12) is designed to implement standard functions of the control unit, and the at least one module connection terminal (20) is designed to implement further functions of the control unit via the connected electronics module (22, 22') via an electronics module (22, 22') connected to it. [6] Control device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized by that it is designed such that an electronic module (22, 22') connected to the at least one module connection terminal (20) can be replaced without disassembling the housing halves (24, 26) of the housing of the control unit (10). [7] Control device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized by that at least one of the receptacles (32, 32') is designed to receive an electronic module (22') with a cooling element (23''). [8] Control device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized by that protective covers (33, 33') are provided for the receptacles (32, 32'), which are designed for attachment to one of the housing halves (26). [9] Control device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized by that at least one of the housing halves (26) has an integrated heat sink (35) for cooling at least one assembly arranged on the electronic circuit board (12). [10] Control device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized byin that at least one cable connection terminal (20', 20'') is arranged in the outer region (16) of the electronics board (12) and the electronics board (12) has electrical connections between the at least one cable connection terminal (20', 20'') and one or more electronic assemblies arranged on the inner region (14), wherein at least one housing half (26) has a receptacle (34, 34') for each cable connection terminal (20', 20''). [11] Control device according to claim 10, characterized by that the at least one cable connection terminal (20', 20'') is arranged in a corner region of the electronic board (12). [12] Control device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized bythat as long as no electronic module (22) is mounted in a receptacle on the outside of the housing, a protective cover (36) is provided which, arranged within the receptacle (32), covers the opening (37) to the at least one module connection terminal (20). [13] Electronic module (22) which is designed to extend the functionality of a control unit (10) according to one of the preceding claims and has an electronic circuit board (12), wherein on one side of the electronic circuit board (12) a connection terminal (25) is arranged such that when the electronic circuit board (12) is placed in a receptacle (32) of a housing half (26) of the control unit (10), the connection terminal (25) electrically contacts a module connection terminal (20) of the electronic circuit board (12) of the control unit (10).

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