CONTROL DEVICE FOR A MOTOR VEHICLE, MOTOR VEHICLE

Description

[0001] The invention relates to a control unit device for a motor vehicle, in particular for an autonomously operated motor vehicle, comprising a control unit for operating the motor vehicle and a protective device for protecting the control unit from electromagnetic interference fields and / or interference signals.

[0002] Furthermore, the invention relates to a motor vehicle with such a control unit device. State of the art

[0003] Modern electronic control units (ECUs) are already tested and protected against electromagnetic interference (EMI) during the design and construction phase. The requirements they must meet are derived from legal regulations and additional customer requirements. Within these parameters, the ECUs must operate flawlessly, or at least in a safe operating mode, or fail to function. These requirements are generally chosen to cover most electromagnetic interference fields encountered during operation. However, in specific cases, such as field enhancements resulting from the ECU's placement within the vehicle and / or on the wiring harness, the increased use of metal in body construction, or intentional, extreme interference attempts, electromagnetic interference fields and signals exceeding these requirements may occur.The known protective devices are not sufficient to detect these as well.

[0004] German patent application DE 10 2011 084 942 A1 discloses a device for electromagnetic interference suppression. The device includes an interference suppression circuit configured to receive an interference signal and generate a counter-signal by means of a radiating element. The interference suppression circuit generates the counter-signal in such a way that an electromagnetic counter-field corresponding to the counter-signal destructively superimposes an interference field corresponding to the interference signal. Such a device is also disclosed in German patent application US 2012 / 0098591 A1. German patent application DE 197 13 449 A1 discloses an interference suppression filter with a control circuit configured to attenuate interference signals occurring on an electrical conductor by coupling in interference suppression signals. Disclosure of the invention

[0005] The control device according to the invention, with the features of claim 1, has the advantage that the control device is better protected against electromagnetic interference fields because these can be detected more effectively, thereby enabling an improved safety response. According to the invention, the protective device comprises a receiver for detecting electromagnetic interference fields, a processing unit connected to the receiver for providing information about an electromagnetic interference field detected by the receiver, and a control unit that evaluates the detected interference field based on the information received. By evaluating the interference field, it is possible to decide whether or not to initiate safety measures. The separate receiver ensures reliable detection of electromagnetic interference fields.In particular, the receiving device is located outside the control unit's housing, allowing for optimal positioning of the receiving device independently of the control unit. Instead of an interference field, an interference signal can also be detected and evaluated.

[0006] According to the invention, the control unit is configured to initiate a safety measure when an interference field detected by the receiving device is assessed as critical by the control unit. For example, when a critical interference field is detected, a fallback level of the control unit is activated in which the essential basic functions of the control unit continue to be guaranteed, and functions that could be sensitive to the detected electromagnetic interference field are deactivated or switched to safe operation. The use of redundancies in conjunction with other control units is also possible.

[0007] Furthermore, it is preferably provided that the receiving device has at least one electrical conductor that extends, at least partially, along a vehicle's wiring harness as a receiving antenna for electromagnetic interference fields, particularly in the lower frequency range. This places the receiving device outside the control unit's housing and allows for improved detection of electromagnetic interference fields and / or signals. In particular, the arrangement outside the control unit allows for large-area detection and thus advantageous evaluation.

[0008] According to the invention, the receiving device has at least one conductor on a circuit board of the control unit, which encloses a connector of the control unit for the wiring harness for magnetic coupling. This allows any common-mode currents on the wiring harness to be detected at the point where the control unit is electrically connected to the wiring harness, particularly in the lower frequency range, through magnetic coupling.

[0009] Furthermore, it is preferably provided that the receiving device on the circuit board of the control unit has at least one conductive structure acting as a receiving antenna, which is specifically designed to detect electromagnetic fields in a higher frequency range. For this purpose, the conductive structure is particularly broadband. By combining several conductive structures with different positions and orientations, it is also possible to detect interference fields from different spatial directions, as well as to determine the spatial direction from which an interference field originates.

[0010] According to a preferred embodiment of the invention, the processing device comprises at least one analog-to-digital converter. Digitizing the signals provided by the receiving device ensures simple evaluation of the information.

[0011] The analog-to-digital converter is particularly preferably designed with a frequency-selective sensitivity to high-frequency interference signals.

[0012] According to a preferred embodiment of the invention, the processing device alternatively or additionally comprises a high-frequency circuit for evaluating the signal provided by the receiving device. While the high-frequency circuit is somewhat more complex compared to the analog-to-digital converter, it is suitable for generating a measurable analog voltage from the high frequency, for example, by means of a logarithmic converter.

[0013] Furthermore, it is preferably provided that the control unit includes at least one microcontroller. The microcontroller serves in particular to evaluate the information provided by the processing unit, optionally pre-processing and filtering it to assess the information or the detected interference field or signal. As mentioned above, the control unit may initiate one or more safety measures depending on the assessment.

[0014] The motor vehicle according to the invention, comprising the features of claim 8, is characterized by the control unit device according to the invention. This results in the advantages already mentioned.

[0015] Further advantages and preferred features and combinations of features will become apparent in particular from the foregoing and from the claims. The invention will now be explained in more detail with reference to the drawing.

[0016] This shows Figure 1 shows a motor vehicle with an advantageous control unit device in a simplified representation.

[0017] Figure 1 Figure 1 shows a simplified representation of a motor vehicle 1, which has a drive unit 2 connected to the drive wheels of the motor vehicle, a control unit 3 for operating the motor vehicle and in particular the drive unit 2, and a wiring harness 4 which connects the control unit 3 electrically and via signals to the drive unit 2 and other electrical / electronic components of the motor vehicle 1, such as sensors, cooling or heating devices, lighting devices, safety devices or the like.

[0018] The control unit 3 has a connector 5 through which it is electrically and signal-wise connected to the wiring harness 4. The control unit 3 has a housing 6 in which at least one circuit board 7 is arranged, on which at least one control unit 8, in particular in the form of a microcontroller, is arranged.

[0019] The control unit 3 is also assigned a protective device 9, which serves to improve the operational safety of the control unit 3 in the event of electromagnetic interference.

[0020] The protective device 9 comprises a receiving unit 10, a processing unit 11, and a control unit 8. According to the present embodiment, the receiving unit 10 has an electrical conductor 12 extending from the control unit 3 along the cable harness 4 and forming a receiving antenna 13 for electromagnetic interference fields in the lower frequency range. The conductor 12 is electrically coupled to the processing unit 11 by means of the connector 5. The processing unit 11 includes, in particular, an analog-to-digital converter 14, which exhibits, in particular, frequency-selective sensitivity to high-frequency interference signals, which can be used cost-effectively for the purpose of detecting electromagnetic fields.In particular, a corresponding upstream connection of the analog-to-digital converter 14, for example with a bias voltage at "high" or "low" level, leads to a targeted use of the asymmetrical input characteristic of the analog-to-digital converter and thus to signal generation and detection.

[0021] The control unit 8, in particular the aforementioned microcontroller, is designed to evaluate the digital information provided by the processing unit 11 and to assess any electromagnetic interference field or signal detected by the receiving antenna 13, and in particular to decide whether this interference is to be considered critical. If so, the control unit triggers at least one safety measure, which, for example, causes the control unit 3 to be switched to a safe operating mode that is insensitive to electromagnetic interference. Optionally, the control unit sends a warning signal to a user of the vehicle or other control units and / or stores the event in a memory of the control unit 3 for later evaluation.

[0022] The receiving device 10 has an electrical conductor 15 embedded on the circuit board 7, which surrounds the connector 5 and thus detects any common-mode currents on the cable harness 4 via magnetic coupling, particularly in a lower frequency range, and thereby also detects electromagnetic fields acting on the cable harness 4. Optionally, the receiving device 10 has at least one conductor structure 16 integrated on the circuit board 7, which serves as a broadband integrated receiving antenna for detecting interference in higher frequency ranges. By combining several conductor structures 16 with different positions and orientations, detection of interference fields from different spatial directions is also ensured.

[0023] As an alternative to the analog-to-digital converter 14, it is also conceivable to equip the processing unit 11 with a high-frequency circuit which is suitable for generating a measurable analog voltage from the high frequency, for example using a logarithm converter.

[0024] During the usual EMC clearance measurement, the circuit components and filter thresholds of the protective device 10 can be adjusted so that they do not respond to electromagnetic interference according to the specification and thus enable the detection of disturbances outside the specified parameters / requirements.

Claims

1. Controller apparatus for a motor vehicle, in particular for an autonomously operable motor vehicle, having a controller (3) for operating the motor vehicle, and having a protective device (9) for protecting the controller (3) from electromagnetic interference fields or interference signals, wherein the protective device (9) has a receiving device (10) for detecting electromagnetic interference fields or interference signals, characterized in that the protective device (9) has a processing device (11) for providing information about an electromagnetic interference field or interference signal detected by the receiving device (10), and a control device (8), wherein the control device is designed to assess the detected interference field and / or interference signal on the basis of the detected information and to decide whether the interference field or interference signal is to be assessed as critical, and to initiate at least one safety measure if the detected interference field or interference signal is assessed as critical, wherein the receiving device (10) has at least one electrical line on a printed circuit board (7) of the controller (3), which encompasses a connector socket (5) of the controller (3) for the cable harness (4) for magnetic coupling.

2. Controller apparatus according to the preceding claim, characterized in that the receiving device (10) has at least one electrical conductor (12) which extends at least in sections along a cable harness (4) of the motor vehicle (1) as a receiving antenna (13) for electromagnetic fields and / or interference signals.

3. Controller apparatus according to either of the preceding claims, characterized in that the receiving device (10) on the printed circuit board (7) of the controller (3) has at least one conductor structure (16) acting as a receiving antenna.

4. Controller apparatus according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the processing device (11) has at least one analogue-to-digital converter (14).

5. Controller apparatus according to the preceding claim, characterized in that the analogue-to-digital converter (14) has a frequency-selective sensitivity.

6. Controller apparatus according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the processing device (11) has a high-frequency circuit.

7. Controller apparatus according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the control device (8) has at least one microcontroller.

8. Motor vehicle, in particular an autonomously operable motor vehicle, characterized by a controller apparatus according to one of Claims 1 to 7.