Control device for a monitoring system of a motor vehicle, monitoring system, and motor vehicle

Abstract

The invention relates to a control device (4) for a monitoring system (2) of a motor vehicle (1), said control device comprising at least one computing unit (6, 8, 10, 60, 62) for evaluating output signals, supplied to the control device (4) and originating from a sensor (12, 14) corresponding to a function, and for controlling power electronics (40, 42, 44, 46, 48, 50) of an actuator (20, 22) corresponding to said function by means of control signals depending on the aforementioned output signals, wherein the control device (4) is designed as merely a single control device (4) of the monitoring system (2), wherein the control device (4) has a total of three FOC computing units (6, 8, 10) and is designed in such a way that, exclusively by means of said control device (4), a primary function and a secondary function of the motor vehicle (1) can be monitored during normal operation of the control device (4), in which all three FOC computing units (6, 8, 10) are functioning properly, and the aforementioned primary function can be monitored during an emergency operation of the control device (4), in which only one of the three FOC computing units (6, 8, 10) is functioning properly.

Description

[0001] Control unit for a control system of a motor vehicle, control system and motor vehicle

[0002] Description

[0003] The present invention relates to a control device for a control system of a motor vehicle of the type mentioned in the preamble of claim 1, a control system of a motor vehicle of the type mentioned in the preamble of claim 8 and a motor vehicle with a control system.

[0004] Such control devices for control systems of motor vehicles, control systems for motor vehicles and motor vehicles are already known from the state of the art in numerous design variants.

[0005] This is where the present invention comes in.

[0006] The present invention is based on the object of improving a control device for a control system of a motor vehicle, a control system for a motor vehicle and a motor vehicle.

[0007] This object is achieved by a control unit having the features of claim 1, which is characterized in that the control unit is designed as only a single control unit of the control system, wherein the control unit has a total of three FOC computing units and is designed and configured such that a main function of the motor vehicle and a secondary function of the motor vehicle can be controlled solely by means of this control unit, on the one hand during normal operation of the control unit, in which all three FOC computing units are functioning properly, and on the other hand during emergency operation of the control unit, in which only one of the three FOC computing units is not functioning properly, the aforementioned main function can be controlled. Furthermore, this object is achieved by a control system for a motor vehicle according to claim 8 and a motor vehicle according to claim 11.The term "main function" here refers to functions of the motor vehicle that are fundamental to the motor vehicle, in particular safety-relevant functions of the motor vehicle, such as the steering, drive, or braking system of the motor vehicle. These main functions of the motor vehicle, for example the aforementioned main functions, must be implemented redundantly due to their safety relevance. This means that the redundantly implemented main function can be safely executed even in the event of a fault, for example, a failure of a component of the control unit responsible for executing this main function, because this faulty component is automatically replaced by a corresponding redundant component for executing the main function in the event of a fault.The term "secondary function" refers here to functions of the motor vehicle according to the invention that are not safety-relevant and therefore do not need to be redundant. An FOC processing unit refers to a field-oriented control processing unit, i.e., a field-oriented processing unit for controlling the respective actuator, for example, an electric motor. The subclaims relate to advantageous developments of the invention.

[0008] A significant advantage of the invention is, in particular, that a control unit for a control system of a motor vehicle, a control system for a motor vehicle, and a motor vehicle are improved. Due to the inventive design of the control unit, the control system, and the motor vehicle, sufficient redundancy for a so-called X-by-wire system or the like can be implemented in a simple and thus cost-effective manner. Ensuring sufficient redundancy is particularly important for such systems and motor vehicles equipped with them because, in such motor vehicles, the mechanical couplings that exist in conventional motor vehicles and are relevant for redundancy considerations are eliminated.For example, this is easily understood using the example of the steering of a motor vehicle with a steer-by-wire system, in which a so-called steer-by-wire system is used instead of the known mechanical connection between a steering wheel of the motor vehicle and the wheels of the motor vehicle to be steered. The aforementioned mechanical connection is omitted. With regard to the example of the steering of a motor vehicle, the main function and the secondary function according to the invention can be designed as a secondary function embodied as a steering wheel feedback function for mechanically influencing a driver of the motor vehicle by means of a steering wheel of the motor vehicle and as a main function embodied as a wheel steering function for steering at least one wheel of the motor vehicle depending on a steering angle of the steering wheel set by the driver.However, the field of application of motor vehicle steering using steer-by-wire systems is mentioned here merely as an example. The invention can also be advantageously used for other main functions of motor vehicles. For example, reference is made here to other by-wire systems, which are generally referred to as X-by-wire systems. The basic design of such X-by-wire systems is sufficiently known to those skilled in the art. According to the invention, it is not necessary to provide a plurality of control units in order to implement, for example, the aforementioned functions, namely the main function and the secondary function, and the redundancy required for this. Instead, it is possible to use just a single control unit, i.e. a central control unit, to execute the two aforementioned functions of the motor vehicle.Accordingly, these two functions of the motor vehicle can be implemented using a single control unit instead of two control units, while maintaining the required redundancy. In the aforementioned exemplary embodiment of the control system as a steering system with the steering wheel feedback function and the wheel steering function, the components of the control system required for the respective function, such as the control unit, the at least one sensor, the power electronics, and the actuator, would be arranged, on the one hand, namely with regard to the steering wheel feedback function, on a steering column of the motor vehicle, and on the other hand, namely with regard to the wheel steering function, on a steering axle of the motor vehicle.Since, for example, the aforementioned components of the steering wheel feedback function are also required for the wheel steering function, namely for sensing the steering angle of the steering wheel using the at least one sensor of the steering wheel feedback function, it would therefore also be necessary to install two FOC computing units instead of just one in the control unit of the steering wheel feedback function. Accordingly, a control system according to the prior art would require a total of four FOC computing units, namely two redundant FOC computing units per control unit. In contrast, the control system according to the invention for the steering system explained above requires only a single control unit with a total of just three FOC computing units. A computing unit is generally also referred to as a so-called microcontroller.The control device according to the invention can thus be designed and arranged in a very compact and space-saving manner, so that the control system according to the invention equipped therewith is also designed to be more compact and space-saving.

[0009] In principle, the control unit according to the invention for a control system of a motor vehicle, the control system according to the invention for motor vehicles, and the motor vehicle according to the invention can each be freely selected in terms of type, mode of operation, material, and dimensions within wide, suitable limits. For example, reference is made here to motor vehicles designed as electric vehicles. In this regard, see the multitude of different functions in modern motor vehicles, for example, the above statements on the challenges of X-by-wire systems in general.

[0010] A particularly advantageous development of the control unit according to the invention provides that the control unit is designed and configured such that, in normal operation of the control unit, a total of two redundant control paths of the control unit are assigned to the main function and only a single control path of the control unit is assigned to the secondary function, wherein one of the three FOC computing units and power electronics with a driver circuit and a bridge circuit are assigned to each of the control paths, and wherein, in emergency operation of the control unit, in which one of the control paths assigned to the main function is not functioning properly, this faulty control path of the main function can be automatically replaced by the control path assigned to the secondary function in normal operation.As a result, in the event of a fault in one of the two control paths assigned to the main function, this faulty control path can be automatically and completely replaced by the control path assigned to the secondary function during normal operation of the control unit according to the invention. Accordingly, even in such a fault, the proper operation of the main function is ensured while maintaining the required redundancy.

[0011] An advantageous development of the control unit according to the invention, as defined in claim 2, provides that the driver circuits are each designed as a GDU, preferably each as an iGDU. In this way, the driver circuits are designed in a particularly suitable manner. This applies in particular to the preferred embodiment of this development. The abbreviation "GDU" stands for Gate Drive Unit, and the abbreviation "iGDU" stands for Intelligent Gate Drive Unit.

[0012] An advantageous development of the control device according to the invention according to claim 2 or 3 provides that the bridge circuits are each designed as a B6C, preferably that the bridge circuits are at least partially designed as a B6C with an integrated PCO. As a result, the bridge circuits are designed in a particularly suitable manner. This applies in particular to the preferred embodiment of this development. The abbreviation "B6C" stands for a six-pulse bridge circuit, and the abbreviation "PCO" is a switch, for example, a triple switch designed to correspond to the six-pulse bridge circuit.

[0013] A further advantageous development of the control unit according to the invention provides that the actuator corresponding to the main function is designed as a 2x3-phase motor, preferably as a brushless electric motor, particularly preferably as a PMSM, and / or the actuator corresponding to the secondary function is designed as a 1x3-phase motor, preferably as a brushless electric motor, particularly preferably as a PMSM. In this way, the actuator designed as an electric motor for the main function is further improved in terms of reliability, while the actuator designed as an electric motor for the secondary function is designed to be as simple and thus cost-effective as possible. The respectively preferred embodiment of this development also has the further advantage that brushless electric motors have enormous advantages over conventional electric motors, such as more torque, higher efficiency and lower noise emissions.The particularly preferred embodiment of this further development specifies a particularly suitable electric motor, wherein the abbreviation PMSM stands for a permanent magnet synchronous motor.

[0014] Another advantageous development of the control unit according to the invention provides that the control unit, in addition to the three FOC computing units, has a total of two ASW computing units that are in signal exchange and / or data exchange connection with the FOC computing units, wherein the first ASW computing unit is designed and configured to control the main function and the second ASW computing unit is designed and configured to control the secondary function in normal operation and to control the main function in emergency operation, and wherein the two ASW computing units are designed and configured such that all signal and data exchange of the control unit with a rest of the motor vehicle other than the control unit takes place completely by means of the two ASW computing units.As a result, the control unit according to the invention itself has a very powerful architecture, since the ASW computing units have significantly higher computing power than the FOC computing units. The three FOC computing units can be designed accordingly simply and thus cost-effectively. The abbreviation "ASW" stands for Application Software, i.e., application software integrated into Autosar, a standardized software architecture used in the automotive sector. The abbreviation "Autosar" stands for Automotive Open System Architecture.

[0015] A further advantageous development of the control unit according to the invention provides that the control unit is designed as a single structural unit, preferably that all FOC computing units and / or all ASW computing units of the control unit are each designed to be essentially identical to one another in terms of functionality. In this way, the control unit according to the invention is very compact and thus easier to handle. The preferred embodiment of this development also has the further advantage that the FOC computing units and / or the ASW computing units can be obtained, for example, from different manufacturers. This achieves additional diversification among the FOC computing units and / or ASW computing units, which can be used to achieve improved functional reliability of the control unit.This is because, although the FOC processing units and / or ASW processing units are essentially functionally identical, their design can vary from manufacturer to manufacturer. Accordingly, the failure of two FOC processing units and / or two ASW processing units from different manufacturers due to the same fault is practically very unlikely.

[0016] As already explained above, the control system according to the invention can be freely selected within wide suitable limits.

[0017] An advantageous development of the control system according to the invention provides that the control system is designed as a steer-by-wire system of the motor vehicle, preferably that the steer-by-wire system is designed as a steering system of the motor vehicle, wherein the secondary function is designed as a steering wheel feedback function for mechanically influencing a driver of the motor vehicle by means of a steering wheel of the motor vehicle and the main function is designed as a wheel steering function for steering at least one wheel of the motor vehicle depending on a steering angle of the steering wheel turned by the driver.As already stated in the introduction to the description, the control system according to the invention can be used particularly advantageously in steering systems of motor vehicles in which, for example, there is no longer any mechanical connection between the steering wheel on one side and the at least one wheel on the other side, since the invention ensures sufficient redundancy despite a smaller number of FOC computing units. This applies particularly to the preferred embodiment of this development. A further advantageous development of the control system according to the invention provides that the control unit is designed as an integral component of the actuator of the main function.As a result, the degree of structural integration in the control system according to the invention is improved, wherein the structural combination of the control device according to the invention with the actuator of the main function has additional circuit-related advantages in contrast to another structural integration of the control device according to the invention in the control system according to the invention.

[0018] The invention is explained in more detail below using the attached, roughly schematic drawing. The sole figure shows:

[0019] Fig. 1 shows an embodiment of the control system according to the invention for a motor vehicle with the control unit according to the invention in a process diagram.

[0020] In Fig. 1, an embodiment of the control system according to the invention for a motor vehicle with the control unit according to the invention is shown purely by way of example.

[0021] The control system 2 of a motor vehicle 1 (not shown in detail), namely an electric vehicle, is designed in the present exemplary embodiment as a steer-by-wire system of the motor vehicle 1, wherein the steer-by-wire system is designed as a steering system of the motor vehicle 1.

[0022] By means of the control system 2, a main function and a secondary function of the motor vehicle 1 are controlled, wherein the control system 2 has only a single control unit 4, and wherein the control unit 4 has a total of three FOC computing units 6, 8, 10 and is designed and configured such that only by means of this control unit 4, on the one hand in a normal operation of the control unit 4, in which all three FOC computing units 6, 8, 10 are functioning properly, a main function of the motor vehicle 1 and a secondary function of the motor vehicle 1 and on the other hand in an emergency operation of the control unit 4, in which only one of the three FOC computing units 6, 8, 10 is not functioning properly, the aforementioned main function can be controlled.

[0023] The control unit 4 is designed to evaluate applied output signals from at least one sensor 12, 14 of the control system 2 corresponding to the respective aforementioned function, and to control a power electronics unit (explained in more detail below) of an actuator 20, 22 of the control system 2 corresponding to one of the aforementioned functions, by means of control signals depending on the aforementioned output signals, for executing the main function and the secondary function of the motor vehicle 1. The three FOC computing units 6, 8, 10 are each supplied with a redundant electrical voltage. Furthermore, the FOC computing units 6, 8, 10 each communicate via duplicated communication channels with a remainder of the control system 2 and with a remainder of the motor vehicle 1 that is different from the control system 2. For the purpose of controlling the main function and the secondary function, the control system 2 has only the control unit 4.Accordingly, the control unit 4 is designed as only a single control unit 4 of the control system 2.

[0024] In the present exemplary embodiment, the two functions controlled by the control system 2 are, firstly, a secondary function designed as a steering wheel feedback function for mechanically influencing a driver (not shown) of the motor vehicle 1 by means of a steering wheel 24 of the motor vehicle 1, and secondly, a main function designed as a wheel steering function for steering at least one wheel 25 of the motor vehicle 1 as a function of a steering angle of the steering wheel 24 set by the driver. By means of the steering wheel feedback function, sensor information is collected at the steering wheel 24 by means of at least one sensor (not shown in Fig. 1) in order, on the one hand, to generate a feedback torque for the driver by means of the actuator 22 and, on the other hand, to make the driver's steering requests available to the wheel steering function.The wheel steering function steers the vehicle wheels 25 of motor vehicle 1, while also transmitting road conditions to the steering wheel feedback function. Thus, in the aforementioned manner, a constant exchange of signals and / or data occurs between the two aforementioned functions of motor vehicle 1.

[0025] The actuators 20, 22 shown in Fig. 1 are each an electric motor, namely, on the one hand, an actuator 20 designed as a brushless 2x3 PMSM phase motor and, on the other hand, an actuator 22 designed as a brushless 1x3 PMSM phase motor; the sensors 12, 14 are each so-called motor position sensors, namely a Hall sensor 12 and an inductive sensor 14. The at least one sensor (not shown) corresponding to the steering wheel 24 can be designed analogously. These motor position sensors 12, 14 can be multiple, i.e., redundant. In particular, the individual sensors of these motor position sensors 12, 14 can each be based on different physical measuring principles, thus resulting in an improvement in reliability, on the one hand through this technological diversity of the sensors 12, 14 and, on the other hand, through the aforementioned redundancy.The same applies to the at least one sensor corresponding to the steering wheel 24.

[0026] In the present exemplary embodiment, the control unit 4 is designed and configured such that, during normal operation of the control unit 4, a total of two redundant control paths 30, 32 of the control unit 4 are assigned to the main function, and only a single control path 34 of the control unit 4 is assigned to the secondary function. Each of the control paths 30, 32, 34 is assigned one of the three FOC computing units 6, 8, 10 and one of the power electronics, each with a driver circuit 40, 42, 44 and a bridge circuit 46, 48, 50. During emergency operation of the control unit 4, in which one of the control paths 30; 32 assigned to the main function is not functioning properly, this faulty control path 30, 32 of the main function can be automatically replaced by the control path 34 assigned to the secondary function during normal operation. The driver circuits 40, 42, 44 are each designed as a GDU, namely as an iGDU.The bridge circuits 46, 48, 50 are each designed as a B6C, with the bridge circuits 46, 48 each being designed as a B6C with an integrated PCO. In contrast, the triple switch associated with the bridge circuit 50, which is designed as a B6C, is designed as a PCO 52 separate from the B6C.

[0027] Furthermore, in the present exemplary embodiment, in addition to the three FOC computing units 6, 8, 10, the control unit 4 has a total of two ASW computing units 60, 62 which are connected to the FOC computing units 6, 8, 10 for signal exchange and / or data exchange, wherein the first ASW computing unit 60 is designed and configured to control the main function and the second ASW computing unit 62 is designed and configured to control the secondary function during normal operation of the control unit 4 and to control the main function during emergency operation of the control unit 4, and wherein the two ASW computing units 60, 62 are designed and configured such that all signal and data exchange between the control unit 4 and a rest of the motor vehicle other than the control unit 4 takes place entirely by means of the two ASW computing units 60, 62.

[0028] The control unit 4 is designed here as a single structural unit, with all FOC computing units 6, 8, 10 and all ASW computing units 60, 62 of the control unit 4 being essentially identical to one another in terms of functionality, and with the control unit 4 being designed as an integral component of the actuator 20 of the main function. However, other embodiments of the invention are also conceivable in which the control unit is designed as an integral component of another component of the control system. Of course, embodiments of the invention are also possible in which the control unit is designed as a separate component of the control system.

[0029] The functioning of the control system according to the invention for a motor vehicle according to the invention with the control unit according to the invention according to the present exemplary embodiment is explained in more detail below with reference to Fig. 1. It is initially assumed that all three FOC computing units 6, 8, 10 are functioning properly, so that the control unit 4 is in its normal mode. If the steering wheel 24 of the motor vehicle 1 is turned, for example, manually about a steering column (not shown), this steering movement of the steering wheel 24 is detected in a manner known per se by means of the at least one sensor functionally connected to the steering wheel 24 and forwarded as output signals from this at least one sensor in a manner known per se, for example by means of a bus system (not shown in detail) of the control system 2, to the control unit 4 of the control system 2.In order to properly control the power electronics 40, 46; 42, 48 of the actuator 20, it is also necessary that the current steering position of at least one steerable wheel 25 of the motor vehicle 1 is known. This current steering position is detected by means of the at least one sensor 12, 14 functionally interacting with the actuator 20, also in a manner known per se to those skilled in the art, and is forwarded to the control unit 4 for evaluation in the form of output signals from the sensor 12, 14, analogous to the above-mentioned output signals. Following this parallel evaluation of all output signals, each of the FOC computing units 6, 8 generates a control signal correlating to these output signals, with which the power electronics 40, 46; 42, 48 of the actuator 20 can be controlled.The power electronics 40, 46; 42, 48 of the actuator 20 are controlled by the control unit 4 such that the actuator 20 is energized via a power connection (not shown in detail). The wheel steering function of the motor vehicle 1 is executed. The same applies to the steering wheel feedback function of the control system 2 and the corresponding power electronics 44, 50 and the actuator 22. Thus, sensor information is collected at the steering wheel 24 by means of the at least one sensor assigned to the steering wheel feedback function in order, on the one hand, to generate a feedback torque for the driver via the actuator 22 and, on the other hand, to make the driver's steering inputs available to the wheel steering function. The wheel steering function steers the vehicle wheels 25 of the motor vehicle 1, and on the other hand, road conditions are transmitted to the steering wheel feedback function via the wheel steering function.Accordingly, in the aforementioned manner, a constant exchange of signals and / or data occurs between the two aforementioned functions of the motor vehicle 1 .

[0030] Should one of the FOC computing units 6, 8, 10 malfunction, this is automatically detected by the control unit 4, whereby even if there is a fault in only one of the three FOC computing units 6, 8, 10 of the control unit 4, safe operation of the main function of the motor vehicle 1 controlled by the control system 2 is enabled. Thus, the above-explained operation of the actuator 20 and thus the wheel steering function of the control system 2 can be maintained properly, i.e., with the required redundancy, even if only one computing unit 6; 8; 10 of the control unit 4 is faulty. However, maintaining the main function is also understood according to the invention to include operation of the main function of the motor vehicle 1 with restricted, i.e., reduced, performance or the like.In the event of the aforementioned fault, it is important that the control system 2 and thus the motor vehicle 1 are operated in a safe state so that the driver of the motor vehicle 1, any other occupants of the motor vehicle 1, and any other road users are not endangered. For example, in the event of the aforementioned fault, an automatic speed limitation can be implemented when driving the motor vehicle 1 so that the motor vehicle 1 can be transported independently but safely to a workshop. Since the control unit 4 is designed and configured as described above, in this emergency operation of the control unit 4, in which one of the control paths 30, 32 assigned to the main function is not functioning properly, this faulty control path 30; 32 of the main function is automatically replaced by the control path 34 assigned to the secondary function in normal operation.For this purpose, control path 34 is connected to the main function, namely the wheel steering function of motor vehicle 1, either as a replacement for control path 30 by means of a triple switch 64 corresponding to bridge circuit 50, or as a replacement for control path 32 by means of a triple switch 66 also corresponding to bridge circuit 50. The secondary function designed as a steering wheel feedback function is then no longer performed. PCO 52 corresponding to bridge circuit 50 is required only for the secondary function deactivated in the current emergency operation of control unit 4.

[0031] Due to the inventive design of the control unit 4, the control system 2, and the motor vehicle 1, sufficient redundancy for the control system 2 designed as a steer-by-wire system can be implemented in a simple and thus cost-effective manner. With regard to the exemplary embodiment of the steering of the motor vehicle 1, the secondary function and the main function controlled by the control system 2 can be designed as the steering wheel feedback function for mechanically influencing the driver of the motor vehicle 1 via the steering wheel 24 and as the wheel steering function for steering at least one wheel of the motor vehicle 1 depending on the steering angle of the steering wheel 24 set by the driver. However, the field of application of the steering of motor vehicles using steer-by-wire systems is mentioned here merely as an example.The invention can also be advantageously used for other main functions and secondary functions of motor vehicles. For example, reference is made here only to other by-wire systems, which are generally referred to as X-by-wire systems. According to the invention, it is therefore not necessary to provide a plurality of control units to implement, for example, the aforementioned main function and the aforementioned secondary function and the redundancy required for this according to the exemplary embodiment. Instead, the single control unit 4 is sufficient.Accordingly, this main function and this secondary function of the motor vehicle 1 can be implemented using only the single control unit 4 instead of two control units, while maintaining the required redundancy. Instead of a total of four FOC processing units, namely two redundant FOC processing units per control unit according to the prior art, only the three FOC processing units 6, 8, 10 of the control unit 4 are required. Furthermore, the control unit 4 can be designed and arranged in a very compact and space-saving manner, so that the control system 2 equipped therewith is also more compact and space-saving. For further alternative or optional features in embodiments of the invention that are alternatives to the present exemplary embodiment, reference is also made to the relevant explanations in the introduction to the description and in the description of the specific exemplary embodiment.

[0032] List of reference symbols

[0033] 1 motor vehicle

[0034] 2 Control system for the motor vehicle 1

[0035] 4 Control unit for control system 2

[0036] 6 FOC computing unit

[0037] 8 FOC computing unit

[0038] 10 FOC computing unit

[0039] 12 Sensor

[0040] 14 Sensor

[0041] 20 Actuator

[0042] 22 Actuator

[0043] 24 Steering wheel of vehicle 1

[0044] 25 Steerable wheel of vehicle 1

[0045] 30 Control path

[0046] 32 Control path

[0047] 34 Control path

[0048] 40 driver circuit

[0049] 42 driver circuit

[0050] 44 Driver circuit

[0051] 46 Bridge circuit with integrated PCO

[0052] 48 bridge circuit with integrated PCO

[0053] 50 bridge circuit

[0054] 52 PCO

[0055] 60 ASW computing unit

[0056] 62 ASW computing unit

[0057] 64 3-way switches

[0058] 66 3-way switch

Claims

Control unit for a control system of a motor vehicle, control system and motor vehicle Patent claims 1 . Control unit (4) for a control system (2) of a motor vehicle (1) for controlling at least one function of the motor vehicle (1), wherein the control unit (4) has at least one computing unit (6, 8, 10, 60, 62) for evaluating output signals applied to the control unit (4) from at least one sensor (12, 14) of the control system (2) corresponding to this function and for controlling power electronics (40, 46; 42, 48;44, 50) of an actuator (20, 22) of the control system (2) corresponding to this function by means of control signals as a function of the aforementioned output signals for carrying out this function of the motor vehicle (1), characterized in that the control unit (4) is designed as only a single control unit (4) of the control system (2), wherein the control unit (4) has a total of three FOC computing units (6, 8, 10) and is designed and configured such that a main function of the motor vehicle (1) and a secondary function of the motor vehicle (1) can be controlled solely by means of this control unit (4), on the one hand in normal operation of the control unit (4), in which all three FOC computing units (6, 8, 10) are functioning properly, and on the other hand in emergency operation of the control unit (4), in which only one of the three FOC computing units (6, 8, 10) is not functioning properly, the aforementioned main function can be controlled.

2. Control device (4) according to claim 1, characterized in that that the control unit (4) is designed and configured such that, in normal operation of the control unit (4), a total of two redundant control paths (30, 32) of the control unit (4) are assigned to the main function and only a single control path (34) of the control unit (4) is assigned to the secondary function, wherein one of the three FOC computing units (6, 8, 10) and power electronics with a driver circuit (40, 42, 44) and a bridge circuit (46, 48, 50) are assigned to each of the control paths (30, 32, 34), and wherein, in emergency operation of the control unit (4), in which one of the control paths (30, 32) assigned to the main function is not functioning properly, this faulty control path (30; 32) of the main function can be automatically replaced by the control path (34) assigned to the secondary function in normal operation.

3. Control unit (4) according to claim 2, characterized in that the driver circuits (40, 42, 44) are each designed as a GDU, preferably each as an iGDU.

4. Control device (4) according to claim 2 or 3, characterized in that the bridge circuits (46, 48, 50) are each designed as a B6C, preferably that the bridge circuits (46, 48) are at least partially designed as a B6C with integrated PCO.

5. Control device (4) according to one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that the actuator (20) corresponding to the main function is designed as a 2x3-phase motor, preferably as a brushless electric motor, particularly preferably as a PMSM, and / or the actuator (22) corresponding to the secondary function is designed as a 1x3-phase motor, preferably as a brushless electric motor, particularly preferably as a PMSM.

6. Control unit (4) according to one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that the control unit (4), in addition to the three FOC computing units (6, 8, 10), has a total of two ASW computing units (60, 62) which are in signal exchange and / or data exchange connection with the FOC computing units (6, 8, 10), wherein the first ASW computing unit (60) is designed and configured to control the main function and the second ASW computing unit (62) is designed and configured to control the secondary function in normal operation and to control the main function in emergency operation, and wherein the two ASW computing units (60, 62) are designed and configured such that all signal and data exchange between the control unit (4) and a rest of the motor vehicle (1) other than the control unit (4) takes place entirely by means of the two ASW computing units (60, 62).

7. Control unit (4) according to one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that the control unit (4) is designed as a structural unit, preferably in that all FOC computing units (6, 8, 10) and / or all ASW computing units (60, 62) of the control unit (4) are designed to be essentially identical to one another in terms of functionality.

8. Control system (2) of a motor vehicle (1) for controlling at least one function of the motor vehicle (1), with at least one control unit (4), wherein the control unit (4) has at least one computing unit (6, 8, 10, 60, 62) for evaluating output signals applied to the control unit (4) of at least one sensor (12, 14) of the control system (2) corresponding to this function and for controlling a power electronics unit (40, 42, 44, 46, 48, 50) of an actuator (20, 22) of the control system (2) corresponding to this function by means of control signals as a function of the aforementioned output signals for carrying out this function of the motor vehicle (1), characterized in that the control device (4) is designed as only a single control device (4) of the control system (2) according to one of claims 1 to 7.

9. Control system (2) according to claim 8, characterized in that the control system (2) is designed as a steer-by-wire system of the motor vehicle (1), preferably that the steer-by-wire system is designed as a steering system of the motor vehicle (1), wherein the secondary function is designed as a steering wheel feedback function for mechanically acting by means of a steering wheel (24) of the motor vehicle (1) on a driver of the motor vehicle (1) and the main function is designed as a wheel steering function for steering at least one wheel (25) of the motor vehicle (1) depending on a steering angle of the steering wheel (24) turned by the driver.

10. Control system (4) according to claim 8 or 9, characterized in that the control device (4) is designed as an integral part of the actuator (20) of the main function.

11. Motor vehicle (1) with a control system (2) for controlling at least one function of the motor vehicle (1), characterized in that the control system (2) is designed according to one of claims 8 to 10.

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