In-vehicle electronic control devices

Abstract

To provide an on-vehicle electronic control device capable of executing online calibration without requiring an emulation memory.SOLUTION: An on-vehicle electronic control device comprises: a volatile memory; a non-volatile memory; and a central processing unit for executing a control program pre-stored in the volatile memory, with data required for execution of the control program being stored in the non-volatile memory. Upon receiving an instruction to update the data from the outside during operation, the central processing unit copies the data into the non-volatile memory; executes online calibration by overwriting the copied data with new data; and executes the control program using the new data.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to an on-vehicle electronic control device. [Background technology]

[0002] The following Patent Document 1 discloses a microcomputer device that does not require the debug circuit to be redesigned and does not require an increase in the number of dedicated input / output signals for connecting an external ICE to the debug circuit, even when flash memory, DRAM, or SRAM is used as the emulation memory. This microcomputer device is able to identify the type of emulation memory using a command code, thereby eliminating the need to redesign a debug circuit for each memory, even when DRAM, SRAM, flash memory, etc. are used as the emulation memory, and also generates control signals within the debug circuit that correspond to the memory installed in the emulation memory, eliminating the need to increase the number of dedicated input / output signals for connecting an external ICE to the debug circuit. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2001-084157 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] Meanwhile, in an on-vehicle electronic control unit, the parameters required for vehicle control (control parameters) are changed (online calibration) during operation to appropriately optimize vehicle control. If the technology of Patent Document 1 is to be applied to changing the control parameters of such an on-vehicle electronic control unit during operation, an emulation memory must be provided in the on-vehicle electronic control unit, and therefore on-line calibration cannot be performed on an on-vehicle electronic control unit that does not have an emulation memory.

[0005] The present invention has been made in consideration of the above-mentioned circumstances, and aims to provide an in-vehicle electronic control device that is capable of performing online calibration without requiring an emulation memory. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] In order to achieve the above object, the present invention employs, as a first solution relating to an in-vehicle electronic control device, a device comprising a volatile memory, a non-volatile memory, and a central processing unit that executes a control program pre-stored in the volatile memory, with data necessary for executing the control program stored in the non-volatile memory, wherein when the central processing unit receives an instruction to update the data from outside during operation, it copies the data to the volatile memory, overwrites the copied data with new data, thereby performing online calibration, and executes the control program using the new data.

[0007] The present invention employs, as a second solution relating to an on-vehicle electronic control device, the solution of the first solution, in which the data is a control parameter.

[0008] The present invention employs, as a third solution relating to an on-vehicle electronic control device, a solution in which a power control unit that drives a motor is set as a control target in the second solution.

[0009] The present invention employs, as a fourth solution relating to an in-vehicle electronic control device, a means in which, in any of the above-mentioned first to third solutions, the central processing unit reads the new data from the non-volatile memory and executes the control program when the data in the non-volatile memory is updated with the new data.

[0010] The present invention employs a fifth solution relating to an in-vehicle electronic control device, in any of the first to fourth solutions, in which the central processing unit performs the online calibration when it receives an instruction to update the data from the vehicle's wireless communication device. [Effects of the Invention]

[0011] According to the present invention, it is possible to provide an in-vehicle electronic control unit that is capable of performing online calibration without requiring an emulation memory. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0012] [Figure 1] 1 is a block diagram showing the configuration of an in-vehicle electronic control device A according to one embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 2] 2 is a memory map of an in-vehicle electronic control device A according to one embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 3] 3 is a flowchart showing the operation of an in-vehicle electronic control device A according to one embodiment of the present invention. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0013] Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. 1, an in-vehicle electronic control device A according to this embodiment is a motor ECU (Electronic Control Unit) that controls a motor M via a power conversion circuit B. This in-vehicle electronic control device A is provided in an electric vehicle such as an electric car or a hybrid car, and controls charging of a high-voltage secondary battery (not shown) with the electric power generated by the motor M to drive the electric vehicle.

[0014] The in-vehicle electronic control device A according to this embodiment is a software control device that directly controls the power conversion circuit B based on a control program pre-installed in the electric vehicle, thereby indirectly controlling the operation of the motor M. In other words, this in-vehicle electronic control device A is a control device whose ultimate control target is the motor M.

[0015] As shown in the figure, such an in-vehicle electronic control device A has as its components a CPU (Central Processing Unit) 1, a ROM (Read Only Memory) 2, a RAM (Random Access Memory) 3, an input circuit 4, a communication circuit 5, and a gate drive circuit 6.

[0016] Here, the power conversion circuit B is a so-called PCU (power control unit) in an electric vehicle, and includes multiple switching transistors as components. This power conversion circuit B selectively converts DC power to AC power and AC power to DC power between a high-voltage secondary battery and a motor M. Such a power conversion circuit B is composed of, for example, a bidirectional step-up / step-down circuit and an inverter circuit.

[0017] The bidirectional step-up / step-down circuit is a power converter that, under the control of the on-board electronic control device A, selectively performs a step-up process in which the DC power input from the high-voltage battery D is increased in voltage and output to one of the inverter circuits, and a step-down process in which the DC power input from the inverter circuit is reduced in voltage and output to the high-voltage battery D.

[0018] The inverter circuit is a power converter that, under the control of the in-vehicle electronic control device A, selectively performs a powering process in which DC power input from the bidirectional step-up / step-down circuit is converted into three-phase AC power and output to the motor M, and a regenerative process in which three-phase AC power input from the motor M is converted into DC power and output to the bidirectional step-up / step-down circuit.

[0019] The motor M is a rotating electric machine that generates rotational power using three-phase AC power input from one of the inverter circuits. This motor M is connected to, for example, the drive wheels of an electric vehicle, and generates rotational power as driving power. This motor M also generates regenerative power when the electric vehicle decelerates. The motor M outputs this regenerative power to the inverter circuit.

[0020] The high-voltage power supply D is, for example, a battery pack such as a lithium-ion battery or a fuel cell, and outputs high-voltage power (for example, several hundred volts) corresponding to the number of battery cells connected in series to the power conversion circuit B. In addition to the power conversion circuit B, the high-voltage power supply D also outputs high-voltage power to a DC-DC converter (not shown) that supplementarily charges a low-voltage power supply such as a lead-acid battery provided in the electric vehicle.

[0021] In the in-vehicle electronic control device A according to this embodiment, the CPU 1 is a semiconductor integrated circuit known as a central processing unit. The CPU 1 executes a control program stored in advance in the ROM 2 to generate various control commands for controlling the power conversion circuit B and output them to the gate drive circuit 6.

[0022] As will be described in detail later, when the CPU 1 receives an instruction from the communication circuit 5 to update the control data previously stored in the ROM 2 during operation, the CPU 1 copies the control data from the ROM 2 to the RAM 3 and performs online calibration of the control data by overwriting the control data copied to the RAM 3 with the new control data.

[0023] ROM2 is a non-volatile memory in which the control program and control data are stored in advance, and a predetermined address range a1 to a2 is set as shown in the memory map of Fig. 2(a). In response to a read request input from CPU1, ROM2 reads out data requested by CPU1 (read request data) and outputs it to CPU1.

[0024] That is, the read request includes the address of the read request data (read address). This read request includes at least the start address of the read request data and the read range from the start address (read address range) as read addresses. In response to this read request, ROM2 reads the data at the read address and outputs it to CPU1.

[0025] As is well known, nonvolatile memory can only be written to a limited number of times, and in order to rewrite the stored contents, it is necessary to connect it to a dedicated writing device. Therefore, in order to update the control data stored in ROM2, it is necessary to stop the electric vehicle and remove it from the on-board electronic control device A.

[0026] The RAM 3 is a volatile memory that temporarily stores data when the CPU 1 executes the control program, and has a predetermined address range a3 to a4 set therein as shown in the memory map of Fig. 2(a). When a write request is input from the CPU 1, the RAM 3 stores the write data input from the CPU 1 in response to the write request.

[0027] That is, the write request includes the address of the data to be written (write address). This write request includes at least the start address of the write addresses and the write range from the start address (write address range) as write addresses. RAM 3 stores the write data at the write address in accordance with this write request.

[0028] In response to a read request input from CPU 1, RAM 3 reads the data requested by CPU 1 (read request data) and outputs it to CPU 1. As with ROM 2 described above, the read request includes the address of the read request data (read address). RAM 3 reads the data at the read address in accordance with this read request and outputs it to CPU 1.

[0029] As is well known, volatile memory is a semiconductor storage device that does not retain stored data, and when the ignition switch of an electric vehicle is turned off, for example, the data stored therein is automatically erased.

[0030] The input circuit 4 is an interface circuit that receives externally input higher-level control commands from a higher-level control device of the motor ECU and detection signals from various sensors, and outputs them to the CPU 1. That is, the input circuit 4 converts the higher-level control commands and detection signals into digital signals that comply with the specifications of the CPU 1 and outputs them to the CPU 1.

[0031] The communication circuit 5 is an interface circuit that receives a signal from a wireless communication device provided in the electric vehicle and outputs the signal to the CPU 1. The received signal includes an instruction (control data update instruction) to execute the online calibration of the control data described above. When the communication circuit 5 receives the control data update instruction, it converts the control data update instruction into a digital signal conforming to the specifications of the CPU 1 and outputs the digital signal to the CPU 1.

[0032] Based on various control commands input from the CPU 1, the gate drive circuit 6 generates a plurality of gate signals that set the ON / OFF states of the switching transistors that make up the power conversion circuit B. That is, the gate drive circuit 6 generates gate signals for the switching transistors that make up the bidirectional step-up / step-down circuit and gate signals for the inverter circuit, and outputs them to the bidirectional step-up / step-down circuit and the inverter circuit, respectively.

[0033] Next, the operation of the on-vehicle electronic control device A according to this embodiment, particularly the operation of online calibration, will be described in detail with reference to the flowchart shown in FIG.

[0034] In this in-vehicle electronic control device A, the CPU 1 normally generates various control commands based on higher-level control commands and detection signals input from the input circuit 4, and outputs them to the gate drive circuit 6. Then, the gate drive circuit 6 generates a plurality of gate signals based on the various control commands and outputs them to the power conversion circuit B, which causes the motor M to operate appropriately, thereby allowing the electric vehicle to run normally.

[0035] Meanwhile, the wireless communication device provided in the electric vehicle receives an instruction to perform online calibration from the manufacturer of the electric vehicle or the like at any timing. Then, the communication circuit 5 receives a control data update instruction from the wireless communication device at any timing and outputs the control data update instruction to the CPU 1. The CPU 1 determines at a predetermined time interval whether or not a control data update instruction has been input from the communication circuit 5 (step S1).

[0036] If the determination in step S1 is "Yes," that is, if a control data update instruction is input from the communication circuit 5, the CPU 1 executes online calibration processing, that is, pseudo-control data update processing during operation.

[0037] As described above, the control data is stored in ROM2, which is a non-volatile memory, and therefore the control data cannot be updated while the CPU 1 is operating, i.e., while the in-vehicle electronic control device A is operating. To update the control data in ROM2, the electric vehicle must be stopped and ROM2 must be connected to a dedicated writing device.

[0038] Therefore, the CPU 1 executes a pseudo control data update process (online calibration process) in accordance with the procedure shown in the flowchart of Fig. 3. First, the CPU 1 outputs a read request for the control data to the ROM 2, and then outputs a write request for the control data to the RAM 3, thereby copying (duplicating) the control data in the ROM 2 to the RAM 3 as shown in Fig. 2(b) (step S2).

[0039] 2(a), when the write addresses of the control data in the ROM 2 are a11 to a12, the CPU 1 outputs a read request with a11 to a12 as the read addresses to the ROM 2. As a result, all of the control data stored at the write addresses a11 to a12 is read and acquired by the CPU 1.

[0040] Then, the CPU 1 outputs a write request specifying write addresses a21 to a22 to the RAM 3. As a result, the control data is written to the write addresses a21 to a22. The CPU 1 also writes an address offset amount indicating the relationship between the write addresses a11 to a12 in the ROM 2 and the write addresses a21 to a22 in the RAM 3 to a storage area of ​​the RAM 3 other than the storage area for the control data.

[0041] When the copying (duplicating) of the control data from ROM 2 to RAM 3 is completed in this manner, CPU 1 overwrites the control data in RAM 3 with new control data (new data) (step S3). That is, the control data update instruction input to CPU 1 from communication circuit 5 includes the new control data. The control data copied from ROM 2 to RAM 3 is old control data, and is rewritten with the new control data by CPU 1.

[0042] The online calibration process is completed by overwriting the control data (old control data) with the new control data. After the online calibration process is completed, the CPU 1 reads the new control data from the write addresses a21 to a22 of the RAM 3 (step S4), and executes the control program using the new control data in the RAM 3 to generate various control commands.

[0043] That is, when the CPU 1 executes a process using the control data, it refers to the address offset amount described above and offsets the write addresses a11-a12 of the control data in the ROM 2 by the address offset amount to obtain write addresses a21-a22 of the new control data in the RAM 3. Then, the CPU 1 executes a process using the new control data by reading the new control data from the write addresses a21-a22.

[0044] On the other hand, if the CPU 1 does not receive a control data update instruction from the communication circuit 5, i.e., if the judgment in step S1 is "No," the CPU 1 reads the control data from the write addresses a11 to a12 of the ROM 2 without performing online calibration processing (step S5), and generates various control commands by executing the control program using this control data.

[0045] In the in-vehicle electronic control device A according to this embodiment, the control data stored in the ROM 2 is copied (duplicated) to the RAM 3, so that the RAM 3 is used as an emulation memory. Therefore, according to this embodiment, it is possible to provide an in-vehicle electronic control device A that can perform online calibration without requiring an emulation memory.

[0046] The present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment, and the following modifications are possible. (1) In the above embodiment, online calibration of control data has been described, but the present invention is not limited to this. That is, the target data for online calibration in the present invention is not limited to control data (control parameters) as long as it is data stored in ROM 2. For example, it may be a part of a control program.

[0047] (2) In the above embodiment, when a control data update instruction is input from the communication circuit 5, the control data in ROM 2 is copied (duplicated) to RAM 3. However, the present invention is not limited to this. For example, it is conceivable that the control data in ROM 2 is loaded into RAM 3 as an initial setting when the CPU 1 is started.

[0048] In such a case, since the control data copied from ROM 2 is always stored in RAM 3, there is no need to newly copy the control data from ROM 2 to RAM 3. Therefore, CPU 1 overwrites the control data previously copied to RAM 3 with new control data, and generates various control commands based on this new control data. [Explanation of symbols]

[0049] A. In-vehicle electronic control device B Power conversion circuit (PCU) D High-voltage power supply Medium motor 1 CPU (central processing unit) 2 ROM 3 RAM 4 Input circuit 5. Communication Circuits 6 Gate drive circuit

Claims

1. An in-vehicle electronic control device comprising a volatile memory, a nonvolatile memory, and a central processing unit that executes a control program pre-stored in the nonvolatile memory, wherein data necessary for executing the control program is stored in the nonvolatile memory, The central processing unit copies the data to the volatile memory as an initial setting at startup, and when an instruction to update the data is received from outside during operation, performs online calibration by overwriting the copied data with new data, and executes the control program using the new data.

2. 2. The on-vehicle electronic control device according to claim 1, wherein a power control unit that drives a motor is controlled.

3. 3. The in-vehicle electronic control device according to claim 1, wherein when the data in the volatile memory is updated with the new data, the central processing unit reads the new data from the volatile memory and executes the control program.

4. 4. The in-vehicle electronic control device according to claim 1, wherein the central processing unit executes the online calibration when it receives an instruction to update the data from a wireless communication device of the vehicle.

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