Method for controlling a control device group of a plurality of electronic control devices of a motor vehicle, and corresponding control device group

Abstract

The present invention provides a method for controlling a control device group of a plurality of electronic control devices of a motor vehicle, and a corresponding control device group. The method comprises the steps of detecting (S1) a momentary operating condition of the motor vehicle (1), in which there is an active operating function of the motor vehicle, in which operating function at least one control device (S30, S40) can be activated and deactivated, detecting (S1) one or more operating parameters of the operating condition, evaluating (S3) the detected operating condition and the detected operating parameters, creating (S4) an operating plan of the device group in respect of activating and deactivating one or more relevant control devices of the device group based on the evaluated operating conditions and the detected operating parameters and corresponding stored criteria, and executing (S5) the created operating plan by activating and deactivating the relevant control devices (S30, S40) of the device group based on the created operating plan.

Description

[0001] Description

[0002] title

[0003] Method for controlling a a majority

[0004] State of the art

[0005] The present invention relates to a method for controlling a control unit network of a plurality of electronic control units of a motor vehicle and a corresponding control unit network.

[0006] The interior of modern motor vehicles consists largely of computer-based electronics. Programmable controllers are now used to implement a wide range of functions. They control, for example, ignition and fuel injection, but also comfort features such as automatic climate control, as well as safety and driver assistance systems such as the anti-lock braking system (ABS) or the electronic stability program (ESP). Control units (ECUs) are responsible for the electronic control of these systems.

[0007] Control units operate according to the so-called "EVA" principle: They receive signals from sensors and control elements, evaluate them, and control so-called actuators, which are responsible for converting the control unit's signals into a specific action. Control units are networked via a data bus and can thus communicate with each other.

[0008] Modern motor vehicles typically contain a large number of electronic control units (typically 50-100), each of which performs various control tasks before, during, and after operation. Each of these control units consumes a minimum amount of electrical power when activated while idling.

[0009] Control units not required for a particular operating state can therefore be put into sleep mode and only woken up when needed – this is referred to as partial network shutdown. In sleep mode, power consumption is negligible compared to idle operation. Switching to sleep mode or waking up can be done, for example, via a communications port (e.g., a signal on a CAN line). This allows specific control units to be placed into standby mode.

[0010] For example, DE 102 50 616 C1 and DE 10 2009 027 593 A1 describe corresponding motor vehicle electrical systems. A higher-level, so-called master control unit of the electrical system can use corresponding control signals to specifically switch subordinate, so-called slave control units between a standby mode (also called sleep mode) and the normal operating state (also called normal operating mode). During its standby mode, a control unit is, in particular, at least capable of receiving wake-up signals and then switching to the normal operating state.

[0011] Situations in which the engine is switched off, for example, when the vehicle is parked, place special demands on the operating state of a motor vehicle's electrical system. In such situations, at least certain parts or functions of the electrical system remain operational in modern vehicles, for example, units belonging to the locking system's radio interface, which provide a radio connection to a remote control key for the vehicle, or units that allow remote access to the vehicle.

[0012] Compared to a conventional combustion engine vehicle, an electric vehicle has an additional operating mode: charging mode. Depending on the charging power, charging takes a few to several hours. During charging, the subsystems not required for the charging curtain are put into standby mode.

[0013] With V2L, future systems will also offer bidirectional charging. A control unit installed in the vehicle generates a mains voltage that will supply external power consumers.

[0014] With V2H / V2X, the generated grid voltage can also be used to power an entire house. A further expansion stage would be to feed the generated grid voltage into the power grid to support the power grid.

[0015] However, the electric vehicles are equipped with a special cooling system for cooling the drive battery using a gaseous or liquid cooling fluid during charging, which is operated by a cooling control unit during charging.

[0016] Other important control units that are active during the charging process and must be cooled are the on-board charger, which controls the bidirectional charging of the high-voltage battery, and the DCDC system, which provides the low-voltage power to the vehicle.

[0017] The general state of the art is that all subsystems required for charging are always active.

[0018] This significantly slows down charging operations (especially at low charging power levels) and increases consumption in the charging infrastructure.

[0019] Even a control unit with 5 W idle power generates a loss of 50 Wh after 10 hours of charging time; several control units add up accordingly.

[0020] Overall, it is therefore worthwhile to carefully examine the need to activate individual control units during charging in electric vehicles. The partial grid shutdowns currently implemented switch a defined number of control units on or off depending on the operating state, meaning that during an operating state, the individual control units are not controlled individually at each operating point. This can lead to unnecessary activation of control units during charging and thus to significant increased consumption.

[0021] This results in a significant slowdown of charging operations at low charging power levels when control units are operated unnecessarily frequently, and in unnecessary power consumption in the infrastructure at low charging power levels (not insignificant due to the duration of the charging operation).

[0022] Due to the poor efficiency, current technology prohibits charging at low power levels. This makes charging with a small PV system, for example, impossible.

[0023] DE 10 2014 224 485 A1 discloses an on-board electrical system for a vehicle comprising a power source and at least one sampling control device configured to sample status signals from at least one further control device and / or at least one switching unit in a clocked manner with a predetermined cycle time. The on-board electrical system is configured such that it can be switched from a first operating state, the so-called normal operating state, to a second operating state, the so-called standby operating state, in which it consumes less energy than in the normal operating state. It is further configured to detect status signals with a shorter cycle time in the normal operating state than in the standby operating state.The scanning control device is configured such that in the standby operating state, the cycle time is automatically changed from a first standby cycle time to a second standby cycle time by means of a predetermined changeover parameter.

[0024] DE 10 2016 215 388 A1 discloses a method for planning and controlling a standby mode of a motor vehicle, and in particular for the preparatory planning and subsequent control of functions of the vehicle during a standby mode, in particular a method for planning and controlling at least one function of the vehicle in standby mode, based on a forecast or prediction of the length of an expected standby time of the vehicle.

[0025] Disclosure of the invention

[0026] According to the invention, a method for controlling a control unit network of a plurality of electronic control units of a motor vehicle with the features of patent claim 1 and a control unit network with the features of patent claim 9 are provided.

[0027] The idea underlying the present invention is to minimize the required power of the control unit network of the motor vehicle depending on the current operating conditions.

[0028] The core of the invention is to switch control unit networks on and off depending on the operating conditions (e.g. charging power and current temperature).

[0029] The current or prevailing operating conditions are preferably recorded and evaluated cyclically. Based on this evaluation, a decision is made as to which control units are required to continue operating the system functions, for example, charging / discharging, and which can be deactivated.

[0030] The invention thus enables the minimization of the power consumption of the control unit network. The optimization (power consumption minimization) takes the prevailing operating conditions into account and can dynamically deactivate / activate the control units. Optimizing the auxiliary load makes it possible to start charging at low charging power levels.

[0031] Advantageous embodiments and further developments emerge from the further subclaims and from the description with reference to the figures. According to a preferred development, the motor vehicle has an electric drive battery, wherein the operating condition is a charging operation of the electric drive battery, and wherein a cooling system operable by a cooling control unit is provided for cooling the drive battery during charging operation by means of a gaseous or liquid cooling fluid during charging operation. The operating parameters include the available charging power, and during evaluation, it is determined whether the cooling control unit must be activated at the available charging power.

[0032] According to a further preferred development, the operating parameters further comprise one of the following parameters: current battery SOC, target SOC, battery temperature, ambient temperature, battery cooling circuit temperature, charging curve of the drive battery, current charging power, OBC temperature, DCDC temperature, current DCDC power, current OBC power.

[0033] According to a further preferred development, the evaluation of the recorded operating conditions and operating parameters comprises a prediction of a future temporal development of the operating conditions and parameters, wherein the operating plan is created based on the predicted temporal development of the operating conditions and operating parameters.

[0034] According to a further preferred development, a current operating condition of the motor vehicle in which an active operating function of the motor vehicle is present is cyclically recorded again, one or more operating parameters of the operating condition are recorded again, the recorded operating condition and the recorded operating parameters are evaluated again, and an operating plan of the device network is created again with regard to activation and deactivation of relevant control devices of the device network based on the evaluated operating conditions and the recorded operating parameters.

[0035] According to a further preferred development, all other control units are deactivated. According to a further preferred development, the operating condition is ferry operation, wherein an air conditioning system operable by a climate control unit is provided for cooling the passenger compartment using a gaseous or liquid cooling fluid during ferry operation. The operating parameters include the ambient temperature and the interior temperature, and during evaluation, it is determined whether the climate control unit must be activated at the detected ambient temperature and interior temperature.

[0036] According to a further preferred development, the operating condition is a discharge operation, wherein electrical energy is fed into an external consumer and / or an electrical network.

[0037] The present invention is explained in more detail below with reference to the exemplary embodiments shown in the schematic figures. They show:

[0038] Fig. 1 is a schematic block diagram for explaining a control unit network of a plurality of electronic control units of a motor vehicle according to a first embodiment of the present invention;

[0039] Fig. 2 is a flowchart for explaining a method for controlling a control unit network of a plurality of electronic control units of a motor vehicle according to the first embodiment of the present invention; and

[0040] Fig. 3 is a flowchart for explaining a method for controlling a control unit network of a plurality of electronic control units of a motor vehicle according to a second embodiment of the present invention.

[0041] The figures are intended to provide a further understanding of embodiments of the invention. They illustrate embodiments and, in conjunction with the description, serve to explain principles and concepts of the invention. Other embodiments and many of the noted advantages will become apparent upon review of the drawings. Elements of the drawings are not necessarily shown to scale relative to one another.

[0042] In the figures of the drawing, identical, functionally identical and acting elements, features and components are provided with the same reference symbols, unless otherwise stated.

[0043] Fig. 1 shows a schematic block diagram for explaining a control unit network of a plurality of electronic control units of a motor vehicle according to a first embodiment of the present invention.

[0044] In Fig. 1, reference numeral 1 denotes an electric vehicle having a rechargeable drive battery BAT. The drive battery BAT is connected to a charging station 50 via a charging cable 10, which is plugged into a corresponding socket 15 of the electric vehicle 1. The electric vehicle 1 is in a charging / discharging mode, which is controlled by a charging controller (not shown).

[0045] The electric vehicle 1 includes a control unit network comprising a plurality of electronic control units S10-S40, which are interconnected via a communication channel, for example, a CAN bus BU. Also connected to the CAN bus is a central control unit CC, which can execute operating programs stored therein during operation of the electric vehicle 1.

[0046] Listed here are, by way of example only and not exhaustive, an engine control unit S10 for engine control, a brake control unit S20 for brake control, an air conditioning control unit S30 for controlling an air conditioning system KL, and a cooling control unit S40 for controlling a cooling system KS for cooling the traction battery BAT during ferry operation and charging. Finally, reference symbol SE denotes a detection device with a plurality of sensors for detecting various operating states and associated operating parameters.

[0047] The functions of the components shown in Fig. 1 are explained below with reference to Figs. 2 and 3.

[0048] Fig. 2 shows a flowchart for explaining a method for controlling a control unit network of a plurality of electronic control units of a motor vehicle according to the first embodiment of the present invention.

[0049] In step S1, the detection device SE detects a current operating condition of the motor vehicle in which an active operating function of the motor vehicle, in which at least one control unit can be activated and deactivated, is present, and detects one or more operating parameters of the operating condition.

[0050] In the present embodiment, the motor vehicle is an electric vehicle 1 having the electric drive battery BAT, and the operating condition is a charging operation of the electric drive battery BAT.

[0051] The cooling system operated by the cooling control unit S40

[0052] KS for cooling the traction battery BAT during charging by means of a gaseous or liquid cooling fluid during charging can be activated and deactivated during charging.

[0053] The recording takes place, for example, when charging starts.

[0054] The following parameters, for example, are not the only ones that can be considered as operating parameters for charging:

[0055] Current battery SOC,

[0056] Target SOC,

[0057] Battery temperature, outside temperature, battery cooling circuit temperature, (estimated) charging power (minimum of vehicle limits and limits on the charging infrastructure side), charging curve,

[0058] Safety aspects, e.g. checking for unwanted vehicle movement (handbrake, gear lock) only necessary when charging starts, deactivation of crash detection in known environments (e.g. home garage), OBC power, OBC temperature, DCDC power, DCDC temperature.

[0059] At least the available charging power is recorded as an operating parameter, and during evaluation by the central control unit CC—also referred to as the evaluation unit—in step S3, it is determined whether the cooling control unit S40 needs to be activated at the (presumably) available charging power, e.g., depending on whether rapid charging with high charging power or overnight charging with low charging power is taking place. Corresponding criteria can be stored in the central control unit CC in a vehicle-specific or battery-specific table.

[0060] Based on the current operating conditions and corresponding prediction or learning models, a development of the operating conditions can optionally be predicted in step S2 and taken into account in the evaluation in step S3.

[0061] The recorded operating conditions and parameters can be evaluated with regard to the need for individual actuators and sensors during charging. For example, it is possible not only to calculate whether cooling is required for the planned charging power, or what type of cooling is required, but also to examine the need for different infotainment concepts (depending on whether fast charging or overnight charging is taking place).

[0062] Based on the evaluation, an operating plan for the device network is then created in step S4, with regard to the activation and deactivation of the relevant control units of the device network based on the evaluated operating conditions and the recorded operating parameters. This can be done, for example, using a stored priority list. Alternatively or additionally, an optimization algorithm can compare the different variants and make an optimal selection (i.e., minimum consumption). In a further embodiment, the decision can also be influenced by the user via a suitable HMI format (e.g., deactivation of the interior display / charging mode indicator).

[0063] The decision selection then leads to the corresponding deactivation / activation of the affected control units in step S5. If, for example, cooling is not necessary due to the low charging power, the cooling system KS can be deactivated (or put to sleep) for a given control unit architecture. Coolant pumps and their control systems can also be deactivated or only briefly activated if necessary.

[0064] Via branch S6, a renewed detection S1 of a current operating condition of the motor vehicle in which an active operating function of the motor vehicle is present, a renewed detection S1 of one or more operating parameters of the operating condition, a renewed evaluation S3 of the detected operating condition and the detected operating parameters, and a renewed creation S4 of an operating plan of the device network with regard to activation and deactivation of relevant control units of the device network based on the evaluated operating conditions and the detected operating parameters can be carried out.

[0065] In other words, these steps S1 to S5 can be repeated regularly during charging operation to take into account changed operating conditions and adapt the operating plan decisions accordingly.

[0066] Fig. 3 shows a flowchart explaining a method for controlling a control unit network of a plurality of electronic control units of a motor vehicle according to a second embodiment of the present invention. Steps S1' to S6' correspond to steps S1 to S6 of the first embodiment.

[0067] In the second embodiment, however, the detected operating condition is a ferry operation.

[0068] The air conditioning system KL, which can be operated by the air conditioning control unit S30 and which cools the passenger compartment using a gaseous or liquid cooling fluid, is activated or deactivated depending on the recorded operating parameters without the need for user intervention or contrary to the setting made by the user.

[0069] In the second embodiment, the detected operating parameters include the ambient temperature and the interior temperature, and during the evaluation in step S3', the evaluation device CC can determine whether the climate control unit S30 must be activated at the detected ambient temperature and interior temperature.

[0070] Corresponding criteria can also be stored in the central control unit CC in a vehicle-specific or battery-specific table, whereby the difference between the ambient temperature and the interior temperature can be used as a criterion, for example.

[0071] Although the present invention has been described using preferred embodiments, it is not limited thereto but can be modified in many ways.

[0072] In particular, the present invention is not limited to electric vehicles, but is also applicable to hybrid vehicles and combustion vehicles.

[0073] The invention is also applicable to any control units that can be activated and deactivated depending on operating parameters in a motor vehicle operating condition in which an active operating function of the motor vehicle is present. The present invention can also be advantageously applied in discharging mode, e.g., with grid feed-in or direct connection of an external consumer.

Claims

Claims 1 . Method for controlling a control unit network of a plurality of electronic control units (S10-S40) of a motor vehicle (1) with the steps: Detecting (S1; S1') a current operating condition of the motor vehicle in which an active operating function of the motor vehicle exists in which at least one control device (S30, S40) can be activated and deactivated; Detecting (S1; S1') one or more operating parameters of the operating condition; Evaluating (S3; S3') the recorded operating condition and the recorded operating parameters; Creating (S4; S4') an operating plan for the device network with regard to the activation and deactivation of one or more relevant control units of the device network based on the evaluated operating conditions and the recorded operating parameters and corresponding stored criteria; and Executing (S5; S5') the created operating plan by activating and deactivating the relevant control devices (S30, S40) of the device network based on the created operating plan.

2. Method according to claim 1, wherein the motor vehicle has an electric drive battery (BAT) and the operating condition is a charging operation of the electric drive battery (BAT) and wherein a cooling system (KS) operable by a cooling control unit (S40) for cooling the drive battery (BAT) during charging operation by means of a gaseous or liquid cooling fluid is provided during charging operation, wherein the operating parameters include the available charging power and during evaluation (S3) it is determined whether the cooling control unit (S40) must be activated with the available charging power.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the operating parameters further comprise one of the following parameters: current battery SOC, target SOC, battery temperature, ambient temperature, battery cooling circuit temperature, drive battery charging curve, OBC power, OBC temperature, DCDC power, DCDC temperature 4. Method according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the evaluation (S3) of the detected operating condition and operating parameters comprises a prediction (S2; S2') of a future temporal development of the operating condition and parameters and wherein the operating plan is created based on the predicted temporal development of the operating conditions and operating parameters.

5. Method according to one of the preceding claims, wherein cyclically a renewed detection (S1) of a current operating condition of the motor vehicle in which an active operating function of the motor vehicle is present, a renewed detection (S1) of one or more operating parameters of the operating condition, a renewed evaluation (S3) of the detected operating condition and the detected operating parameters, and a renewed creation (S4) of an operating plan of the device network with regard to activation and deactivation of relevant control devices of the device network based on the evaluated operating conditions and the detected operating parameters and corresponding stored criteria is carried out.

6. Method according to one of claims 2 to 5, wherein all further control devices (S10, S20) are deactivated.

7. The method according to claim 1, wherein the operating condition is ferry operation and an air conditioning system (KL) operable by a climate control unit (S30) is provided for cooling the passenger compartment by means of a gaseous or liquid cooling fluid during ferry operation, wherein the operating parameters comprise the ambient temperature and the interior temperature and during the evaluation (S3') it is determined whether the climate control unit (S30) must be activated at the detected ambient temperature and interior temperature.

8. The method according to claim 1, wherein the operating condition is a discharge operation and electrical energy is fed into an external consumer and / or an electrical network.

9. A control unit assembly comprising: a plurality of electronic control units (S10-S40) of a motor vehicle; a detection device (SE) for detecting (S1) a current operating condition of the motor vehicle (1), in which an active operating function of the motor vehicle, in which at least one control unit (S30, S40) can be activated and deactivated, is present, and for detecting (S1) one or more operating parameters of the operating condition;an evaluation device (CC) for evaluating (S3) the recorded operating conditions and the recorded operating parameters, for creating (S4) an operating plan for the device network with regard to activation and deactivation of one or more relevant control units of the device network based on the evaluated operating conditions and the recorded operating parameters and corresponding stored criteria, and for executing (S5) the created operating plan by activating and deactivating relevant control units (S30, S40) of the device network based on the created operating plan; 10. Control unit assembly according to claim 9, wherein the motor vehicle has an electric drive battery (BAT) and the operating condition is a charging operation of the electric drive battery (BAT) and wherein a cooling system (KS) operable by a cooling control unit (S40) is provided for cooling the drive battery (BAT) during charging operation by means of a gaseous or liquid cooling fluid during charging operation, wherein the operating parameters include the available charging power and during evaluation (S3) by the evaluation device (CC) it is ascertainable whether the cooling control unit (S40) must be activated with the available charging power.

11. Control unit network according to claim 10, wherein the operating parameters further comprise one of the following parameters: current battery SOC, target SOC, battery temperature, ambient temperature, battery cooling circuit temperature, drive battery charging curve, OBC power, OBC temperature, DCDC power, DCDC temperature.

12. Control unit assembly according to one of claims 9 to 11, wherein the evaluation (S3) of the detected operating condition and operating parameters by the evaluation device (CC) comprises a prediction (S2; S2') of a future temporal development of the operating condition and parameters by the evaluation device (CC), and wherein the operating plan can be created by the evaluation device (CC) based on the predicted temporal development of the operating conditions and operating parameters.

13. Control unit network according to one of claims 9 to 12, wherein cyclically from the detection device (SE) a renewed detection (S1) of a current operating condition of the motor vehicle in which an active operating function of the motor vehicle is present, and a renewed detection (S1) of one or more operating parameters of the operating condition, a renewed evaluation (S3) of the detected operating condition and the recorded operating parameters is executable, and a new creation (S4) of an operating plan of the device network with regard to activation and deactivation of one or more relevant control units of the device network based on the evaluated operating conditions and the recorded operating parameters and corresponding stored criteria is executable 14. Control unit network according to one of claims 8 to 13, wherein all further control units (S10, S20) can be deactivated.

15. Control unit assembly according to claim 9, wherein the operating condition is ferry operation and an air conditioning system (KL) operable by an air conditioning control unit (S30) is provided for cooling the passenger compartment by means of a gaseous or liquid cooling fluid during ferry operation, wherein the operating parameters include the ambient temperature and the interior temperature and during evaluation (S3') the evaluation device (CC) can determine whether the air conditioning control unit (S30) must be activated at the detected ambient temperature and interior temperature.

16. Control unit assembly according to claim 9, wherein the operating condition is a discharge operation and electrical energy is fed into an external consumer and / or an electrical network.

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