Electronic arrangement and method for operating a child safety function for a vehicle

Abstract

The invention relates to a method for operating a child safety function for a vehicle with an electronic arrangement (10), comprising: - a bus system (1); - at least one electric lock (2RL, 2RR) having a child safety function for an associated door of the vehicle, the electric lock being connected to the bus system (1); - at least one control unit (3) connected to the bus system (1) and an operating module (4) which is connected to the control unit and which has at least one optical status display (5) for the child safety function; - a central display unit (6) connected to the bus system (1), wherein: when the control unit (3) sends, via the bus system (1), a request (Kisi-Rq) to activate the child safety function to the at least one electric lock (2RL, 2RR), a message (LED_aktiv_Rq) for activating the optical status display (5) is sent by the electric lock (2RL, 2RR) to the control unit (3), whereupon the optical status display (5) is activated by the control unit (3) and a confirmation (LED_aktiv) of the activation is sent to the electric lock (2RL, 2RR) via the bus system (1), whereupon the electric lock (2RL, 2RR) activates the child safety function; if the confirmation (LED_aktiv) is absent, the electric lock (2RL, 2RR) switches to an error mode and sends information about the error mode via the bus system (1) to the central display unit (6), which in this case outputs an error notification (8).

Description

[0001] Mercedes-Benz Group AG

[0002] Electronic arrangement and method for operating a child safety lock function for a vehicle

[0003] The invention relates to an electronic arrangement for a vehicle according to the preamble of claim 1, a vehicle with such an electrical arrangement according to the features of claim 8 and a method for operating a child safety lock function for such a vehicle according to the preamble of claim 9.

[0004] It is common practice to equip vehicle doors with child safety locks.

[0005] US 2005 / 0216133 A1 describes a system that indicates the status of a motor vehicle child safety lock, comprising: a motor vehicle child safety lock located in a motor vehicle door; a sensor that can detect whether the child safety lock is activated or deactivated; and a display coupled to the sensor that indicates whether the child safety lock is either activated or deactivated when the door is in an open position.

[0006] The invention is based on the object of providing a novel electronic arrangement for a vehicle with a child safety lock function and a novel method for operating a child safety lock function for a vehicle.

[0007] The object is achieved according to the invention by an electronic arrangement for a vehicle having the features of claim 1 and by a method for operating a child safety lock function for a vehicle having the features of claim 9.

[0008] Advantageous embodiments of the invention are the subject of the dependent claims. An electronic arrangement for a vehicle is proposed, comprising:

[0009] - a bus system,

[0010] - at least one electric lock connected to the bus system with a child safety lock function for each door of the vehicle,

[0011] - at least one control unit connected to the bus system and an associated operating module with at least one optical status display for the child safety lock function,

[0012] - a central display unit connected to the bus system.

[0013] According to the invention, the at least one electric lock is configured to send a message for activating the optical status display to the control unit via the bus system when the control unit requests activation of the child safety lock function, wherein the control unit is configured to activate the optical status display in this case and to send a confirmation of the activation to the electric lock via the bus system, wherein the electric lock is configured to activate the child safety lock function in this case and, if the confirmation is not received, to switch to an error mode and to send information about the error mode via the bus system to the central display unit, which is configured to output an error message in this case.

[0014] An electric lock (E-Latch) can be equipped with a child safety lock, particularly as a software solution. The present invention ensures that the child safety lock status indicator is always kept synchronized with the actual state of the lock.

[0015] In one embodiment, the operating module has at least one operating element for the child safety lock function.

[0016] In one embodiment, the child safety lock function is implemented as a software function in the electric lock.

[0017] In one embodiment, the optical status indicator comprises at least one LED. In one embodiment, the central display unit is part of an on-board computer or is connected to an on-board computer.

[0018] In one embodiment, the bus system is constructed from several different bus segments.

[0019] In one embodiment, one of the bus segments is configured as an Ethernet network between the central display unit and at least one adapter. One of the bus segments can also be configured as a CAN-FD bus between the electric locks, the control unit, and the adapter. One of the bus segments can also be configured as a LIN bus between the control unit and the operating module.

[0020] The electronic arrangement can be part of a vehicle with at least one door, in particular several doors.

[0021] According to one aspect of the present invention, a method for operating a child safety lock function for a vehicle with an electronic arrangement is proposed, comprising:

[0022] - a bus system,

[0023] - at least one electric lock connected to the bus system with a child safety lock function for each door of the vehicle,

[0024] - at least one control unit connected to the bus system and an associated operating module with at least one optical status display for the child safety lock function,

[0025] - a central display unit connected to the bus system.

[0026] According to the invention, when the control unit requests activation of the child safety lock function on the at least one electric lock via the bus system, a message for activating the optical status display is sent from the electric lock to the control unit, whereupon the control unit activates the optical status display and sends confirmation of activation to the electric lock via the bus system, whereupon the electric lock activates the child safety lock function. If no confirmation is received, the electric lock goes into error mode and sends information about the error mode via the bus system to the central display unit, which in this case outputs an error message. Exemplary embodiments of the invention are explained in more detail below with reference to drawings.

[0027] Showing:

[0028] Fig. 1 is a schematic view of a bus system with at least one electric lock for each door of a vehicle, at least one control unit, an operating module with at least one optical status display and a central display unit,

[0029] Fig. 2 a schematic view of the control module,

[0030] Fig. 3 is a schematic representation of a three-way handshake, and

[0031] Fig. 4 a schematic view of the central display unit with an error message.

[0032] Corresponding parts are provided with the same reference numerals in all figures.

[0033] Figure 1 is a schematic view of an electronic arrangement 10, comprising a bus system 1 and at least one electric lock 2FL, 2FR, 2RL, 2RR for each door of a vehicle, at least one control unit 3, an operating module 4 with at least one visual status display 5, and a central display unit 6 (head unit), which may be part of an on-board computer. The vehicle may be, for example, a passenger car, a commercial vehicle, or a bus. The visual status display 5 may, for example, have at least one LED. The bus system 1 can be constructed from different bus segments 1.1, 1.2, 1.3, for example an Ethernet 1.1 between the central display unit 6 and at least one adapter ZC_Driver, ZC_Passenger, a CAN-FD bus 1.2 between the electric locks 2FL, 2FR, 2RL, 2RR, the control unit 3 and the adapter ZC_Driver, ZC_Passenger and a LIN bus 1.3 between the control unit 3 and the operating module 4.

[0034] Figure 2 is a schematic view of the control module 4 with visual status indicators 5 and control elements 7 for the child safety locks of the electric locks 2RL, 2RR on two doors, for example, a left rear door and a right rear door. Additional control elements for other functions, such as mirror adjustment and window lifts, may be provided in the control module 4.

[0035] The at least one electric lock 2RL, 2RR has a child safety lock as a function, for example a software function.

[0036] The request to engage or disengage the child safety lock is made, for example, by actuating one of the operating elements 7 located on the operating module 4 via the control unit 3 or a system. A child safety lock status is generated in the electric lock 2RL, 2RR. The electric lock 2RL, 2RR has a master position in bus system 1 at this point. A three-way handshake is used to keep the visual status indicator 5 of the operating module 4 and the status in the electric lock 2RL, 2RR synchronized.

[0037] Figure 3 is a schematic representation of the three-way handshake.

[0038] The three-way handshake works as follows:

[0039] 1) The request Kisi_Rq to activate or deactivate the child safety lock is sent by control unit 3 via bus system 1.

[0040] 2) The electric lock 2RL, 2RR addressed receives this request Kisi_Rq and confirms it with a message LED_aktiv_Rq to the control unit 3 to activate the optical status display 5.

[0041] 3) The control unit 3 or system activates the optical status indicator 5 and sends a confirmation LED_active of the activation to the electric lock 2RL, 2RR via the bus system 1. The child safety lock in the electric lock 2RL, 2RR is then activated.

[0042] If no confirmation LED_active of the activation of the optical status indicator 5 is sent to the electric lock 2RL, 2RR, the electric lock 2RL, 2RR enters a fault mode and sends information about the fault mode via the bus system 1 to the central display unit 6, which outputs a corresponding error message 8 to the user. The optical status indicator 5 remains inactive. Figure 4 is a schematic view of the central display unit 6 with the error message 8.

Claims

Mercedes-Benz Group AG Patent claims 1. An electronic arrangement (10) for a vehicle, comprising: - a bus system (1), - at least one electric lock (2RL, 2RR) connected to the bus system (1) with a child safety lock function for each door of the vehicle, - at least one control unit (3) connected to the bus system (1) and an operating module (4) connected thereto with at least one optical status display (5) for the child safety function, - a central display unit (6) connected to the bus system (1), characterized in that the at least one electric lock (2RL, 2RR) is configured, upon request (Kisi-Rq) from the control unit (3) to activate the child safety lock function, to send a message (LED_aktiv_Rq) to activate the optical status display (5) to the control unit (3) via the bus system (1), wherein the control unit (3) is configured to activate the optical status display (5) in this case and to send a confirmation (LED_aktiv) of the activation to the electric lock (2RL, 2RR) via the bus system (1), wherein the electric lock (2RL, 2RR) is configured to activate the child safety lock function in this case, and, if the confirmation (LED_aktiv) is not received, to switch to a fault mode and to send information about the fault mode via the bus system (1) to the central display unit (6), which is configured toin this case an error message (8) is displayed.

2. Electronic arrangement (10) according to claim 1, characterized in that the operating module (4) has at least one operating element (7) for the child safety lock function.

3. Electronic arrangement (10) according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the child safety function is implemented as a software function in the electric lock (2RL, 2RR).

4. Electronic arrangement (10) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the optical status display (5) has at least one LED.

5. Electronic arrangement (10) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the central display unit (6) is part of an on-board computer or is connected to an on-board computer.

6. Electronic arrangement (10) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the bus system (1) is constructed from several different bus segments (1.1, 1.2, 1.3).

7. Electronic arrangement (10) according to claim 6, characterized in that one of the bus segments (1.1) is designed as an Ethernet (1.1) between the central display unit (6) and at least one adapter (ZC_Driver, ZC_Passenger), and / or that one of the bus segments (1.2) is designed as a CAN-FD bus (1.2) between the electric locks (2RL, 2RR), the control unit (3) and the adapter (ZC_Driver, ZC_Passenger), and / or that one of the bus segments (1.3) is designed as a LIN bus (1.3) between the control unit (3) and the operating module (4).

8. Vehicle with at least one door and an electronic arrangement (10) according to one of the preceding claims.

9. A method for operating a child safety lock function for a vehicle having an electronic arrangement (10), comprising: - a bus system (1), - at least one electric lock (2RL, 2RR) connected to the bus system (1) with a child safety lock function for each door of the vehicle, - at least one control unit (3) connected to the bus system (1) and an operating module (4) connected thereto with at least one optical status display (5) for the child safety function, - a central display unit (6) connected to the bus system (1), characterized in that when the control unit (3) requests (Kisi-Rq) to activate the child safety lock function on the at least one electric lock (2RL, 2RR) via the bus system (1), a message (LED_aktiv_Rq) for activating the optical status display (5) is sent from the electric lock (2RL, 2RR) to the control unit (3), whereupon the control unit (3) activates the optical status display (5) and sends a confirmation (LED_aktiv) of the activation to the electric lock (2RL, 2RR) via the bus system (1), whereupon the electric lock (2RL, 2RR) activates the child safety lock function, wherein if the confirmation (LED_aktiv) is not received, the electric lock (2RL, 2RR) goes into an error mode and sends information about the error mode via the bus system (1) to the central display unit (6), which in this case outputs an error message (8).

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