Bus Microcontroller Partial Processor Segmentation for Energy Management
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Solution Overview
Problem
The increasing number of electronic control units (ECUs) in vehicles leads to higher energy consumption and CO2 emissions, as existing 'partial networking' technologies are inefficient in reducing energy usage due to long booting times and inability to turn off bus microcontrollers during inactive periods, preventing them from entering a true standby mode.
Innovation Solution
A bus microcontroller with a power control circuit that evaluates incoming bus messages to selectively activate or deactivate parts of the processor circuit, allowing for reduced-power operating modes without shutting down the entire processor, enabling efficient energy management and reduced energy consumption.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Use of energy by moving object
If the bus microcontroller is switched to inactive state during standby mode, then energy consumption is reduced, but the microcontroller cannot respond quickly to incoming bus messages due to long booting times
Solution Approach 1:
The processor circuit is divided into multiple independent parts that can be selectively activated. The power control circuit places only the necessary parts into reduced-power mode while keeping other parts active, enabling partial shutdown without complete booting sequence requirements.
Solution Approach 2:
Instead of shutting down the entire processor circuit, the invention applies partial action by deactivating only specific parts of the processor that are not currently needed, while maintaining activation of other parts that may be required for quick response to bus messages.
2Use of energy by moving object
If the entire processor circuit is placed into reduced-power mode, then energy consumption is minimized, but the microcontroller cannot perform secondary tasks like contact monitoring
Solution Approach 1:
The processor circuit is segmented into multiple functional parts that can be independently controlled. The power control circuit selectively places specific parts into reduced-power mode while maintaining others in active state, enabling both energy savings and continued task execution capability.
Solution Approach 2:
The system dynamically adjusts the operational state of different processor parts based on current needs. The power control circuit continuously monitors and adjusts which processor parts are active versus in reduced-power mode, allowing flexible adaptation between energy savings and task execution requirements.
3Speed
If the bus microcontroller remains active continuously, then it can immediately respond to bus messages, but energy consumption increases during inactive periods
Solution Approach 1:
The processor circuit is divided into segments that can be independently powered down. The power control circuit places only the necessary segments into reduced-power mode, allowing the microcontroller to remain responsive for critical functions while saving energy on inactive segments.
Solution Approach 2:
Different parts of the processor circuit have different operational characteristics assigned to them. The power control circuit applies reduced-power mode selectively to specific local regions (parts) of the processor that do not require immediate response, while maintaining full responsiveness in other regions.
Data Source
AI summary
A bus microcontroller includes a processor circuit having at least one unit designed for performing one or more functions due to a bus command via a communication bus, a power control circuit adapted to be coupled to a transmitter-receiver circuit for receiving bus messages via the communication bus, and a means for placing at least part of the processor circuit into a reduced-power operating mode without placing the entire processor circuit into the reduced-power operating mode. The power control circuit is designed to evaluate incoming bus messages with respect to an activation bus message containing information on activating at least part of the processor circuit, and to output a corresponding activation control signal. The bus microcontroller also includes means for activating at least a part of the processor circuit that is placed in a reduced-power operating mode, in response to output of an activation control signal of the power control circuit.