Vehicle Data Bus Disconnect Unit for Retrofit Heater Integration
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Solution Overview
Problem
Integrating retrofit systems into existing vehicle temperature control systems is challenging due to communication difficulties with the vehicle's data bus, limiting their functionality and ability to interact with existing system areas.
Innovation Solution
A method that involves a vehicle data bus disconnect unit to create a partial data bus connection between the blower control unit and the air-conditioning control unit, allowing the vehicle heater to send activation commands and control the blower and air flow influencing units independently, thereby isolating the retrofit system from other vehicle data bus communications during operation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If a retrofit system is integrated into an existing vehicle temperature control system, then the functionality of the retrofit system is limited, but the integration complexity with existing system areas is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The data bus is segmented into a full data bus for normal vehicle operations and a partial data bus for retrofit system operations. The disconnect unit physically separates the data bus into two independent segments, allowing the retrofit system to communicate with necessary control units (blower control unit, air-conditioning control unit) without interfering with or being interfered by other vehicle systems. This segmentation enables full functionality of the retrofit system while maintaining clean integration boundaries.
Solution Approach 2:
The disconnect unit acts as an intermediary mechanism that controls the connection between the retrofit system and the vehicle's data bus. By switching between connected and disconnected states, it mediates communication flow, allowing the retrofit system to access necessary system areas when needed while isolating it from other vehicle systems to prevent unwanted interactions and ensure stable operation.
2Productivity
If the vehicle data bus is fully connected during heater operation, then all system areas can communicate, but unnecessary activities are triggered in other system areas
Solution Approach 1:
The disconnect unit extracts the retrofit system's data communication path from the full vehicle data bus, creating a dedicated partial data bus. This extraction removes the retrofit system's activation commands from the general data bus traffic, preventing them from reaching and triggering unnecessary activities in other system areas that are not part of the heating operation.
Solution Approach 2:
By segmenting the data bus into full and partial configurations, the system ensures that during heater operation, only the necessary control units (blower control unit, air-conditioning control unit) receive commands on the partial data bus, while other system areas remain isolated and unaffected by retrofit system activations.
3Object-generated harmful factors
If a partial data bus is provided for retrofit system operation, then unnecessary system activities are prevented, but the data bus connection complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The disconnect unit serves as a simple intermediary switch that manages the complexity of data bus connections. Rather than requiring complex software protocols or multiple communication layers, the disconnect unit provides a straightforward hardware-based switching mechanism that creates the partial data bus configuration when activated, thereby preventing unwanted interactions without introducing significant system complexity.
4Reliability
If the retrofit system is isolated from the vehicle data bus, then system stability is improved, but the ease of integration with existing systems is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The data bus segmentation approach allows the retrofit system to be integrated using standard data bus connectors and protocols, maintaining ease of integration. The disconnect unit provides a simple switching mechanism that creates isolated operation modes without requiring complex custom wiring or communication protocols, thereby maintaining reliability while preserving integration ease.
Data Source
AI summary
A method for operating a vehicle temperature control system includes, after activation of a vehicle heating unit (16) outputs an activation actuating command to a fan control unit (32), in response thereto the fan control unit (32) outputs a vehicle data bus disconnect command to a vehicle data bus disconnect unit (38), the vehicle data bus disconnect unit (38) disconnects a vehicle data bus (28) for providing a partial vehicle data bus (40) in response to receiving the vehicle data bus disconnect command from the fan control unit (32) and after providing the partial vehicle data bus (40), the fan control unit (32) outputs an activation actuating command to an air conditioning unit (34). The air conditioning unit (34) puts at least one vehicle fan (18) and/or at least one air flow influencing unit (36) into a specified operating condition in response to receiving the activation actuating command.