Vehicle ECU Relay Control for Non-Critical Actuator Failover
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Solution Overview
Problem
The increasing complexity and cost of vehicle control systems due to the need for all actuator drive controllers to have failure detection and calculation functions, especially in critical vehicle functions like driving, braking, and steering, lead to higher development costs and power consumption.
Innovation Solution
A vehicle control system with a central control device that calculates target outputs for actuators and uses relay devices to manage signals, where specific relay devices only control non-fundamental actuators and do not have abnormality diagnosis functions, allowing for reduced manufacturing costs and enhanced fail-operational capability.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If all actuator drive controllers have failure detection function and calculation function, then fail-operational capability is improved, but development cost and manufacturing cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the controller functions by introducing a specific relay device that separates critical actuator control from non-critical actuator control. The relay device acts as an intermediary that redirects control signals for non-fundamental actuators when central control device failure is detected, eliminating the need for all actuator drive controllers to have both failure detection and calculation functions simultaneously. This segmentation reduces development cost while maintaining fail-operational capability for critical functions.
Solution Approach 2:
The specific relay device serves as an intermediary component in the control system. It receives control signals from the central control device and can redirect them to alternative actuators when failure is detected. This intermediary mechanism enables fail-operational capability without requiring every actuator drive controller to be fully redundant, thereby reducing manufacturing cost while preserving system reliability.
2Reliability
If all actuator drive controllers have failure detection function and calculation function, then fail-operational capability is improved, but power consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the operational burden by introducing a specific relay device that handles only non-critical actuator control. When failure is detected, this relay device redirects control signals for non-fundamental actuators, allowing other actuator drive controllers to enter low-power states. This segmentation reduces overall power consumption while maintaining fail-operational capability for critical vehicle functions.
Solution Approach 2:
The specific relay device acts as a mediator that manages control signal routing during failure conditions. By handling the redirection of non-critical actuator control, it enables other controllers to reduce their operational load and power consumption, thereby improving energy efficiency while preserving system reliability.
3Reliability
If specific relay device outputs safety-enhanced signal to specific actuator upon central control device abnormality, then fail-operational capability is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the failure detection and signal redirection function from all actuator drive controllers and concentrates it in a specific relay device. This extracted function handles only non-critical actuators, simplifying the overall system architecture. The specific relay device's dedicated role reduces the complexity burden on other controllers while maintaining fail-operational capability through centralized failure management.
Solution Approach 2:
The specific relay device is designed as a dedicated, simplified component that handles non-critical actuator control during failure conditions. By creating this specialized, functionally-limited device, the patent reduces the complexity requirements for the overall system while maintaining reliability. The relay device's focused functionality makes it easier to implement and maintain compared to fully redundant controllers.
Data Source
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AI summary
A vehicle control system includes a central ECU (10) configured to calculate target outputs of actuators, and relay devices each disposed in a communication path between the central ECU (10) and a corresponding actuator among the actuators. The plurality of relay devices includes a specific relay device configured transfer a control signal from the central ECU (10) only to a fixed actuator that is an actuator not related to driving control, braking control, and steering control of a vehicle. The specific relay device is configured to output, to the fixed actuator coupled to the specific relay device, one of a signal for setting the fixed actuator in an operating state or a signal for setting the fixed actuator in a non-operating state, in response to detection of an abnormality in the central ECU (10). The specific relay device does not have a function of diagnosing an abnormality in the specific relay device.