ECU Wire Power Control With Stepwise Current Anomaly Detection
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing power supply control devices fail to detect anomalies in power supply effectively when current values are small, leading to potential component damage due to large current values and temperature increases.
Innovation Solution
A power supply control device that incrementally increases the average current value through a wire in a stepwise manner and detects anomalies based on the temperature difference between the wire temperature and environmental temperature.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the FET is kept on after power supply is restarted, then the power supply can be maintained, but the cut-off condition is satisfied again causing the FET to be forcibly switched off
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by detecting anomalies through temperature difference measurement before the current reaches dangerous levels. The system performs detection during the gradual current increase phase, so when power is restarted after a cut-off, the anomaly has already been identified and can be prevented from recurring, avoiding the cycle of forced switching off.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements feedback by continuously monitoring the temperature difference between the wire and environment during the gradual current increase. This feedback mechanism allows the system to identify anomalies early and adjust the power supply control accordingly, preventing the harmful large current condition from developing.
2Measurement precision
If anomaly detection is performed while current value is large, then the anomaly can be detected, but the damage to components has already occurred
Solution Approach 1:
The patent performs anomaly detection preliminarily during the gradual current increase phase before the current reaches its maximum value. By detecting temperature differences early in the power supply sequence, the system identifies anomalies before they can cause component damage from large currents.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent skips the dangerous phase by rapidly increasing the current in a controlled stepwise manner while monitoring temperature differences. This allows the system to quickly pass through the detection phase and either confirm normal operation or detect anomalies before reaching harmful current levels.
3Reliability
If the current is increased stepwise, then anomaly detection is enabled, but the power supply time is extended
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies partial action by performing anomaly detection only during the gradual current increase phase rather than continuously at full power. The system monitors temperature differences only when necessary during startup, then transitions to normal operation, thus limiting the time loss to only the brief detection period.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
Anomalies in power supply are detected before critical thresholds are reached, preventing component damage by monitoring temperature differences during incremental current increases.
Implementation Method 1
a temperature difference between a wire temperature of the wire and an environmental temperature in an area surrounding the wire
Data Source
AI summary
An individual ECU controls power supply through a wire W. A microcomputer of the individual ECU increases an average value of a wire current value of a current flowing through the wire W in a stepwise manner. The microcomputer determines, every time that the average value of a wire current value is increased, whether or not an anomaly has occurred in power supply through the wire (W) based on a temperature difference between a wire temperature of the wire (W) and an environmental temperature in an area surrounding the wire (W).