Electrified Vehicle Limp-Home Control With ECU-ASIC Validation

The patent introduces a mode shift request mechanism where the high-order ECU sends a request to the second control device rather than directly activating limp home mode. The second control device's logic circuit then validates whether the processor failure is genuine before activating the mode. This intermediary request-validation process prevents false activation while maintaining rapid response.

The second control device's logic circuit performs self-validation by monitoring its own processor status and comparing it with the mode shift request from the high-order ECU. The logic circuit independently determines whether activation is appropriate based on internal state, eliminating the need for additional external validation components and keeping the system relatively simple.

The monitoring function is segmented into two parts: the logic circuit continuously monitors processor status independently, while the high-order ECU sends mode shift requests based on its own detection. This segmentation allows both components to operate semi-independently, reducing the need for complex continuous communication while maintaining high reliability through dual monitoring.