Redundant MDPS ECU Circuit Layout for Motor Control Continuity
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional MDPS systems lack redundancy in motor control circuit units, leading to instability and potential failure during autonomous driving, posing safety risks when the motor control circuit unit fails.
Innovation Solution
An ECU with dual motor control circuit units and a redundancy control unit that switches operation to a secondary unit upon detecting an abnormality in the primary unit, ensuring continuous motor control through parallel circuit structures and heat management.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a single motor control circuit unit is used in conventional MDPS, then the device complexity is low, but the reliability deteriorates when the circuit unit fails
Solution Approach 1:
The motor control circuit is divided into two independent circuit units (first and second motor control circuit units), each capable of independently controlling the motor. This segmentation allows the system to maintain functionality even when one unit fails, thereby improving reliability without significantly increasing overall system complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements a redundancy control unit that detects abnormalities in the primary motor control circuit unit and switches control to the secondary unit before complete failure occurs. This beforehand cushioning approach ensures continuous operation and maintains MDPS stability by preparing a backup control path in advance.
2Reliability
If dual motor control circuit units are implemented for redundancy, then the reliability improves, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
Both the first and second motor control circuit units are designed with identical circuit structures and capabilities, allowing either unit to perform the full range of motor control functions. This universality ensures that the backup unit can seamlessly replace the primary unit without requiring additional specialized components, thus limiting the increase in device complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates a duplicate copy of the motor control circuit unit structure, where the second unit mirrors the first unit's circuit configuration. This copying approach provides a straightforward method to achieve redundancy while maintaining manageable system complexity through standardized, repeatable circuit designs.
3Reliability
If parallel circuit structures are used for redundancy, then the reliability enhances, but the manufacturing difficulty increases
Solution Approach 1:
The first and second motor control circuit units are designed with homogeneous circuit structures, using the same components, layouts, and connection methods. This homogeneity significantly simplifies manufacturing processes, as the same production techniques and quality control procedures can be applied to both units, reducing assembly complexity despite the increased component count.
Data Source
AI summary
An electronic control unit for redundancy of a motor driven power steering for a vehicle includes: a first motor control circuit unit having a circuit structure to control an operation of a motor; a second motor control circuit unit having a circuit structure to control the operation of the motor, and disposed in parallel to the first motor control circuit unit along an x-direction; and a redundancy control unit to control the second motor control circuit unit to perform a motor control, when an abnormality occurs in the first motor control circuit unit.