Microcontroller PWM Diagnostic Unit for Pulse Timing Analysis
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current microcontrollers with PWM timers lack the capability for detailed failure diagnosis of pulse period and pulse width without increasing the processing load of the CPU, which is crucial for ensuring reliability, especially in automotive applications where accurate motor control is essential.
Innovation Solution
Incorporating a dedicated diagnostic unit within the microcontroller that detects and compares the pulse period and pulse width of the PWM signal generated by the PWM signal generation unit, thereby performing failure diagnosis without relying on the CPU for processing-intensive tasks.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If a dedicated diagnostic unit is added to detect pulse period and pulse width of PWM signals, then measurement precision and reliability are improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a dedicated diagnostic unit as an intermediary component between the PWM signal generation unit and the CPU. This diagnostic unit specifically detects pulse periods and pulse widths of PWM signals, comparing detected values against expected values to identify abnormalities. By placing this intermediary diagnostic layer, the system achieves precise measurement of PWM parameters without requiring the CPU to perform detailed detection tasks, thus improving measurement precision while managing device complexity through specialized functionality.
2Measurement precision
If the CPU performs detailed diagnosis of PWM signals, then measurement precision is improved, but productivity decreases due to increased processing load
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the diagnosis function from the main CPU operations by creating a dedicated diagnostic unit. This segmentation separates the complex task of PWM signal analysis (detecting pulse periods, pulse widths, and comparing against expected values) from general CPU processing. The diagnostic unit operates independently to perform detailed PWM diagnosis, while the CPU maintains its primary processing functions. This segmentation allows precise PWM measurement without burdening the CPU, thereby maintaining productivity while improving measurement precision.
3Device complexity
If conventional timer circuit diagnosis is used, then device complexity is kept low, but measurement precision is insufficient for detecting pulse period and pulse width abnormalities
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by endowing the diagnostic unit with specialized detection capabilities specifically tailored for PWM signal analysis. Rather than using a general-purpose timer circuit for all diagnostic purposes, the diagnostic unit is locally optimized to detect pulse periods and pulse widths with high precision. This local specialization allows the system to maintain relatively low overall complexity while achieving the specific measurement precision needed for PWM parameter detection through targeted functionality.
Data Source
AI summary
A microcontroller includes a central processing unit, a PWM signal generation unit which generates a PWM signal according to a generation condition of a PWM signal set by the central processing unit, and a diagnostic unit which inputs the generated PWM signal therein and detects a pulse period and a pulse width, based on the input signal and which determines whether the detected pulse period and pulse width respectively coincide with a pulse period and a pulse width corresponding to the generation condition.