Bi-Directional MCU Interface for Single-Port Contactor Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing battery management systems (BMS) require multiple ports of a microcontroller unit (MCU) for hardwired contactor control, which can be constrained by limited port availability due to design specifications of the electronic control unit (ECU) and BMS.
Innovation Solution
A bi-directional communication-based control apparatus using a single port of the MCU, facilitated by an arbitrator that arbitrates control and state signal transmissions through a bi-directional port, allowing hardwired contactor control without port constraints.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If multiple ports of MCU are used for hardwired contactor control, then control reliability is improved, but device complexity increases due to port constraints
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the monitoring phase and response phase into a single bi-directional port, eliminating the need for separate TIM port and DIO port. The arbitrator component manages both control signal input and state signal output through this unified port, reducing device complexity while maintaining control reliability through structured signal arbitration.
Solution Approach 2:
The bi-directional port serves multiple functions: it acts as both an input port for control signals and an output port for state signals. This multi-functional design eliminates the need for dedicated separate ports, reducing the number of required MCU ports while maintaining full control capability.
2Measurement precision
If two ports are used for monitoring and response phases, then signal transmission accuracy is improved, but ease of operation deteriorates due to port availability constraints
Solution Approach 1:
The arbitrator dynamically switches the bi-directional port between input mode (for control signals) and output mode (for state signals) based on the operational phase. This dynamic mode switching maintains signal transmission accuracy while simplifying port configuration, as only one physical port is needed instead of two dedicated ports.
3Device complexity
If a single bi-directional port is used, then device complexity is reduced, but signal transmission reliability may deteriorate without proper arbitration
Solution Approach 1:
The arbitrator acts as an intermediary component that manages signal flow through the bi-directional port. It ensures that control signals are properly received during the monitoring phase and state signals are correctly transmitted during the response phase, maintaining signal transmission reliability while enabling the use of a single simplified port.
Data Source
AI summary
The present disclosure relates to a bi-directional communication-based control apparatus and system, and a bi-directional communication interface. The technical problem to be solved provides topology capable of implementing hardwired contactor control using a single port of a micro controller unit (MCU) without being constrained by restrictions on the number of ports of the MCU which may be required depending on design specifications of an electronic control unit (ECU) and a battery management system (BMS). To this end, the present disclosure provides a processor that controls a target element according to a control signal applied to a communication bus and causes state information of the target element according to a result of the control to be formed on a communication bus, the control signal being input and a state signal for forming the state information being output through a single bi-directional port provided in the processor; and an arbitrator that arbitrates first direction transmission of the control signal from the communication bus to the bi-directional port and second direction transmission of the state signal from the bi-directional port to the communication bus.