Vehicle Steering Lock Safety Circuit Signal Analysis
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing vehicle steering lock assemblies face challenges in accurately detecting the 100 Hz standstill signal to prevent accidental locking of the steering, particularly due to signal line errors or controller failures, while also being cost-effective and reliable.
Innovation Solution
A vehicle steering lock assembly that includes an additional input port for the controller to analyze the enable signal for a square wave with a predetermined frequency and duty cycle, combined with a simple alternating signal detection circuit to ensure the safety circuit only activates when the correct signal is present, reducing production costs and enhancing safety.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If a simple alternating signal detection circuit is used instead of a complex frequency detection circuit, then production costs are reduced and device complexity is lowered, but the reliability of detecting the 100 Hz standstill signal may be compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines the safety circuit with the controller into a single integrated unit. The safety circuit's alternating signal detection output is directly fed into the controller's logic circuit, which then processes both the standstill detection signal and the locking/unlocking commands together. This merging eliminates the need for separate complex frequency detection circuits while maintaining reliable signal verification through the simplified alternating signal detection approach.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces a logic circuit as an intermediary between the safety circuit and the power switch control. The logic circuit receives both the alternating signal detection output from the safety circuit and the locking/unlocking commands, then combines these signals to control the power switch. This intermediary ensures that the simplified safety circuit's output is properly integrated with the control signals, maintaining system reliability without requiring complex frequency detection.
2Reliability
If the safety circuit is structurally separate from the controller to prevent controller failure from affecting safety detection, then reliability is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the safety function from the control function by giving the safety circuit its own separate input port for receiving the standstill signal. This allows the safety circuit to independently detect alternating signals and generate safety output signals without being affected by controller failures. The segmentation maintains functional independence while keeping the overall structure integrated and manageable.
Solution Approach 2:
While maintaining functional segmentation, the patent merges the safety circuit and controller into a single integrated structure where the safety circuit's output is directly connected to the controller's logic circuit. This integration reduces the need for additional complex interfacing circuits while preserving the reliability benefits of separate signal paths. The merged structure allows efficient signal flow without requiring the safety circuit to be completely physically separate.
3Measurement precision
If the controller analyzes the enable signal for square wave frequency and duty cycle, then measurement precision is improved, but the device complexity and processing requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the complex frequency and duty cycle analysis function from the safety circuit and places it within the controller's processing capabilities. The safety circuit is simplified to only detect alternating signals, while the controller performs the precise frequency and duty cycle verification of the square wave enable signal. This extraction leverages the controller's existing processing power to handle the complex analysis without adding dedicated complex detection hardware.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent makes the controller multi-functional by having it perform both the precise frequency/duty cycle analysis of the enable signal and the integration of safety circuit outputs for controlling the power switch. The controller's logic circuit universally handles multiple signal processing tasks, eliminating the need for separate dedicated circuits for each function and reducing overall device complexity while maintaining measurement precision.
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2
AI summary
The vehicle-steering bolting component (1) has an additional entry port of a controller coupled with enabling signal of a controller (4) and the controller is configured in such a manner that it analyzes the enabling signal.