Steering Sensor Redundancy with Single Signal Line
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing electric power steering apparatuses face issues with increased failure rates and costs due to the number of signal lines required for sensor output, inaccurate abnormality detection, and insufficient countermeasures for signal line abnormalities, as well as limited bus occupancy time and detection accuracy.
Innovation Solution
A detecting apparatus with a redundancy configuration using plural sensor sections that output state quantities as error-detectable signals, allowing for accurate abnormality detection and function continuation, while reducing the number of signal lines and using a single edge nibble transmission method for error detection.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If multiple sensor sections use separate signal lines for output, then detection accuracy and reliability are improved, but the number of signal lines increases leading to higher cost and failure rate
Solution Approach 1:
Multiple sensor sections share a common signal line for output, combining what would traditionally require separate lines. The sensor control unit multiplexes signals from multiple sensor sections through a single communication interface, reducing the total number of signal lines while maintaining the ability to detect from multiple sections
Solution Approach 2:
The single signal line serves multiple functions by carrying outputs from multiple sensor sections sequentially. The system can selectively activate different sensor sections and transmit their data through the same communication channel, making the signal line universal rather than dedicated to a single sensor
2Measurement precision
If error detection is implemented in the communication method, then abnormality detection accuracy is improved, but processing time and complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
Error detection codes are pre-calculated and embedded into the data transmission packets before they are sent over the communication bus. The sensor control unit prepares error detection information in advance as part of the data packet structure, so that when data is transmitted, error checking can occur rapidly without requiring complex real-time computation
Solution Approach 2:
The sensor control unit acts as an intermediary that manages error detection between multiple sensor sections and the control unit. It consolidates error detection functionality and handles communication protocols, reducing the time burden on individual sensors and optimizing bus occupancy by batch-processing error checks
Data Source
AI summary
A detecting apparatus that uses a redundancy configuration comprising plural sensor sections including plural detecting sections, accurately performs abnormality detection and function continuation in a control apparatus such as an ECU in a case that abnormality is occurred in the sensor sections or a signal line, and has simple manufacturing processes, and an electric power steering apparatus equipped with the detecting apparatus. The apparatus includes plural sensor sections which include plural detecting sections that detect a same object or a same state quantity, and detects at least one of the state quantities in at least two of the sensor sections, wherein each of the sensor sections has a communication section that outputs the state quantities, which the detecting sections detect, as an error detectable signal.