Vehicle Control Chip with Status-Based Power Gating
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Solution Overview
Problem
The increasing number of microcomputers in mobile bodies, such as vehicles, complicates electrical systems and leads to higher power consumption, as all microcomputer functions are often constantly actuated.
Innovation Solution
A control device with a single arithmetic unit integrated into a single chip, featuring a first functional section always active, second functional sections activated based on vehicle status, and a power source controller to manage power supply to these sections, reducing the number of chips and power consumption by cutting off unnecessary power to non-active sections.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If all functions of the arithmetic unit are constantly actuated, then all onboard devices can be controlled, but power consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The arithmetic unit is divided into multiple functional sections (first functional section and second functional sections) that can be independently controlled. The power source controller selectively activates only the necessary functional sections based on the current status of the mobile body, thereby reducing power consumption while maintaining control capability for required onboard devices.
Solution Approach 2:
The system dynamically adjusts which functional sections are active based on the status of the mobile body. The power source controller receives status information from sensors and selectively powers on or off the appropriate functional sections, making the system adaptable to different operational conditions and minimizing unnecessary power consumption.
2Adaptability or versatility
If multiple separate chips are used for different functional sections, then each function can be independently controlled, but the configuration of the electrical system becomes complicated
Solution Approach 1:
Multiple functional sections that require independent control are integrated into a single arithmetic unit chip. This merging approach maintains the ability to independently control different functions through software or control signals while physically reducing the number of separate chips and simplifying the electrical system configuration, harness routing, and connections.
Data Source
AI summary
A control device has an arithmetic unit that controls onboard devices of a mobile body. The arithmetic unit includes: a first functional section that is actuated regardless of a status of the mobile body and generates a control signal to one or more of the onboard devices; second functional sections that are each actuated in accordance with the status of the mobile body and each generate a control signal to the onboard devices other than the one or more onboard devices; power transmitters disposed in a power transmission path between a power source and the respective second functional sections; and a power source controller that controls supply and cutoff of power to the second functional sections in accordance with the status of the mobile body. The first functional section and the power source controller are mounted on a single chip configured as an integrated circuit.