Motor Vehicle Control Unit with Segmented Base and Function Modules
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing motor vehicle control systems face challenges in reliable operation and efficient energy management, particularly in hybrid vehicles, due to complex interactions between internal combustion engines and electric machines, leading to increased complexity and potential errors.
Innovation Solution
A control unit with a base module and a function module operating in a secure runtime environment, utilizing predetermined interfaces to determine functional input and output variables independently of sensor and actuator configurations, allowing for abstract modeling and adaptation of operating strategies through conditional rules, thereby simplifying energy management and improving reliability.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If a complex control system with multiple sensors and actuators is used to manage hybrid vehicle operations, then the functionality and control precision are improved, but the system complexity and potential for errors increase
Solution Approach 1:
The control system is divided into two independent modules: a base module handling sensor data acquisition and actuator control, and a function module executing operating strategies in a secure runtime environment. This segmentation isolates complexity, allowing the function module to be modified without affecting the stable base module, thus improving adaptability while containing system complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
A secure runtime environment acts as an intermediary layer between the function module and the base module. This intermediary enables safe interaction and data exchange while preventing errors from propagating between modules, allowing complex functionality to be implemented with controlled complexity management.
2Stability of the object's composition
If the control system is designed with tight coupling between sensor configurations and operating strategies, then the integration is improved, but the maintainability and adaptability decrease
Solution Approach 1:
The system separates sensor configuration handling (base module) from operating strategy execution (function module). The base module provides stable data acquisition interfaces, while the function module contains strategies that can be independently modified and maintained, improving both integration stability and ease of repair.
Solution Approach 2:
The base module is designed with universal interfaces that can work with different sensor and actuator configurations. The function module receives standardized functional input variables and produces standardized output variables, allowing different operating strategies to be implemented without modifying the base module, thus enhancing maintainability while preserving system integration.
3Reliability
If operating strategies are hard-coded into the control system, then the execution reliability is improved, but the adaptability to different vehicle configurations decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The function module is designed to dynamically load and execute different operating strategies based on vehicle configuration and operational requirements. Strategies can be updated and adapted without modifying the underlying base module, maintaining execution reliability through the stable runtime environment while enabling strategy adaptability.
4Ease of operation
If error propagation is allowed between control modules for comprehensive error handling, then the error management capability is improved, but the system stability and reliability decrease
Solution Approach 1:
The secure runtime environment serves as an intermediary that mediates between the function module and base module. It provides controlled error handling and prevents error propagation between modules, maintaining system stability and reliability while still enabling comprehensive error management within each module's scope.
Data Source
Figure 1
AI summary
The control unit (10) for operating a motor vehicle comprises a basic module and a function module (30) which is embodied in a secured propagation time environment. In addition, the control unit (10) comprises a predefined first interface (40) and a second interface (50) which each couple the basic module (20) and the function module (30). The basic module (20) is designed to determine one or more function input variables (F) as a function of at least one operating variable (B) and to make available the function input variables (F) at the first interface (40). In addition, the basic module (20) is designed to determine manipulated variables (S) of the actuators (60) as a function of one or more output variables (A) which are made available at the second interface (50). The function module (30) is designed to determine the one or more output variables (A) as a function of the function input variables (F) made available at the first interface (40) and of a predefined quantity of rules, which characterize an operating strategy from a set of predefined operating strategies and make available the output variables (A) at the second interface (50).