Vehicle Control Unit Current Monitoring for Sensor Fault Detection
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional onboard network systems struggle to quickly detect abnormalities in sensors and actuators, particularly when communication units function normally but detection units fail, leading to potential system failures.
Innovation Solution
An onboard control unit that includes a current measurement unit to monitor power supply current values, allowing detection of abnormalities in sensors and actuators, and a control unit to determine anomalies based on these measurements, alongside power supply superposition technology to reduce cable usage.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If only high-frequency communication unit monitoring is implemented, then communication unit abnormalities can be detected, but detection unit abnormalities cannot be detected when communication remains normal
Solution Approach 1:
The power supply wire serves multiple functions: it supplies power to the onboard device and simultaneously acts as a monitoring path for detecting abnormalities in both communication units and detection units. By measuring current through this shared power supply path, the system achieves universal monitoring capability without adding separate dedicated monitoring hardware.
Solution Approach 2:
The power supply system provides self-monitoring functionality by measuring its own current consumption. The current measurement unit monitors the current flowing through the power supply wire, allowing the system to detect abnormalities in detection units through their power consumption patterns without requiring external monitoring infrastructure.
2Reliability
If the number of sensors and wire harnesses is increased to improve safety, then system reliability improves, but device complexity and cable count increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges power supply and data communication functions into a single wire harness by superimposing low-frequency power signals on high-frequency communication lines. This combining of functions reduces the total number of cables required while maintaining both power delivery and communication capabilities, thereby reducing complexity without compromising reliability.
Solution Approach 2:
The wire harness is designed to perform multiple functions simultaneously: power supply, data communication, and abnormality monitoring. By making the wire harness universal and multi-functional, the system reduces the need for separate dedicated cables for each function, thereby reducing overall complexity while maintaining safety and reliability.
3Productivity
If separate paths for low-frequency and high-frequency signals are implemented, then signal transmission efficiency improves, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines low-frequency power signals and high-frequency communication signals into a single wire harness by superimposing them. This merging allows both signal types to coexist on the same physical medium, improving transmission efficiency by utilizing the full bandwidth capability of the wire harness while reducing the need for separate dedicated paths.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent utilizes frequency domain separation as an additional dimension to accommodate multiple functions on a single wire harness. By assigning different frequency ranges to power and communication functions, the system effectively creates separate logical paths within a single physical medium, maintaining signal transmission efficiency without increasing physical complexity.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
Enables rapid detection of abnormalities in onboard devices, constructing a robust network system by reducing cable count and ensuring timely notification of device failures.
Implementation Method 1
a current measurement unit that measures a value of a current flowing through the power supply wire
Implementation Method 2
a power supply wire that feeds power supplied to the electronic control unit to the onboard device
Data Source
AI summary
Provided is an onboard control unit that can quickly detect abnormalities in an onboard device such as an actuator or a sensor including a detection unit, and can be used to construct a robust onboard network system. The onboard control unit comprises: onboard devices in charge of controlling vehicle travel, such as a sensor and an actuator; and an electronic control unit that collects information on the onboard devices, wherein an abnormality of an onboard device becomes apparent in a driving power supply of the onboard device. Accordingly, power to be supplied to the electronic control unit is supplied as driving power to the onboard device, a value of current flowing through a power-feeding path thereof is measured by using an ammeter, the state of the onboard device is monitored on the basis of the current value, and whether an abnormality has occurred in the onboard device is determined by a control unit.