Control system for power train control

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10184860-B2
Application number	US-201615094474-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Apr 8, 2016
Priority date	Apr 8, 2016
Publication date	Jan 22, 2019
Grant date	Jan 22, 2019

Abstract

Embodiments of the present disclosure relate to methods, system, and devices for synchronizing angular position information between a first and a second semiconductor chip used for engine management in an automobile is described. In accordance with one embodiment, a system for synchronizing angular position information between a first and a second semiconductor chip comprises the first and the second semiconductor chip and a digital real-time communication link connecting the first and the second semiconductor chip. The second semiconductor chip comprise a master angle estimation circuit, which is configured to estimate an angular position of the engine based on at least one angular position sensor signal. The first semiconductor chip comprises a slave angle estimation circuit, which is configured to estimate an angular position of the engine based on information concerning angular position received form the master angle estimation circuit via the communication link.

First claim

We claim:

1. An electronic control unit for engine control in an automobile, the electronic control unit comprising:
a first semiconductor chip including first circuitry integrated therein, wherein the first circuitry comprises a slave angle estimation circuit;
a second semiconductor chip including second circuitry integrated therein, wherein the second circuitry comprises a master angle estimation circuit; and
a digital real-time communication link configured to connect the first circuitry and the second circuitry,
wherein the master angle estimation circuit is configured to:
estimate an angular position of the engine, an angular velocity value, and a respective time value based on at least one angular position sensor signal; and
transmit, via the digital real-time communication link, the angular position of the engine, the angular velocity value, and the respective time value to the slave angle estimation circuit,

wherein the slave angle estimation circuit is configured to estimate an angular position of the engine based on the angular position and the respective time value received from the master angle estimation circuit via the digital real-time communication link,
wherein the master angle estimation circuit comprises a first interpolation circuit configured to subdivide an angle increment into a predefined number of ticks and to adjust a temporal rate, at which the ticks are generated, based on the angular velocity value, and
wherein the slave angle estimation circuit comprises a second interpolation circuit configured to subdivide the angle increment into the predefined number of ticks and to adjust the temporal rate, at which the ticks are generated, based on the angular velocity value received from the master angle estimation circuit via the digital real-time communication link.

2. The electronic control unit of claim 1 ,
wherein the first circuitry includes a first clock circuit and the second circuitry includes a second clock circuit, and
wherein the first clock circuit and the second clock circuit share the same time base and timing information is exchanged via the digital real-time communication link.

3. The electronic control unit of claim 2 , wherein the time base is provided by a crystal oscillator.

4. The electronic control unit of claim 1 ,
wherein the first circuitry includes a first synchronization circuit that is coupled to the slave angle estimation circuit, and wherein the second circuitry includes a second synchronization circuit that is coupled to the master angle estimation circuit,
wherein the second synchronization circuit is configured to regularly transmit synchronization information to the first synchronization circuit,
wherein the synchronization information comprises the angular position, the angular velocity value, and the respective time value estimated by the master angle estimation circuit, and
wherein the slave angle estimation circuit is configured to adjust the angular position estimated by the slave angle estimation circuit based on the synchronization information received by the first synchronization circuit.

5. The electronic control unit of claim 1 , wherein the master angle estimation circuit is configured to regularly transmit synchronization information to the slave angle estimation circuit, wherein the synchronization information includes the angular position, the angular velocity value, and the respective time value estimated by the master angle estimation circuit.

6. The electronic control unit of claim 5 ,
wherein the master angle estimation circuit is configured to transmit the synchronization information via at least one synchronization unit, and
wherein the master angle estimation circuit is configured to transmit the synchronization information as a serial digital data stream across the digital real-time communication link.

7. The electronic control unit of claim 6 , wherein the slave angle estimation circuit is configured to adjust the angular position estimated by the slave angle estimation circuit based on the synchronization information received via the digital real-time communication link.

8. The electronic control unit of claim 1 , wherein the at least one angular position sensor signal is indicative of subsequent angle periods of the angle increment, a beginning of each angle period being signaled to the master angle estimation circuit by the at least one angular position sensor signal.

9. The electronic control unit of claim 8 , wherein the angular position received from the master angle estimation circuit via the digital real-time communication link signals the beginning of each angle period to the slave angle estimation circuit.

10. The electronic control unit of claim 1 ,
wherein the first interpolation circuit of the master angle estimation circuit is configured to subdivide subsequent angle periods of the angle increment into the predefined number of ticks based on the angular velocity value, and
wherein the second interpolation circuit of the slave angle estimation circuit is configured to subdivide the subsequent angle periods of the angle increment into the predefined number of ticks based on the angular velocity value received from the master angle estimation circuit via the digital real-time communication link.

11. The electronic control unit of claim 10 , wherein a beginning of each period of the subsequent angle periods is indicated to the master angle estimation circuit by the at least one angular position sensor signal.

12. The electronic control unit of claim 11 , wherein the beginning of each period of the subsequent angle periods is indicated to the slave angle estimation circuit by the angular position and the respective time value received from the master angle estimation circuit via the digital real-time communication link.

13. The electronic control unit of claim 10 , wherein the master angle estimation circuit includes a prediction circuit configured to provide, for each angle period of the subsequent angle periods, the angular velocity value.

14. The electronic control unit of claim 13 , wherein the master angle estimation circuit is configured to adjust the temporal rate, at which the ticks are generated by the first interpolation unit, dependent on the angular velocity value.

15. The electronic control unit of claim 13 , wherein the master angle estimation circuit is configured to regularly transmit the angular velocity value to the slave angle estimation circuit via the digital real-time communication link.

16. A system for synchronizing angular position information between a first semiconductor chip and a second semiconductor chip used for engine management in an automobile, the system comprising:
the first semiconductor chip including first circuitry integrated therein, wherein the first circuitry comprises a slave angle estimation circuit;
the second semiconductor chip including second circuitry integrated therein, wherein the second circuitry comprises a master angle estimation circuit; and
a digital real-time communication link configured to connect the first circuitry and the second circuitry,
wherein the master angle estimation circuit is configured to:
estimate an angular position of the engine, an angular velocity value, and a respective time value based on at least one angular position sensor signal; and
transmit, via the digital real-time communication link, the angular position of the engine, the angular velocity value, and the respective time value to the slave angle estimation circuit,

wherein the slave angle estimation circuit is configured to estimate an angular posi

Assignees

• Infineon Technologies Ag

Inventors

• Schweikert Christian
• Leteinturier Patrick

Classifications

• G01M15/06 Primary

  by monitoring positions of pistons or cranks · CPC title

• F02D41/26

  using computer, e.g. microprocessor · CPC title

• F01L2820/042

  Crankshafts position · CPC title

• F02D2041/281

  between sensors and control unit · CPC title

• F02D41/266

  the computer being backed-up or assisted by another circuit, e.g. analogue · CPC title