Watchdog monitoring system that utilizes a disable application to monitor operation of an enable application

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10528409-B2
Application number	US-201815974010-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 8, 2018
Priority date	Jul 31, 2017
Publication date	Jan 7, 2020
Grant date	Jan 7, 2020

Abstract

A watchdog monitoring system having a watchdog integrated circuit and a microcontroller is provided. The microcontroller has a microprocessor, and a digital input/output device with an enable pin and a disable pin. A disable application in the microcontroller monitors the enable pin of the digital input-output device, and if the enable pin does not have a high logic state within a predetermined amount of time after a first time indicating that the microcontroller is malfunctioning, then the disable application generates a control message.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A watchdog monitoring system, comprising:
a watchdog integrated circuit having an enable pin and a disable pin;
a microcontroller having a microprocessor, and a digital input/output device with an enable pin and a disable pin, the enable pin of the digital input-output device being electrically coupled to the enable pin of the watchdog integrated circuit, the disable pin of the digital input-output device being electrically coupled to the disable pin of the watchdog integrated circuit; the microprocessor having an enable application and a disable application;
the enable application commanding the enable pin of the digital input-output device to transition from a high logic state to a low logic state at a first time that indicates an enable state has been initiated, and in response the watchdog integrated circuit starts an internal timer;
the disable application commanding the disable pin of the digital input-output device to transition from the high logic state to the low logic state at a second time that indicates a disable state has been initiated, and in response the watchdog integrated circuit stops the internal timer; and
the disable application monitoring the enable pin of the digital input-output device, and if the enable pin of the digital input-output device does not have the high logic state within a predetermined amount of time after the second time indicating that the microcontroller is malfunctioning, then the disable application generates a control message.

2. The watchdog monitoring system of claim 1 , wherein the control message induces the microcontroller to transition at least one of a high voltage switch and a low voltage switch in a DC-DC voltage converter to an open operational state.

3. The watchdog monitoring system of claim 1 , wherein the control message induces the microcontroller to transition a contactor to the open operational state.

4. A watchdog monitoring system, comprising:
a watchdog integrated circuit having an enable pin and a disable pin;
a microcontroller having a microprocessor, and a digital input/output device with an enable pin and a disable pin; the enable pin of the digital input-output device being electrically coupled to the enable pin of the watchdog integrated circuit, the disable pin of the digital input-output device being electrically coupled to the disable pin of the watchdog integrated circuit; the microprocessor having an enable application and a disable application;
the enable application commanding the enable pin of the digital input-output device to transition from a high logic state to a low logic state at a first time that indicates an enable state has been initiated, and in response the watchdog integrated circuit starts an internal timer;
the disable application commanding the disable pin of the digital input-output device to transition from the high logic state to the low logic state at a second time that indicates a disable state has been initiated, and in response the watchdog integrated circuit stops the internal timer within the watchdog integrated circuit;
the enable application commanding the enable pin of the digital input-output device to transition from the low logic state to the high logic state at a third time; and
the disable application monitoring the enable pin of the digital input-output device, and if the enable pin of the digital input-output device has the high logic state at a fourth time which corresponds to a predetermined amount of time after the third time indicating that the microcontroller is malfunctioning, then the disable application generates a control message.

5. The watchdog monitoring system of claim 4 , wherein the control message induces the microcontroller to transition at least one of a high voltage switch and a low voltage switch in a DC-DC voltage converter to an open operational state.

6. The watchdog monitoring system of claim 4 , wherein the control message induces the microcontroller to transition a contactor to the open operational state.

Assignees

• Lg Chemical Ltd

Inventors

• Katrak Kerfegar K

Classifications

• G06F11/0721

  within a central processing unit [CPU] · CPC title

• H02M3/157

  with digital control · CPC title

• H02J7/342

  The other DC source being a battery actively interacting with the first one, i.e. battery to battery charging (with circuits for polarity protection H02J7/68) · CPC title

• H02J1/06

  Two-wire DC power distribution systems · CPC title

• G06F11/0757 Primary

  by exceeding a time limit, i.e. time-out, e.g. watchdogs · CPC title