Apparatus and method for controlling cluster of vehicle

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11377986-B2
Application number	US-201916601904-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 15, 2019
Priority date	May 2, 2019
Publication date	Jul 5, 2022
Grant date	Jul 5, 2022

Abstract

An apparatus for controlling a cluster of a vehicle may include, an oil pressure switch (OPS) mounted at an oil passage of an engine, a driving information detection unit configured of receiving an oil pressure signal from the OPS through a connector of the OPS, an OPS connection determination unit configured of determining that the OPS is disconnected when a first waveform voltage determined from a first oil pressure signal detected before the engine is started is the same as a second waveform voltage determined from a second oil pressure signal detected after the engine is started, and a control unit configured of controlling the cluster to turn on a warning lamp in a response that the control unit receives disconnection event information related to the OPS.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An apparatus for controlling a cluster of a vehicle, the apparatus comprising:
an oil pressure switch (OPS) mounted at an oil passage of an engine;
a driving information detection unit configured of receiving an oil pressure signal from the OPS through a connector of the OPS;
an OPS connection determination unit configured of determining that the OPS is disconnected when a first status information determined from a first oil pressure signal detected before the engine is started is as same as a second status information determined from a second oil pressure signal detected after the engine is started; and
a control unit configured of controlling the cluster to turn on a warning lamp of the cluster in a response that the control unit receives disconnection event information related to the OPS.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the first status information includes a first waveform voltage and the second status information includes a second waveform voltage.

3. The apparatus of claim 2 , wherein the driving information detection unit is configured of collecting driving information including IGN-ON state and IGN-OFF state of the vehicle, and starting and turning off information related to the engine.

4. The apparatus of claim 2 , wherein the OPS connection determination unit is configured of determining that the OPS is normally connected when a signal transition occurs between the first waveform voltage detected at the IGN-ON state of the vehicle and the second waveform voltage detected after the engine is started.

5. The apparatus of claim 4 , wherein the OPS connection determination unit is configured of determining that the OPS is disconnected when the signal transition does not occur between the first waveform voltage detected at the IGN-ON state of the vehicle and the second waveform voltage detected after the engine is started.

6. The apparatus of claim 2 , wherein the control unit is configured to control the warning lamp to blink in a response to determine the disconnection event information related to the connector of the OPS.

7. The apparatus of claim 6 , wherein the warning lamp is a dedicated OPS connector disconnection warning lamp provided in the cluster separately from an engine oil pressure warning lamp.

8. The apparatus of claim 6 , wherein the control unit is configured of prohibiting, within a predetermined time after turning off of the engine, determining of when the connector of the OPS is disengaged.

9. A method of controlling a cluster of a vehicle having an engine and an oil pressure switch (OPS) connected to a connector, the method comprising:
a) storing first status information related to a first oil pressure signal detected by the OPS before the engine is started;
b) storing second status information related to a second oil pressure signal detected by the OPS after the engine is started;
c) determining that the OPS is disconnected when the first status information related to the first oil pressure signal is as same as the second status information related to the second oil pressure signal; and
d) turning on a warning lamp of the cluster corresponding to an event of the connector of the OPS being disengaged.

10. The method of claim 9 , wherein the step a) includes:
storing a first waveform voltage according to the first oil pressure signal as the first status information when the vehicle enters an IGN-ON state.

11. The method of claim 9 , wherein the step b) includes:
storing a second waveform voltage according to the second oil pressure signal as the second status information when the engine is started.

12. The method of claim 11 , wherein the step c) includes:
determining that the OPS is disconnected when a signal transition does not occur between the first waveform voltage and the second waveform voltage; and
determining that the OPS is normally connected when the signal transition occurs between the first waveform voltage and the second waveform voltage.

13. The method of claim 9 , wherein the step d) includes:
blinking an engine oil pressure warning lamp in the cluster.

14. The method of claim 9 , wherein the step d) includes:
blinking an OPS connector disconnection warning lamp provided in the cluster separately from an engine oil pressure warning lamp.

15. The method of claim 9 , wherein the step a) is initiated only after a predetermined time has lapsed after previous turning off of the engine.

Assignees

• Hyundai Motor Co Ltd
• Kia Motors Corp

Inventors

• Byun Minwon

Classifications

• B60K35/28

  characterised by the type of the output information, e.g. video entertainment or vehicle dynamics information; characterised by the purpose of the output information, e.g. for attracting the attention of the driver · CPC title

• B60K35/60

  Instruments characterised by their location or relative disposition in or on vehicles (arrangements of lighting devices on dashboards B60Q3/10) · CPC title

• B60Q9/00

  Arrangement or adaptation of signal devices not provided for in one of main groups B60Q1/00 - B60Q7/00 {, e.g. haptic signalling} · CPC title

• F16N29/04

  enabling a warning to be given; enabling moving parts to be stopped · CPC title

• G07C5/0816 Primary

  Indicating performance data, e.g. occurrence of a malfunction · CPC title