Economical motor vehicle operation during a parked phase

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2017094605-A1
Application number	US-201515303507-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	May 28, 2015
Priority date	Jun 7, 2014
Publication date	Mar 30, 2017
Grant date	—

Abstract

The invention relates to a method for operating a control unit of a motor vehicle during a parked phase. It is the object of the invention to achieve an economical operation during the parked phase and in so doing to perform the service routine. For this purpose, the power supply sets a timer of a clock in the parked phase and then switches itself off. The timer generates a wake-up signal as a function of a current time indication determined by the clock, and a wake-up device of the power supply switches the power supply on again as a function of the wake-up signal. The power supply that has been switched on again then electrically connects the monitoring unit to the on-board network.

First claim

1 - 8 . (canceled)

9 . A method, comprising:
operating a control unit of a motor vehicle during a parked phase, in which an ignition of the motor vehicle is switched off, wherein the control unit comprises:
an electronic monitoring unit comprising a mobile radio module, wherein the electronic monitoring unit is configured to perform a service routine, the service routine comprising setting up a radio connection with a server outside the vehicle using the mobile radio module, and
a power supply for supplying the electronic monitoring unit with electrical energy from an on-board electrical network of the motor vehicle, wherein the power supply electrically separates the monitoring unit from the on-board electrical network as a function of an ignition-off signal transmitted in the motor vehicle for the initiation of the parked phase;
setting a timer of a clock a first time on the control unit by the power supply during the parked phase, wherein the power supply switches itself off a first time after setting the timer the first time; generating a first wake-up signal as a function of a current time indication determined by the clock; switching the power supply on again as a function of the wake-up signal using a wake-up device of the power supply; electrically connecting the monitoring unit to the on-board electrical network using the switched on power supply; receiving, at the mobile radio module, a message signal signaling the presence of message data via the radio connection; generating, at the mobile radio module, a second wake-up signal in the control unit as a function of the message signal; activating, at the power supply, a main processor of the control unit as a function of the second wake-up signal; retrieving, by means of the main processor, the message data via the radio connection; and setting the control unit as a function of the message data, wherein the power supply counts the repetitions of the service routine carried out since the ignition-off signal by means of a repetition counter and sets a first timer value in the timer as a function of the repetition counter.

10 . The method according to claim 9 , wherein the clock is supplied with electrical energy by an energy source, and wherein the energy source is distinct from the on-board network and the control unit.

11 . The method according to claim 9 , further comprising:
electrically separating, at the switched on power supply, the monitoring unit from the on-board network after the performance of the service routine, resetting the timer, and switching itself off again.

12 . The method according to claim 9 , further comprising:
setting the timer a second time during the performance of the service routine, at the switched on power supply; switching the power supply off a second time after setting the timer the second time; and electrically connecting the monitoring unit to the on-board network.

13 . The method according to claim 9 , wherein the first timer value is used for a predetermined first time period and a larger second timer value is used during a subsequent second time period.

14 . The method according to claim 9 , further comprising:
storing, at the control unit, a maximum value for the performance of the service routine and limiting a number of the repetitions of the service routine, by the power supply, as a function of the maximum value.

15 . A control unit for a motor vehicle, comprising:
an electronic monitoring unit for performing a service routine; a power supply for supplying the monitoring unit with electrical energy from an on-board electrical network of the motor vehicle; and a clock with a timer, wherein the power supply comprises a wake-up device for switching the power supply on as a function of a wake-up signal of the timer.

16 . The control unit of claim 15 , wherein the clock is supplied with electrical energy by an energy source,
wherein the energy source is distinct from the on-board network and the control unit, wherein the electronic monitoring comprises a mobile radio module configured to establish a radio connection with a remote server during the service routine, and wherein the power supply is configured to electrically separate the monitoring unit from the on-board electrical network at the initiation of a parked phase.

17 . A motor vehicle, comprising:
at least one control unit, wherein the control unit comprises:
an electronic monitoring unit for performing a service routine;
a power supply for supplying the monitoring unit with electrical energy from an on-board electrical network of the motor vehicle; and
a clock with a timer,
wherein the power supply comprises a wake-up device for switching the power supply on as a function of a wake-up signal of the timer.

18 . The motor vehicle of claim 17 , wherein the clock is supplied with electrical energy by an energy source,
wherein the energy source is distinct from the on-board network and the control unit, wherein the electronic monitoring comprises a mobile radio module configured to establish a radio connection with a remote server during the service routine, and wherein the power supply is configured to electrically separate the monitoring unit from the on-board electrical network at the initiation of a parked phase.

Assignees

• Audi Ag

Inventors

• Dalke Christoph
• Schmailzl Michael
• Hirschburger Friedhelm

Classifications

• H04W52/0274 Primary

  by switching on or off the equipment or parts thereof · CPC title

• H04W52/0248

  dependent on the time of the day, e.g. according to expected transmission activity · CPC title

• H04B1/3822

  specially adapted for use in vehicles (H04B1/3827 takes precedence) · CPC title

• B60R16/0315

  using multiplexing techniques (multiplexing for transmission of signals G08C15/00; multiplexing for electrical communication in general H04J) · CPC title

• H04W4/14

  Short messaging services, e.g. short message services [SMS] or unstructured supplementary service data [USSD] · CPC title