Main semiconductor device for controlling air conditioner, and air conditioner of vehicle system having the same

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9994086-B2
Application number	US-201414547541-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 19, 2014
Priority date	Aug 27, 2014
Publication date	Jun 12, 2018
Grant date	Jun 12, 2018

Abstract

A main semiconductor device for controlling an air conditioner provided in a vehicle and selectively connected to an air-conditioning panel semiconductor that controls an air-conditioning panel may include: an analog circuit unit and a digital circuit unit, an input module receiving sensor information for controlling the air conditioner, a motor driving module driving one or more motors provided in the air conditioner, a voltage regulator module regulating a voltage supplied to each module of the main semiconductor device, and a control module controlling the motor driving module based on the sensor information received by the input module, and constantly supplying a voltage to each module of the main semiconductor device by controlling the voltage regulator module.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A main semiconductor device for controlling an air conditioner provided in a vehicle, the main semiconductor device comprising:
an analog circuit unit and a digital circuit unit;
an input module receiving sensor information for controlling the air conditioner;
a motor driving module driving one or more motors provided in the air conditioner;
a voltage regulator module regulating a voltage supplied to each module of the main semiconductor device; and
a control module controlling the motor driving module based on the sensor information received by the input module, and constantly supplying a voltage to each module of the main semiconductor device by controlling the voltage regulator module,
wherein the main semiconductor device is selectively connected to an air-conditioning panel semiconductor that controls an air-conditioning panel.

2. The main semiconductor device for controlling an air conditioner of claim 1 , further comprising
a communication module electrically connected with the air-conditioning panel semiconductor.

3. The main semiconductor device for controlling an air conditioner of claim 2 ,
wherein the communication module receives air-conditioning condition setting and operation signals, including an air-conditioning setting signal and a function operation signal, from the air-conditioning panel through an operating unit of the air-conditioning panel, and transmits signals detected by an operation of the air conditioner to the air-conditioning panel.

4. The main semiconductor device for controlling an air conditioner of claim 3 ,
wherein the main semiconductor device selectively receives the air-conditioning condition setting and operation signals from the input module or the communication module according to a type of the air conditioner provided in the vehicle.

5. The main semiconductor device for controlling an air conditioner of claim 4 ,
wherein the main semiconductor device directly receives the air-conditioning condition setting and operation signals from a driver through the input module when the air conditioner is a manual air conditioner, and
the main semiconductor device receives the air-conditioning condition setting and operation signals through the communication module when the air conditioner is an automatic air conditioner.

6. The main semiconductor device for controlling an air conditioner of claim 2 ,
wherein the communication module is a local interconnection network (LIN) communication module.

7. The main semiconductor device for controlling an air conditioner of claim 1 , further comprising
a watchdog module checking an error of the control module through a watchdog timer, and restarting the analog circuit unit and the digital circuit unit by re-supplying power to the analog circuit unit and the digital circuit unit after stopping the power for a predetermined time.

8. The main semiconductor device for controlling an air conditioner of claim 1 , further comprising
a controller area network (CAN) communication module transmitting and receiving signals to and from an engine management system (EMS) and an audio video navigation (AVN) system of the vehicle,
wherein the control module controls the motor driving module based on the signals received by the CAN communication module.

9. The main semiconductor device for controlling an air conditioner of claim 1 , further comprising
a serial peripheral interface (SPI) module performing communication by connecting each module provided in the analog circuit unit to each module provided in the digital circuit unit.

10. The main semiconductor device for controlling an air conditioner of claim 9 , further comprising
a logic module controlling the SPI module, and transmitting an interrupt signal generated at the analog circuit unit and status information of the analog circuit unit to the control module.

11. An air conditioner for a vehicle, comprising:
a main semiconductor device for controlling the air conditioner that is selectively connected to an air-conditioning panel semiconductor, wherein the main semiconductor device comprises:
an analog circuit unit and a digital circuit unit;
an input module receiving sensor information for controlling the air conditioner;
a motor driving module driving one or more motors provided in the air conditioner;
a voltage regulator module regulating a voltage supplied to each module of the main semiconductor device; and
a control module controlling the motor driving module based on the sensor information received by the input module, and constantly supplying a voltage to each module of the main semiconductor device by controlling the voltage regulator module.

Assignees

• Hyundai Motor Co Ltd
• Kia Motors Corp

Inventors

• Kim Jin
• Kwon Yongwook
• Rho Sukyoung
• Park Junekyu

Classifications

• B60H1/00964 Primary

  Control systems or circuits characterised by including features for automatic and non-automatic control, e.g. for changing from automatic to manual control · CPC title

• B60H1/00971

  Control systems or circuits characterised by including features for locking or memorising of control modes · CPC title