METHOD FOR ALLOCATING OPERATING PARAMETERS TO LOCAL CONTROL UNITS INTENDED TO CONTROL A DOOR MOVEMENT IN A MOTOR VEHICLE

Abstract

A method for allocating operating parameters to at least two local control units intended to control a door movement for a motor vehicle, wherein: a plurality of parameter records of operating parameters is stored in each local control unit; a plurality of values of a detection criterion is stored in each local control unit, said detection criterion being based on at least two values of an electric variable; for at least one local control unit, a value of the detection criterion is prepared using the electric variable; in each local control unit the detection criterion is queried; and, a parameter record is selected in accordance with the value of the detection criterion determined during the query, and the corresponding operating parameters are allocated to the local control unit.

Claims

1. A method of allocating operating parameters to at least two local control units of a motor vehicle each configured to control a-door movement, the method comprising: storing a plurality of parameter sets of operating parameters in each of the local control units; storing recognition criterion, based on at least two values of an electrical variable in each of the local control units; preparing a value of the recognition criterion for at least one of the local control units, via the electrical variable; querying the recognition criterion in each of the local control units; and selecting a parameter set of the plurality of parameter sets based on the value of the recognition criterion determined in response to the querying step; and allocating the operating parameters to the each of the local control units.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the operating parameters are each allocated to the local control units of a door closing system.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the operating parameters are each allocated to local control units of a pinch protection system.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the storing recognition criterion step includes storing recognition criterion based on at least two values of the recognition criterion, which are each based on at least one voltage value, are stored in each of the local control units.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the first value of the recognition criterion is prepared in a central control unit and is output via a first output of the central control unit at a first of the at least two local control units, and wherein the second value of the recognition criterion is prepared in the central control unit and is output via a second output of the central control unit at a second of the at least two local control units.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the first value and the second value of the recognition criterion are each output by the central control unit via a first or second trigger line from the first or second output to the first or second local control unit and wherein to control the door movement, a corresponding control command is transmitted between the central control unit and the first or second local control unit via the first or second trigger line.

7. The method of claim 5, wherein in each case a constant first voltage value or a constant second voltage value is utilized as the first value and as the second value of the recognition criterion.

8. The method of claim 5, wherein a voltage signal changing between at least two voltage values at a first clock frequency is generated in the central control unit, wherein the first clock frequency is prepared as the first value of the recognition criterion, and wherein a voltage signal changing between at least two voltage values at a second clock frequency is generated in the central control unit, and wherein the second clock frequency is prepared as the second value of the recognition criterion.

9. The method of claim 5, wherein a supply voltage is output at a first point in time at the first control unit in the central control unit), wherein the first point in time is prepared as the first value of the recognition criterion, and wherein a supply voltage is output at a second point in time at the second local control unit in the central control unit, wherein the second point in time is prepared as the second value of the recognition criterion.

10. The method of claim 4, wherein values of the recognition criterion are stored in each of the local control units, which are each given by different tuples formed from a plurality of predetermined voltage values, wherein a different value of the recognition criterion is prepared in each case for each of the local control units, in that the voltage values corresponding to the tuple are applied at a number of inputs corresponding to the length of the respective tuple.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein for each of the local control units, the voltage values corresponding to the tuple are each provided by a corresponding number of wire connections of a wire harness, and wherein in each case one wire connection is connected to one input.

12. The method of claim 3, storing, in each of the local control units, at least two values of the recognition criterion, which are each given by different sequences of a plurality of base capacitances of capacitive sensors, wherein in the first local control unit, the first value of the recognition criterion is arranged in that a plurality of capacitive sensors is interconnected according to a first sequence with the first local control unit, and wherein in the second local control unit, the second value of the recognition criterion is arranged in that a plurality of capacitive sensors is interconnected according to a second sequence with the second local control unit.

13. The method of claim 3, wherein the method further includes storing capacitance values of a capacitive sensor of the pinch protection system-in the first local control unit and in the second local control unit as values of the recognition criterion, which correspond to a relative movement of a vehicle door of the motor vehicle, if it includes the capacitive sensor, detecting a vehicle door, utilizing the pinch protection system, is moved by a central control unit, and querying the capacitance values of the capacitive sensor of the relevant vehicle door connected to the respective local control unit.

14. The method of claim 5, wherein the method further includesoutputting a first or second recognition command at the first or second local control unit by the central control unit, and querying the recognition criterion upon the first or second recognition command in the first or second local control unit.

15. The method of claim 1, wherein the method further includes querying, in each of the local control units, the recognition criterion in response to a change of the operating state of the motor vehicle, or wherein an allocation of operating parameters which has been carried out once in one of the local control units is maintained for a predetermined number of changes of the operating state of the motor vehicle.

16. The method of claim 1, wherein the method further includes the step of checking in each of the local control units whether upon a query of the recognition criterion a value of the recognition criterion was determined with sufficiently high reliability, and wherein a selection of the parameter set takes place in dependence on the checking step.

17. A system configured to control a door movement for a motor vehicle, comprising a first memory configured to store a plurality of parameter sets of operating parameters, a second memory configured to store a recognition criterion based on at least two values of an electrical variable. a sensor configured to query the recognition criterion indicating a measurable property of the electrical variable, and a processor configured to select a parameter set in dependence on a value of the recognition criterion queried by the sensor.

18. The system of claim 17, wherein the system includes a first local control unit and a second local control unit, wherein the first local control unit and second local control unit each include operating parameters of a pinch protection system.

19. The system of claim 17, wherein the system includes a first local control unit and a second local control unit each include operating parameters of a door closing system.

20. A door closing system of a motor vehicle, comprising: one or more memory units configured to store a plurality of parameter sets of operating parameters and to store a measurement in response to at least two values of an electrical variable; a sensor configured determine the measurement, and a processor configured to select a parameter set in dependence on a value of the measurement.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0048] An exemplary embodiment of the disclosure is explained in greater detail hereinafter on the basis of a drawing. In the schematic figures:

[0049] FIG. 1 shows, in a block diagram, a method for allocating operating parameters to a plurality of local control units for controlling door movements for a motor vehicle,

[0050] FIG. 2 shows, in a block diagram, a pinch protection system having two local control units, to each of which operating parameters are allocated via constant voltage values,

[0051] FIG. 3 shows the pinch protection system according to FIG. 2 having an allocation of the operating parameters via AC voltage frequencies,

[0052] FIG. 4 shows the pinch protection system according to FIG. 2 having an allocation of the operating parameters via the supply voltage,

[0053] FIG. 5 shows the pinch protection system according to FIG. 2 having an allocation of the operating parameters via a different interconnection of capacitive sensors,

[0054] FIG. 6 shows the pinch protection system according to FIG. 2 having an allocation of the operating parameters via the sensor values of capacitive sensors upon opening only one vehicle door, and

[0055] FIG. 7 shows, in a block diagram, a door closing system for two vehicle doors having four local control units, to each of which operating parameters are allocated by the central control unit, and

[0056] FIG. 8 shows, in a block diagram, the door closing system according to FIG. 7, and the allocation of the operating parameters takes place via signal connections to the wire harness.

[0057] Parts and variables corresponding to one another are each provided with identical reference signs in all figures.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0058] As required, detailed embodiments of the present disclosure are disclosed herein; however, it is to be understood that the disclosed embodiments are merely exemplary of the disclosure that may be embodied in various and alternative forms. The figures are not necessarily to scale; some features may be exaggerated or minimized to show details of particular components. Therefore, specific structural and functional details disclosed herein are not to be interpreted as limiting, but merely as a representative basis for teaching one skilled in the art to variously employ the present disclosure.

[0059] In a pinch protection system, during a closing movement of a vehicle door, an object located in the movement region of the vehicle door, in particular a human body part such as a hand or the like, can be recognized by a sensor device, and the closing movement can be stopped before an injury occurs on said body part due to pinching in the closing vehicle door.

[0060] For the control of the door movement, the mentioned systems are usually equipped with local control units, which are in turn frequently connected to a central control unit. In the case of a pinch protection system, the local control units each have the corresponding sensor devices to recognize objects in the movement region of the vehicle door, and the central control unit, if necessary, gives a command to stop a door movement. The process of stopping is then activated via the central control unit. In a door closing system, the local control units can also comprise the motors for carrying out the closing movement, and the central control unit only gives the corresponding command to close a specific vehicle door.

[0061] In both cases, individual local control units are to be operated using different operating parameters in dependence on their usage location, for example, with respect to a pattern of sensor values for recognizing objects in a local control unit of a pinch protection system, and the corresponding sensor values of the different vehicle doors are different from one another, or with respect to a movement pattern of a motor during the closing of a vehicle door in case of a door closing system.

[0062] The requirement of operating the various local control units using different operating parameters in dependence on the usage location could be fulfilled, on the one hand, by design differences and thus by variants of the local control units. However, this is undesirable due to the additional expenditure thus resulting during the production. On the other hand, the respective usage location and thus the operating parameters to be used could also be selected via a physical plug at the respective local control unit. This can result in errors, however, in particular if the corresponding plug suffers from a loose contact, for example, due to shocks of the motor vehicle. The functionality of the entire system can be endangered in this case by such errors in the association, which can result in an undesired repair process.

[0063] A method 1 for allocating operating parameters to a first local control unit 4a and a second control unit 4b is schematically described in a block diagram in FIG. 1. The first local control unit 4a and the second local control unit 4b are intended to control door movements in a motor vehicle (not shown in greater detail). In a first step S1, in each case the same parameter sets 8a, 8b of operating parameters are each stored in a first nonvolatile memory 6a, 6b of the respective local control unit 4a, 4b. Each of the two local control units 4a, 4b is then to be operated using the operating parameters of one of the parameter sets 8a, 8b in each case in normal operation.

[0064] To allocate the corresponding parameter set 8a, 8b to the respective local control unit 4a, 4b for this purpose, in a second step S2, the same values 12a, 12b, which differ from one another, of a recognition criterion are each stored in a second nonvolatile memory 10a, 10b of the respective local control unit 4a, 4b. The recognition criterion is based here on at least two values of an electrical variable, so that the recognition criterion itself is given by a measurable property of the electrical variable. The values 12a, 12b can correspondingly be given, for example, by constant voltage values U.sub.1, U.sub.2 different from one another, or by different frequencies f.sub.1, f.sub.2 of a voltage signal, which changes periodically between two constant values U.sub.1, U.sub.2. Other possible designs of the recognition criterion are described in greater detail hereinafter.

[0065] In next step S3, a value 12a, 12b is prepared for in each case each of the two local control units 4a, 4b, in that in each case an implementation of the electrical variable having the property is transmitted to the relevant local control unit 4a, 4b which corresponds to the value 12a, 12b of the recognition criterion. Thus, for example, a voltage signal having the constant voltage U.sub.1 can be transmitted to the first local control unit 4a and a voltage signal having the voltage U.sub.2 can be transmitted to the second local control unit 4b, or a voltage signal periodically pulsed at the frequency f.sub.1 to the first local control unit 4a and a voltage signal periodically pulsed at the frequency f.sub.2 to the second local control unit 4b.

[0066] In a step S4, the present value 12a, 12b of the recognition criterion is now queried in each of the local control units 4a, 4b. On the one hand, this can take place upon a corresponding recognition command 13 given centrally to the local control units 4a, 4b. On the other hand, the local control units 4a, 4b can also recognize due to the presence of the implementation of the electrical variable, thus, for example, due to the application of a constant or periodic voltage signal at a corresponding input 14a, 14b, that a query of the value 12a, 12b of the recognition criterion, which was prepared in S3 and is now input at the input 14a, 14b, is to take place.

[0067] In a step S5, the parameter set 8a is selected on the basis of the value 12a of the recognition criterion determined in the first local control unit 4a, which was input at the input 14a, on the basis of a correspondence to the value 12a stored in the second nonvolatile memory 10a, and the first local control unit 4a is operated from then on using the operating parameters of the parameter set 8a. The second local control unit 4b is operated using the operating parameters of the parameter set 8b, in accordance with the value 12b, which was input at the input 14b, due to the correspondence to the stored value 12b.

[0068] In addition, to avoid errors, a step not shown in greater detail can take place, in which it is checked in each of the two local control units 4a, 4b whether upon the query the respective value 12, 12b input via the input 14a, 14b corresponds with sufficient reliability to one of the values 12a, 12b respectively stored in the second nonvolatile memory 10a, 10b, for example, on the basis of limiting values for possible deviations. If the deviations of the queried value 12a from all stored values 12a, 12b of the recognition criterion exceed a predetermined limiting value, the query can thus be repeated in step S4.

[0069] A pinch protection system 20 having two local control units 4a, 4b is schematically shown in a block diagram in FIG. 2, which are each connected via a trigger line 22a, 22b and a CAN bus 24 to a central control unit 26.

[0070] In normal operation of the pinch protection system 20, the first local control unit 4a gives, via the trigger line 22a to the first central control unit 26, a stop command to stop a closing movement of the vehicle door which is associated with the first local control unit 4a if a capacitive sensor (not shown in greater detail) on this vehicle door, which is connected to the first local control unit 4a, establishes the presence of an object, for example, a human hand in the movement region of the closing movement. The central control unit then controls the automated interruption of the closing movement of this vehicle door, for example, via an activation of corresponding motors.

[0071] For an allocation of the operating parameters to the first or second local control unit 4a, 4b, a constant voltage U.sub.1, U.sub.2 where U.sub.1U.sub.2 can be output to the first or second local control unit 4a, 4b by the outputs 28a, 28b via the trigger lines 22a, 22b, respectively. The allocation is then carried out on the basis of the respective voltage U.sub.1, U.sub.2 determined in the relevant local control unit 4a, 4b.

[0072] It is possible in this case that, for example, U.sub.2=0 is selected. Since in this case the second local control unit 4b does not register any change of the signal in relation to the normal state in an idle mode at the input 14b, a recognition command 13 may be given via the CAN bus 24

[0073] However, the voltages U.sub.1, U.sub.2 output via the outputs 28a, 28b of the central control unit 26 can also both be nonzero. This can be achieved for example in that a voltage divider is formed in each case by utilizing a resistance R.sub.0 interconnected in the local control unit 4a, 4b with the input 14a, 14b, the value of which is equal for both local control units 4a, 4b, and a resistance R.sub.1, R.sub.2 selected correspondingly in the central control unit 26, so that with respect to a reference potential at the inputs 14a, 14b, different voltages U.sub.1U.sub.2 corresponding to the voltage dividers formed via the different resistances R.sub.1, R.sub.2 are applied.

[0074] FIG. 3 schematically shows in a block diagram a variant of the pinch protection system 20 according to FIG. 2, and the voltage signal output at the outputs 28a, 28b is formed by periodic square wave voltages of different frequencies f.sub.1, f.sub.2. The allocation of the operating parameters is then carried out on the basis of the frequency f.sub.1, f.sub.2 respectively determined in the local control unit 4a, 4b.

[0075] A variant of the pinch protection system 20 according to FIG. 2 is schematically shown in a block diagram in FIG. 4, and an allocation of the operating parameters takes place via an output of a supply voltage U.sub.v at different points in time t.sub.1, t.sub.2. The local control units 4a, 4b are connected to the central control unit 26 via supply lines 30a, 30b, via which they each acquire a supply voltage U.sub.v for the power supply for the operation. This supply voltage U.sub.v can now be output at the first local control unit 4a at a first point in time t.sub.1, so that the first local control unit 4a begins the operation before the second local control unit 4b, which only receives the supply voltage U.sub.v at a second point in time t.sub.2>t.sub.1.

[0076] On the basis of a simple communication protocol between the first and the second local control unit 4a or 4b, which can take place, for example, via the CAN bus 24, the respective local control unit 4a, 4b can recognize upon the operation start due to the beginning supply voltage U.sub.v whether the respective other local control unit 4a, 4b is already in operation, and can therefrom recognize the point in time t.sub.1 or t.sub.2 when the supply voltage U.sub.v has begun. This point in time t.sub.1, t.sub.2 can now be used as a recognition criterion for an allocation of the operating parameters.

[0077] A variant of the pinch protection system 20 according to FIG. 2 is schematically shown in a block diagram in FIG. 5, and an allocation of the operating parameters is carried out via a different interconnection of capacitive sensors C.sub.1, C.sub.2. The two local control units 4a, 4b are each interconnected here with two capacitive sensors C.sub.1, C.sub.2 of different base capacitance, and the capacitive sensor C.sub.1 having lower base capacitance is applied in the first local control unit 4a at a first sensor input 32a and the capacitive sensor C.sub.2 having higher base capacitance is applied at a second sensor input 34a, while in the second local control unit 4b, the capacitive sensor C.sub.1 having the lower base capacitance is applied at the second sensor input 34b and the capacitive sensor C.sub.2 having the higher base capacitance is applied at the first sensor input 32b. These different sequences of the base capacitances in the interconnection of the capacitive sensors C.sub.1, C.sub.2 can now be used as a recognition criterion, and in each case the specific value of the recognition criterion is formed by the sequence of the interconnection provided in each case at the individual local control unit 4a, 4b.

[0078] A variant of the pinch protection system 20 according to FIG. 2 is schematically shown in a block diagram in FIG. 6, and the allocation of the operating parameters is carried out via the sensor values of capacitive sensors C.sub.0, C.sub.0 upon opening of only one vehicle door. The first local control unit 4a is connected to a capacitive sensor C.sub.0, the second local control unit to a structurally identical capacitive sensor C.sub.1. If the vehicle door 36a is set into motion by the central control unit 26, in which the capacitive sensor C.sub.0 is arranged, as a result of the movement, it thus outputs a signal 38a corresponding to the movement at the first local control unit 4a. The other vehicle door 36b remains closed in this case, so that the signal 38b which is output by the capacitive sensor C.sub.0 at the second local control unit 4b remains unchanged. This can be used for the allocation of the operating parameters, in that, on the one hand, the curve profile of the capacitance values in the signal 38a and, on the other hand, the constant value of the signal 38b are stored as values of the recognition criterion.

[0079] A door closing system 40 for two vehicle doors 36a, 36b is schematically shown in a block diagram in FIG. 7. In this case, a first local control unit 4a for controlling a closing movement of the vehicle door 36a by utilizing a motor 42a arranged in the first local control unit is arranged on the vehicle door 36a, a second local control unit 4b and two further local control units 4c, 4d for controlling a closing movement of the vehicle door 36b by utilizing motors 42b, 42c, 42d arranged in the respective local control unit are arranged on the vehicle door 36b. The local control units 4a to 4d are connected to a central control unit 26 via trigger lines 22a to 22d, via each of which a command to close the relevant vehicle door 36a, 36b goes from the central control unit 26 to the local control units 4a to 4d.

[0080] 00801 During an identification process, different voltage signals in voltage amount and/or AC voltage frequency can be output at the local control units 4a to 4d via the trigger lines 22a to 22d by the central control unit 26 in the above-described manner, which can be used in each of the local control units 4a to 4d as a local value of the recognition criterion for allocating the operating parameters.

[0081] An alternative design of the door closing system 40 according to FIG. 7 is shown in a block diagram in FIG. 8. The first local control unit 4a has two inputs 14a, 15a, the second local control unit 4b has two inputs 14b, 15b, the third local control unit 4c has two inputs 14c, 15c, and the fourth local control unit 4d has two inputs 14d, 15d.

[0082] One of the lines 44a-d or 45a-d is connected to each of the mentioned inputs 14a-d, 15a-d, which are each given by wire connections of a wire harness 46. Furthermore, a ground strand 48 is arranged in the wire harness 46, which is at a ground potential U.sub.0. The lines 44a, 45a, 44b, and 45c are connected by jumpers 50a-d to the ground strand in such a way that the voltage value U.sub.0 is applied at the corresponding inputs 14a, 15a, 14b, and 15c. The same voltage value U.sub.v, which is different from U.sub.0, is applied at each of the remaining inputs 15b, 14c, 14d and 15d via the lines 45b, 44c, 44d, 45d, which are shown by dashed lines in the drawing. In this case, U.sub.v can be branched off from a supplier voltage provided, for example, for the voltage supply of the local control units 4a-d.

[0083] Due to the mentioned measures, a different combination of the two voltage values U.sub.0, U.sub.v is now applied at each of the local control units 4a-d: at the inputs 14a, 15a of the first local control unit 4a, (U.sub.0, U.sub.0) is applied, at the (ordered) inputs 14b, 15b of the second local control unit 4b, (U.sub.0, U.sub.v) is applied (in sequence of the inputs), at the inputs 14c, 15c of the third local control unit 4c, (U.sub.v, U.sub.0) is applied, and at the inputs 14d, 15d of the fourth local control unit 4d, (U.sub.v, U.sub.v) is applied. These voltage combinations are simultaneously stored as values of the recognition criterion in the local control units 4a-d so that upon a query of the combination of voltage values applied at the respective two inputs 14a-d, 15a-d, each local control unit 4a-d recognizes at which location it is used and can accordingly allocate the parameter set of operating parameters provided for the operation there for the application.

[0084] Although the disclosure was illustrated in greater detail and described by the preferred exemplary embodiment, the disclosure is not restricted by this exemplary embodiment. Other variations can be derived therefrom by a person skilled in the art without leaving the scope of protection of the disclosure.

[0085] The following is a list of reference numbers shown in the Figures. However, it should be understood that the use of these terms is for illustrative purposes only with respect to one embodiment. And, use of reference numbers correlating a certain term that is both illustrated in the Figures and present in the claims is not intended to limit the claims to only cover the illustrated embodiment.

LIST OF REFERENCE SIGNS

[0086] 1 method

[0087] 4a-d first to fourth local control unit

[0088] 6a, b first nonvolatile memory

[0089] 8a, b parameter set of operating parameters

[0090] 10a, b second nonvolatile memory

[0091] 12a, b stored value of the recognition criterion

[0092] 12a, b prepared value of the recognition criterion

[0093] 13 recognition command

[0094] 14a-d input

[0095] 15a-d input

[0096] 20 pinch protection system

[0097] 22a-d trigger line

[0098] 24 CAN bus

[0099] 26 central control unit

[0100] 28a, b output

[0101] 30a, b supply line

[0102] 32a, b first sensor input

[0103] 34a, b second sensor input

[0104] 36a, b vehicle door

[0105] 38a, b signal

[0106] 40 door closing system

[0107] 42a-d motor

[0108] 44a-d lines

[0109] 45a-d lines

[0110] 46 wire harness

[0111] 48 ground strand

[0112] 50a-d jumpers

[0113] C.sub.1,2 first/second capacitive sensor

[0114] C.sub.0,0 capacitive sensor

[0115] f.sub.1, 2 frequency

[0116] R.sub.0, 1, 2 resistance

[0117] S1-S5 method steps

[0118] t.sub.1, 2 first/second point in time

[0119] U.sub.1, 2 constant voltage

[0120] U.sub.v supply voltage

[0121] While exemplary embodiments are described above, it is not intended that these embodiments describe all possible forms of the invention. Rather, the words used in the specification are words of description rather than limitation, and it is understood that various changes may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. Additionally, the features of various implementing embodiments may be combined to form further embodiments of the invention.