Car electronic control system and method for controlling the same

Abstract

A car remote control system utilizing a signal in the form of electromagnetic wave or infrared ray called ‘keyless entry’. When receiving a predetermined wake-up signal, an MPU is once operated even when the received input signal is a noise signal to perform only judging operation of whether or not the input signal is normal. Only when judging that the input signal is a normal wake-up signal, the MPU controllably causes an electronic circuit to be shifted to a usual operation mode. When judging that the input signal is the noise signal prior to full input of the tuner signal, the MPU immediately shifts to a sleep mode. Thereby current consumption of an electronic control circuit can be suppressed.

What is claimed is:  
     
       1. An electronic control apparatus for a car having a tuner receiving a signal from a remote controller and a microcomputer which activates at least one device when said tuner receives the signal from said remote controller, comprising 
       means for intermittently supplying electric power to said tuner when a control system of the car is not activated;  
       the microcomputer being provided with means for changing the power a supply of power to said tuner into a normal supply state and activating a function for monitoring an output signal of the tuner when the microcomputer receives a wake-up signal; and  
       the microcomputer being provided with means for outputting a wake-up request signal for waking a predetermined device when the microcomputer has decided that the received wake- up  signal is thea normal signal from the remote controller.  
     
     
       2. An electronic control apparatus for a car, comprising a tuner which receives a signal from a remote controller and outputs a predetermined signal to a microcomputer of an onboard controller, 
       means for the microcomputer to decide, when the microcomputer is woken up by generation of a wake-up signal, whether the generated wake-up signal is supplied from the tuner;  
       means for the microcomputer to execute, when the generator wake-up signal is supplied from the tuner, a function for determining whether the generated wake-up signal is generated due to noise; and  
       means for activating, when the generated wake-up signal is determined not to be due to noise, a predetermined device by the microcomputer.  
     
     
       3. An electronic control apparatus for a car, comprising a tuner which receives a signal from a remote controller and transmits a signal to a microcomputer of an onboard controller, wherein an output terminal of said timer tuner is connected to an input terminal of said microcomputer, to a wake-us signal line of an output system and to an input terminal of a gate circuit, and an output terminal of said gate circuit is connected to a wake-up terminal of said microcomputer. 
     
     
       4. An electronic control apparatus for a car having a tuner which receives a signal from a remote controller, said and a microcomputer controlling and activating a device provided in the car, comprising: 
       means for eliminating a high frequency noise contained in an output signal of said tuner via a software program executed by the microcomputer,  
       the microcomputer being configured to periodically sample a signal inputted to the microcomputer from the tuner;  
       means for checking the signal inputted to the microcomputer and again checking the signal inputted to the microcomputer after a set time shorter than the a sampling period and longer than a period of the high frequency noise; and  
       means for determining the existence or absence of a the noise on the basis of a state of signal obtained by the periodic sampling and by checking of the microcomputer.  
     
     
       5. An electronic control method for a car having a tuner receiving a signal from a remote controller and a microcomputer which activates one or more devices provided in the car when said tuner receives the signal from said remote controller, comprising the steps of 
       intermittently supplying electrical power to the tuner when a control system of the car is not activated;  
       changing the power supply, when said microcomputer receives a wake-up signal, to the tuner into a normal supply state and activating a function for monitoring an output signal of the tuner, and  
       outputting a wake-up request signal when the microcomputer decides that the received wake- up  signal is the normal signal from the remote controller, for waking up a predetermined device.  
     
     
       6. An electronic control method for a car having a tuner which receives a signal from a remote controller and outputs a predetermined signal to a microcomputer of an onboard controller, comprising the steps of 
       generating a wake-up signal;  
       deciding whether the generated wake-up signal is supplied from a particular device;  
       executing a function, when said generator wake-up signal is supplied from the tuner, for determining whether the generator wake-up signal is generated due to noise; and  
       activating a predetermined device by the microcomputer when it is determined that the generated wake-up signal is not due to noise.  
     
     
       7. An electronic control method for a car having a tuner which receives a signal from a remote controller, a microcomputer controlling and activating a device provided in the car, and a noise eliminating means for eliminating a high frequency noise contained in an output signal of said tuner, implemented by a software program executed via the microcomputer, comprising the steps of: 
       periodically sampling a signal inputted to the microcomputer from said tuner;  
       checking the signal inputted to the microcomputer and again checking the signal inputted to the microcomputer after a set time shorter than the a periodic sampling period and longer than a period of the high frequency noise; and  
       determining existence or absence of a the high- frequency  noise on the basis of a state of signal obtained by the preceding steps.  
     
     
       8. An electronic control apparatus for a car, comprising a microcomputer configured to have low power consumption mode and to receive a plurality of signals including a signal from a remote controller at a wake-up terminal of said microcomputer, 
       a communications interface configured to receive a signal for waking- up at least one selected control; device from said microcomputer and to output a wake - up signal to the at least one selected control device,    
       said microcomputer being further configured to perform function checking as to whether, when a signal is inputted at said wake-up terminal of said microcomputer, the signal is from other than said remote controller,  
       said microcomputer also being further configured to perform function checking as to whether a signal inputted at a digital input terminal of said microcomputer is the correct signal from said remote controller, only when the signal inputted at said wake-up terminal was not the signal from other than said remote controller, and  
       as a result of the function check, when the signal has been decided as a correct signal from said remote controller, said microcomputer being still further configured to output the signal for waking up a selected control device at an output terminal of said microcomputer.  
     
     
       9. An electronic control apparatus for a car, comprising a microcomputer configured to have low power consumption mode and to receive a plurality of signals including a signal from a remote controller at a wake-up terminal of said microcomputer, 
       a communications interface configured to receive a signal for waking- up at least one selected control; device from said microcomputer and to output a wake - up signal to the at least one selected control device,    
       said microcomputer being further configured to perform function checking as to whether when a signal is inputted at said wake-up terminal of said microcomputer, the signal is from other than said remote controller, and  
       when the signal inputted at said wake-up terminal was is the signal from one except other than said remote controller, said microcomputer being still further configured to output the signal for waking up a said selected control device at an output terminal of said microcomputer.  
     
     
       10. An electronic control apparatus for a car, comprising a microcomputer configured to have low power consumption mode and to receive a plurality of signals including a signal from a remote controller at a wake-up terminal of said microcomputer, and 
         a tuner configured to send said signals from said remote controller to said wake - up terminal,   
       said microcomputer being further configured to perform function checking as to whether, when a signal is inputted at said wake-up terminal of said microcomputer, the signal is or is not from one except said remote controller,  
       said microcomputer being further configured to perform function checking as to whether a signal inputted at a digital input terminal of said microcomputer is or is not the correct signal from said remote controller, only when the signal inputted at said wake-up terminal was is not the signal from once except other that said controller, and  
       said microcomputer being still further configured to be restored to a low power consumption mode as a result of the check function checking, when the signal has been decided as not being the correct signal form from said remote controller.  
     
     
       11. An electronic control for a car, comprising a microcomputer configured to have a low power consumption mode and , a wake-up terminal and a digital signal terminal, a tuner for receiving the a signal from a remote controller, and said computer being configured to switch a power supply switchable between said low power consumption mode in which the power is intermittently supplied to said tuner and a normal power supplying mode in which the power is continuously supplied, wherein said microcomputer is further configured to receive a plurality of signals including a signal from a remote controller at said wake-up terminal, 
       said microcomputer being further configured to perform function checking as to whether, when a signal is inputted at the wake-up terminal of said microcomputer, the signal is or is not from said tuner so that, only when the signal inputted at said wake-up terminal is determined to be the signal from said tuner, a function for switching said power supply from said low power consumption mode to said normal power supplying mode, and a function for checking as to whether the signal from said tuner inputted at the digital input terminal of said microcomputer is or is not normal are executable, and  
       said microcomputer being further configured to output the a signal for waking up a selected control device at the an output terminal of said microcomputer when the signal from said tuner inputted at the digital input terminal of said microcomputer is determined to be normal.  
     
     
       12. An electronic control for a car, comprising a microcomputer configured to have a low power consumption mode and a wake-up terminal and a digital signal terminal, a tuner for receiving the signal from a remote controller, and a power supply switchable between said low power consumption mode in which the power is intermittently supplied to said a tuner and a normal power supplying mode in which the power is continuously supplied, said microcomputer being further configured to receive a plurality of signals including the a signal from a remote controller at said wake-up terminal of said microcomputer, and  
       said tuner being configured to receive the signal from remote controller and to send said received signal to said wake- up terminal,   
       said microcomputer being further configured to perform function checking as to whether, when a signal is inputted at said wake-up terminal of said microcomputer, the signal is or is not from said tuner, and  
       only when the signal inputted at said wake-up terminal has been the signal from said tuner, a function for switching said power supply from said low power consumption mode to said normal power supplying mode, and a function for checking as to whether the signal from said tuner inputted at the digital input terminal of said microcomputer is or is not normal are executable, and  
       said microcomputer being still further configured to restore said power supply to said low power consumption mode and to be shifted to said low power consumption mode when the signal from said tuner inputted at the digital input terminal of said microcomputer has been is determined as to be normal.  
     
     
       13. An electronic control apparatus for a car, comprising: 
       
         a key insertion detecting unit for detecting the presence or absence of the key inserted into a key switch,  
       
       
         a door state detecting unit for detecting an open or closed state of a door,  
       
       
         a tuner connected to an antenna for receiving the signal from a remote control unit, and  
       
       
         a control processing unit having;  
       
       
         an input output interface connected with said tuner, said key insertion detecting unit, and said door state detecting unit, and  
       
         a microprocessor for generating an output signal to be transmitted to another unit on the basis of a signal from said tuner, said key insertion detecting unit, and said door state detecting unit through said input output interface, said microprocessor being configured to be awakened for a short time period upon reception by the antenna of a signal to determine if the signal is or is not noise, and then wake - up another control unit for the first time when the signal is not noise.   
     
     
       14. An electronic control apparatus for a car, comprising: 
       
         a tuner connected to an antenna for receiving the signal from a remote control unit,  
       
       
         a trunk opening actuator electrically coupled to an actuator control unit for opening a trunk, and  
       
       
         a control processing unit having  
       
         an input - output interface connected with said tuner and said trunk opening actuator control unit, and    
         a microprocessor for generating an output signal applied to said trunk opening actuator control unit on the basis of a signal from said tuner through said input - output interface, wherein said control processing unit wakes up said trunk opening actuator control unit upon receiving a signal for said antenna to place said trunk opening actuator in a controllable state and said microprocessor is configured to be awakened for a short time period when said antenna receives the signal in order to determine if the signal is or is not noise so that the trunk opening actuator control unit can be wakened for the first time if the signal is not noise.   
     
     
       15. An electronic control apparatus for a car, comprising: 
       
         a key switch connected to a battery having an accessory terminal for connecting said battery and a radio,  
       
       
         an ignition terminal for connecting said battery and an engine controlling unit, and  
       
       
         a starter switch for connecting said battery and a starter motor,  
       
       
         a tuner connected to an antenna for receiving the signal from a remote control unit,  
       
       
         control units directly applied with the electric power from said battery without going through said key switch,  
       
       
         signal communication lines for transmitting a signal between said control units,  
       
       
         a communication unit provided on each of said control units for effecting the transmission through said signal transmission lines, and  
       
       
         at least one of said control units having the following,  
       
         an input - output interface connected with said tuner and further operatively coupled to said accessory terminal, said ignition terminal and said starter switch, and    
         a microprocessor for generating a sleep/wake - up signal to be applied to the at least one of said control units on the basis of the signal from said tuner through said input - output interface, said microprocessor being configured to be awakened for a short - time period upon reception by the antenna of a signal to determine if the signal is or is not noise, and then wake - up the at least one of said control units for the first - time when the signal is not noise.