CN116373791A - Drive control unit for electric actuating drives of motor vehicles, in particular windshield wiper drives - Google Patents

Abstract

The invention relates to a drive control for an electric motor drive (125', 130') of a motor vehicle, in particular for a motor drive (125', 130') of a wiper arm (135, 140) Ministry (115, 120). It is proposed that the drive control ( 115 , 120 ) is set for operation with a reduced processor clock frequency. Furthermore, a control system (100) and a method for controlling at least one motor drive (125', 130') are described.

Description

Electric servo drives for motor vehicles, especially windshield wiper drives device drive controller

technical field

The invention relates to a drive control for an electrical actuating drive of a motor vehicle, in particular for a windshield wiper drive.

Background technique

Motor vehicles have window wipers to remove moisture and dirt from the viewing windows of the motor vehicle. Windshield wipers consist of a drive unit, wiper arms and wiper blades. The drive unit transmits the pivoting movement to the wiper arm, which guides the wiper blade over the viewing window. The windshield of a passenger car usually has two windshield wipers located next to each other. In order to avoid a mechanical connection between the wiper arms of the two windshield wipers, each windshield wiper can have its own associated drive, wherein the drives are synchronized in order to prevent the wiper arms or The wiper blades collide and maintain a predetermined movement sequence of the windshield wipers. Each of the drives then has a control unit assigned to it.

A drive controller is known from DE 10 2009 029 457 A1, which is used in particular to control a windshield wiper drive of a motor vehicle. The control system known from DE 10 2009 029 457 A1 has a control module, a first drive control and a second drive control, wherein the drive control is associated with a drive for actuating the wiper arm. The control module is connected with the first interface of the first drive control part by means of the first connection part. The second connection part extends from the second interface of the first drive control part to the second interface of the second drive control part. The control module is part of the electrical system of the motor vehicle and communicates with the first drive control at regular intervals. In this case, the information is exchanged independently of which operating state the first drive device and the second drive device assume. The information exchanged can include configuration parameters, status parameters and operational parameters. The first connection can be part of a LIN bus. For example, the second connecting portion can be a carline (Carline) connecting portion.

In conventional designs, the processor of the windshield wiper electronics runs continuously regardless of whether it is raining or not. As a result, the current consumption is higher than necessary.

Contents of the invention

The drive control according to the invention with the features of claim 1 , the control system according to the invention with the features of claim 9 , and the method according to the invention with the features of claim 10 have the advantage that a reduction in energy consumption can be achieved.

The measures listed in the dependent claims enable advantageous developments of the drive controller specified in claim 1 , of the control system specified in claim 9 , and of the method specified in claim 10 .

In conventional designs, the processor of the windshield wiper electronics always runs at a predetermined fixed clock rate. As a result, the energy consumption in the standby state is higher than the required energy consumption. As long as it is not raining, the windshield wiper is preferably not actively operated. During this time the clock frequency of the processor can be reduced in order to reduce energy consumption. In this operating state, the clock frequency is preferably only high enough to ensure bus communication with the vehicle. Motor control or motor regulation as well as thermal and mechanical protection functions are then preferably not calculated by the processor.

Furthermore, the reduced clock frequency can additionally reduce the temperature input to the processor, which positively affects thermal management.

For the EC windshield wiper motor, the rotor position sensor can additionally be switched off in standby mode. This means that the voltage supply can be disconnected. As a result, the static current of the wiper can be further reduced. An output shaft sensor is preferably sufficient for monitoring the position of the wiper arm in standby mode, which can be used, for example, to prevent displacement of the wiper arm due to driving wind.

Preferably, the processor clock frequency is increased and the rotor position sensor is activated only when the wiper motor is actively running.

In a direct comparison with active wipe operation, however, a lower current consumption results, in particular during longer stand-by operations, for example during wipe pauses in interval wipes.

The invention is also suitable for a large number of similar applications in which different operating states with correspondingly different current consumptions can occur for active operating times. This relates in particular to short-term actuating drives with long standby times.

Advantageously, the reduced processor clock frequency is predetermined in such a way that communication via at least one interface is enabled. In this way, a quick wake-up from, for example, a standby state is advantageously possible. Information can also be exchanged when necessary. This can be, for example, information about a drive shaft sensor of the motor drive.

Advantageously, the reduced processor clock frequency is specified in such a way that bus communication with the control module is enabled via the bus connection. This enables communication with the vehicle control unit.

It is advantageous if the drive controller is set such that the motor drive is not actuated and/or no thermal and/or mechanical protection functions for the motor drive are calculated during operation at a reduced processor clock frequency. Energy consumption can thus be significantly reduced.

It is advantageous if the drive control is set such that a rotor position sensor for at least one motor drive of at least one wiper arm is switched off during operation at a reduced processor clock frequency. Energy consumption can thereby be further optimized.

It is advantageous if the drive control is configured such that at least one wiper arm position of at least one wiper arm can be detected by means of at least one output shaft sensor of the motor drive, at least in operation at a reduced processor clock frequency. In this way, in particular despite the rotor position sensor being switched off, it is still possible to detect a displacement of the wiper arm, which can be caused, for example, by a driving wind at a higher driving speed for a longer period of time or by a strong wind . It is then possible, if necessary, to wake up from standby operation, ie to operate with a reduced processor clock frequency, and to actuate one or more wiper arms in order to reset them into a predetermined rest position.

It is advantageous if the drive controller is set such that the processor clock frequency is increased starting from a reduced processor clock frequency when the motor drive is required to be operated, in particular by the control module. In this case, the control module can initiate the activation of the windshield wipers for actuating the windshield wipers, in particular due to the driver's request to activate the wiper arms (which can be used, for example, to clean the windshield) or due to a corresponding signal from a rain sensor of the motor vehicle.

It is advantageous if the drive control is set such that at least one rotor position sensor is activated when the motor drive is required to be operated, in particular by the control module. As a result, the position of one or more wiper arms can be precisely detected.

Description of drawings

Preferred embodiments of the invention are explained in more detail in the following description with reference to the drawings, in which corresponding elements are provided with identical reference numerals. in:

1 shows a schematic diagram of a control system for a windshield wiper of a motor vehicle according to an exemplary embodiment, and

FIG. 2 shows an electrical drive for the control system shown in FIG. 1 according to a possible configuration for explaining the exemplary embodiment.

Detailed ways

FIG. 1 shows a control system 100 for windshield wipers in a motor vehicle 105 . The control system 100 includes a control module 110 , a first drive control unit 115 and a second drive control unit 120 . The first drive control part 115 is assigned a first drive device 125 , and the second drive control part 120 is assigned a second drive device 130 . The driving means 125, 130 comprise at least motor driving means 125', 130'. First drive device 125 actuates first wiper arm 135 and second drive device 130 actuates second wiper arm 140 . The first drive control unit 115 includes a first interface 145 and a second interface 150 . The second driving control part 120 includes a first interface 155 and a second interface 160 . The control module 110 is connected with the first interface 145 of the first drive control unit 115 by means of the first connection part 165 . The second connection part 170 extends from the second interface 150 of the first driving control part 115 to the second interface 160 of the second driving control part 120 .

The control module 110 is part of the electrical system of the motor vehicle 105 and communicates with the first drive control 115 at regular intervals. In this case, the information is exchanged independently of which operating state the first drive device 125 and the second drive device 130 assume. The information exchanged can include configuration parameters, status parameters and operational parameters. The first connection 165 can be part of a LIN bus. According to information transmitted from the control module 110 via the first interface 145 , such as control information, the first drive control unit 115 recognizes that it should be configured as a master control device. Then, the first drive control part 115 controls the drive device 125 assigned to it according to the information received by it through its first interface 145 , and sends a message to the second drive control part 120 via its second interface 150 and second connection part 170 . The second interface 160 sends corresponding information. Second drive control 120 , whose first interface 155 is not connected to any communication partner, recognizes due to lack of information via its first interface 155 that it is to be configured as a slave. The second drive control then evaluates the information received via its second interface 160 and controls the associated drive device 130 as a function of the received information. The second connecting portion 170 can be, for example, a carline connecting portion.

Drives 125 and 130 are DC motors which act on wiper arm 135 or 140 by means of a transmission. Sensors (not shown) are arranged on the drive or transmission in order to determine the actual movement or absolute position of wiper arm 135 or 140 . Drive controllers 115 and 120 are connected to these sensors and actuate drives 125 or 130 as a function of the information received by the sensors and via interface 145 or 160 . In order to select the rotation directions of the driving devices 125 and 130, the driving control parts 115 and 120 respectively include H bridges (not shown). The drive controllers 115 and 120 can be implemented integrated into the drive device 125 or 130 .

The drive controllers 115 , 120 are used for the electric motor drives 125 ′, 130 ′ of the drive devices 125 , 130 . In this case, the drive controllers 115 , 120 can be integrated into the drives 125 , 130 . However, the drives 125 , 130 can also be formed at least substantially by motor drives 125 ′, 130 ′. The drive control sections 115, 120 are each configured to operate at a reduced processor clock frequency. In this case, the reduced processor clock frequency is predetermined in such a way that communication via the interfaces 145 , 150 , 155 , 160 is also possible. In particular, bus communication with the control module 110 via the bus connection 165 is also possible in this way.

However, the motor drives 125 ′, 130 ′ are not actuated while running at a reduced processor clock frequency. Furthermore, thermal and mechanical protective functions for the motor drives 125 ′, 130 ′ are not taken into account. Accordingly, standby operation in which energy consumption is significantly reduced is realized.

FIG. 2 shows an electrical drive 125 with a motor drive 125 ′ for the control system shown in FIG. 1 according to a possible embodiment for illustrating the exemplary embodiment. Here, a drive device 125 is shown as an example. The drive device 130 can be designed in a corresponding manner.

In a preferred refinement, it is advantageous to also switch off rotor position sensor 180 for motor drive 125 ′, 130 ′ of at least one wiper arm 135 , 140 during operation at a reduced processor clock frequency. This results in further energy savings. However, the wiper arm position of the wiper arms 135 , 140 can be detected by means of the output shaft sensor 190 of the respective motor drive 125 ′, 130 ′ when operating at a reduced processor clock frequency, as exemplified in FIG. 2 . This is shown schematically in terms of the drive shaft sensor 190 of the motor drive 125'.

If additional requirements are requested, in particular to operate wiper arms 135 , 140 , the processor clock frequency of drive control unit 115 , 120 is increased starting from the reduced processor clock frequency. This request can be made especially starting from the control module 110 . Then, rotor position sensor 180 is also activated.

Accordingly, a method for controlling at least one electric motor drive 125 ′, 130 ′ of a motor vehicle, in particular at least one motor drive 125 ′, 130 ′ for a wiper arm 135 , 140 is also described. . In this case, it is possible to operate the drive controllers 115 , 120 at a reduced processor clock frequency.

The invention is not limited to the described embodiments.

Claims (10)

1. A drive control unit for an electric motor drive (125', 130') of a motor vehicle, in particular for a motor drive (125', 130') for a wiper arm (135, 140) (115, 120), It is characterized in that, The drive control (115, 120) is configured to operate at a reduced processor clock frequency. 2. The drive control unit according to claim 1, It is characterized in that, The reduced processor clock frequency is predetermined in such a way that communication via at least one interface ( 145 , 150 , 155 , 160 ) is enabled. 3. The drive control unit according to claim 1 or 2, It is characterized in that, The reduced processor clock frequency is prescribed in such a way that bus communication with the control module ( 110 ) is enabled via the bus connection ( 165 ). 4. The drive control unit according to any one of claims 1 to 3, It is characterized in that, The drive control unit (115, 120) is set in such a way that no actuation of the motor drive (125', 130') and/or no calculations for the motor drive are performed while running at a reduced processor clock frequency. (125', 130') for thermal and/or mechanical protection. 5. The drive control unit according to any one of claims 1 to 4, It is characterized in that, The drive control (115, 120) is set in such a way that the motor drive (125', 130') for at least one wiper arm (135, 140) is switched off in operation at a reduced processor clock frequency at least one rotor position sensor (180). 6. The drive control section according to claims 1 to 5, It is characterized in that, The drive control (115, 120) is configured such that it can be detected by means of at least one output shaft sensor (190) of the motor drive (125', 130'), at least when running at a reduced processor clock At least one wiper arm position of at least one wiper arm (135, 140). 7. The drive control unit according to any one of claims 1 to 6, It is characterized in that, The drive control (115, 120) is set in such a way that when the operation of the motor drive (125', 130') is requested, in particular by the control module (110), the processor clock is increased starting from a reduced processor clock frequency frequency. 8. The drive control unit according to claim 7, It is characterized in that, The drive control (115, 120) is configured such that at least one rotor position sensor (180) is activated when the motor drive (125', 130') is required to be operated, in particular by the control module (110). 9. For at least one electric motor drive (125', 130'), in particular for at least one motor drive (125', 130') for at least one wiper arm (135, 140) A control system (100) having at least one drive control (115, 120) for said at least one motor drive (125', 130'), It is characterized in that, The at least one drive control unit (115, 120) is configured according to any one of claims 1-8. 10. A method for operating at least one electric motor drive (125', 130') of a motor vehicle, in particular at least one motor drive (125', 130') for a wiper arm (135, 140) method of control, It is characterized in that, The at least one drive controller (115, 120) for the at least one electric motor drive (125', 130') can be operated at a reduced processor clock frequency.

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