EP0140814A2
Expired / Lapsed
EP
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Power-conserving control system
Assignee: Lear Corp EEDS and Interiors
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Filing: 1984-10-05
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Granted: —
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Expires: 2004-10-05
Abstract
Abstract A control system, as for controlling automotive body functions, is powered by a limited capacity electrical power source and is structured and controlled in a manner to minimize consumption of electrical power. The control system conducts data transactions between a central control station and one or more remote controllers connected therewith, and the central control station includes a provision for electronic signal processing for controlling the data transactions with the remote controllers. A power FET is operatively connected to the power source and to a portion of the control system for selectively connecting or disconnecting power to that control system portion. The system employs a NMOS microprocessor. The portion of the control system from which power may be disconnected will typically include the processor. The level of system activity is monitored and a power-down, or «sleep» control signal is automatically provided if a predetermined condition of inactivity occurs. That power-down control signal is operatively applied to certain control circuitry for in turn causing the power switch to disconnect power when the power-down control results. Correspondingly, a timer, which preferably is continuously powered, times a «sleep» interval during which power is disconnected from the relevant control system portion and generates a power-up control signal at the end of some predetermined time. The control circuitry responds to this power-up control signal by causing the power switch to reapply power to the previously disconnected portions of the control system.
Inventors
- 👤 David Leonard Juzswik
- 👤 Nathaniel Webb
- 👤 William Michael Floyd
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
EP
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-24 12:51
CPC Classifications
G; G06; G06F; G06F1/00; G06F1/26; G06F1/32; G06F1/3203; G06F1/3206; G06F1/3215; G06F1/3234; G06F1/3287; Y; Y02; Y02D; Y02D10/00; Y02D30/00; Y02D30/50
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 19
Claim 1
Independent Claim
194 words
In a control system for conducting data tranactions between a central control station and one or more remote controllers connected therewith, the central control station including electronic signal processing means for controlling data transactions with said remote controllers, said control system being powered by a limited-capacity electrical power source, the improvement comprising: power switch means operatively connected to the power source and to a portion of said control system and being responsive to respective control signals to selectively connect or disconnect said power source to said control system portion; means for providing a power-down control signal automatically in response to a predetermined condition of system inactivity; timing means operative to time an interval during which power is disconnected from said control system portion and for generating a power-up control signal at the end of a predetermined time; and control circuit means operatively connected to said power switch means and being responsive to said power-down control signal for providing said control signal for disconnecting the power source from said control system portion and being responsive to said power-up control signal for providing said control signal for connecting the power source with said control system portion.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
194 words
In a control system for conducting data tranactions between a central control station and one or more remote controllers connected therewith, the central control station including electronic signal processing means for controlling data transactions with said remote controllers, said control system being powered by a limited-capacity electrical power source, the improvement comprising: power switch means operatively connected to the power source and to a portion of said control system and being responsive to respective control signals to selectively connect or disconnect said power source to said control system portion; means for providing a power-down control signal automatically in response to a predetermined condition of system inactivity; timing means operative to time an interval during which power is disconnected from said control system portion and for generating a power-up control signal at the end of a predetermined time; and control circuit means operatively connected to said power switch means and being responsive to said power-down control signal for providing said control signal for disconnecting the power source from said control system portion and being responsive to said power-up control signal for providing said control signal for connecting the power source with said control system portion.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
59 words
The improved control system of claim 1 wherein at least one said remote controller receives input data predetermined to be indicative of whether or not said control system portion requires powering, said power-down control signal being provided by said central signal processing means in response to said input data indicating the absence of need for powering said system portion.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
46 words
The improved control system of claim 2 wherein said control system controls the body electrical functions of a vehicle and wherein said input data indicative of whether or not said control system portion requires powering includes ignition switch status and status of particular other essential switches.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
54 words
The improved control system of claim 1 wherein said signal processing means includes an integrated processor and means for storing a program for said processor, both said processor and said program storing means being included in said control system portion to which power is disconnectable and wherein said processor provides said power-down control signal.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
86 words
The improved control system of claim 4 wherein said timing means and said control circuit means are continuously connected to the power source, said timing means is a continuously-clocked, resettable timer, said processor provides a periodic reset signal, said reset signal being operatively connected to said timer to reset said timer, and wherein said power-down control signal is provided by said processor only a brief predetermined interval after a said reset signal is issued by said processor such that said timer starts from a known reference.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
56 words
The improved control system of claim 5 wherein said power-up control signal is issued by said timer in a time range after said power-down control signal, said time range being of such length as to significantly reduce average power consumption without significantly delaying response to input data supplied to a said remote controller in the interim.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
25 words
The improved control system of claim 6 wherein said interval between a power-down control signal and the next subsequent power-up control signal is about 650ms.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
73 words
The improved control system of claim 5 wherein. said control circuit means includes a resettable bistable latch element preconditioned to respond to said power-down control pulse to provide said control signal to said switch means for disconnecting the power from said control system portion, said bistable element being reset by said power-up control signal to thereby provide said control signal to said switch means for connecting the power to said control system portion.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
76 words
The improved control system of claim 5 wherein said processor is interrupt-driven, said timer is a multi stage ripple-down counter, and further including continuously powered logic circuit means connected to one or more selected stages of said counter and to a request signal from said processor for providing periodic interrupt signals substantially at the intervals determined by the selected counter stage, said interrupt signal being extended to said processor for effecting execution of the processor's program.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
35 words
The improved control system of claim 9 wherein said interrupt signal logic circuit means is further responsive to said control signal for disconnecting power from said processor to inhibit generation of a said interrupt signal.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
19 words
The improved control system of claim 5 wherein said processor is a large scale integrated device employing NMOS circuitry.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
167 words
The improved control system of claim 8 wherein said processor is interrupt-driven, said timer is a multistage ripple-down counter and including continuously powered logic circuit means connected to one or more selected stages of said counter and to a request signal from said processor for providing periodic interrupt signals substantially at the intervals determined by the selected counter stage, said interrupt signal being extended to said processor for effecting execution of the processor's program, said periodic reset signal provided by said processor occurring when said processor is powered and functioning correctly, and further including continuously powered resetting logic means responsive to said reset signal from said processor for applying said reset signal to reset said timer, said resetting logic means being repeatedly preconditioned by said interrupt signals for applying said reset signal to reset said timer, the absence of said interrupt signals when the power is disconnected from said processor thereby preventing said preconditioning of said resetting logic means to ensure that said timer is not reset.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
88 words
The improved control system of claim 8 wherein said reset signal normally provided by said processor while power is connected thereto may fail to occur if said processor is operating incorrectly, and wherein said timer issues a watchdog control signal after a predetermined interval longer than the normal interval between processor-issued reset signals, said latch element also being presettable and said watchdog control signal being operative to preset said latch element to provide said control signal to said switch means for disconnecting power from said control system portion.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
42 words
The improved control system of claim 13 wherein the interval for said power-up control signal is longer than for said watchdog control signal such that power is subsequently restored to said control signal portion following power removal by a watchdog control system.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
90 words
The improved control system of claim 3 wherein said signal processing means includes an integrated processor and means for storing a program for said processor, both said processor and said program storing means being included in said control system portion to which power is disconnectable, said processor providing said power-down control signal, and wherein said processor delays the issuance of said power-down control signal for a program-timed interval of predetermined duration and continues to monitor said input data for any change which would negate issuance of said power control signal.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
25 words
The improved control system of claim 15 wherein the duration of said delay in the issuance of said power-down control signal is approximately 10 seconds.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
101 words
The improved control system of claim 3 wherein said central control includes one or more multiplex controllers, said remote controllers being connected to said multiplex controllers by a serial bus, said serial bus serving to extend multiplex data and multiplex clock signals from said multiplex controllers to said remote controllers, said multiplex controllers and said remote controllers being large scale integrated circuitry for multiplex operation, and wherein said disconnection of power from said control system portion is operative to terminate said multiplex data and multiplex clock signals at said multiplex controllers and to said remote controllers, thereby decreasing their power consumption.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
60 words
The improved control system of claim 16 wherein the data input to said remote controllers from certain switches deemed essential is stored in respective latches at said remote controllers even while said power is disconnected and wherein said latches are interrogated upon each reconnection of power to said system to determine whether to remain powered or to again disconnect power.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
No citation records indexed.
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