IP Library Granted Patent US 11,080,156
Granted Patent B2
US 11,080,156 · App. 16/488,290 · Granted Aug 3, 2021

Electronic controller and control method thereof, and electronic control system

Inventors: Taisuke Ueta (Tokyo, JP); Satoshi Tsutsumi (Tokyo, JP); Hideki Endo (Tokyo, JP); Hideyuki Sakamoto (Hitachinaka, JP)
Assignee: Hitachi Automotive Systems, Ltd.
G06F11/22G01R31/317G01R31/318516G06F15/78G06F16/1805G08G1/096805G08G1/096811G08G1/096816G08G1/096822H03K19/173H03K19/17764G05D1/0088
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 11,080,156
App. No.
16/488,290
Granted
Aug 3, 2021
Kind
B2
Abstract

An electronic controller includes: a logic circuit that is reconfigurable based on a reconfiguration instruction; an arithmetic unit that is configured in the logic circuit; a processing controller that transmits the reconfiguration instruction of the arithmetic unit to the logic circuit and that makes the reconfigured arithmetic unit execute predetermined operation; and a testing unit that executes an operation test for an arithmetic unit when the arithmetic unit is reconfigured, and that transmits the result of the operation test to the processing controller as a notice. Here, the processing controller makes the arithmetic unit execute predetermined processing based on the notice received from the testing unit.

Claims (41)

1. An electronic controller comprising:

a logic circuit that is reconfigurable based on a reconfiguration instruction;

an arithmetic unit configured in the logic circuit;

a processing controller that transmits a reconfiguration instruction of the arithmetic unit to the logic circuit and that makes the reconfigured arithmetic unit execute a predetermined operation; and

a testing unit that executes an operation test for the arithmetic unit when the arithmetic unit is reconfigured and that transmits the result of the operation test to the processing controller as a notice,

wherein the processing controller makes the arithmetic unit execute the predetermined processing based on the notice received from the testing unit.

2. The electronic controller according to claim 1 ,

wherein, when the notice received indicates failure of the operation test, the processing controller transmits the reconfiguration instruction again, and when the notice received indicates success of the operation test, the processing controller makes the arithmetic unit execute the predetermined processing.

3. The electronic controller according to claim 1 , further comprising:

a selector that is coupled to the arithmetic unit and that switches an input-output of the arithmetic unit to any of the processing controller and the testing unit,

wherein, when the arithmetic unit is reconfigured, the testing unit couples the input-output to the testing unit, and when the operation test is completed, the testing unit couples the input-output to the processing controller.

4. The electronic controller according to claim 3 ,

wherein the testing unit is configured in the logic circuit.

5. The electronic controller according to claim 4 ,

wherein the processing controller is configured in the logic circuit.

6. The electronic controller according to claim 1 ,

wherein the testing unit is configured in a circuit different from the logic circuit and coupled to the logic circuit.

7. The electronic controller according to claim 1 ,

wherein the reconfiguration instruction to be transmitted by the processing controller includes circuit information of the arithmetic unit to be reconfigured, and

wherein the testing unit executes the operation test corresponding to the circuit information.

8. The electronic controller according to claim 7 ,

wherein, in the logic circuit, a test information storage unit is further configured to store the combination of the data to be inputted into the arithmetic unit and the data expected to be outputted from the arithmetic unit for the every circuit information, and

wherein the testing unit performs the operation test by employing the information stored in the test information storage unit.

9. The electronic controller according to claim 8 ,

wherein the test information storage unit stores a plurality of combinations of the data to be inputted into the arithmetic unit and the data expected to be outputted from the arithmetic unit for the every circuit information.

10. The electronic controller according to claim 9 ,

wherein the test information storage unit stores further the number of execution in combination for the every circuit information, and

wherein, based on the circuit information, the testing unit repeats the random selection of one of the combinations and the execution of the operation test, for the number of execution.

11. The electronic controller according to claim 1 further comprising:

a log database that stores the result of the operation test,

wherein the processing controller stores the result of the operation test in the log database.

12. An electronic control system comprising:

an electronic controller according to claim 7 ;

a communication unit that is wire-coupled to the electronic controller; and

a server that performs wireless communicates with the communication unit,

wherein the electronic controller further comprises a circuit memory unit that stores the circuit information, and

wherein the electronic controller makes the circuit memory unit store the circuit information received from the server via the communication unit, and transmits the circuit information stored in the circuit memory unit to the logic circuit.

13. A control method of an electronic controller provided with a logic circuit that is reconfigurable based on a reconfiguration instruction and a communication interface that receives sensor information acquired by a coupled sensor for every processing cycle, the control method comprising the steps of:

reconfiguring an arithmetic unit in the logic circuit at least once for the every processing cycle;

executing an operation test of the arithmetic unit when the arithmetic unit is reconfigured; and

making the reconfigured arithmetic unit execute a predetermined processing by employing the sensor information, based on the result of the operation test.

Assignments (2)
CHANGE OF NAME Recorded Nov 30, 2021
From: HITACHI AUTOMOTIVE SYSTEMS, LTD.
To: HITACHI ASTEMO, LTD.
Reel/Frame 058481/0935 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Aug 23, 2019
From: UETA, TAISUKE; TSUTSUMI, SATOSHI; ENDO, HIDEKI; SAKAMOTO, HIDEYUKI
To: HITACHI AUTOMOTIVE SYSTEMS, LTD.
Reel/Frame 050144/0227 →