Patent ID: 7765041
Filing Date: 2010-07-27
Classification: B60W,F01L,F02D,Y10T

Abstract:
1. An electronic control apparatus for a vehicle, comprising: a first control unit for controlling an electronically-controlled throttle of an engine mounted on a vehicle; a second control unit for controlling a variable valve mechanism that makes an open characteristic of an intake valve of the engine variable; and a communication circuit that provides a connection for communication between the first and the second control units, wherein the first control unit is configured to transmit a target value of the open characteristic of the intake valve to the second control unit, wherein the second control unit is configured to transmit a detection value of the open characteristic of the intake valve to the first control unit, wherein each of the first and the second control units is configured to diagnose a data reception abnormality, transmit a diagnosis result, and diagnose an abnormality in the communication circuit on a basis of the diagnosis result of the respective control unit and a diagnosis result of the other control unit, wherein, when the abnormality in the communication circuit is determined, the second control unit is configured to control the variable valve mechanism to bring the open characteristic of the intake valve into a predetermined open characteristic, and wherein, when the first control unit determines an occurrence of the abnormality in the communication circuit, the first control unit is configured to estimate that the open characteristic of the intake valve has become the predetermined open characteristic, to control the electronically-controlled throttle such that a target intake air amount in the predetermined open characteristic is obtained.