INTEGRATED ELECTRONIC POWER CONTROL UNIT OF ENVIRONMENTALLY-FRIENDLY VEHICLE

An integrated electronic power control unit of an environmentally-friendly vehicle that may reduce costs and enhance structure and space utilization by integrally configuring at least two or more electronic power control units (EPCUs) disposed within the environmentally-friendly vehicle. The integrated electronic power control unit (EPCU) includes a plurality of EPCUs such as a motor control unit (MCU), a low voltage DC-DC converter (LDC), or a hybrid control unit (HCU), wherein at least one or more components of the plurality of EPCUs are integrated. In addition, the integrated electronic power control unit includes a hardware failure management unit (HFM) that is configured to detect and manage a failure of hardware including the at least one or more integrated components.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENTS

FIG. 3is an exemplary view illustrating a configuration of integrated electronic power control units (EPCUs) of an environmentally-friendly vehicle according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention. A comparison between a configuration of the integrated EPCUs illustrated inFIG. 3and that of the EPCUs illustrated inFIG. 1shows that the MCU25, the LDC55, and the HCU100illustrated inFIG. 1are integrated into an integrated EPCU300. When the integrated EPCU300is configured to incorporate functions of the MCU25, the LDC55, and the HCU100, space utilization of the environmentally-friendly vehicle may be increased as illustrated inFIG. 3.

FIG. 4is an exemplary block diagram of an integrated EPCU of an environmentally-friendly vehicle according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention. Referring toFIG. 4, the integrated EPCU300of an environmentally-friendly vehicle may integrate an MCU, an LDC, and an HCU. In other words, the integrated EPCU300may be configured to convert a voltage of a high voltage battery into a lower voltage to charge a low voltage battery and monitor and control power distribution of a hybrid vehicle and a state of an electric power unit, as well as controlling an operation of a motor.

In particular, the integrated EPCU300may include an integrated control power source unit310configured integrally perform functions of the control power source units respectively included in the general MCU25, the LDC55, and the HCU100as illustrated inFIG. 2, an integrated boost power source unit310configured to integrally perform functions of the boost power source units respectively included in the MCU25and the LDC55, an integrated CPU350configured to integrally perform functions of the CPUs respectively included in the CU25and the HCU100, and a hardware failure management unit (HFM)330configured to detect and manage a failure of integrated hardware of the EPCU300.

Additionally, the integrated EPCU300may include a resolver380and a sub-CPU370generally included in the MCU25, an analog control unit390generally included in the LDC55, and a hybrid interface circuit unit350generally included in the HDC100.

A comparison between the components of the integrated EPCU300illustrated inFIG. 4and the components of the independent (e.g., not integrated) EPCU300illustrated inFIG. 2shows that, in the integrated EPCU300, one protective/diagnosing unit included in the independent EPCU300was removed, two control power source units were removed, and one boost power source unit was removed. In other words, the integrated EPCU300according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention is an apparatus optimized by integrating the control power source units respectively included in the independent EPCUs300structurally/functionally (or by commonly using them), thus omitting various separate components of the related art.

FIG. 5is an exemplary view showing a configuration of an integrated EPCU of an environmentally-friendly vehicle on a printed circuit board (PCB) according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention. InFIG. 5, an LDC I/F denotes a low voltage DC-DC converter interface, and CAN IC denotes a control unit area network IC.

Referring toFIG. 5, since the integrated control power source unit310that integrally performs functions of the MCU, the LDU, and the HCU, the integrated boost power source unit320, and the integrated CPU350are formed on a printed circuit board (PCB), the size PCB may be reduced to enhance space utilization and reduce costs of a material of the PCB.

According to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, since the manufacturing process and/or work effort may be simplified, as well as reducing costs of a material of the EPCU, labor costs may be reduced and a defective rate of the EPCU due to the process simplification may be reduced. Additionally, according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, cost of labor in case of an after-sale service may be reduced. Further, according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, since communication lines between or among the MCU, the LDC, and the HCU configured as separately independent EPCUs may not be required, hard wires in relation to communication may be omitted, and thus, communication reliability may be enhanced.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS

300: integrated electronic power control unit

310: integrated control power source unit

320: integrated boost power source unit

330: hardware failure managing unit

350: integrated central processing unit