Abstract:
Methods and apparatus are provided for an electronic control unit that can be adjusted or changed to operate in different manners for different circumstances. The apparatus includes an electronic control unit (ECU) for operation of a plurality of electronic components, such as latch motors. In one embodiment, the apparatus comprises a plurality of inputs configured to receive a connection from a plurality of handle sensors, and a plurality of outputs configured to connect to the plurality of latch motors. The ECU also comprises a conversion loop with a receptacle and a receptacle circuit. The receptacle circuit can be configured as either an open or closed circuit, and the receptacle circuit is accessible via the receptacle. The ECU is configured to operate in either a first mode or a second mode depending on whether the receptacle circuit is open or closed.

Description:
TECHNICAL FIELD 
     The technical field generally relates to electronic control units used to control electronic devices, and more particularly relates to electronic control units to control the operation of electric motors for vehicle doors. 
     BACKGROUND 
     Modern vehicles have many electronic devices with a wide variety of functions and purposes that improve the safety and convenience of the vehicle. Many of these electronic devices have an electronic control unit that serves as the “brain” to determine when, how, or to what degree to engage the device. Typically, the logic to control a particular electronic component is built into the electronic control unit, so the electronic control unit is customized for a particular use and application. 
     The electronic control unit often includes an integrated circuit and associated wiring and electronics that are designed for the particular use. Some electronic control units can be programmed, similar to a computer, but others are hard wired or structurally designed for a specific purpose. Often, an electronic control unit will include both hard wired components and programmed instructions. An electronic control unit that can be re-programmed may be more flexible in use, but may also be less reliable. Electrical overloads, sudden magnetic field changes, or other actions can impact sensitive electronic components. Any action that impacts or modifies the programming can render the electronic control unit inoperative. In other cases, the electronic control unit could change its mode of operation from the designed mode, and the result could be unsafe. For example, an electronic control unit that is designed to electrically unlatch a vehicle door may have built in safety interlocks that prevent unlatching the door when the vehicle is moving or in gear. An unintended change in the programming could result in the door unlatching and possibly opening while driving down the road at high speeds, which is an unsafe situation. For this reason, some electronic control units include hard wired or structural components such that they can only operate in one way, and that is the designed way. No change in the programming can overcome a hard wired or structural interlock. 
     It is not economically practical to modify a hard wired electronic control unit to work in a different manner than the original design. In many instances, it is less expensive to produce a new unit with the desired logic than to modify the operations of an existing, different electronic control unit. Also, many electronic control units are not built for dis-assembly and maintenance, so repair or change is not practical. Therefore, manufacturers will maintain an inventory or each type of electronic control unit needed for production. 
     Many vehicle manufacturers will include several different electronic control units in a single vehicle, with each different electronic control unit operating different components. A vehicle manufacturer will often produce many different models of vehicles, so several different types of electronic control units are maintained in inventory. This also requires several different types of electronic control units that should be maintained in inventory for repairs or replacements. There is an additional cost for each different part that must be maintained in inventory, so reducing the number of different parts reduces the total cost. 
     Therefore, there is a need to develop interchangeable parts that can serve more than one function. For electronic control units which are hard wired, there is a need to be able to change the control logic in a desired and predictable manner so that a single part can be used for more than one purpose. The method of changing the logic should be simple, reproducible, and effective. Accordingly, it is desirable to develop an electronic control unit with different modes of operation. In addition, it is desirable for the method and structure of changing the modes of operation to be simple and easy to verify. Furthermore, other desirable features and characteristics of the present invention will become apparent from the subsequent detailed description and the appended claims, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings and the foregoing technical field and background. 
     SUMMARY 
     An electronic control unit (ECU) is provided for operation of a plurality of latch motors. In one embodiment, the apparatus comprises a plurality of inputs configured to receive a connection from a plurality of handle sensors, and a plurality of outputs configured to connect to the plurality of latch motors. The ECU also comprises a conversion loop with a receptacle and a receptacle circuit. The receptacle circuit can be configured as either an open or closed circuit, and the receptacle circuit is accessible via the receptacle. The ECU is configured to operate in either a first mode or a second mode depending on whether the receptacle circuit is open or closed. 
     Alternatively, a motor vehicle comprises a plurality of selected doors with handle sensors. A latch motor is associated with each selected door, and the latch motor drives one of either a lock or an unlatching mechanism. An ECU is connected to the latch motor, and the ECU comprises a conversion loop that switches between a first and second mode. The conversion loop comprises a receptacle circuit that is accessible via a receptacle, and the receptacle circuit can be set as either an open or closed circuit. Switching the receptacle circuit between an open and closed circuit changes the conversion loop between the first and second modes. 
     In yet another embodiment, a method is provided for modifying an electronic control unit to operate vehicle latch motors in different manners, as desired for different motor vehicle configurations. In one embodiment, the method comprises providing a vehicle with a plurality of selected doors, where each selected door has a latch motor and a handle sensor. The ECU has outputs for connection to the latch motors, and the ECU also has a conversion loop with a receptacle circuit that can be modified between an open and closed circuit. The receptacle circuit is accessible via a receptacle, and the conversion loop operates in different modes depending on whether the receptacle circuit is open or closed. The user determines the desired mode of operation, and sets the receptacle circuit to match such that the ECU operates as desired for different uses. The ECU is installed in the vehicle for proper operations. 
    
    
     
       DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       The exemplary embodiments will hereinafter be described in conjunction with the following drawing figures, wherein like numerals denote like elements, and wherein: 
         FIG. 1  is a side perspective view of a motor vehicle having an electronic control unit associated with an automatic door latch mechanism in accordance with various exemplary embodiments; 
         FIG. 2  is a front upper perspective view of the motor vehicle of  FIG. 1  with the doors open in accordance with various embodiments; 
         FIG. 3  is an exemplary diagram of the electronic control unit connected to a plurality of latch motors of the door in accordance with various embodiments; and 
         FIG. 4  is a schematic diagram of an electronic control unit and selected components of the latch motor system 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     The following detailed description is merely exemplary in nature and is not intended to limit the application and uses. Furthermore, there is no intention to be bound by any expressed or implied theory presented in the preceding technical field, background, brief summary or the following detailed description. 
     Referring now to  FIGS. 1 and 2 , a vehicle  10  is shown to include an electronic control unit in accordance with various embodiments. Although the figures shown herein depict an example with certain arrangements of elements, additional intervening elements, devices, features, or components may be present in an actual embodiment. It should also be understood that the FIGS are merely illustrative and may not be drawn to scale. As can be appreciated, the ECU of the present disclosure can be implemented in various systems and is not limited to the present vehicle example. 
     In various embodiments, the vehicle  10  includes an engine for power, a cab  12  for passengers, and doors  14  for access to the cab  12 . There are several different styles or designs, but in some embodiments there are four doors  14  that provide access to the cab. The doors  14  comprise the front right door  16 , the front left door  18 , the back right door  20 , and the back left door  22 . However, in other embodiments, there may only be two doors  14  providing access to the cab  12 , or there may be a hatch on the back, and it is even possible to have more than four doors  14 . The trunk  24  can also be considered a door  14  that provides access to a storage compartment. Each door  14  includes door handles  26 , and the door handles  26  can be coupled to one or more handle sensors  50  such that the handle sensors  50  are activated by operating the door handles  26 . The handle sensors  50  can be electrical switches that are actuated when a door handle  26  is used, but the handle sensors  50  can also be a capacitive or optical sensor which can detect the presence of a hand, or other sensors that can indicate a person is pressing, pulling, squeezing, or otherwise activating the door handle  26 . 
     Some of the doors  14  may comprise electronic components, and others may not. Selected doors  28  are those doors  14  that comprise electronic components that are controlled and operated with predetermined logic. More particularly, the selected doors  28  are those doors  14  that are controlled by the ECU described more fully below. A single ECU that can control a plurality of different types of operations can be used in several different ways, both for motor vehicles  10  and for other uses. One exemplary embodiment is a single ECU used to control either automatic door locks  30 , or automatic door latches  32 , where a door latch  32  is a drive mechanism to electrically latch or unlatch a door  14 . 
     Automatic door latches  32  often incorporate a locking function, so the logic to operate automatic door latches  32  is similar to the logic for automatic door locks  30 . However, in some embodiments, the automatic door latches  32  are not allowed to operate unless a handle sensor  50  is activated in contrast with door locks  30  which are allowed to operate without activation of a handle sensor  50 . A door  14  that is merely unlocked is still secured in a closed position by the latch. The device controlling the operation of the automatic latch  32  should be hard wired, or structurally built, to prevent operation without activation of the door handle  26 . A hard wired controller prevents a programming change, error, or other failure from accidentally unlatching a door  14  without a person activating the door handle sensor  50 . In some embodiments, the door latch  32  can also be activated by other switches or sensors controlled by a person, such as a button on the driver&#39;s door  14  that controls latching for all the doors  14 . The main point is that the latch  32  should not be able to operate without a human action that causes a sensor signal to activate. 
     With reference now to  FIG. 3  and with continued reference to  FIGS. 1 and 2 , a latch motor  34  is used to operate either the automatic door lock  30  or the automatic door latch  32 . The latch motor  34  can be electrically powered, and typically uses direct current (DC), although alternating current (AC) embodiments are possible. An electric motor that uses DC can be reversed by reversing the polarity of the power, so the same latch motor  34  can be driven forwards and backwards. Therefore, a single latch motor  34  can drive the forward and backward motion of locking and unlocking a vehicle door  14 , or latching and unlatching a vehicle door  14 . A different latch motor  34  is typically used for each different door  14 , so if the vehicle  10  has four doors  14 , there would be a right front latch motor  36 , a left front latch motor  38 , a right rear latch motor  40 , and a left rear latch motor  42 . In an alternate embodiment, one latch motor  34  could be used for locking/latching the door  14 , and a second latch motor  34  could be used for unlocking/unlatching the door  14 . 
     With reference now to  FIG. 4  and with continued reference to  FIGS. 1 to 3 , one embodiment of an ECU  72  is shown. An “H” bridge is a type of circuit that can be used to reverse the polarity of DC power to an electric component, such as a latch motor  34 . The H bridge circuit has four gates that work in sets of two, so the voltage is applied in one of two different directions. In some embodiments, the H bridge can comprise a half bridge for several related components, combined with a common half bridge that completes the H bridge for each of the related components. Several half bridges are shown, which combine to make a complete H bridge circuit for each selected door  28 . There is a left front half bridge  100 , a right front half bridge  102 , a right rear half bridge  104 , a left rear half bridge  106 , a theft security lock half bridge  108 , a child security lock half bridge  110 , a left common half bridge  112 , and a right common half bridge  114 . 
     The H bridge and the latch motors  34  are typically components of the vehicle  10 , and the electronic control unit (ECU)  72  is a separate component. The H bridges and latch motors  34  are coupled to the doors  14 , either directly or indirectly, and also comprise wiring and electrical contacts to make a connection with the ECU  72 . 
     The ECU  72  includes logic  116  for controlling the electronic components of the latch or lock system, and can include interlock functionality to prevent certain operations. In various embodiments, the ECU  72  connects to the wiring for the latch motors  34 , and also connects to the door handle sensors  50 . Contacts  74  can be used at the connection point between the ECU  72  and the latch motors  34  and handle sensors  50 . Many different types of contacts  74  can be used as long as an electrical connection is made. The ECU  72  can also be connected to other control devices or other components, such as a child security lock (CSL)  76  or a theft security lock  77 , where the theft security lock  77  can be abbreviated “TSL.” 
     The ECU  72  comprises a conversion loop  78  that is used to convert the ECU  72  from a first mode of operation to a second mode of operation, where the first and second modes of operation are different. The conversion loop  78  includes a receptacle circuit  80  that can be changed between an open circuit and a closed circuit. The receptacle circuit  80  is accessible via a receptacle  82 , so the ECU  72  is designed with the receptacle  82  as a means to change the receptacle circuit  80 . Changes to the receptacle circuit  80  change the mode of operation of the conversion loop  78 , which changes the mode of operation of the ECU  72 . Therefore, when the receptacle circuit  80  is changed between an open and closed state, the mode of operation of the ECU  72  also changes. 
     A wire harness  84  can be sized, shaped, and configured to fit into and engage the receptacle  82 . The wire harness  84  can include contacts  74  and a physical wire that completes and closes the receptacle circuit  80 , so when the receptacle  82  remains empty, the receptacle circuit  80  is open, and the receptacle circuit  80  is closed by simply installing the wire harness  84  in the receptacle  82 . A wire harness  84  is a relatively simple and inexpensive component, so the wire harness  84  allows the user to determine the desired mode of operation, and set the ECU  72  to the proper mode of operation. The receptacle  82  can be set in a visible position, so a visual inspection can indicate if the wire harness  84  is present or not. This visual inspection can be used to verify the proper set-up of the ECU  72 . 
     In an alternate embodiment, there can be the standard wire harness  84  to complete the receptacle circuit  80 , and there can be a blank wire harness  86  that fills the receptacle but does not complete the receptacle circuit  80 . There can be different colors, numbers, or other markings to differentiate the standard wire harness  84  from the blank wire harness  86 , and the blank wire harness  86  can prevent dirt and debris from accumulating in the receptacle  82 . In yet another embodiment, the receptacle circuit  80  can be a closed circuit when the receptacle  82  is empty, and the wire harness  84  can comprise a blade and insulator to sever the electrical connection so the receptacle circuit  80  becomes open when the wire harness  84  is present. Other embodiments are also possible. 
     The physical wire or other structure in the wire harness  84  makes a hard wired, structural change to the circuitry of the ECU  72 , and more particularly the conversion loop  78 , and even more particularly the receptacle circuit  80 . This hard wired, structural change serves to make a stable, reproducible, and secure change to the mode of operation of the ECU  72 , so more than a software or programming change is used to switch the ECU  72  between the first and second modes of operation. This provides additional security and reliability to the operation of the ECU  72 . 
     The ECU  72  can be configured in a variety of ways, and one exemplary embodiment is shown. In this embodiment, the ECU  72  comprises a plurality of “or” gates  88 , where an “or” gate  88  has a plurality of inputs and an output. If any of the inputs are accepted, the output is also accepted. For example, in a binary system, if any of the inputs were a “1”, then the output would be a “1”. Alternatively, if any of the inputs were a “yes”, then the output would be a “yes”. If none of the inputs were a “yes”, then the output would be a “no”. In this embodiment, the conversion loop  78  has an output that is an input for the “or” gates  88  associated with the selected door  28 . 
     The ECU  72  shown has a right front “or” gate  90  which is used to control the right front door  16 , and similar terminology is used to associate each “or” gate  88  with a selected door  28 . The inputs to the right front “or” gate  90  are the right front inside handle sensor  56  and the right front outside handle sensor  58 , as well as the output from the conversion loop  78 . There is a left front “or” gate  92 , and the inputs are the left front inside handle sensor  60  and the left front outside handle sensor  62 , and the conversion loop output. The inputs to the right rear “or” gate  94  are the right rear inside handle sensor  64 , the right rear outside handle sensor  66 , and the conversion loop output, and the inputs to the left rear “or” gate  96  are the left rear inside handle sensor  68 , the left rear outside handle sensor  70 , and the conversion loop output. In some embodiments, there may not be an inside handle sensor  52 , so only the outside handle sensors  54  are available. In other embodiments, the outside handle sensor  54  and/or the inside handle sensor  52  may be replaced by other sensors, such as radio signals or other inputs. 
     The output of the “or” gates  88  feeds to an “and” gate  98  for each selected door  28 . The “and” gate  98  also receives a logic  116  input to determine operation of the electrical components, which in this case are the latch motors  34 . The “and” gate  98  requires all the inputs to be accepted for an accepted output. For example, if each of the plurality of inputs to an “and” gate  98  are a “1” or a “yes”, then the output will be a “1” or a “yes”. However, if any of the plurality of inputs to the “and” gate  98  are a “0” or a “no”, then the output will be a “0” or “no”. The logic for what numeral represents an accepted input, or a yes input, can be varied. The “or” gates  88  are shown with an arc for the input side, and a point for the output side, and the “and” gates  98  are shown with a flat input side and a dome-shaped output side. 
     The output of the conversion loop  78  can be a “1” or a “yes” if the receptacle circuit  80  is open, so the ECU  72  can activate the latch motors  34  even if neither of the corresponding inside or outside handle sensors  52 ,  54  are activated. A “yes” output from the conversion loop  78  means one of the inputs to the “or” gates  88  is a yes, so there is no effective requirement that a handle sensor  50  is activated to operate the latch motor  34 . The addition of the wire harness  84  closes the receptacle circuit, so the conversion loop  78  outputs a “0” or a “no” signal. In this mode, the ECU  72  prevents operation of the latch motors  34  unless at least one of the corresponding inside or outside handle sensors  52 ,  54  are activated. Therefore, the ECU  72  is properly configured to operate the door locks  30  when there is no wire harness  84  in the receptacle (or when the blank wire harness  86  is present), and the ECU  72  is properly configured to operate the door latches  32  (as opposed to door locks  30 ) when the wire harness  84  is inserted in the receptacle  82 . The manufacturer determines which mode of operation is desired, and adjusts the ECU  72  accordingly by either inserting the wire harness  84  or leaving the receptacle  82  empty. 
     The ECU  72  can have additional functionality. For example, a child security lock (CSL)  76  can be added. The CSL  76  can use a separate ECU, or it can be incorporated into the door lock/latch ECU  72 , or the CSL  76  can be other electronic components such as a simple switch. The CSL  76 , when activated, prevents the rear doors  20 ,  22  from opening on activation of the inside handle sensors  52 , so a child cannot open the door. In the illustrated embodiment, the CSL  76  operation uses a pair of “and” gates  98  in conjunction with the CSL controller for this function. In a similar, alternative embodiment, there can be a theft security lock  77  that prevents the opening of any selected doors  28  when the theft security lock  77  is enabled. The theft security lock  77  may be used with just the automatic locking system, just the automatic latching system, or both, as desired. The theft security lock  77  and CSL  76  wiring and components can be present in the vehicle  10  even if the controller or other components of the CSL  76  or theft security lock  77  are not present, in which case these security locks would never be activated. In alternate embodiments, the theft security lock  77  and/or the CSL  76  may be implemented in the ECU logic  116 . In the embodiment shown, the CSL  76  and theft security locks  77  operate in the same manner for both the automatic locking mode and the automatic latching mode. 
     While at least one exemplary embodiment has been presented in the foregoing detailed description, it should be appreciated that a vast number of variations exist. It should also be appreciated that the exemplary embodiment or exemplary embodiments are only examples, and are not intended to limit the scope, applicability, or configuration of the disclosure in any way. Rather, the foregoing detailed description will provide those skilled in the art with a convenient road map for implementing the exemplary embodiment or exemplary embodiments. It should be understood that various changes can be made in the function and arrangement of elements without departing from the scope of the disclosure as set forth in the appended claims and the legal equivalents thereof