Design of an Embedded Controller for Some Applications of an Automotives

Bajaj, Preeti; Padole, Dinesh · 2011 · Crossref

DOI: 10.5772/16198

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Summary

This paper addresses the growing complexity of automotive electronic systems, motivated by the industry shift from mechanical or hydraulic implementations to electronic control for improved response, cost efficiency, and functionality. The authors propose a design for an embedded controller utilizing multi-core System-on-Chip (SoC) technology to manage various vehicle applications. The study contrasts distributed control architectures with central body control, ultimately advocating for a multi-core approach that balances computational load and communication efficiency. The proposed design features an integrated multi-core embedded controller consisting of four master cores and two slave cores connected via an AMBA shared bus. The master cores utilize the LEON processor, a 32-bit SPARC-V8 RISC architecture chosen for its configurability and synthesizable VHDL code. These masters are assigned specific processing tasks: weather data processing, digital image processing, battery controlling, and dashboard controlling. The slave cores, lacking independent processing power, handle peripheral functions such as wiper control and air conditioning. The architecture allows for heterogeneous cores operating at different clock speeds, facilitating dynamic power management and efficient resource sharing through a common bus managed by a shared bus authority. The paper demonstrates the controller’s application in three specific automotive scenarios. First, for wiper control, the weather data processor analyzes sensor inputs (precipitation, fog, temperature) while the digital image processor detects dust via a camera; both communicate with the wiper controller to activate the motor accordingly. Second, in the air conditioning system, the weather data processor monitors interior temperature, while the battery controller monitors voltage and electrolyte levels. The battery controller can disable the AC system to prevent battery depletion or stop charging to prevent overcharging. Third, for driver alert displays, the weather data processor shares environmental conditions with the dashboard controller, which displays alerts regarding weather, engine temperature, or excessive speed on a dedicated LCD screen. The significance of this work lies in demonstrating that multi-core SoC technology can effectively consolidate multiple vehicle functions into a single integrated controller. By sharing resources like memory and peripherals through a common bus, the design optimizes resource utilization, reduces the number of individual microcontrollers, and lowers overall cost and power consumption. The authors conclude that this architecture provides a scalable and efficient solution for modern intelligent transportation systems, offering better control over body electronics and vehicle diagnostics compared to traditional distributed or purely central control methods.

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• control interfaces