US 12,145,572 B2
System and method to determine second ECU state using shared sensor in a dual ECU system
Jason M. Erlenbeck, Hemlock, MI (US); and Rashmi Girmal, Saginaw, MI (US)
Assigned to Steering Solutions IP Holding Corporation, Saginaw, MI (US)
Filed by Steering Solutions IP Holding Corporation, Saginaw, MI (US)
Filed on Mar. 28, 2022, as Appl. No. 17/705,681.
Claims priority of provisional application 63/172,958, filed on Apr. 9, 2021.
Prior Publication US 2022/0324434 A1, Oct. 13, 2022
Int. Cl. B60W 20/40 (2016.01); H04L 12/40 (2006.01)
CPC B60W 20/40 (2013.01) [H04L 12/40 (2013.01); H04L 2012/40215 (2013.01); H04L 2012/40273 (2013.01)] 20 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A method of determining status of an electronic control unit (ECU) in a dual-ECU system, comprising:
providing a first ECU having a first communications terminal in electrical communications with a sensor and having a pin state representing data from the sensor;
reading, by the first ECU, the data from the sensor based on the pin state of the first communications terminal;
reading, by a second ECU, the data from the sensor via a second communications terminal in electrical communications with the sensor;
powering the sensor by the second ECU, thereby biasing a voltage of the first communications terminal and the second communications terminal to a logic level high condition; and
determining, by the first ECU, a status of the second ECU based on the pin state of the first communications terminal, and
wherein the sensor is physically independent of each of the first ECU and the second ECU.