US 11,855,448 B2
Control device and failure determination method for determining a failure in a switching circuit
Kei Yamada, Yokkaichi (JP); Ken Furuto, Yokkaichi (JP); and Takanori Ito, Yokkaichi (JP)
Assigned to AutoNetworks Technologies, Ltd., Yokkaichi (JP); Sumitomo Wiring Systems, Ltd., Yokkaichi (JP); and Sumitomo Electric Industries, Ltd., Osaka (JP)
Appl. No. 17/413,016
Filed by AutoNetworks Technologies, Ltd., Yokkaichi (JP); Sumitomo Wiring Systems, Ltd., Yokkaichi (JP); and Sumitomo Electric Industries, Ltd., Osaka (JP)
PCT Filed Dec. 11, 2019, PCT No. PCT/JP2019/048397
§ 371(c)(1), (2) Date Jun. 11, 2021,
PCT Pub. No. WO2020/122099, PCT Pub. Date Jun. 18, 2020.
Claims priority of application No. 2018-231892 (JP), filed on Dec. 11, 2018.
Prior Publication US 2022/0294209 A1, Sep. 15, 2022
Int. Cl. H02H 7/20 (2006.01); B60R 16/02 (2006.01); H02H 1/00 (2006.01)
CPC H02H 7/20 (2013.01) [B60R 16/02 (2013.01); H02H 1/0007 (2013.01)] 15 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A vehicular control device provided with a switching circuit and for opening/closing a connection between a starter including a capacitor that is to be connected to one end portion of the switching circuit and an in-vehicle battery that is to be connected to another end portion of the switching circuit by controlling an on/off state of the switching circuit, the vehicular control device comprising:
a voltage detection unit configured to detect a voltage of the one end portion; and
a control unit configured to control the switching circuit to turn off from on, and determine whether there is a failure in the switching circuit, based on a voltage detected by the voltage detection unit when a predetermined time has elapsed from when the switching circuit is controlled to turn off from on,
wherein the switching circuit includes a plurality of semiconductor switches connected in parallel,
the control unit is configured to open/close the connection between the starter and the in-vehicle battery by simultaneously turning on/off the plurality of semiconductor switches,
the control unit sets a length of the predetermined time, based on the voltage detected by the voltage detection unit in the state in which the switching circuit is on, and
the control unit controls all or some of the plurality of semiconductor switches to turn off from on in a state in which the switching circuit is on, and determines whether there is a failure in the plurality of semiconductor switches, based on the voltage detected by the voltage detection unit when the predetermined time has elapsed from when all or some of the plurality of semiconductor switches are controlled to turn off from on.