Abstract: A controller includes a microcomputer that operates in a normal mode or in a low power mode and communicates with an external device, a monitor circuit that monitors an operation state of the microcomputer based on a monitor signal output from the microcomputer, and a start circuit that controls a drive of the monitor circuit. Communication signals exchanged between the microcomputer and the external device include a dominant state and a recessive state, and the start circuit monitors the communication signals. When the communication signals in the low power mode of the microcomputer include the dominant state, the start circuit puts the monitor circuit in a monitoring state. When no monitor signal is input from the microcomputer to the monitor circuit that is operating in the monitoring state, the monitor circuit determines that an abnormality has occurred in the microcomputer.

Abstract: A vehicular electronic control device activated according to an on-state signal from a main switch and a wake-up signal from an external device includes: a microcomputer; a voltage generating circuit for the microcomputer; a start circuit that generates the operation voltage with the voltage generating circuit when the on-state signal or the wake-up signal input; a printed wiring board; and a transmission wiring pattern that transmits the on-state signal. A first region of the board mounts the microcomputer and the voltage generating circuit, which activate the vehicular electronic control device when the main switch turns on. A second region of the board mounts the start circuit, which activates the vehicular electronic control device according to the wake-up signal. The transmission wiring pattern extends from the first region to reach the second region.

Abstract: An electronic control unit includes a microcomputer and a power circuit that supplies an electric power to the microcomputer. The microcomputer and the power circuit respectively operate in a normal operation mode and in a low power operation mode that consumes less power than the normal operation mode. The electronic control unit further includes a mode switcher for switching the operation modes of the microcomputer and the power circuit according to an input signal from an external device. When a mode switch signal for switching the operation mode of both devices to the normal operation mode, the mode switcher first switches the power circuit to the normal operation mode and subsequently switches the microcomputer to the normal operation mode, which prevents a reset operation of the microcomputer without using a large capacity capacitor.

Abstract: A communication system having a plurality of communication nodes connected by a communication bus is provided. The system allows at least one non-periodical data message to have a higher priority order than a periodical data message that is transmitted in response to a periodically-transmitted reference message from a master node ECU. In such a manner, a transmission of an urgent non-periodical data message has a higher priority than a transmission of the periodical data message. As a result, a wait time before a start of a transmission of the non-periodical data message is reduced.

Abstract: An electronic control unit includes a microcomputer, a monitoring unit, a clock-generating oscillator circuit, a first power circuit supplying power to the microcomputer, and a second power circuit supplying power to the monitor microcomputer. The first power circuit includes a first switching power source including a first transistor and a first series power source including a second transistor. The second power circuit includes a second switching power source including a third transistor and a second series power source including a fourth transistor. Further, the ECU includes a power control circuit controlling each of the transistors and an oscillation stop detection circuit. When a stop of oscillation is detected, the power control circuit switches ON the second transistor, and switches OFF the fourth transistor, thereby diminishing a no-monitoring period of the microcontroller during a stop of the clock output.

Abstract: An electronic control unit of one embodiment includes first and second microcomputers for mutually monitoring operations, an output circuit for outputting a signal that is outputted from at least one of the first and second microcomputers, a power supply circuit for supplying electric power to the output circuit, and a stop unit for stopping supply of the electric power from the power supply circuit to the output circuit. The first microcomputer has operation modes including a normal mode and a low power mode. In the low power mode, the first microcomputer stops monitoring the operation of the second microcomputer and outputs a power supply stop signal that operates the stop unit to stop the supply of the electric power from the power supply circuit to the output circuit.

Abstract: A reset signal control apparatus outputs a reset signal to a microcomputer to restrict a malfunction of the microcomputer when the microcomputer is started. The reset signal control apparatus outputs the reset signal to the microcomputer at least until a clock signal provided by an oscillation circuit and based on which the microcomputer operates is stabilized. The reset signal control apparatus includes a power supply section, a measuring section, and an output ending section. The power supply section supplies a power to the oscillation circuit and the microcomputer. The measuring section measures a consumption current of the oscillation circuit and the microcomputer. The output ending section determines that the clock signal provided by the oscillation circuit is stabilized and ends an output of the reset signal to the microcomputer when the consumption current becomes equal to or higher than a predetermined threshold value.

Abstract: An electronic control device for executing fundamental and additional functions includes: a fundamental circuit element that executes the fundamental function; an additional circuit element that executes the additional function; and a printed wiring board having a rectangular shape divided into first and second regions. The fundamental circuit element is mounted in the first region, and the additional circuit element is mounted in the second region. The fundamental circuit element includes an operation voltage generating circuit for supplying an operation voltage to at least a part of the fundamental and additional circuit elements and a bypass capacitor for functioning for the additional circuit element. The bypass capacitor is connected to a power source wiring pattern for supplying the operation voltage to the additional circuit element. The bypass capacitor is arranged in the first region at a position nearer the second region than the operation voltage generating circuit.

Abstract: A main body ECU as a slave node includes a switch. The switch is under OFF state when a prohibition signal is outputted from a verification ECU as a master node and under ON state when the prohibition signal is not outputted. The switch is inserted in a reception path between a receive port of a microcomputer of the main body ECU and a receiver of a transceiver that is connected with a communication bus. When the switch is under OFF state, a reception signal outputted by the transceiver is not inputted into the microcomputer of the main body ECU. Therefore, the microcomputer is not activated even if an activation frame is transmitted to the communication bus; this enables the main body ECU to maintain a sleep mode.

Abstract: When an ECU serving as a communication node is under sleep mode, a switch portion in a transceiver connects a data transmit port of a microcomputer to a memory controller. The microcomputer sends, to the memory controller, a code write-in request for writing a code while outputting a write data that is written as the code. The data transmit port, which is to output a communication data, is commonly used in order to output the write-in request and the write data; this suppresses the increase in the number of connection lines between the microcomputer and the transceiver and the increase in the number of ports of the microcomputer.

Abstract: A controller includes a microcomputer that operates in a normal mode or in a low power mode and communicates with an external device, a monitor circuit that monitors an operation state of the microcomputer based on a monitor signal output from the microcomputer, and a start circuit that controls a drive of the monitor circuit. Communication signals exchanged between the microcomputer and the external device include a dominant state and a recessive state, and the start circuit monitors the communication signals. When the communication signals in the low power mode of the microcomputer include the dominant state, the start circuit puts the monitor circuit in a monitoring state. When no monitor signal is input from the microcomputer to the monitor circuit that is operating in the monitoring state, the monitor circuit determines that an abnormality has occurred in the microcomputer.

Abstract: An electronic control unit includes a microcomputer, a monitoring unit, a clock-generating oscillator circuit, a first power circuit supplying power to the microcomputer, and a second power circuit supplying power to the monitor microcomputer. The first power circuit includes a first switching power source including a first transistor and a first series power source including a second transistor. The second power circuit includes a second switching power source including a third transistor and a second series power source including a fourth transistor. Further, the ECU includes a power control circuit controlling each of the transistors and an oscillation stop detection circuit. When a stop of oscillation is detected, the power control circuit switches ON the second transistor, and switches OFF the fourth transistor, thereby diminishing a no-monitoring period of the microcontroller during a stop of the clock output.

Abstract: An electronic control unit includes a microcomputer and a power circuit that supplies an electric power to the microcomputer. The microcomputer and the power circuit respectively operate in a normal operation mode and in a low power operation mode that consumes less power than the normal operation mode. The electronic control unit further includes a mode switcher for switching the operation modes of the microcomputer and the power circuit according to an input signal from an external device. When a mode switch signal for switching the operation mode of both devices to the normal operation mode, the mode switcher first switches the power circuit to the normal operation mode and subsequently switches the microcomputer to the normal operation mode, which prevents a reset operation of the microcomputer without using a large capacity capacitor.

Abstract: A microcomputer is formed of a CPU and a detection circuit and inputs sensor signals of a vibration sensor and a rotation sensor. The detection circuit includes an AD converter circuit for AD conversion of the sensor signal of the vibration sensor at a predetermined sampling interval, a peak hold circuit for detecting a peak value of the sensor signal, a RAM for storing the peak value, a counter for detecting a crank angle at a peak value detection time, and an angle calculation part. The microcomputer divides a pre-ignition check interval into plural interval units and checks the pre-ignition based on the peak value detected in each unit interval. The pre-ignition and the knock are checked by using different threshold values in an interval, in which the pre-ignition check interval overlaps a knock check interval.

Abstract: A first receiver receives an activation signal from a first network and gives the activation signal to an input side of a second transmitter via a first connection line; thereby, the activation signal is sent out via the second transmitter to a second network. Thus, the activation signal is not directly transmitted from the first network to the second network; instead, the activation signal is transmitted by using conversion functions of the first receiver and the second transmitter. This configuration can prevent occurrence of distortion or attenuation in the activation signal. The activation signal from the first network thus enables ECUs belonging to the second network to be activated certainly without delay.

Abstract: An electronic control device for executing fundamental and additional functions includes: a fundamental circuit element that executes the fundamental function; an additional circuit element that executes the additional function; and a printed wiring board having a rectangular shape divided into first and second regions. The fundamental circuit element is mounted in the first region, and the additional circuit element is mounted in the second region. The fundamental circuit element includes an operation voltage generating circuit for supplying an operation voltage to at least a part of the fundamental and additional circuit elements and a bypass capacitor for functioning for the additional circuit element. The bypass capacitor is connected to a power source wiring pattern for supplying the operation voltage to the additional circuit element. The bypass capacitor is arranged in the first region at a position nearer the second region than the operation voltage generating circuit.

Abstract: An electronic device includes a multilayer substrate including a plurality of layers of conductors. The multilayer substrate has a first region and a second region divided in a planar direction of the multilayer substrate. The first region is provided with a main circuit that realizes a predetermined function. The second region is provided to have an additional circuit for adding a function to the predetermined function therein. The first region includes a first wiring for electrically connecting the main circuit to the additional circuit and a connecting portion disposed at an end of the first region adjacent to the second region and extending in the multilayer substrate to correspond to all of the conductors layered to electrically connect the first wiring to any of the conductors. The main circuit is connectable with the additional circuit through the first wiring and the connecting portion.

Abstract: A vehicular electronic control device activated according to an on-state signal from a main switch and a wake-up signal from an external device includes: a microcomputer; a voltage generating circuit for the microcomputer; a start circuit that generates the operation voltage with the voltage generating circuit when the on-state signal or the wake-up signal input; a printed wiring board; and a transmission wiring pattern that transmits the on-state signal. A first region of the board mounts the microcomputer and the voltage generating circuit, which activate the vehicular electronic control device when the main switch turns on. A second region of the board mounts the start circuit, which activates the vehicular electronic control device according to the wake-up signal. The transmission wiring pattern extends from the first region to reach the second region.

Abstract: A failure detection device for a vehicle speaker includes a signal generator, an amplifier, a coupling capacitor, a supply circuit, a detection circuit, and a determination section. The signal generator generates a sound signal corresponding to sound outputted from the speaker. The amplifier amplifies the sound signal. The capacitor supplies the amplified sound signal to the speaker. The supply circuit supplies a direct-current test current to the speaker so that the test current does not flow through the capacitor by applying a test voltage to the speaker. The test voltage is higher than a voltage of the sound signal. The detection circuit detects a terminal voltage of the speaker. The determination section determines whether at least one of an open-circuit and a short-circuit occurs in the speaker based on the terminal voltage during application of the sound signal to the speaker.

Abstract: An abnormal combustion detection apparatus detects an abnormal combustion of an internal combustion based on a vibration waveform from a vibration sensor attached to the internal combustion engine. A gain circuit of the apparatus amplifies or attenuates the vibration waveform from the vibration sensor, an AD conversion circuit converts a waveform provided by the gain circuit to digital data, and a gain switching unit switches a gain of the gain circuit from a small gain value to a large gain value at a gain switch timing. The gain switching unit separates a large abnormal combustion from a small abnormal combustion in an abnormal combustion determination period for maximizing a dynamic range of an AD conversion circuit and for securely detecting a change of waveform amplitude in case of gain switching in an abnormal combustion detection operation.