EL-23 [Filename: AUTOWIR2.DOC] Electronic Control of Vehicular Electrical Subsystems Contributor: Affiliation Address: David H.

Cowling La Tech University Electrical Engineering PO Box 10348 T.S. Ruston, LA 71272 (318) 257-2857 (318) 257-4922 cowling@engr.LaTech.edu Design Project Three to Six Weeks Classroom, Laboratory, Library, Home

June 6, 1997

Phone: Fax: Email: Type: Student Time: Location:

Summary This project calls for the redesign of the electrical system in an automobile by the replacement of the wiring harness with a power bus and a signal bus. Electrical wiring harnesses in automobiles universally carry power in parallel from the activating switches in the drivers compartment to the actual subsystems which are to be controlled. Hence the activating signal for an electrical subsystem and the power for this same subsystem are carried over the same wire. This causes wiring harnesses of automobiles to be both complex to design and at the same time bulky to route throughout the automobile. This design project calls for the development of an electrical subsystem control for an automobile where the power is routed over a single power bus and the control signals are routed separately over a signal bus.

ABET Descriptors Engr Sci Content: Type: Elements: Features: Constraints: Effort: Electrical Circuits, Analog Electronics, Digital Electronics System, Subsystem, Component Synthesis, Analysis, Construction, Evaluation Design Methodology, Creativity, Open-ended Reliability, Cost, Safety Team

EL-23 [Filename: AUTOWIR2.DOC]

June 6, 1997

Electronic Control of Vehicular Electrical Subsystems

This project calls for design and the development of a new method to control the various electrical subsystems of an automobile. The parallel power/signal wiring harness that is connected to switches at one end and to the controlled subsystem at the other should be replaced by a power bus and a signal bus. Electronics should be designed for this control process. This design should be determined by cost, complexity, service requirements, reliability, and safety. The final results of this design should include the following: Documentation a) Schematic diagram of a prototype control system. b) Wiring diagram of the Power Bus and the Signal Bus. c) Signal coding and decoding chart for each of the controlled functions.

Hardware a) Prototype system set up to take two input signals (switches) and control two electrical subsystems. b) A prototype power and signal bus.

EL-23 [Filename: AUTOWIR2.DOC] Electronic Control of Vehicular Electrical Subsystems

June 6, 1997

Engineering Notes: This project should yield a carefully thought-out digital design. The power bus should provide power to operate both the electronics and the subsystems. The digital control signals should be routed down a separate twisted pair (or coaxial cable). Both the signal bus and the power bus should route in parallel through each of the controlled subsystems. Student groups involved in this project should spend time researching the actual requirements for the subsystems on the vehicle. They should then follow this with methods of coding and decoding digital signals. The system is to be designed for the complete automobile and a prototype system is to be built for two inputs and two outputs.

Objectives/Comments: The objective of this project is to lead the student through a series of investigations of the requirements for vehicular subsystems and the present methods by which this is accomplished. The design groups should then extend this by employing electronic (probably digital) signaling over a signal bus for the control of these subsystems. The design should include both the signal receiver and associated control circuit as well as the coding transmitter. This project is also open ended in the sense that one might place only two multi-function receivers (one at the rear and one at the front of the vehicle) with a single multi-function transmitter (at the dashboard). The other extreme would involve a separate transmitter and receiver for each switch and subsystem.

Expected Outcomes: This project should help with a student's ability to find information. This project should also lead to the examination of a problem more creatively. In addition knowledge from electrical circuits, analog electronics and digital electronics will be required and expanded.