Engine control unit and method for operating such engine control unit

Abstract

The invention proposes a method and an apparatus implementing said method which solves the problem of misconnected devices in an application where the devices which are subject to potential misconnection are always present in at least dual form.

1 . A Method for operating an Engine Control Unit for use in a motor vehicle or for use in connection with a combustion engine, 
 said method comprising the steps of:    affecting a first or a second device—targeted device—on account of a status of a toggle means,    observing an effect of having targeted the targeted device,    whereby, in operation, if said effect is not observed in a predetermined or predeterminable amount of time said status of said toggle means is toggled.    
   
   
       2 . The method of  claim 1 , 
 wherein the first and second device is a first and second oil control valve.    
   
   
       3 . The method of  claim 2 , 
 whereby the step of observing an effect of having targeted the targeted oil control valve comprised in a dual cam phaser with an intake cam phaser and an exhaust cam phaser involves observing the effect at the intake cam phaser or the exhaust cam phaser.    
   
   
       4 . The method of  claim 1 , 
 whereby, once the status of the toggle means is toggled, and the other of said first or a second device is affected on account of the toggled status of said toggle means, an effect of having targeted the other device—targeted device—is observed,    wherein, if said effect is not observed in a predetermined or predeterminable amount of time, an exception handling is initiated.    
   
   
       5 . The method of  claim 4 , 
 wherein initiating an exception handling comprises triggering an engine diagnostics system.    
   
   
       6 . An Engine Control Unit for use in a motor vehicle or for use in connection with a combustion engine and capable of and provided for performing the method steps of: 
 affecting a first or a second device—targeted device—on account of a status of a toggle means,    observing an effect of having targeted the targeted device,    whereby, in operation, if said effect is not observed in a predetermined or predeterminable amount of time said status of said toggle means is toggled.    
   
   
       7 . The engine control unit of claims  6 , 
 said engine control unit having means—affecting means—for affecting a first and a second device,    said engine control unit further having toggle means and observation means,    whereby a status of said toggle means is provided to influence which of said first and second device is affected by the engine control unit,    whereby said observation means are provided for observing an effect of the affected devices, and    whereby the engine control unit is provided for, if in operation said effect is not observed in a predetermined or predeterminable amount of time, toggling said status of said toggle means.    
   
   
       8 . The Engine Control Unit of  claim 7 , 
 wherein the first and second device is a first and second oil control valve.    
   
   
       9 . The Engine Control Unit of  claim 8 , 
 whereby the observation means are provided for observing an effect of the affected oil control valve, said oil control valve being comprised in a dual cam phaser with an intake cam phaser and an exhaust cam phaser, at the intake cam phaser or the exhaust cam phaser or at a cam shaft.    
   
   
       10 . Computer program or computer program product, such as a storage medium, with a computer readable program code for implementing a method when the program code is run on a computer, said method including the steps of: 
 affecting a first or a second device—targeted device—on account of a status of a toggle means, observing an effect of having targeted the targeted device,    whereby, in operation, if said effect is not observed in a predetermined or predeterminable amount of time said status of said toggle means is toggled.