IJRET: International Journal of Research in Engineering and Technology

eISSN: 2319-1163 | pISSN: 2321-7308

DESIGNS OF INPUT AND OUTPUT DRIVER CIRCUITS FOR 16-BIT

ELECTRONIC CONTROL UNIT (ECU) AND DEVELOPMENT OF
CONTROL STRATEGY FOR ECU USING THESE I/O DRIVER CIRCUITS
Mansi K. Ajudia1, Mahesh T. Kolte2, Prasanta Sarkar3
1

Department of Electronics & Telecommunication, M.E. 2nd Year (E&TC), M.I.T College of Engineering Pune
2
Department of Electronics & Telecommunication, H.O.D (E&TC), M.I.T College of Engineering Pune
3
TTL Pvt. Ltd., Pune, University of Pune, India

Abstract
The rapid prototype based method for design process of control strategy of electronic control unit for input and output driver circuit
for 16-bit Electronic Control Unit (ECU). This method saves time and cost for making of an electronic control unit board and uses the
electronic control unit board having a type of microcontroller in which we can flash code many times for generation of control
strategy. Based on the given circuit, development of control strategy for electronic control unit is done in microcontrollers supported
IDE. Then, test and verify the developed code with the use of given input and output driver circuits for electronic control unit on test
bench with virtual engine environment setup or in an actual vehicle. The whole process is associated with development of Engine
Management System. In this paper the input and output driver circuit design is given for further development of control code for four
wheeler vehicles. Using this technique the validation process of electronic control unit board is done on test bench setup or in actual
vehicle.

Keywords- Electronic Control Unit, Integrated Development Environment, Engine Management System, Manifold-air
Pressure, Accelerator Pedal Position, Engine Coolant Temperature, Controller Area Network
----------------------------------------------------------------------***----------------------------------------------------------------------1. INTRODUCTION
Electronic Control Unit Consists of input and output drivers
circuits with communication devices as its peripherals. Those are
used for controlling purpose for internal operation of electronic
control unit. The main aim of the peripheral circuits for
electronic control unit is to drive vehicle with greater accuracy
on road condition for achieving better performance from vehicle.
Testing of electronic control unit on bench is required because
vehicles engine contains dangerous liquids and harmful gases so
the vehicle and electronic control unit may get damaged.
So, it necessary to test electronic control unit on test bench
earlier and then set up it to actual vehicle. Therefore, the process
of development of control code is done in the microcontrollers
IDE and tested the same on test bench or in a vehicle.

Fig 1: ECU input output circuit diagram

For above given process the circuit of input and output drivers of
electronic control unit is required. For designing purpose
peripheral circuits of electronic control units is done using circuit

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IJRET: International Journal of Research in Engineering and Technology

CONTROL UNIT

A digital input signal is a type of signal that represents two

voltage levels first is high and second is low. The digital signals
are having two states for representation and transition of data.
The digital input provides the on/off (triggered) type data
input to the ECU for its operation. Typically the on/off switch
input (toggle switches) are given as a reference for digital
inputs of electronic control unit. All digital inputs are
preconfigured with internal pull up resistors which can be
preconfigured or set during the programming of ECU to
convene particular environment. All digital inputs are feed
with 5V supply with respect to Ground. The digital signal is
not having continuously variable value like analog signals. The
two state values of digital inputs have been expressed in various
ways like high/low, on/ off, 0/1.

An analog signal is a type of signal which represents

continuously variable voltage and amplitude with respect to time
is called as an analog signal. The analog inputs refer and
receive the outcome from sensors. In other words an analog
input senses the sensor information and feed them to the ECU
using a supported voltage level of microcontroller. Typical
analog inputs for ECU include accelerator pedal position
sensor signal (APP), manifold-air pressure sensor signal
(MAP), and engine coolant temperature sensor signal
(coolant) etc. are referred as analog inputs. All analog inputs
given here are supplied with 5V with reference to ground
potential (zero/negative potential).

VPWR VDD

16

C9
100nF

U2

31

2. ANALOG INPUT CIRCUIT FOR ELECTRONIC

CONTROL UNIT

SI
SCLK
CS
7

Ignition_Switch_Input(on/of f )

C10
100nF

VDD

An Electronic Control Unit consists of functional blocks:

Microcontroller or microprocessor
Power Supply Section
Analog Inputs (continuously varying values)
Digital Inputs (on/off type inputs)
Frequency Inputs (vehicle speed input)
Digital Outputs (on/off type output)
Injector Driver Output
Ignition Coil Driver Output

3. DIGITAL INPUT CIRCUIT FOR ELECTRONIC

VPWR

tool drafting tool. Here in this paper the schematic for the input
and output driver circuits of 16-bit Electronic Control Unit
design is given using orcade capture tool.

eISSN: 2319-1163 | pISSN: 2321-7308

SO
SP2
AMUX

2
3
4
32
30

uC_124
uC_125
uC_126
uC_123
uC_104

C8
4.7pF

VCC

U1

uC_106

16

C5
100nF

29

GND

INT

14

Engine_Coolant_Temp

Digital_Input

VCC

R1

COM

18K
C4
800pF

B
C
Y5
INH

11
10
9
6

0
uC_84

uC_86
uC_83

R3

Manif oldair_Pressure_Signal

uC_111
18K
C6
4.7pF

4. DIGITAL OUTPUT DRIVER CIRCUIT FOR

ELECTRONIC CONTROL UNIT

Analog_Input

Fig 3: Digital I/P Circuit for 16-bit ECU

uC_85

C3
4.7pF

C1
800pF

GND

Accelerator_Pedal_Position

R2

uC_113

Y1

18K
C2
4.7pF

C7
800pF

The Low-side Switch and Low-side Drive outputs are used to

control the low side of relay coils and other devices. These
outputs current on the low-side (zero potential), they are
constantly attached to the negative potential a zero potential
region of circuit. An example of a Low-side Switch output
enabling an external relay.

Fig 2: Analog I/P Circuit for 16-bit ECU

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IJRET: International Journal of Research in Engineering and Technology

5.

SOPWR VPWR

eISSN: 2319-1163 | pISSN: 2321-7308

FREQUENCY

INPUT

CIRCUIT

FOR

ELECTRONIC CONTROL UNIT

SO

C17
100nF

C13
4.7pF

PWM

Crank_Signal_Input_+v e

42-44

C15
4.7nF

Digital_Output

C14
800nF

R4
1k

R6
2

COUT

VCCVPWR

uC_125
uC_68
uC_123
uC_113

18
32
19
14

DI
S5

0
20

SCLK
CS
DO
IN5
D5

21

Fuel_Pump_Switch

IN6
C20
4.7uF

GND

uC_110

16

VPWR

VDD

0
17

uC_11

Frequency _Input

Fig 6: Frequency I/P Circuit for 16-bit ECU

6. INJECTOR AND IGNITION COIL DRIVER

CIRCUIT FOR ELECTRONIC CONTROL UNIT

VPWR

C18
100nF

31

C19

The low-side driver switch outputs are selected as low voltage

and current range probably the ranges are 2A which indicates
low value, 5A which indicates medium value, or 10A which
indicates high value with respect to their current conducting
capabilities. The only care must be taken to make sure that the
devices related with the ECU, which do not exceed the ratings
of their respective outputs.

IN_BIAS

Fig 4: Digital O/P Circuit for 16-bit ECU

uC_124

IN-

1k
4.7nF
1n

U4

IN+

18K

Crank_Signal_Input_-v e

100nF

U5
R5

GND

uC_109

Main_Relay _Startup_Switch(on/of f )

GND

50

VCC

33

OUT10

35

uC_123

SI

10

uC_124

CS

VCC

32

SCLK

INT_THRS

uC_8

ZERO_EN

23

The Electronic Control unit senses the input signal coming

from variable reluctance sensor (VR); these inputs are being
used to provide trigger sensor information to the ECU. These
is used in many other applications, typically these are uses
include in Cam-shaft/Crank-shaft Position/Vehicle Speed
Sensors and wheel speed sensors.

C12
100nF

20

uC_125

U3

VPWR

SOPWR

C11
100nF

Injectors are driven with the help of output signal, which is

coming from ECU having lower voltage range. Supply of 12
V feed to injectors, which is coming from main power relay of
vehicle. High impedance or low impedance injectors can be
used with engine lab controllers without the need for higher
value resistors. Similarly, Ignition coils are driven with the
help of output signal, which is coming from the ECU and
having lower voltage range. So, many different types of
ignition characteristics are supported, such as MultiSequential, Multi-Wasted Spark, Single, Distributor coil and
many more. In multi-coil package, the spark gap is used
which supports a igniters pack, which are supplied by
the positive 12V main relay signal from the main power relay
of vehicle for driving purpose of vehicle successfully on the
running condition.

Digital_Output

Fig 5: Digital O/P Circuit for 16-bit ECU

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IJRET: International Journal of Research in Engineering and Technology

eISSN: 2319-1163 | pISSN: 2321-7308

VDD

VDD VPWR

U7

uC_10
uC_123
uC_36
uC_40

4
7
10
24

uC_123

CS
GD0

SO

Q1
1

DIN0

RSP

uC_71

C21
4.7nF

IGBT1
26

25

uC_135

2
1

40mOhm
R9

GIN0

V_SUPPLY
C24
100nF

SCLK

MOSI

CANH

18

CAN_High

MISO

INT
CANL

uC_134

27

19

CAN_Low

TXD
RXD

CAN

GND

SPKDUR

Fig 8: Controller Area Network Circuit for 16-bit ECU

8. EXPERIMENT AND RESULTS

Injector_Ignition_Driv e_Circuit

Fig 7: Injector and Ignition Coil Circuit for 16-bit ECU

7.

26

Ignition_Driv er_Output

33

uC_18

R8
36K

RSN
20

uC_124

12

GND

FB0

24

VSUP
CS

6-9,20-23

SCLK

27

Injector_Driv er_Output

4
2

OUT0

uC_125

4
2

0
1

uC_125

SI

uC_22

uC_124

VPWR

C22
100nF

25

U6

VDD

100nF

VDD

C23

C25
100nF

CONTROLLER

AREA

NETWORK

(CAN)

CIRCUIT FOR ELECTRONIC CONTROL UNIT

The Can Bus is used to control and communicate with Can
devices on the vehicle. To control the air pollution and
emission of harmful which are produced by todays
automotive industry, the automotive industry has developed
multiple electronic systems. Those main functions are to
improve pollution and fuel consumption. Those systems
having more complication thats why those required the data
exchange among them, therefore they required so many hardwired connections for performance of dedicated lines for
signal operations. The CAN Communication protocol gives
the complete solution path for its function. With, the help of
CAN, microcontrollers, vehicle sensors and output directed
actuators communicate or interact with each other devices in
the given node network, in real(synchronized)-time, with a
speed of up to 1Mbit/second, over a two wire cable serial
(ongoing) data bus.

Procedure for Generating the Control Algorithm for input and

output driver circuits of 16-bit Electronic Control Unit (ECU) in
the
microcontrollers
given
Integrated
Development
Environment (IDE) using the input and output driver circuit and
pin mapping of input and output driver circuits with using above
given figures for input and output driver circuits.
/**************
read
*************************/
A_HC4851_SetVal();
B_HC4851_ClrVal();
C_HC4851_SetVal();

analog

I/ps

AD1_Measure(1);
//Measure Accelerator pedal signal
AD1_GetValue8(Analog_values);
Acc_Pedal_Signal = Analog_values[2];
A_HC4851_SetVal();
B_HC4851_ClrVal();
C_HC4851_ClrVal();
AD1_Measure(1);
//Measure Engine Coolant temp signal
AD1_GetValue8(Analog_values);
Eng_Coolant_Temp_Signal = Analog_values[2];
u32_vECT_couRaw = Eng_Coolant_Temp_Signal;
MAP_Signal =
pressure signal

Analog_values[0]; //Measure Manifold air

/**************
end
of
read
analog
I/ps*******************/
/************** read digital I/p ******************/

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IJRET: International Journal of Research in Engineering and Technology

read break switch i/p

if(!MC33972_vRead_IP(Rd_Buffer)){
if((Rd_Buffer[0]&0x01)){//if ignition on

eISSN: 2319-1163 | pISSN: 2321-7308

method. With using this method we can develop a code for input
and output driver circuits for ECU.

REFERENCES
// MC33999B_MainRelay_SetVal(); //switch on main relay
MC33999B_MainRelay_ClrVal();
FuelPump_ClrVal();
} else {
// MC33999B_MainRelay_ClrVal(); //switch off main relay
MC33999B_MainRelay_SetVal();
FuelPump_SetVal();
} }
/************** end of read digital I/p ****************/

[1]

[2]

[3]

[4]
[5]

Jian HU, Gangyan LI and Jun XU, Component-Based

ECU Design Method of Passenger Car Information
Integrated Control System, International Conference on
Automation and Logistics, Shenyang, China August 2009.
Daniel D.Gajski, Frank Vahid, Sanjiv Narayan, Jie Gong,
Specification and Design of Embedded Systems,
Prentice Hall PTR, ISBN: 978-0131507319, 1994.
EAST-EEA consortium, EAST-EEA Embedded
Electronic Architecture, Available: www.east-eea.net,
2008.
AUTOSAR development partnership, TECHNICAL
OVERVIEW, Available: www.autosar.org, 2008.
AUTOSAR Layered Software Architecture, R3.0,
Rev.0001, November, 2007.

Fig 9: Results of ECU Variables in INCA Window

In the given figure the results of ECU inputs are shown. This
result shows the variable value in the software tool for ECU
variables and its parameters.

9. CONCLUSIONS
The actual development process of electronic control unit board
takes much time and cost. For solution of these difficulties we
can use such type of microcontroller based ECU board in which
we can use a controller which supports the flash programmable
memory. Therefore, we can easily do flashing of code on
microcontroller of ECU board. This technique is very useful
because we can get many applications as per our desired code.
By, using this method, development process of control code
increases the code flexibility, efficiency, reuse ability and
reliability in case of testing or validation process for Electronic
Control Unit on test bench, on virtual environment PC setup and
in a vehicle.
This process is initial and essential for testing purpose of
automotive electronic circuits on test bed setup. This is the best
example of component based Electronic Control Unit design

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