Motorola 01 (2000-04)

Title: Electronic car engine control
Research Engineer: Mohamed Anas
Sponsor: Motorola 32-bit Embedded Controller Division Transportation Systems Group
Academic Supervision: Dr David Cumming, University of Glasgow

It is the ambition of the automotive industry to build engines with valve control that is entirely electronic. The industry wants to use Electronic Valve Control (EVC) techniques to have complete control over the intake and exhaust stroke, so that lower fuel consumption and emissions or, alternatively, better performance ratings can be achieved.

The sponsors are engaged in a project to design and develop a high performance SoC/Chipset to control automotive engine valves using electromechanical actuators so that the traditional camshaft can be replaced. The chipset is to be built around a central Engine Control Unit (ECU) so that the process data necessary to control the actuator chipset can be obtained from the ECU to workout the status of the engine (i.e., crankshaft position, valve position, various timing information.)

The chipset will be based on Motorola's next generation PowerPC architecture to meet all the operational and performance requirements of this application. In addition, the type of advance communication protocols necessary to interface the chipset with the ECU also needs to be developed. Some of the key areas which will be considered are as follows:

• Comprehensive system methodology for system/SoC.
• Simulation of local and central control tasks.
• Design and development of peripherals needed.
• Device partitioning, e.g., analogue/digital/power electronic modules.
• Development of control algorithm for the actuator.
• Actuator linear position sensing algorithm.
• Distribution and functionality of sensors working in a hostile environment.
• Data fusion from many sensors.
• Generation and feedback of accurate timing data.
• Bus architecture and protocols for communication using FlexRay.
• Partitioning of implementation between controller and distributed devices.
• Integrated modelling of complex electromechanical system.
• Suitable materials and performance of sensors, i.e., SiC/GaN.

After an introductory period, the research will focus in depth on a selection of these topics. Close collaboration with leading premier car manufacturers will be established as the project develops.

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