JP2912873B2 - Fault diagnosis device for automatic control device - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a failure diagnosis device for an automatic control device for controlling a plurality of control objects based on input signals from sensors.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Sensors of automatic control devices, their input circuits,
And the failure of the controller (microcomputer)
As an apparatus for diagnosing without using a special checker or the like, there is JP-A-63-289467 according to the invention of the applicant. This means that when the input signal of the sensor is changed artificially, the failure of the sensor, its input circuit, and the controller can be diagnosed by a single inspector based on whether or not the alarm (alarm buzzer) operates for a predetermined time. And the sensor,
If there is an abnormality in either the input circuit or the controller, the controller does not detect a change in the sensor signal and does not operate the annunciator so that a failure can be found.

[0003]

However, the above-mentioned automatic control device has no problem when all the control is performed by one controller, but various types of control are required due to the limitation of the capacity of the controller or the processing speed. In the case where the control of the control is shared by a plurality of controllers, or when another controller is prepared and retrofitted in order to add another control function as an option later, the failure diagnosis by the input check means described above is performed. Can not be performed properly.
That is, when various controls are shared and executed by a plurality of controllers as described above, an input of a sensor common to each controller is often required depending on the control content,
In addition, separately preparing the same type of sensor for each controller leads to an increase in cost. Therefore, one sensor is commonly connected to each controller to reduce the number of sensors. However, in this case, if an attempt is made to diagnose a failure by the input checking means, a plurality of controllers are interfered by inputs of sensors connected in common, and an appropriate failure cannot be diagnosed. That is, since the commonly connected sensors are simultaneously input to a plurality of controllers, even if an error occurs in one controller system, as long as the other controller systems are normal, the sensors commonly connected to other controllers are connected. This is because, as a result of detecting a change in the input and operating the alarm, it is not possible to notify the inspector that there is an abnormality in one controller system.
The failure diagnosis device lacks reliability.

[0004]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been made in consideration of the above circumstances, and has as its object to solve this problem. Various controls are performed by a plurality of controllers based on input signals from sensors. an automatic control device for the execution sharing to the controller, together with forms which operably alarm for a predetermined time based on artificial change in the sensor signal to be connected thereto, co-straddling a plurality of controllers <br / > artificially change of the input signal of one sensor connected to the communication
If allowed, by work moving by different actuation timing the alarm for each controller, sensor, its
And input check means for diagnosing a failure of the input circuit and the controller .

[0005]

When the automatic control device is inspected or maintained, or when it is found that the automatic control device is malfunctioning, the failure of the sensor, its input system and the controller is diagnosed by using the input check means. In this case, the switch input to the controller is turned on / off artificially by touching a sensor bar that operates the switch, and a check is performed. In the case of a sensor such as a potentiometer, an operating lever connected to the sensor is rotated to artificially change the resistance value of the potentiometer and check. At this time, if there is no failure such as disconnection, short-circuit, or runaway in the switch, the sensor such as a potentiometer, the input circuit thereof, and the controller, a change in the input signal of the sensor is normally input to the controller, and the controller informs the controller. The gas detector is operated for a predetermined short period of time to notify the inspector of normality. In addition, when a sensor connected in common across a plurality of controllers is checked, if all of them are normal, the annunciator performs a plurality of annunciation operations with different operation timings for each controller. For example, one sensor to check is 3
If connected to one controller, the annunciators operate the annunciators in three intermittent manners. Therefore, the inspector can diagnose that all three controllers are normal. In addition, if any of the sensor, its input circuit, or controller is abnormal,
The annunciator is not activated or continues to operate, so that an abnormality can be immediately diagnosed. Then, even when checking one sensor commonly connected to a plurality of controllers, the sensor is originally connected to three controllers, and the alarm has to be notified three times, regardless of whether the alarm has to be notified three times. Does not work or once,
Alternatively, by issuing the notification only twice, the inspector can diagnose which is abnormal.

[0006]

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS An embodiment in which the present invention is applied to an automatic control device for a combine will be described. In FIG. 1, a combine 1 includes left and right crawler traveling devices 2 and 2 and a control unit 3 provided on one side of the fuselage. In the front part, the raising device 4 and the cutting blade 5
The pre-processing unit F having the above-mentioned structure is installed so as to be able to move up and down.
A threshing device 6 is provided on the other side of the fuselage. The threshing device 6 threshes the grain stalks that have been cut and conveyed by the pre-processing unit F and delivers the thresh to a cutter 7 provided behind. Further, the cutter 7 cuts the culm and discharges it to the field. The degranulated grains are temporarily stored in a Glen tank 8 and then discharged to a carrier such as a light truck by a discharge auger 9. Also, the combine 1 controls the cutting height position control for controlling the elevation position of the pre-processing unit F, the direction control for following the alignment of the grain culm and appropriately disengaging the side clutch, and the insertion depth of the grain culm to the threshing device 6. Depth control to control, Glen tank control to rotate the Glen tank 8 to release the grain, Aircraft horizontal control to raise and lower the right and left crawler traveling devices 2 and 2 to keep the airplane horizontal, Auger 9 An automatic control device such as storage control is provided. The automatic control device is centrally controlled by a control unit 10, and the control unit 10 is disposed in a cover 12 below a cockpit 11 as shown in FIG. Note that an LED checker 13 (see FIG. 3) is provided on the same plane as the control unit 10, and a valve unit 14 of a hydraulic switching valve controlled by the control unit 10 is provided below the control unit 3 behind the control unit 10. (See Fig. 4)
Has been arranged.

Here, the details of the control unit 10 will be described with reference to FIG.
Is composed of a plurality (three in this embodiment) of controllers (microcomputers) A, B, and C, and is supplied with power from a battery (not shown) mounted on the body.
Among them, the controller A performs, for example, the cutting height position control, the direction automatic control, and the control of other general electric components among the above-mentioned controls, and the cutting height automatic control disposed on the front operation panel 3a of the control unit 3 is performed. .. 15f, and sensors such as a potentiometer 16 for detecting a relative angle change between the airframe and the preprocessing unit F are connected to the input-side interfaces AI and A.
A is connected to each port. Each port of the output side driver AO of the controller A has a solenoid 17a,... 17e of an electromagnetic switching valve for operating a hydraulic cylinder for pre-processing elevating and lowering to be controlled, and a pilot for indicating that the automatic control state is in effect. The lamp 18 and the like are connected. Further, the controller B performs a handling depth control, a Glen tank control, a body level control, and the like, and its input interfaces BI and BA have automatic handling depth switches 19a,
Switch 19 of long culm detection sensor that detects culm length during transportation
b, .. 19f etc. and the output side driver BO
The body level control solenoids 20a,..., 20d, the handling depth drive motor 21, the pilot lamp 22, and the like are connected. Further, the controller C performs auger storage control and the like,
Switches 23a,... 23f for instructing auger storage
A potentiometer 24 for detecting the turning position is provided on the input side interfaces CI and CA, and solenoids 25a, 25 of an electromagnetic switching valve for operating the hydraulic cylinder for lifting and lowering.
d, connect the motor 26, etc. to the output driver CO.

The interfaces AI, BI, and CI on the input side of the controllers A, B, and C have a cutting clutch lever for transmitting power to the preprocessing unit F and a threshing clutch lever for transmitting power to the threshing device 6. A reaping clutch switch 27 for detecting each operation position and a work implement clutch switch 28 are also provided with interfaces AA, BA,
In the CA, potentiometers 16 for detecting a relative angle change between the airframe and the pre-processing unit F are commonly connected and input to each input port. These commonly connected sensors 27, 28, and 16 are provided to detect whether or not the combine 1 is actually in a cutting operation state.
Sensors 27, 28, 16 which are commonly connected so that useless control is not performed even when 5a, 19a, etc. are on.
Are controlled so that actual control is not performed until it is detected that both are in the harvesting operation state. Reference numeral 29 denotes an input check switch provided near the control unit 10 so as not to be normally touched by the operator, and the interfaces AI, B of the controllers A, B, C.
Commonly connected to I and CI. The single alarm buzzer 30 is connected to the controller A, B, C
Are connected in common to the output drivers AO, BO, and CO, and the alarm buzzer 30 plays a role of a normal traveling horn and a role of an alarm of a failure diagnosis device. Further, the solenoids 17a,..., 20a,... 25a... Of the respective solenoid-operated switching valves connected to the output side drivers AO, BO, CO are provided with LEDs (light emitting diodes) R1, R2,.
..R13 is connected, and each LED is the LED shown in Fig.3
Collected and installed in the checker 13.

Although the above-described combine 1 is fully equipped with various controls without omission, depending on the model, it is possible to omit any of the controls and to use the combine as an inexpensive type. For example, an optional controller C unnecessary for control, and input sensor groups 23a... 23f and 24 and output solenoid groups 25a.
· Can be configured by removing 25d and 26. Conversely, if an optional controller C, an input sensor group related thereto, an output solenoid group, and the like are retrofitted, a fully equipped combine 1 with improved functions can be obtained. Also,
The illustrated controllers A, B, and C are limited by the number of input / output ports of the input-side interface and the output-side driver, and are distributed by a plurality of controllers rather than by a single controller. Since this is advantageous in terms of processing speed, various controls are shared by a plurality of controllers as in the embodiment.

Next, the details of the automatic control will be described with reference to the main flow shown in FIG.
C starts the initial setting based on the turning on of a key switch (not shown) and reads the input from each sensor. When this is completed, if the input check switch 29 is turned off, normal control is performed thereafter. That is, the controller A performs the cutting height position control, the direction control, etc., the controller B performs the handling depth control, the Glen tank control, etc., and the controller C performs the aircraft leveling control, the auger storage control, etc., and executes the respective controls. I do. (FIG. 6 shows the main flow of the controller A, but the same applies to the main flow of the controllers B and C, except for the above-described normal control contents.) If the input check switch 29 is on, each controller A, B and C each execute an input check program. As shown in FIG. 7, the input check program compares the sensor values (switch on / off, A / D conversion digital value of the potentiometer) read by the controllers A, B, and C this time with the previously input value. If a change is found in any of them, the alarm buzzer 30
Is activated for a predetermined time (0.3 seconds), and then the sensor value input this time is updated to the previous input value. In addition,
If there is no change, the operation of the alarm buzzer 30 is stopped.

The operation timing of each of the controllers A, B, and C with respect to the alarm buzzer 30 is determined by each of the controllers A, B, and C.
If the sensor is provided exclusively for B and C, the alarm buzzer 30 is activated immediately after the sensor signal changes, but if the sensor is connected to a plurality of controllers A, B and C in common, each controller A , B and C, the alarm buzzer 30 is activated under a predetermined delay time tx. The delay time tx is, for example, tx = 0 · 0 sec for the controller A, tx = 0 · 5 sec for the controller B, and tx =
It is set to be 1.0 sec, and the interval (0.5 sec) of each delay time tx is set wider than the operation time (0.3 sec) of the alarm buzzer 30. Therefore, the sensors connected in common are the switches 27 and 28, and the controllers A, B, and C using the switches as input signals, and their input interfaces AI, BI, CI, etc., all functioned normally. Then, each controller A, B, C
As shown in FIG. 8A, every time the switch is turned on or off, the alarm buzzer 30 is operated three times intermittently with different operation timings. Then, for example, an abnormality occurs in the input circuit of the sensor 27 connected to the controller B,
If the x section is disconnected, the input signal of the sensor 27 of the controller B does not change, and the alarm buzzer 30 is also operated twice by the controllers A and C. Therefore, if the inspector touches a sensor dedicated to each of the controllers A, B, and C and operates the alarm buzzer once, it is known that the sensor system is normal, and the alarm buzzer is temporarily activated. If not, it can be diagnosed that a failure has occurred. Also, if the sensors are commonly connected to each of the controllers A, B, and C, the number of commonly connected controllers and the number of times of operation of the alarm buzzer are compared. Further, if there is too much space between the first alarm and the second alarm based on the operation timing of the alarm buzzer 30, it can be easily diagnosed that the controller B system has a failure or the like.

Moreover, if the sensor is an analog detector such as a potentiometer, the alarm buzzer 30 is activated when the input signal from the potentiometer matches a predetermined set value, as shown in FIG. The software is partially modified. In this case, if the alarm buzzer 30 operates in accordance with the set value, it can be diagnosed that there is no failure, and at the time when the alarm buzzer 30 operates, the position of the operation lever linked to the potentiometer is confirmed. If it is out of the neutral range, the linkage between the operation lever and the operation shaft of the potentiometer is readjusted, and the potentiometer and the operation lever are always maintained in an appropriate relationship. If an analog detector such as a potentiometer is a sensor 16 commonly connected to a plurality of controllers, as shown in FIG.
When the input values to B and C match the set values, the operation timing tx differs for each controller A, B and C,
The alarm buzzer 30 is activated every three pulses. Therefore, also in this case, the diagnosis of the failure of each controller system and the adjustment of the potentiometer can be performed simultaneously. When the sensors connected in common are checked, it is considered that synchronization between the controllers A, B, and C is necessary so that the operation timing for the alarm buzzer 30 is surely maintained. , B, and C are simultaneously transmitted to the input side interfaces.
The operation time of the alarm buzzer 30 with respect to the processing speed of B and C,
In addition, since the delay time is set to be much longer, it is substantially unnecessary to provide a special synchronizer between the controllers A, B, and C.

Further, when inspecting and maintaining the output system of the controllers A, B, and C, or when checking the input system by the above-described input check means, no abnormality is found.
If the output system solenoids 17a,..., 25d are not driven substantially and cannot be controlled, the output system is checked using the above-described LED checker 13 or the like. In this case, the input check switch 29 is turned off in the normal control mode, and each manual operation lever or the like is operated to diagnose whether or not the corresponding LED R1, R2,... Of the LED checker 13 is lit. If the manual operation lever is operated to output the corresponding solenoid from the controller, the solenoids 17a,... 25d do not actually operate, and only the LEDs R1, R2,. Is
It turns out that the solenoid itself has failed, and LED R1,
If both R2,... And the solenoids 17a,... 25d do not light up and operate, the solenoids 17a,.
It can be diagnosed that there is an abnormality in any part up to 25d. Since the LED checker 13 is provided on the same plane as the control unit 10, a tester or the like is inserted into output connectors of the controllers A, B, and C, and the like.
The lighting condition of the LEDs R1, R2,... And the continuity test of the solenoid terminals can be simultaneously performed by a single inspector. Also, as shown in FIG. 3 and FIG.
The arrangement of the EDs R1, R2,... And the arrangement of the solenoids 17a,. Therefore, from the arrangement of the LEDs R1, R2,... On the LED checker 13, the positions of the solenoids 17a,... 25d of the hydraulic solenoid valve unit 14 are specified, and the solenoids 17a,.
5d can be easily determined, and if the switching valve, which accounts for most of the failures, is malfunctioning due to bite of the switching valve, the solenoid operating pin of the corresponding switching valve is manually pushed directly.
Releasing the garbage bite makes it easy to repair.

The input check means of the above-described failure diagnosis apparatus incorporates an input check program for each of the controllers A, B, and C, and operates for each of the controllers A, B, and C in response to a change in a sensor input signal. The alarm buzzer 30 is activated by making the taming different,
For example, if there is an extra input port in the input interface AI of the controller A, the output port of another controller B or C is assigned to the input port of the controller A. Then, when the input signals of the sensors connected to the other controllers B and C change, the on / off inversions are output to the dedicated output ports, respectively. In addition, the controller A immediately activates the alarm buzzer 30 when an input signal from a sensor connected to the controller A, another controller B, or C changes, and a sensor signal of the controller A itself, If the input signals from the other controllers B or C change simultaneously, this is regarded as a change in the sensor input connected in common, and the alarm buzzer 30 issues a plurality of alarms with different operation timings tx. According to the present invention, a similar failure diagnosis device can be obtained even if the above-described changes are made. Further, the outputs of the controllers A, B, and C connected to the alarm buzzer 30 are input to another controller Y, and the alarm buzzer 30 is input from another controller Y by a single input from each of the controllers A, B, and C or a simultaneous input. One shot,
Alternatively, a change may be made so that each of the controllers A, B, and C is operated by being divided into a plurality of alarms. Further, in the above-described embodiment, the alarm is provided with the alarm buzzer 30 and the failure diagnosis is recognized by sound. For example, one or both of the left and right turn signal lamps are replaced with the alarm buzzer 30 to notify the alarm. The alarm buzzer 30 and the right and left turn signal lamps can be output simultaneously.

[0015]

In summary, the present invention uses input check means to diagnose the failure of the sensor of the automatic control device, its input circuit, and the controller. Therefore, it is not necessary to separately prepare an instrument such as a tester. in even after that can diagnose faults in real automatic control system to execute by sharing various kinds of control by a plurality of controllers, also, one of the sensors
Is connected in common across multiple controllers
Even if the number is reduced , the diagnosis is not interfered by the commonly connected sensors, and the reliability of the failure diagnosis device can be dramatically improved based on always appropriate diagnosis.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a combine.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view around a control unit.

FIG. 3 is a front view of the LED checker.

FIG. 4 is an operation diagram showing a procedure of a manual hydraulic check.

FIG. 5 is a control circuit diagram.

FIG. 6 is a main flowchart.

FIG. 7 is a flowchart of input check control.

FIGS. 8A and 8B show the timing of the operation of the alarm buzzer, in which FIG. 8A is a timing chart in a case where the commonly connected sensor is a switch, and FIG. 8B is a graph showing the correspondence between the input value of the potentiometer and the lever operation angle. (C) is a timing chart when the commonly connected sensor is a potentiometer.

[Explanation of symbols]

 A, B, C Controller (microcomputer) 16 Common connection sensor (potentiometer) 27, 28 Common connection sensor (switch) 29 Input check switch 30 Alarm buzzer (alarm)

Continuation of the front page (58) Field surveyed (Int. Cl. ⁶ , DB name) G05B 23/02 A01B 63/00 A01D 41/12 G01D 21/00

Claims (1)

(57) [Claims] 1. An automatic control apparatus in which a plurality of controllers share and execute various controls based on an input signal from a sensor , wherein the controllers perform a predetermined time based on an artificial change in a sensor signal connected thereto. Enables alarms and allows multiple controllers
Human input signal of one sensor connected to the common straddling
In case of changing the by work moving by different actuation timing the alarm for each controller, the
Diagnose failures of sensors, their input circuits and controllers
Trouble diagnosis device for an automatic control device, characterized in that it comprises an input check means that.