DE102015016615A1 - A system for diagnosing the condition of a group of sensor units to detect an activated and deactivated status of a vehicle function for one or more vehicle components - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention relates to a system (I) for diagnosing the condition of a group of sensor units (S1, S2, S3) for detecting an activated and deactivated status of a vehicle function of one or more vehicle components. The sensor units (S1, S2, S3) are connected to an electronic control unit (100). A common voltage source (100, 200) is provided to supply the sensor units. The sensor units (S1, S2, S3) are arranged in a common circuit (C) which is connected to the electronic control unit (100) and are connected in series in the circuit (C). Each sensor unit S1, S2, S3 is a resistance element R1, R2, R3 connected in parallel. The circuit (C) is configured to be powered by the common voltage source (100, 200). The resulting voltage across the circuit (C) is determined as a basis for diagnosing. The present invention also relates to a vehicle.

Description

Technical area

The invention relates to a system for diagnosing the condition of a group of sensor units for detecting an activated and deactivated status of a vehicle function for one or more vehicle components according to the preamble of claim 1. The invention also relates to a vehicle.

State of the art

In vehicles, it is common for groups of sensor units to be used to detect an activated and deactivated status of a vehicle component function. It is crucial that the status of the bonnet of the vehicle, d. H. whether the bonnet is open or closed, is determined correctly.

US2003047155 discloses solutions that include switching elements for detecting whether a hood is closed and functionality for indicating the necessity of first-time erosion of a defective switching element.

An alternative way of determining an activated and deactivated status of vehicle component functions, such as vehicle status. As the status of the hood, is the use of a group of parallel sensor units. This provides redundancy so that the status of the bonnet can be safely determined even if a sensor unit were defective.

However, such a solution requires many inputs to a control unit, which affects the cost, weight and availability of such inputs.

Objects of the invention

It is an object of the present invention to provide a system for diagnosing the condition of a group of sensor units for detecting an activated and deactivated status of a vehicle function for one or more vehicle components that facilitates secure diagnostics in a cost effective manner.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a system for diagnosing the condition of a group of sensor units for detecting an activated and deactivated status of a vehicle function for one or more vehicle components, which is flexible.

Brief description of the invention

These and other objects, which will become apparent from the following description, are achieved by a system and a vehicle as set forth in the appended independent claims. Preferred embodiments of the method and system are defined in the appended dependent claims.

In particular, an object of the invention relates to a system for diagnosing the condition of a group of sensor units for detecting an activated and deactivated status of a vehicle function for one or more vehicle components. The sensor units are connected to an electronic control unit. To supply said sensor units, a common voltage source is provided. Said sensor units are arranged in a common circuit which is connected to said electronic control unit and connected in series in said circuit. Each sensor unit is connected in parallel with a resistance element. Said circuit is arranged to be supplied by the common voltage source, the resulting voltage of said circuit being arranged to be determined as a basis for said diagnosis. This efficiently diagnoses the sensor units in a cost-efficient manner so that fewer outputs / inputs, i. H. only one input and one output are required. This reduces the required computing power. Such a system also takes up less space and thus requires less cable / cable routing. The system further facilitates the addition of sensor units by connecting additional sensor units in series with the other sensor units, since no additional output / input is required, which makes the system more flexible. Such a system may thus comprise two or more sensor units which are connected in series for redundancy, whereby a non-functional sensor still remains diagnosable.

According to one embodiment of the system, the resistance of the resistance element of the respective sensor unit is different from the different sensor units. This makes it possible to determine which sensor unit is deactivated or not functional.

According to one embodiment of the system, the voltage source is provided by means of said electronic control unit.

According to one embodiment, the system comprises at least one sensor unit. According to one embodiment, the system comprises at least two sensor units. These represent the redundancy for detecting the status of a vehicle component function. This results in the detection of functions of different vehicle components.

Brief description of the drawings

For a better understanding of the present invention, reference is made to the ensuing detailed description when read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which like reference numerals refer to like parts throughout the several views, and wherein:

1 schematically illustrates a side view of a vehicle according to the present invention, and

2 schematically illustrates a system for diagnosing the state of a group of sensor units for detecting an activated and deactivated status of a vehicle function for one or more vehicle components.

Detailed description

Hereinafter, the term "vehicle component function" refers to any function of a vehicle component that has an activated status and a deactivated status. A vehicle component function may, for. Example, be the function for the hood, and the status of the function of the hood is open or closed. A vehicle component function may, for. Example, be an access door for a seated on the driver's seat bus driver, and the status of the function of the access door is open or closed. A vehicle component function may be whether a driver is in a driver's position, e.g. B. is sitting on the driver's seat, has activated a gear, has disabled a brake function, the steering wheel takes, all of these status can be detected by means of different sensor units. The activated and deactivated statuses can have any activated and deactivated statuses, such as: B. on and off, closed and open, level below or above, z. Temperature above or below a certain value, status of the stop / start function, e.g. B. Engine on, on / off position, brake activated / deactivated, doors open / closed, position of the handbrake, etc. be.

1 schematically illustrates a side view of a vehicle according to the present invention. The exemplary vehicle 1 is a commercial vehicle in the form of a truck. The vehicle according to the present invention could be any suitable vehicle such. As a bus, a car, a train or the like. The vehicle 1 comprises a system for diagnosing the condition of a group of sensor units for detecting an activated and deactivated status of a vehicle function for one or more vehicle components. The system is configured to detect an activated and deactivated status of a vehicle component function. Such a system may also be arranged to detect activation of a vehicle function for one or more vehicle components to detect if a vehicle component function is activated. Such systems comprising sensor units require reliable information and thus efficient diagnostics of the state of the group of sensor units. The vehicle 1 may include several such systems.

2 schematically illustrates a system for diagnosing the state of a group of sensor units S1, S2, S3 for detecting an activated and deactivated status of a vehicle function for one or more vehicle components. The number of sensor units could be more than three and less than three.

System I comprises an electronic control unit 100 ,

The group of sensor units S1, S2, S3 in this example consists of three sensor units S1, S2, S3, a first sensor unit S1, a second sensor unit S2 and a third sensor unit S3. The sensor units S1, S2, S3 are configured to detect an activated and deactivated status of a vehicle component function. Such a vehicle component function could be any suitable vehicle component function that has an activated and deactivated status. For example, the activated and deactivated status of the hood could be detected by means of such sensor units S1, S2, S3.

The system I according to an embodiment of the present invention comprises at least two sensor units.

The sensor units S1, S2, S3 may be configured to detect the status of the same vehicle component to obtain redundancy. For some components in a vehicle it is crucial to know the status, i. H. activated or deactivated. Two or more sensor units are used to ensure that the detected status is correct.

The sensor units S1, S2, S3 may be configured to detect the status of different vehicle components to detect whether a particular function is activated or deactivated. Here is at least one sensor unit for Capture the status of each component used. For example, the sensor unit S1 is arranged to detect the position of the handbrake actuator, ie, whether it is on or off, the sensor units S2 and S3 are arranged to detect the status of the sunroof, that is, whether it is open or closed.

The system I comprises a common circuit C. The electronic control unit 100 is connected to the circuit C via an output 10a and an entrance 10b connected.

The system I according to this embodiment comprises a group of three sensor units S1, S2, S3.

The sensor units S1, S2, S3 are connected to the electronic control unit 100 connected. The sensor units S1, S2, S3 are arranged in the common circuit C, wherein the sensor units S1, S2, S3 are connected in series in said circuit. Thus, the first sensor unit S1 is connected in series with the second sensor unit S2, which in turn are connected in series with the third sensor unit S3 within the common circuit. Additional sensor units could be connected in series with the group of sensor units S1, S2, S3 within the common circuit. It could also be included less sensor units, z. B. two sensor units in series within the common circuit C.

To supply the said sensors, a common voltage source is provided. The voltage source is by means of said electronic control unit 100 provided. The electronic control unit is with a voltage source 200 connected. The electronic control unit 100 is configured to be one of a voltage source 200 receive incoming voltage. The electronic control unit 100 is configured to process said supplied voltage to provide said sensors with a fixed voltage.

So if the voltage in the voltage source 200 fluctuates to a certain extent, then owns the electronic control unit 100 Means for processing the voltage supplied to the electronic control unit from the voltage source 200 is fed so that a fixed voltage from the output 10a is supplied to the common circuit. A resulting voltage across the common circuit can then be detected by the electronic controller 100 be determined. The electronic control unit is thus arranged to measure the voltage across the circuit C.

For example, if the voltage provided by the voltage source is configured to be nominally 24V, however, e.g. B. between 22 V and 28 V fluctuate. Differs from the voltage source 200 supplied voltage of 24 V, then sets the electronic control unit, the sensor units S1, S2, S3 supplied voltage to 24V.

The common circuit C is thus configured to be powered by the electronic controller 100 be supplied, which works as a common voltage source.

Each sensor unit S1, S2, S3 is a resistance element R1, R2, R3 connected in parallel. The first sensor unit S1 is connected in parallel with a first resistance element R1. The second sensor unit S2 is connected in parallel with a second resistance element R2. The third sensor unit S3 is connected in parallel with a third resistance element R3.

The respective resistances of the resistance elements R1, R2, R3 of the respective sensor unit S1, S2, S3 are different between the different sensor units. The respective resistances of the resistance elements R1, R2, R3 of the respective sensor unit S1, S2, S3 are different between the different sensor units in order to determine which sensor unit is deactivated or not functioning.

The resistance of the first resistive element R1 thus differs from the resistance of the second resistive element R2 and in turn from the resistance of the third resistive element R3. Furthermore, the second resistance element R2 differs from the third resistance element.

As a result of the fact that the resistances of the resistance elements R1, R2, R3 of the respective sensor unit S1, S2, S3 differ between the various sensor units, each sensor unit S1, S2, S3 is individually resistance-coded, so that it is possible to determine which sensor unit is deactivated or not is not functional.

If the respective sensor element S1, S2, S3 is activated and functional, then the resulting voltage across the common circuit C corresponds to the voltage supplied by the electronic control unit with the exception of a possible small voltage drop due to the resistance in the line of the circuit C.

If a sensor element, for. B. the first sensor element S1, is not functional or disabled, then the current flows through instead the resistance element connected in parallel to the sensor element, here the first resistance element R1. The resulting voltage across the circuit C differs from a voltage corresponding to the resistance in the resistance element, here the resistance of the first resistance element R1. In this case, it is possible to determine a non-functional / deactivated sensor element, although the sensor elements are connected in series. Because they have a different resistance, it is also possible to determine which sensor element is not functional / deactivated.

The resulting voltage across the circuit C is thus determined as a basis for diagnosing the status of the sensor elements S1, S2, S3.

The system I comprises a resistance element R4 connected to ground G. The arrangement of resistive element R4 to ground G is configured to allow the system to supply the voltage at the input 10b to determine in the correct way.

The electronic control unit 100 According to one embodiment, it is configured to determine the status of the sensor units S1, S2, S3 by determining the resulting voltage. The system I comprises a device 300 to activate a function. The electronic control unit 100 is operational with the facility 300 to activate a function over a connection 30 connected. The electronic control unit 100 is configured to send a signal to the device 300 which represents data for activating a function.

The activation of a function is carried out according to an embodiment representing the status of the sensor units S1, S2, S3. The electronic control unit 100 In this case, it is configured to send a signal to the device 300 which represents data for the status of the sensor units S1, S2, S3, ie, whether the sensor units are functional or not.

The device 300 or another device operatively connected to the electronic control unit may be configured to enable / disable a vehicle component function based on the result of the status of the sensor units S1, S2, S3. For example, the sensor unit S1 is arranged to detect the driver seat status, the sensor units S2 and S3 are arranged to detect the access door to the driver's seat, the function may consist in switching off the engine, since it was determined by the sensor units that the Driver is not on the driver's position.

According to one embodiment, the system comprises at least one sensor unit. If only one sensor unit is present in the system, with a resistance element of the sensor unit connected in parallel, then it is still possible to determine in the same way by means of the resulting voltage whether the sensor unit is not functional.

The foregoing description of the preferred embodiments of the present invention has been presented for purposes of illustration and description. It is not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the invention to the precise forms disclosed. Of course, many modifications and variations will be apparent to those skilled in the art. The embodiments have been chosen and described in order to best explain the principles of the invention and its practical applications, thereby enabling another person skilled in the art to understand the invention with respect to different embodiments and with the various modifications as contemplated Usage are suitable.

QUOTES INCLUDE IN THE DESCRIPTION

This list of the documents listed by the applicant has been generated automatically and is included solely for the better information of the reader. The list is not part of the German patent or utility model application. The DPMA assumes no liability for any errors or omissions.

Cited patent literature

• US 2003047155 [0003]

Claims (6)

System (I) for diagnosing the state of a group of sensor units (S1, S2, S3) for detecting an activated and deactivated status of a vehicle function for one or more vehicle components, wherein the sensor units (S1, S2, S3) are connected to an electronic control unit (S1, S2, S3). 100 ), wherein a common voltage source ( 100 . 200 ) is arranged to supply the sensor units, characterized in that the sensor units (S1, S2, S3) are arranged in a common circuit (C) connected to the electronic control unit ( 100 ), and these are connected in series in the circuit (C), wherein each sensor unit (S1, S2, S3), a resistance element (R1, R2, R3) is connected in parallel; wherein the circuit (C) is arranged to be connected by means of the common voltage source (C). 100 . 200 ), the resulting voltage across the circuit (C) being determined as a basis of the diagnosis. A system according to claim 1, wherein the respective resistance of the resistive element (R1, R2, R3) of the respective sensor unit (S1, S2, S3) differs between the different sensor units (S1, S2, S3). System according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the voltage source ( 100 ) by means of the electronic control unit ( 100 ) provided. System according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the system comprises at least one sensor unit. System according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the system comprises at least two sensor units. A vehicle ( 1 ) comprising a system (I) according to any one of claims 1-5.

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