EP1673733B1 - System for predictive diagnosis of faults on a motor vehicle and on-board diagnostic device for the same - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to the diagnosis of malfunctions of motor vehicles.

In the past, to carry out a diagnosis, a car mechanic collected the symptoms of malfunctions perceived by the driver of the vehicle, then, using these symptoms, he searched for the malfunction (s), examining the vehicle visually and / or using the physical measurement tools and electronic reading.

Such a diagnostic method was cumbersome to implement and moreover unreliable. Indeed, it did not allow to find systematically dysfunctions. In addition, the increasing diversity and rapid evolution of vehicle electronic systems has made diagnostics malfunctions and, consequently, repairs increasingly complex.

The more advanced diagnostic aid of the document US-A 5,331,3388. comprises means for acquiring symptomatic data provided by a user of the vehicle, means for acquiring operating data of the vehicle and it makes it possible to automate the development of diagnostics by the introduction of electronic and computer means. However, in this device of the prior art, in which a correlation database of symptomatic data and operating problems is used, the diagnosis remains rather empirical.

By the document EP 1 039 390 a device comprising symptomatic data acquisition means provided by a user of the vehicle, prior symptomatic data acquisition means, first application diagnostic aid means, for each operating data of the vehicle, is known; at least one predefined method for assisting the diagnosis, and second means for assisting the diagnosis by comparing the data of at least one of the two groups, respectively comprising the symptomatic data provided by the user of the vehicle and the Operational data of the vehicle, with previous symptomatic data.

"Previous symptomatic data" means the designation of data relating to symptoms collected in the past on motor vehicles and for each of which at least one malfunction, which is the cause, is known.

But this device, quite sophisticated, remains a device to carry out curative diagnoses, with all the disadvantages, certainly relative, related to the curative nature of diagnoses and, ultimately, troubleshooting.

And the plaintiff had the idea to propose to intervene before and not after the malfunctions or breakdowns and to develop the diagnosis of predictive or preventive motor vehicles.

By the document EP 1 197 822 a device is known in which two storage memories, one on the vehicle, the other on the ground, are in communication and store diagnostic data. The problem that the invention proposes to solve, in relation with this document of the prior art, is to allow a simple search of frame structures characteristic of the technical parameters of the vehicle in a database to retrieve previously recorded incidents and enriching said database if said frame structure has not yet been observed.

The solution to this problem is given by a system for recording and operating diagnostic data according to claim 1.

According to the invention, the structure of the frames exchanged between the vehicle and the ground station is defined so as to make it possible to find incidents corresponding to previous frames or to store new incidents corresponding to frames not yet detected.

• chez le garagiste,
  • * un véhicule, mobile, avec, au moins
    • une unité centrale embarquée (UCE), qui intègre un module de diagnostic de bas niveau, en ce sens qu'il ne procède pratiquement à aucun diagnostic et se borne à stocker et transmettre les données,
    • des réseaux reliés à l'unité centrale,
  • * une sonde d'acquisition des données de l'UCE,
  • * un outil de diagnostic débarqué, ou fixe, qui procède à
    • l'analyse des trames recueillies par la sonde et qui met en oeuvre
    • des algorithmes de diagnostic et de réparation, avec
    • une interface homme-machine et
    • un terminal informatique de liaison avec le constructeur,
• chez le constructeur, tout un système d'informations, avec
  • une base de données (ou plusieurs),
  • un méta-moteur informatique, qui est un serveur de diagnostic.

If we want to schematically define the curative diagnosis practiced until now, here is how the architecture looks:

• at the garagist,
  • * a vehicle, mobile, with, at least
    • an on-board central processing unit (ECU), which integrates a low-level diagnostic module, in that it practically does not perform any diagnostics and is limited to storing and transmitting data,
    • networks connected to the central unit,
  • * a data acquisition probe from the ECU,
  • * a landed or fixed diagnostic tool that proceeds to
    • the analysis of the frames collected by the probe and which implements
    • diagnostic and repair algorithms, with
    • a man-machine interface and
    • a computer terminal connecting with the manufacturer,
• at the manufacturer, a whole information system, with
  • a database (or several),
  • a computer meta-engine, which is a diagnostic server.

The link between the probe and the garage mechanic's diagnostic tool, on the one hand, and the link between the garage mechanic's tool and the server's server. constructor, on the other hand, may be radio links.

• une couche de très bas niveau de contrôle physique de composants,
• une couche de communication,
• une couche d'acquisition de données, notamment des bus normalisés du véhicule CAN (réseau contrôleur) et VAN (réseau véhicule),
• une couche de liaison avec l'unité centrale embarquée (ou les unités centrales) du véhicule,
• une couche fonctionnelle,
• une couche d'interface graphique utilisateur (GUI) et
• une couche supérieure d'applications.

If we want to enter a little more in the details of the diagnostic tool, we find, using the terminology provided by the model Open System Interconnection (OSI), which cuts the communication functions into seven layers,

• a layer of very low level of physical control of components,
• a communication layer,
• a data acquisition layer, in particular standardized buses of the CAN vehicle (controller network) and VAN (vehicle network),
• a link layer with the on-board central unit (or the central units) of the vehicle,
• a functional layer,
• a graphical user interface (GUI) layer and
• a top layer of applications.

• une unité centrale de gestion de diagnostic,
• un réseau d'acquisition de données de diagnostic, relié à l'unité centrale,
• des moyens de mémorisation de données de diagnostic et
• des moyens de communication pour communiquer avec des moyens de diagnostic fixes et, au sol,
• l'un des éléments de l'ensemble comprenant
• un outil de diagnostic fixe, d'une part,
• un serveur de diagnostic associé à une base de données de diagnostic, d'autre part.

The problem of the predictive diagnosis is solved, according to the applicant, with a diagnostic system predictive of malfunctions of a motor vehicle comprising, embedded in the vehicle, at least

• a central diagnostic management unit,
• a diagnostic data acquisition network connected to the central unit,
• means for storing diagnostic data and
• communication means for communicating with fixed diagnostic means and, on the ground,
• one of the elements of the set comprising
• a fixed diagnostic tool, on the one hand,
• a diagnostic server associated with a diagnostic database, on the other hand.

The server and the database, which constitute a central system, are located at the manufacturer while the diagnostic tool, which completes the on-board mobile diagnostic management unit, can be fixed, or disembarked, either at the garage is at the manufacturer.

It should be noted that the Central Management Unit should not be confused diagnosis with what is generally called the cockpit CPU which is a calculator.

The remarkable aspect of the invention lies in the integration of a portion of the diagnostic intelligence on board the vehicle to react in real time. In other words, the predictive or preventive diagnosis is associated with embedded intelligence whereas the curative diagnosis corresponds to the dismounted intelligence.

Thus, and as an example, if a vehicle operating variable starts to drift and cross an alert threshold, it can be diagnosed on board to trigger an alert to the manufacturer - in transparency for the driver - then , after treatment, towards the driver.

• une unité centrale de gestion de diagnostic,
• un réseau d'acquisition de données de diagnostic, relié à l'unité centrale,
• des moyens de mémorisation de données de diagnostic et
• des moyens de communication pour communiquer avec l'un des éléments de l'ensemble comprenant un outil de diagnostic fixe, d'une part, et un système central de diagnostic fixe, comprenant un serveur associé à une base de données, d'autre part.

An on-board diagnostic device in a motor vehicle comprises:

• a central diagnostic management unit,
• a diagnostic data acquisition network connected to the central unit,
• means for storing diagnostic data and
• communication means for communicating with one of the elements of the set comprising a fixed diagnostic tool, on the one hand, and a fixed central diagnostic system, comprising a server associated with a database, on the other hand .

Advantageously, the central management unit comprises a controller of diagnostic data management agents at the input and output of the computers of the vehicle, that is to say agents managing the physical data transmission resources of the data carriers. computers including the CAN, VAN and LIN networks of the vehicle, and the software resources of these computers.

The management agents respond to the management agent controller requests and issue alerts in the event of a malfunction and / or exceeding the threshold.

It is interesting to note that for the manufacturer, with his server and associated base, motor vehicles with their central diagnostic management unit behave like personal computers of a computer network, LAN or INTRANET.

Preferably, the diagnostic data is associated with each other to form diagnostic frames in the means for storing the diagnostic data, each frame thus stored associating the data involved in a single malfunction or a single diagnosis.

Advantageously, the central management unit comprises a search module in the storage means for extracting frames containing the diagnostic data item that has been the subject of an alert issued by a management agent.

Advantageously, the central management unit comprises an interrogation module for interrogating the fixed diagnostic tool and extracting therefrom frames containing at least the diagnostic data that have been the subject of alerts issued by at least one agent management.

Advantageously also, the central management unit includes a module for updating the storage means of the diagnostic device for storing the frames containing the diagnostic data from which a diagnosis could be established on the operation of the vehicle.

• la figure 1 représente un schéma par blocs fonctionnels du système de diagnostic prédictif selon l'invention,
• la figure 2 représente un schéma par blocs fonctionnels du dispositif de diagnostic selon l'invention et
• la figure 3 représente un organigramme du fonctionnement du dispositif de diagnostic selon l'invention.

All these advantages and other interesting aspects of the invention will appear more clearly with the aid of the following description of a particular non-limiting form of the diagnostic device according to the invention and of the predictive diagnostic system for malfunctions using the device. diagnostic device according to the invention, with reference to the appended drawing, in which:

• the figure 1 represents a functional block diagram of the predictive diagnostic system according to the invention,
• the figure 2 represents a functional block diagram of the diagnostic device according to the invention and
• the figure 3 represents a flowchart of the operation of the diagnostic device according to the invention.

With reference to the figure 1 , the predictive diagnostic system 1 for malfunctions of a motor vehicle (not shown) comprises either a diagnostic tool 2 ground, or fixed, or landed, located at a garage, a central diagnostic system 3, located at a manufacturer of motor vehicles, and having a diagnostic server 31 associated with a central base of diagnostic data 32, the tool and the central system can be in radio link TR, or by any other network, with an onboard diagnostic device which will be discussed below.

These devices are those known to those skilled in the art and need not be more detailed here. They are usually connected to conventional electronic equipment 4 of the motor vehicle as already indicated above.

These conventional electronic equipments 4, essentially the electronic control units (ECUs) 310, 320,... 3i0, control by their control signal modules 313, 323,..., 3i3 and through the links CD, and / or control, by RA network links that may belong to the CAN, VAN and LIN of the vehicle, with sensors 314, 324, ..., 3i4 associated with these ECUs, the functions 400 of the vehicle: its engine, the cockpit and its man - machine interface, its electrical, pneumatic, hydraulic, thermal, etc ...

The data of the sensors are collected by electronic cards 312, 322,..., 3i2, either self-test cards "BITE" (built-in test equipment) or "OBD" (on board diagnosis) cards, which deliver malfunction alerts or failures, over threshold.

Here, the electronic equipment 4 has been modified and completed as explained below.

On the one hand, the ECUs are equipped with diagnostic data management agents 311, 321,..., 3i1, that is to say, physical measurements taken on the members providing the functions 400 and the parameters of 3i3 modules controlling these organs, collected by the OBD / BITE cards or not, and regardless of the alerts they deliver.

In this diagnostic data are also included charts mathematically modeling the standard physical behavior functions 400, which will be designated in the following by operating standards.

Note that the diagnostic data thus defined are generic symptomatic data dysfunction.

The management agents 3i1 respond to requests from a management agent controller 110, explained below, and issue deviation data with respect to the operating standards and malfunction alarms.

Together with the software resources of the ECUs, the management agents also manage the physical data transmission resources of these computers by the CAN, VAN and LIN networks of the vehicle.

• à une unité centrale 100 de gestion de diagnostic, détaillée plus loin, reliée :
• aux agents de gestion 310, ..., 3i0, par une liaison de réseau RB d'acquisition de données de diagnostics, liaison de réseau appartenant à l'un ou l'autre des réseaux CAN, VAN et LIN du véhicule,
• à des moyens 200 de mémorisation de données de diagnostics issues du véhicule comportant une mémoire 201 de l'historique et une mémoire 202 de trames de diagnostic, par une liaison 203 parallèle,
• à des moyens 220 de communication, comportant un émetteur-récepteur 222 et un module pilote 221 (driver), par une liaison 223 série pour communiquer avec au moins la station 2 de diagnostic fixe ou le système centralisé 3 de diagnostic, ou le second à travers le premier.

On the other hand, it is therefore provided a diagnostic device 5 embedded in the motor vehicle, whose functions are provided by:

• to a central diagnostic management unit 100, detailed further, connected:
• to the management agents 310, ..., 3i0, by a diagnostic data acquisition network link RB, network link belonging to one or the other of the CAN, VAN and LIN networks of the vehicle,
• means 200 for storing diagnostic data from the vehicle comprising a memory 201 of the history and a memory 202 of diagnostic frames, by a parallel link 203,
• communication means 220, comprising a transceiver 222 and a pilot module 221 (driver), by a serial link 223 for communicating with at least the fixed diagnostic station 2 or the centralized diagnostic system 3, or the second to through the first.

The central diagnostic management unit 100 may comprise several subassemblies that naturally can communicate with each other and cooperate together to perform the diagnosis.

The driver 221 is designed to communicate so that for the server and its associated base, or tool 2, the CPU 100 of Diagnostic management behaves like a personal computer network computer, LAN or INTRANET.

There is further provided a link 213 with the HMI (human-machine interface) of the passenger compartment of the vehicle and the 211 functions of alert and 212 interrogation, specific to the management of diagnostics, in this HMI.

The central management unit 100 will now be described, with reference to the figure 2 .

This unit comprises a real-time controller 110, already mentioned above, 3i1 agents for managing the diagnostic data, input and output computers 3i0 of the vehicle.

The controller 110 is connected at the output to a module 120 for searching the received data frames and alerts, itself connected to a memory 121 of the data being processed, to the memory 202 of the diagnostic frames via the link 203, and input to a module 140 for managing requests to be sent to the management agents 3i1, this module 140 being connected to a memory 141 of the current requests.

The central unit 100 also comprises a diagnostic interrogation module 130.

The diagnostic interrogation module 130 receives the "candidate" data frames to be analyzed, transmitted by the frame search module 120, and can send requests to the request management module 140 for the agents 3i1, each agents managing and issuing these requests in the corresponding ECUs 3i0, either to the BITE modules 3i2 or to the control 3i3 modules 3i3.

• un sous-module 132 d'interrogation interne relié à la mémoire 201 de l'historique du véhicule des moyens 200 de mémorisation via la liaison 203, pour rechercher des trames ayant déjà donné lieu, pour le véhicule, à un diagnostic préventif ou prédictif, c'est-à-dire un pré-diagnostic,
• un sous-module 134 d'interrogation externe, auprès des station 2 ou système centralisé 3 de diagnostic, par l'intermédiaire d'un module 170 générateur de messages et via la liaison 223, pour y extraire des trames ayant déjà donné lieu, pour le type de véhicule, à un pré-diagnostic.

The module 130 comprises at least two interrogation sub-modules:

• an internal interrogation sub-module 132 connected to the memory 201 of the vehicle history of the storage means 200 via the link 203, to search for frames which have already given rise, for the vehicle, to a preventive or predictive diagnosis, that is to say a pre-diagnosis,
• an external interrogation sub-module 134, to the central station 2 or diagnostic system 3, via a message generator module 170 and via the link 223, to extract frames which have already given rise, for the type of vehicle, to a pre-diagnosis.

The diagnostic data is associated with each other to form significant pre-diagnosis frames, each frame being defined by the association of the data involved in a single pre-diagnosis, and when the pre-diagnosis is proven, for example during the pre-diagnosis period. the occurrence of the fault, declared in the HMI, corresponding to the pre-diagnosis, or if the tool 2 or the central diagnostic system 3 confirms it, the frames are stored in the memory 202 of the storage means 200.

The sub-module 134 also controls, also connected to the memory 202 by the link 203, a module 160 for updating this memory 202 frames containing diagnostic data from which a pre-diagnosis could be established on the operation of the vehicle.

Finally, the external interrogation sub-module 134 and the request management module 140 are connected to the HMI via a dialogue module 180 controlling the HMI via the link 213, and by receiving the answers.

The operation of the system will now be described, through a non-limiting example.

The significant physical measurements of the operation of the engine 400 of the vehicle, to take this example, are cyclically carried out by the sensors 314 and collected by the card 312 via the network RA or directly calculated by the ECU 310, in this case a CCM ( engine control computer), when the measurement is not accessible by calculation. The management agent 310 takes some of these measurements, for example from the upstream and downstream lambda probes, in connection with significant pre-diagnosis frames related to the current operation, issued by the central processing unit 100. diagnostics, as well as the operating standards corresponding to the current operating parameters of application, here, for example carburizing richness charts and the angle of the acceleration control, the torque, the engine oil temperature, etc.

If a measurement comes out of the operating standards of the engine, for example the oil temperature, the agent 310 issues a dated alert and all of the diagnostic data thus collected to the controller 110 via the network RB.

The controller 110, with reference to the figure 3 , collects, in step 10, all the alerts and the corresponding diagnostic data from all the ECUs of the vehicle and sorts them chronologically to prepare the subsequent establishment of a history, the dating being able to be a pre-diagnosis element before communicating them to the module 120 for searching the frames.

In the example chosen, in step 20, the module 120 synthesizes the diagnostic data received from the various ECUs and stored over time in the memory 121 of the data being processed by assembling them into a coherent frame " candidate "at the functional level of the vehicles, that is to say assembling data, engine control, electricity, cooling, ..., concerning physical quantities affecting the same functional process of the vehicle, for example engine operation, and according to a chronology corresponding to a possible degradation process. These "candidate" frames are built on the frame patterns stored in advance in the memory 202.

In step 40, the candidate frame is compared, by the module 132, to the previous candidate frames stored in the memory 201 of the vehicle history. If she is not there, she is memorized. Otherwise, the module 120 takes into account the result of the treatment which then took place. In particular, if there has been pre-diagnosis, we go to a step 41 HMI alert, and again to step 20 to search for a new candidate frame.

If in step 40 it turns out that the candidate frame is new for the vehicle, we go to a step 50, executed by the module 134, in which the same interrogation as in the step 40 is performed, but bearing, this time on the entire fleet of vehicles of the same type. For this, during this step 50, the module 134 sends requests to the message generation module 170 which, during a step 51, loads the communication means 220, via the link 223, the driver 221 ensuring the waiting, in a step 52, the responses of the tool 2 or the central diagnostic system 3, and possibly a restart in case of communication failure.

In step 50, the module 134 retrieves the frames of the communicated responses and pre-diagnostics and, in step 60, analyzes them. These responses may be a pre-diagnosis corresponding to the candidate frame, in which case the alerting step 41 is executed, and the driver of the vehicle alerted, or frames of diagnostic data compatible with the candidate frame, in which case we pass in a step 70 of further research to be performed by the module 140, or an absence of risk, in which case no pre-diagnosis is possible and returns to step 10.

It can be seen that if a vehicle operating variable starts drifting outside the standards and possibly crossing an alert threshold, it can be diagnosed on board to trigger an alert to the manufacturer and, after treatment, to the driver.

By compatible frames is meant frames having the same diagnostic data in common, one more complete with more data than the other, among the data capable of generating at least one symptomatic data dysfunction.

In this case, if the candidate frame is more complete, it is its restriction to the response frame that is processed, otherwise, during step 70, the module 140 records the missing data and analyzes the possibility of collecting them or no.

In the latter case, it returns to step 10. Otherwise, a test request 71 may be requested from the driver of the vehicle via the instrument panel HMI and, after acknowledgment 72 of the driver, the module 120 executes a step 30 of updating the candidate frame for a new analysis in steps 40 and 50 executed by the internal and external interrogation modules 132 and 134.

But it is possible that the intervention of the driver is not necessary. In this case, at a step 80, the module 140 generates a request for the management agents 3i1 concerned, a request sent by the controller 110 via the network RB during a step 90.

1. 1) via leur carte de contrôle 3i3, agit sur le processus pour rendre les mesures faisant défaut plus significatives,
2. 2) programme l'exécution de mesures complémentaires par leur carte de test BITE ou OBD 312
3. 3) complète ses fonctions de calcul par un calcul complémentaire de mesure manquante. Les logiciels nécessaires peuvent alors être téléchargés depuis le système central 3.

At this stage, the agents concerned pass on the request to their ECU which:

1. 1) via their 3i3 control card, acts on the process to make the missing measurements more meaningful,
2. 2) programs the execution of complementary measurements by their test card BITE or OBD 312
3. 3) completes its calculation functions by a complementary calculation of missing measurement. The necessary software can then be downloaded from the central system 3.

In the latter case, there is provided in the central unit (100) a function (not shown) for downloading software, from the central diagnostic system 3, in the computers 3i0, to modify, via the agents 3i1, the computer ECU software that controls the acquisition of diagnostic data.

At the end of execution of step 90, step 30 is reactivated.

Claims (12)

1. A system for recording and exploiting diagnostic data relating to the operation of components of a motor vehicle of a given type comprising:

   - a central unit (100) for diagnostic management comprising a controller (110) for management agents (3i1) of said diagnostic data at the input and at the output of the vehicle's ECU calculators (3i0),

   - a network (RA, RB) for acquisition of diagnostic data, connected to the central unit,

   - at least one first memory (200) for storing on said vehicle first diagnostic data relating to said vehicle,

   - at least one communication link (220) for communicating with at least one diagnostic station (2, 31) outside of the vehicle,

   - at least one second memory for storing on said at least one diagnostic station second diagnostic data relating to vehicles of said type,

   said central unit further comprising

   - a sub-module (132) for reading and writing on the first memory,

   - a sub-module (134) for reading and writing on the second memory,

   said system being characterised in that said first and second data have a frame structure comprising in a first part at least one value of at least one operating parameter of at least one component of a vehicle and a second part comprising a pre-diagnostic associated with the at least one value of the first part of the frame.
2. The system according to Claim 1, wherein the sub-module (132) is configured to execute, for a pre-programmed set of parameters the values of which at the output for the management agents (3i1) are assembled by the controller (110) according to the structure of the first part of the frame, a first search programme for said values assembled in the first storage memory, and then for: i) in the event of a positive search for said first search, to display the corresponding output pre-diagnosis on a screen in the motor vehicle habitacle; ii) in the event of a negative search for said first search, to make the sub-module (134) execute an identical programme in the second memory so as, in the event of a positive search for said second search, to display the corresponding pre-diagnosis at the output on the screen and to write the corresponding frame in the first memory.
3. The system according to one of Claims 1 to 2, wherein if an operation variable of the vehicle starts to divert and cross an alert threshold, this is diagnosed on board so as to trigger an alert to the manufacturer and then, after processing, to the driver.
4. The system according to any of Claims 1 to 3, wherein the management agents (3i1) respond to the requests of the management agent controller (110) and issue alerts in the event of faults.
5. The system according to any of Claims 1 to 4, wherein each memorised frame associates the data involved with just one fault which can give rise to just one diagnosis.
6. The system according to Claim 5, wherein each memorised frame associates the data involved with just one fault which can give rise to just one diagnosis.
7. The system according to any of Claims 1 to 6, wherein the central management unit (100) includes a search module (120) in the memory means (200) so as to extract frame that contain the diagnosis data that were the object of an alert issued by a management agent (3il).
8. The system according to any of Claims 1 to 7, wherein the central management unit (100) includes an external query module (134) for querying the fixed diagnostic station and to extract from the latter frameworks that contain at least the diagnostic data that were the object of alerts issued by at least one management agent (3il).
9. The system according to any of Claims 1 to 8, wherein the central management unit (100) includes a module (160) for updating the memory means (200) so as to memorise there the frame containing the diagnostic data from which a diagnosis was made regarding the operation of the vehicle.
10. The system according to any of Claims 1 to 9, located on board a vehicle and forming part of the system of either according to Claims 1 and 2.
11. The system according to either of Claims 1 or 2, wherein a function for downloading software from a server (31) is provided for modifying the ECU calculator (3i0) software that controls the acquisition of diagnostic data.
12. The system according to either of Claims 1 or 2, wherein the central diagnostic management unit (100) comprises a number of sub-assemblies arranged to communicate with one another and to work together in order to make the diagnosis.

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