GB1355142A - Computer-based installation for the functional checking of a vehicle electrical system - Google Patents

Abstract

1355142 Testing vehicle electrical systems ERA ELEKTRONISCHE RECHENANLAGEN STUDIENGESELLSCHAFT FUR WISSENSCHAFTLICHE DATENVERARBEITUNG mbH 10 Feb 1972 [26 Aug 1971] 6288/ 72 Heading G1U To check the various electrical appliances, e.g. lights, windscreen wipers, of a motor vehicle coming off a production line, there is provided at the checking station a computer which gives a required sequence of inspection instructions and, for each instruction, checks whether the relevant appliance is working properly by monitoring the current which flows from the vehicle battery. The computer is controlled either by a keyboard or, preferably, by a punched card which accompanies the vehicle along the production line and contains data identifying the appliances provided on that vehicle, successive test instructions being given via a display device. At the checking station a battery adaptor is connected in one of the battery leads so that the computer may, by switching relays, connect an appropriate shunt into that lead for each test. The voltage across the shunt is passed back to the computer via an A/D converter and compared with a reference voltage whose magnitude is made dependent on the voltage of the vehicle battery. If a fault condition is sensed, e.g. due to a short circuit, open circuit or wrongly-rated component, an alarm is given. The inspector presses a "return" button to repeat that particular test, and if the fault is confimed it is automatically noted on the inspection report provided by a print out recorder. Tests which cannot be monitored by measuring the battery current are made visually by the inspector, who presses an "error" button if he notes a fault. The computer may compile statistics relating to the faults found.