GB2192742A - Information handling and control systems - Google Patents
Information handling and control systems Download PDFInfo
- Publication number
- GB2192742A GB2192742A GB08712781A GB8712781A GB2192742A GB 2192742 A GB2192742 A GB 2192742A GB 08712781 A GB08712781 A GB 08712781A GB 8712781 A GB8712781 A GB 8712781A GB 2192742 A GB2192742 A GB 2192742A
- Authority
- GB
- United Kingdom
- Prior art keywords
- switch
- terminals
- wiring
- unit
- condition
- Prior art date
- Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
- Withdrawn
Links
Classifications
-
- G—PHYSICS
- G08—SIGNALLING
- G08C—TRANSMISSION SYSTEMS FOR MEASURED VALUES, CONTROL OR SIMILAR SIGNALS
- G08C25/00—Arrangements for preventing or correcting errors; Monitoring arrangements
-
- G—PHYSICS
- G08—SIGNALLING
- G08C—TRANSMISSION SYSTEMS FOR MEASURED VALUES, CONTROL OR SIMILAR SIGNALS
- G08C19/00—Electric signal transmission systems
- G08C19/02—Electric signal transmission systems in which the signal transmitted is magnitude of current or voltage
- G08C19/025—Electric signal transmission systems in which the signal transmitted is magnitude of current or voltage using fixed values of magnitude of current or voltage
-
- B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
- B60—VEHICLES IN GENERAL
- B60R—VEHICLES, VEHICLE FITTINGS, OR VEHICLE PARTS, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
- B60R16/00—Electric or fluid circuits specially adapted for vehicles and not otherwise provided for; Arrangement of elements of electric or fluid circuits specially adapted for vehicles and not otherwise provided for
- B60R16/02—Electric or fluid circuits specially adapted for vehicles and not otherwise provided for; Arrangement of elements of electric or fluid circuits specially adapted for vehicles and not otherwise provided for electric constitutive elements
- B60R16/03—Electric or fluid circuits specially adapted for vehicles and not otherwise provided for; Arrangement of elements of electric or fluid circuits specially adapted for vehicles and not otherwise provided for electric constitutive elements for supply of electrical power to vehicle subsystems or for
- B60R16/0315—Electric or fluid circuits specially adapted for vehicles and not otherwise provided for; Arrangement of elements of electric or fluid circuits specially adapted for vehicles and not otherwise provided for electric constitutive elements for supply of electrical power to vehicle subsystems or for using multiplexing techniques
Landscapes
- Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
- General Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
- Keying Circuit Devices (AREA)
- Control By Computers (AREA)
Abstract
A manually operable electrical toggle switch (60) is connected in a low current signalling link (40) via a non-intelligent slave unit (20) in a time slot assignment multiplex system for automotive vehicles to an intelligent master unit (10) which in response to a binary input from the switch (60) provides an output signal on such a signalling link (40) to control high current to a load (70) connected to a slave unit (20). The binary input from the switch (60) is provided by one of two resistances (R2 or R3) which are distinguishable in the master unit (10) from each other and from both a short circuit and an open circuit in the signal line (42) of the link (40). The condition of the switch (60) and its wiring (27) to the slave unit (20) may thus be diagnosed without manual operation of the switch as a programmable function of the master unit (10), via the master unit by a tester (80), or via the slave unit (20) by a tester (90) prior to assembly in the complete system. <IMAGE>
Description
SPECIFICATION
Information handling and control systems
This invention relates to information handling and control systems, manually operable electrical switches for use in such systems, and methods of testing such switches in such systems.
In particular this invention relates to an information handling and control system in which a manually operable electrical switch is provided in a low current signalling link to an intelligent unit which recdgnises a binary input signal from the switch and in response provides an output signal in a low current signalling link to power switching means to control a high current to a load, and in which the switch includes two terminals and a conductive member which is movable such that in normal operation the resistance between two terminals with the movable member in a respective first or second position is recognised in the intelligent unit as a respective first or second condition of the binary input signal from the switch.
An example of such a system in the form of an automotive vehicle electrical system is known from-the article "Multiplexing for the automotive industry" by W.R.Betts in GEC RE
VIEW, Vol. 2, No. -1, 1986 at pages 32 to 36. This article mentions the particular importance in automotive vehicle electrical systems of being able to test every load both during and after manufacture. of the vehicle, and this article also mentions that manually operated switch changes can be recognised via the master, that its the intelligent, unit for testing purposes.
In such a -known system if the manually operable switches are of- conventional form, then in each- switch a metal pin provides each of the two terminals and its respective contact and the movable member connects or disconnects the two contacts to provide short circuit resistance or open circuit resistance between the two terminals which is recognised as the respective first or second condition of the binary input signal from the switch. However, such a recognised short circuit condition or open circuit condition could be other than due to the -switch condition, for example due to a short circuit or break in the wiring from the switch in the signalling link.Thus with a conventional switch it is not possible to test via the intelligent unit the satisfactory condition of the switch and its wiring without manual operation of the switch, and it is an object of this inVention to overcome this disadvantage.
According to the invention there is provided an information handling and control system as descrbed in the second paragraph of this specification, characterised in that resistance means are provided between the two terminals such that said first and second conditions of the binary input signal from the switch are distinguishable from both a short circuit condition and an open circuit condition in the signalling link to the intelligent unit.
An automotive vehicle electrical system may include an information handling and control system as described in the previous paragraph.
According to the invention there is also provided a manually operable electrical switch for use in a system as described in either of the two previous paragraphs, the switch including said two terminals, said movable conductive member and said resistance means.
The switch may be arranged such that two metal members are included-each of which provides one of the two terminals, said resistance means consisting of a contact, a first resistor connected between one of the terminals and said contact and a second resistor connected between said contact and the other terminal, the movable member co-operating with said contact and a contact of at least one of the terminals to provide said resistance between the terminals which is recognised as said respective first or second condition.
The switch may be a toggle switch adapted to provide only one said binary input signal in response to which the intelligent unit can provide an on-off said output signal for the high current to said load.
In a system according to the invention said low current signalling link to an intelligent unit will preferably include said manually operable switch, a local unit associated with said switch and wiring from said switch to local unit.
According to the invention there is also provided a method of testing said switch and said wiring in a system as just described without involving manual operation of the switch, in which method a fixed voltage supply is applied via the intelligent unit to said signallihg link including said switch and in which a voltage value at the intelligent unit responsive to the application of said fixed voltage supply and dependent on the electrical resistance of the signalling link is checked to determine whether the switch is in said respective first or second condition, or said wiring is short circuited, or said wiring is broken.
According to the invention there is also provided a method of testing said switch and said wiring before assembly with said local unit in a system as described in the penultimate paragraph and without involving manual operation of the switch, in which method a fixed voltage supply is applied from test equipment via the local unit to said switch, and in which a voltage value at the test equipment responsive to the application of said fixed voltage supply and dependent on the electrical resistance of said wiring and between the two terminals is checked to deter mine whether the switch is in said respective first or second condition, or said wiring is short circuited, or said wiring is broken.
The ability to test the satisfactory condition of the switch and its wiring without involving manual operation of the switch is clearly advantageous, and particularly such testability during the manufacture of very large scale mass produced systems, for example automotive vehicle electrical systems, can provide considerable cost saving.
The invention will now be described in more detail with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:
Figure 1 is an overall schematic diagram of an information handling and control system for an automotive vehicle electrical system of the type to which the invention relates, and
Figure 2 shows details of the system of
Figure 1 incorporating the features of the invention.
Referring now to Figure 1, there is shown a star wired system with an intelligent, central, master unit 10 and a number of non-intelligent, local, slave units 20. Power from a battery +V is applied to the master unit 10 and via fuses 30 to the slave units 20. A low current signalling link 40 is connected from the master unit 10 to each slave unit 20.
Manually operable electrical switches, sensors, and high current loads (not shown in Figure- 1) are connected to the slave units 20 and their interaction is controlled from the master unit 10 by means of time slot assignment multiplex.
Referring now to Figure 2, the master unit 10 includes 5 volt and 30 volt- power supplies 11,12 fed by the battery +V which is 12 volts in an automotive vehicle electrical sys tem. The power supplies 1 11,12 are fed to a microprocessor 13 and a custom unit 14 connected thereto in the master unit 10. Each low current signalling link 40 to a slave unit 20 includes a clock pulse line 41 and a signal line 42. The clock pulses on the lines 41 are of 30 volts amplitude and control the timing of the system time slot assignment multiplex.
In each time slot a switch 15 in the-custom unit 14 connected to each signal line 42 controls the application to that signal line 42 of zero volts or the fixed voltage supply of 30 volts via a respective pull-up resistor R1.
In each slave unit 20, oneof which is shown in Figure- 2, q 30 volt power supply 21 is derived -from the clock pulses on the line 41. A demultiplexing unit 22 has timing circuits 23 responsive to the clock pulses on the line 41 and from which-switches 24 are operated to connect the low current signalling link of the signal line 42 through a corresponding channel in the appropriate- time slot. Each slave unit 20 can connect for example sixteen channels, three of which are shown in Figure 2.
A variable resistive sensor 50 is shown wired to one of the channels in the slave unit 20. With the sensor 50 connected in the signal line 42 during the appropriate time slot and the switch 15 in the master unit 10 open during that time slot, then the voltage on the signal line 42 is an input signal from the sensor 50 due to its resistance, and this input signal is recognised via an analogue-to-digital converter 16 in the master unit 10.
A manually operable electrical toggle switch 60 is shown wired to another of the channels in the slave unit 20. With the switch 60 connected in the signal line 42 during the appropriate time slot and the switch 15 in the master unit 10 open during that time slot, then the voltage on the signal line 42 due to the resistance between to terminals of the switch 60 is recognised via the analogue-to-digital converter 16 in the master unit 10 as a respective first or second condition of a binary input signal from the switch 60.
Another of the channels in the slave unit 20 is shown connected in the slave unit to an output circuit 25. The state of the switch 15 during the appropriate time slot will provide an output signal on the signal line 42 to power switching means 26 in the output circuit 25 to control a high current from the battery +Vvia a fuse 30 to a load 70, for example a lamp, wired to the slave unit 20. The microprocessor 13 in the master unit 10 ensures that the output signal on a signal line 42 to control a high current to a particular load 70 connected to any one ofthe slave units 20 is in rer sponse to a input signal from a particular switch 60 which is to be associated with that load 70 and is connected to any one of the slave units 20.
The low currents in the low current signalling links of the system, for example through the signal line 42 when it includes the switch 60 may be, for example, not greater than 5mA. The high currents through the loads of the system, for example to the load 70 controlled in response to operation of the switch 60, may be, for example, up to 10 amps.
Referring again to the switch 60, the wiring 27 from the slave unit 20 to the switch 60 is connected via two connector contacts 28 to two respective metal pin members 61 which each provide one of two terminals 62. One of the metal pins 61 also provides a contact 63 inside the switch. A second contact 64 is provided inside the switch by another metal pin 65. Two resistors R2 and R3 are printed on the body 66 of the switch which is of insulating plastics. The resistor R2 is connected between the terminal 62 having the contact 63 and the pin 65 having the contact 64, and the resistor R3 is connected between the pin 65 having the contact 64 and the other terminal 62. The resistors R2 and R3 and the pin 65 with- the contact 64 constitute resistance means provided between the two terminals 62.
A movable metal conductive member 67 is arranged via manually operable means 68 so that in a first position, as shown in the drawing, it connects the -contacts 63 and 64 and in a second position it does not connect those two contacts. When the movable member 67 is in its first position it shorts the resistor R2 and the resistance between the two terminals 62 is substantially R3. When the movable member 67 is in its second position, the two resistors R2 and R3 are connected in series and the resistance value of
R2 is chosen to be so much larger than that of R3 that in this position the resistance between the two terminals 62 is substantially
R2.
The values of resistors R2 and R3 are furthermore chosen such that the first and second conditions of the binary input signal from the switch 60 which correspond to the first and second positions of the movable member 67 and are recognised in the master unit 10 via the analogue-to-digital converter 16 are distinguishable from each other and from both a short circuit condition and on open circuit condition in the signalling link of the line 42 to the master unit 10. Examples of suitable resistance values could be R2 = 1 Kohm and R3 = 10 ohms, or R2 = 100 Kohms and R3 = 100 ohms.
When the- complete information handling and control system as described above has been manufactured and installed, for example as part of an automotive vehicle electrical system, then all the items connected to the local slave units 20, that is sensors 50, switches 60 and loads 70 may be tested, via the cen tral master intelligent unit 10. In vehicles with driver information displays the test function can be incorporated within the: master unit 10 as a programmable function ofthe microprocessor 13. Otherwise, the vehicle builder or vehicle servicer can perform these tests with test equipment 80 when connected to the master unit 10.
The provision of the switch 60 having the two resistances R2 and R3 now enables a method of testing the switch 60 and the wiring 27 in-a system ps described above without involving manual operation of the switch 60, in which method th-e fixed voltage supply of +30 volts is applied under control of the tester 80 via the resistor R1 in the intelligent master unit 10 to the signal line 42 of the signalling link 40 including the switch 60, and in which a voltage value at the master unit 10 responsive to the application of that fixed voltage supply and dependent on the- electrical resistance of the signalling link is checked to determine whether the switch 60 is in its first or second condition, or the wiring 27 is short circuited,-or the wiring 27 is broken.
Before the complete information handling and control system as described above has been manufactured and installed, for example during the manufacturing stages of an automotive vehicle, then each of the items connected to one local slave unit 20, that is a selection of sensors 50, switches 60 and loads 70 may be tested using test equipment 90 connected to that slave unit 20.
The provision of the switch 60 having the two resistances R2 and R3 now enables -a method of testing the switch 60 and the wiring 27 before assembly with said local unit 20 in a system as described above and without involving manual operation of the switch 60, in which method a fixed voltage supply is applied from the test eqipment 90 via the local slave unit 20 to said switch 60, and in which a voltage value at the test equipment 90 responsive to the application of that fixed voltage supply and dependent on the electrical resistance of the wiring 27 and between the two terminals 62 of the switch 60 is checked to determine whether the switch 60 is in its first or second condition, or the wiring 27 is short circuited, or the wiring 27 is broken.
The ability to test the satisfactory condition of the switch 60 and its wiring to the slave unit 20 without involving manual operation of the switch, particularly as part of. a manufacturing stage of the complete system can provide considerable cost saving in very large scale mass produced systems.
The information handling and control- system can have application other than to automotive vehicle electrical systems, for example to domestic appliances such as washing machines or to industrial control systems such as for heating and ventilation.
Claims (10)
1. An information handling and control system in which a manually operable electrical switch is provided in a low current signalling link to an intelligent unit which recognises a binary input signal from the switch and in response provides an output signal in a low- current signalling link to power switching means to control a high current to a load, in which the switch includes two terminals and a conductive member which is piovable such that in normal operation the resistance between the two terminals with the movable member in a respective first or second position is recognised in the intelligent unit as a respective first or second condition of the binary input signal from the switch, characterised in that resistance means are provided between the two terminals such that said first and second conditions of the binary input signal from the switch are distinguishable from each other and from both a short circuit condition and an open circuit condition in the signalling link to the intelligent unit.
2, An automotive vehicle electrical system including an information handling and control system as claimed in Claim 1.
3. A manually operable electrical switch for use in a system as claimed in Claim 1 or
Claim 2, the switch including said two terminals, said movable conductive member and said resistance means.
4. A switch as claimed in Claim 3, in which two metal members are included each of which provides one of the two terminals, in which said resistance means consist of a contact, a first resistor connected between one of the terminals and said contact and a second resistor connected between said contact and the other terminal, and in which the movable member co-operates with said contact and a contact of at least one of the terminals to provide said resistance between the terminals which is recognised as said respective first or second condition.
-
5. A- switch as claimed in Claim 3 or Claim 4, in which the switch is a toggle switch adapted to provide only one said binary input signal in response to which' the intelligent unit can provide an on-off said output signal for the high current to said ioad.
6. A system as claimedih Claim 1 or Claim 2, in which said low current signalling link to an intelligent unit includes said manually operable switch, a local unit associated with said switch and wiring from said switch to said
local unit'
7. A method of testing said switch and said wiring in a system as claimed in Claim 6 without involving manual operation of the switch,
in which method a fixed voltage supply is ap
plied via the intelligent unit to said signalling
link including said switch, and in which a voltage value at the intelligent unit responsive to the application of said fixed voltage supply
and dependent on the electrical resistance of
the signalling link is checked to determine
whether the switch is in said respective first
or second condition, or said wiring is short
circuited, or said wiring is broken.
8. A method of testing said switch and said
wiring before assembly with said local unit in system as- claimed in Claim 6 and without -involving manual operation of the switch, in
which method a fixed voltage supply is ap
plied from test equipment via the local unit to
said switch, and in which a voltage value at
the test equipment responsive to the applica
tion of said fixedvqltage supply and depen
dent on the electrical resistance of said wiring
and between the two terminals is checked to
determine whether the switch is in said re
spective first or second condition, or said wir
ing is short circuited, or said wiring is broken.
9. An information handling and control sys
tem substantially as herein described with ref
erence to the accompanying drawings.
10. A manually operable electrical switch
substantially as herein described with refer
ence to the accompanying drawings for use in a-system~as claimed in Claim~9.
Applications Claiming Priority (1)
| Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| GB868614199A GB8614199D0 (en) | 1986-06-11 | 1986-06-11 | Information handling & control systems |
Publications (2)
| Publication Number | Publication Date |
|---|---|
| GB8712781D0 GB8712781D0 (en) | 1987-07-08 |
| GB2192742A true GB2192742A (en) | 1988-01-20 |
Family
ID=10599292
Family Applications (2)
| Application Number | Title | Priority Date | Filing Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| GB868614199A Pending GB8614199D0 (en) | 1986-06-11 | 1986-06-11 | Information handling & control systems |
| GB08712781A Withdrawn GB2192742A (en) | 1986-06-11 | 1987-06-01 | Information handling and control systems |
Family Applications Before (1)
| Application Number | Title | Priority Date | Filing Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| GB868614199A Pending GB8614199D0 (en) | 1986-06-11 | 1986-06-11 | Information handling & control systems |
Country Status (1)
| Country | Link |
|---|---|
| GB (2) | GB8614199D0 (en) |
Cited By (4)
| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| US4777378A (en) * | 1986-06-11 | 1988-10-11 | Salplex Limited | Information handling and control systems, manually operable electrical switches for use in such systems, and methods of testing such switches in such systems |
| EP0396355A2 (en) * | 1989-05-04 | 1990-11-07 | VOLEX GROUP plc | Information handling and control systems |
| FR2679648A1 (en) * | 1991-07-24 | 1993-01-29 | Schlumberger Ind Sa | ANALOG TRANSMITTER OF POSITION AND DIRECTION OF ROTATION. |
| ES2107336A1 (en) * | 1994-07-05 | 1997-11-16 | Univ Catalunya Politecnica | Electronic protection device against short-circuiting or overloading on electrical lines. |
Citations (4)
| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| GB1095616A (en) * | 1965-05-19 | 1967-12-20 | Philips Electronic Associated | Improvements in and relating to push-button signalling devices |
| GB1144293A (en) * | 1966-03-26 | 1969-03-05 | Philips Electronic Associated | Improvements in or relating to d.c. signalling devices |
| GB1423668A (en) * | 1972-09-21 | 1976-02-04 | Cit Alcatel | Dialling signal transmission system |
| GB2029073A (en) * | 1978-08-23 | 1980-03-12 | Cheung King Fung | Electronic organs |
-
1986
- 1986-06-11 GB GB868614199A patent/GB8614199D0/en active Pending
-
1987
- 1987-06-01 GB GB08712781A patent/GB2192742A/en not_active Withdrawn
Patent Citations (4)
| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| GB1095616A (en) * | 1965-05-19 | 1967-12-20 | Philips Electronic Associated | Improvements in and relating to push-button signalling devices |
| GB1144293A (en) * | 1966-03-26 | 1969-03-05 | Philips Electronic Associated | Improvements in or relating to d.c. signalling devices |
| GB1423668A (en) * | 1972-09-21 | 1976-02-04 | Cit Alcatel | Dialling signal transmission system |
| GB2029073A (en) * | 1978-08-23 | 1980-03-12 | Cheung King Fung | Electronic organs |
Non-Patent Citations (1)
| Title |
|---|
| GEC REVIEW VOLUME 2 NO 1 1986 PAGES 32-36 * |
Cited By (6)
| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| US4777378A (en) * | 1986-06-11 | 1988-10-11 | Salplex Limited | Information handling and control systems, manually operable electrical switches for use in such systems, and methods of testing such switches in such systems |
| EP0396355A2 (en) * | 1989-05-04 | 1990-11-07 | VOLEX GROUP plc | Information handling and control systems |
| EP0396355A3 (en) * | 1989-05-04 | 1993-06-16 | VOLEX GROUP plc | Information handling and control systems |
| FR2679648A1 (en) * | 1991-07-24 | 1993-01-29 | Schlumberger Ind Sa | ANALOG TRANSMITTER OF POSITION AND DIRECTION OF ROTATION. |
| EP0525859A1 (en) * | 1991-07-24 | 1993-02-03 | Schlumberger Industries, S.A. | Analogue position and rotation direction transmitter |
| ES2107336A1 (en) * | 1994-07-05 | 1997-11-16 | Univ Catalunya Politecnica | Electronic protection device against short-circuiting or overloading on electrical lines. |
Also Published As
| Publication number | Publication date |
|---|---|
| GB8712781D0 (en) | 1987-07-08 |
| GB8614199D0 (en) | 1986-07-16 |
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Legal Events
| Date | Code | Title | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| WAP | Application withdrawn, taken to be withdrawn or refused ** after publication under section 16(1) |