Vehicle inspection system and inspection method

Abstract

The present invention relates to a vehicle inspection system and an inspection method, and discloses an automatic vehicle inspection system using the water-tight chamber process of a production plant. The system includes: a diagnostic terminal installed in the vehicle and connected to the electronic control unit (ECU) of the vehicle through vehicle communication, sequentially operating individual electrical components through the ECU based on stored electrical component inspection items when the vehicle passes through the water-tight chamber, and receiving the measured corresponding individual operating currents to determine whether the electrical components are operating normally; a transceiver connected to the diagnostic terminal through wireless diagnostic communication via an antenna provided in the water-tight chamber process; and an inspector that identifies the vehicle ID of the vehicle entering the water-tight chamber, sends inspection items according to the vehicle type and specifications corresponding to the vehicle ID to the diagnostic terminal through diagnostic communication, and identifies the vehicle ID of the vehicle leaving the water-tight chamber to collect the inspection results determined in the diagnostic terminal.

Description

[0001] Cross - reference to related applications

[0002] This application claims the priority and benefit of Korean Patent Application No. 10 - 2020 - 0057106, filed on May 13, 2020, with the Korean Intellectual Property Office, the entire content of which is incorporated herein by reference. Technical field

[0003] The present disclosure relates to a vehicle inspection system and an inspection method, and more particularly, to a vehicle inspection system and an inspection method for automatically inspecting electrical components of a finished vehicle in a production factory. Background art

[0004] Generally, in a vehicle production factory, a finished vehicle that has been assembled enters the final inspection line at the end of the production line, and then various electrical components applied according to the specifications of each vehicle are electronically inspected in this inspection line.

[0005] The electronic inspection performed in the final inspection line includes operations such as an operator (inspector) opening the engine hood of the vehicle and installing a current meter on the battery, an operator connecting a diagnostic terminal to the OBD connector of the vehicle, an F - scan process operation in which the operator operates the electrical components by operating the vehicle and the diagnostic terminal and measures the current through the current meter, an operation of performing a Diagnostic Trouble Code (DTC) check on the electrical components, and an operation of removing the current meter and the diagnostic terminal, etc.

[0006] The electronic inspection in the final inspection line is mainly manually performed by multiple operators and needs to be carried out according to the continuous process cycle of the production line.

[0007] Therefore, the existing electronic inspection has the following problems: measurement errors due to the aging of the current meters used by each of the multiple operators, problems of simultaneously inspecting multiple items according to a determined process cycle for inspection due to a large number of electrical components to be inspected, human error problems due to deviations in the inspection methods and skills / carelessness of the operators, etc.

[0008] FIG. 7 shows problems that occur when multiple items are simultaneously inspected during the existing - technology electronic inspection.

[0009] Referring to FIG. 7, in the existing - technology electronic inspection, the operating states of ① the left (LH) brake light, ② the right (RH) brake light, and ③ the center brake light (high - mounted stop lamp (HMSL)) are simultaneously inspected by measuring the operating current of the battery according to the vehicle braking operation.

[0010] Here, the ammeter detects a current value ④, which is the sum of the operating currents of ①, ②, and ③, and the diagnostic terminal checks for normal operation by comparing the current value ④ with the upper / lower limits of the allowable range.

[0011] However, when checking electrical components simultaneously within a limited process cycle time, due to the cumulative error of measurement data, an excessive current measurement value distribution will occur, thereby reducing the accuracy and reliability of the inspection.

[0012] In addition, even if an error occurs due to a defect / failure of at least one electrical component, it is usually impossible to trace the occurrence of the error and the defect.

[0013] This problem of electrical load inspection in the prior art may cause field claims for mass-produced vehicles. Therefore, a method capable of improving the accuracy and reliability of electrical load inspection is needed.

[0014] The above information disclosed in this background art section is only used to enhance the understanding of the background of the present disclosure. Therefore, it may include information that does not constitute the prior art known to those of ordinary skill in the art in this country. Summary of the Invention

[0015] The present disclosure is dedicated to providing a vehicle inspection system and an inspection method, and the advantages of the system and method are that during the water-tight chamber process in a production factory, the individual inspection of electrical loads is automated through a diagnostic terminal installed in the vehicle to improve the accuracy and reliability of the inspection.

[0016] An exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure provides an automatic vehicle inspection system using the water-tight chamber process in a production factory, including: a diagnostic terminal installed in the vehicle and communicatively connected to the vehicle's electronic control unit (ECU) through vehicle communication, sequentially operating individual electrical components through the ECU based on stored electrical component inspection items when the vehicle passes through the water-tight chamber, and receiving the measured corresponding individual operating currents to determine whether the electrical components are operating normally; a transceiver connected to the diagnostic terminal through wireless diagnostic communication via an antenna provided in the water-tight chamber process; and an inspector that identifies the vehicle ID of the vehicle entering the water-tight chamber, sends inspection items according to the vehicle type and specifications corresponding to the vehicle ID to the diagnostic terminal through diagnostic communication, and identifies the vehicle ID of the vehicle leaving the water-tight chamber to collect the inspection results determined in the diagnostic terminal.

[0017] The diagnostic terminal can be an on-board diagnostic (OBD)-based terminal and is equipped with an electrical load inspection program for inspecting individual electrical components based on the inspection items.

[0018] The diagnostic terminal may include: a vehicle communication module, which is communicatively connected to the ECU via the vehicle's gateway through vehicle communication; a wireless diagnostic communication module, which is communicatively connected to the antenna of the transceiver through diagnostic communication using short-range wireless communication; a position recognition module, which measures the position of the vehicle using at least one of differential global positioning system (DGPS) and ultra-wideband (UWB); a storage module, which stores an electrical load inspection program, inspection items, and inspection results for vehicle inspection; and a control module, which identifies the position of the vehicle entering the watertight chamber through the position recognition module and controls the electrical load inspection according to the execution of the electrical load inspection program.

[0019] The vehicle communication module may send an operation signal of each electrical component according to the inspection item to the ECU via vehicle communication and receive the operating current measured by the battery sensor according to the operation of the corresponding electrical load from the ECU.

[0020] The wireless diagnostic communication module may be communicatively connected to a first antenna provided on the entrance side of the watertight chamber through a first diagnostic communication to receive inspection items, and may be communicatively connected to a second antenna provided on the exit side of the watertight chamber through a second diagnostic communication to send inspection results.

[0021] The position recognition module may identify the entrance position of the vehicle to the watertight chamber, the internal position of the watertight chamber, and the exit position of the vehicle from the watertight chamber based on the vehicle position information and the map information of the production line.

[0022] The control module may generate an inspection command message including an electrical component identification code, an operation signal, and an operation time according to the inspection order based on the inspection item, and send the generated inspection command message to the ECU.

[0023] The control module may sequentially send inspection command messages for the left (LH) brake light, the right (RH) brake light, and the center high-mounted stop lamp (HMSL) according to the inspection item via vehicle communication, and compare the received individual operating current with the reference range set for each lamp to determine whether the individual operating current is normal within the upper / lower limits.

[0024] The checker may identify the vehicle ID of the vehicle entering the watertight chamber through a first scanner (SC#1) installed on the entrance side of the watertight chamber, may be communicatively connected to the diagnostic terminal through a first diagnostic communication, and may send inspection items matching the vehicle ID.

[0025] The checker may identify the vehicle ID of the vehicle leaving the watertight chamber through a second scanner (SC#2) installed on the exit side of the watertight chamber, may be communicatively connected to the diagnostic terminal through a second diagnostic communication, and may collect inspection results matching the vehicle ID.

[0026] The automatic system may further include: a production management system (MES) that matches and manages the electrical component inspection items applied to the vehicle according to the vehicle type and specifications of the vehicles mass-produced in the production plant, the OBD ID of the diagnostic terminal installed in the vehicle, and the vehicle ID, and provides the matched electrical component inspection items, OBD ID, and vehicle ID to the inspector.

[0027] The inspector may query the MES for vehicle information to identify the matched OBD ID based on the vehicle ID identified at each position of the entrance and the exit of the watertight chamber, and may connect to the diagnostic communication by requesting authentication of the OBD ID of the diagnostic terminal accessing each antenna.

[0028] Another exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure provides an automatic vehicle inspection method using a diagnostic terminal installed in a vehicle assembled on a production line, including: a) during the transfer of the vehicle, when connecting to the first diagnostic communication through the first antenna provided on the entrance side of the watertight chamber, receiving the electrical component inspection items matched with the vehicle ID from the inspector; b) when identifying the position of the vehicle to identify the entrance position of the watertight chamber, starting an automatic inspection according to the electrical load inspection procedure; c) when the vehicle passes through the watertight chamber, based on the inspection items, operating individual electrical components in sequence and checking the corresponding individual operating currents to determine whether the individual electrical components are operating normally; and d) when connecting to the second diagnostic communication through the second antenna provided on the exit side of the watertight chamber, sending the vehicle ID and the determined inspection results to the inspector.

[0029] Operation b) may include: turning the vehicle into the IG ON mode and supplying power to various electrical loads; before entering the watertight chamber, sending a door glass inspection signal to the ECU through vehicle communication to operate the door glass; and receiving the operating current measured by the battery sensor of the vehicle.

[0030] Operation c) may include: sequentially sending inspection command messages for the left (LH) brake light, right (RH) brake light, and center high mount stop light (HMSL) based on the inspection items through vehicle communication, and receiving the corresponding individual operating currents; and comparing the individual operating currents with the reference ranges set for each light to determine normal operation and storing the collected inspection results.

[0031] In the automatic vehicle inspection method, between operation b) and operation c), it may further include: when identifying the position of the vehicle to identify the entrance / exit position of the watertight chamber, checking the operations of the tailgate latch and door unlocking.

[0032] Operation c) may include: recording the items with inspection failures (NG) in the report information of the inspection results.

[0033] According to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure, by automating an existing manual current inspection based on an additionally obtained process cycle time in a water-tight chamber and increasing inspection items related to main safety components, an electrical load inspection with improved accuracy and reliability can be performed.

[0034] In addition, by preventing errors caused by external factors when inspecting the operating current of electrical components and ensuring the consistency of inspection results according to individual component inspections, the quality inspection management specification of electrical components can be enhanced, and on-site claims can be improved by preventing defective products.

[0035] In addition, since the inspection of electrical components of a vehicle is automated in the final inspection line using a water-tight chamber, additional factory space generated by canceling the final inspection line can be obtained, and a cost reduction effect based on manpower reduction can be expected. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0036] Figure 1 Shows the layout structure of a final inspection line of an automatic vehicle inspection system applying an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0037] Figure 2 Schematically shows the configuration of an automatic vehicle inspection system using a water-tight chamber according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0038] Figure 3 Is a block diagram schematically showing the configuration of a diagnostic terminal according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0039] Figure 4 Is a flowchart schematically showing an automatic vehicle inspection method according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0040] Figure 5 Shows an example of individual electrical load inspection through an automatic inspection algorithm according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0041] Figure 6A Shows a prior art manual inspection.

[0042] Figure 6B Shows automatic electrical load items according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0043] FIG. 7 shows problems that occur when multiple items are inspected simultaneously during prior art electronic inspection. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0044] In the following detailed description, only certain exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure are shown and described by way of illustration. As those skilled in the art will recognize, the described exemplary embodiments can be modified in various different ways without departing from the spirit or scope of the present disclosure. Therefore, the drawings and description are to be regarded as illustrative in nature and not restrictive. Throughout the specification, the same reference numerals denote the same elements.

[0045] Throughout the specification, unless explicitly described to the contrary, the word "comprising" and variations such as "comprises" or "containing" will be understood to imply the inclusion of the stated elements but not the exclusion of any other elements. Additionally, the terms "-device", "-component", and "module" described in the specification refer to a unit for processing at least one function and operation, and can be implemented by hardware components or software components and their combinations.

[0046] Throughout the specification, terms such as "first", "second", "A", "B", "(a)", "(b)", etc. may be used to describe various components, but these components should not be limited by these terms. Such terms are only used to distinguish the corresponding elements from other elements, and the corresponding elements are not limited in their nature, order, or priority by these terms.

[0047] When referring to a component being "connected" or "accessed" to another component, this may mean that the component is directly connected or accessed to another component, but it can be understood that another component may exist between them. On the other hand, when referring to a component being "directly connected" or "directly accessed" to another component, it should be understood that there are no other components between them.

[0048] The terms used herein are only for describing specific exemplary embodiments and are not intended to limit the present disclosure. As used herein, the singular forms "a", "an", and "the" are also intended to include the plural forms unless the context clearly indicates otherwise.

[0049] Hereinafter, an automatic vehicle inspection system and an inspection method according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.

[0050] Figure 1 The layout structure of a final inspection line showing the application of an automatic vehicle inspection system according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure is shown.

[0051] Figure 2 The configuration of an automatic vehicle inspection system using a water-tight chamber according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure is schematically shown.

[0052] Refer to Figure 1, in the prior art, multiple final inspection lines (represented by dashed lines) for manually inspecting electrical loads by an operator are arranged at the end of the production line in a production plant. By improving this, in the production line of a production plant according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure, the final inspection line (represented by solid lines) is constructed using a water-tight chamber process, and an automatic electrical load inspection is performed inside the water-tight chamber.

[0053] The water-tight chamber is a tunnel-type structure with a large number of nozzles arranged inside, and is a process device for inspecting water-tightness by spraying water on the vehicle passing through on a conveyor belt. In order to inspect water-tightness, a sufficient amount of water must be sprayed on the vehicle. Therefore, the vehicle will stay in the water-tight chamber for a period of time without performing any special work.

[0054] Utilizing this, the automatic vehicle inspection system according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure is designed to perform an automatic vehicle electrical load inspection during the period when the vehicle stays in the water-tight chamber. In this way, the space of multiple final inspection lines in the prior art can be eliminated, and the effects of reducing the manpower, equipment, and cost of each manual electrical load inspection can be obtained.

[0055] To achieve such purposes and effects, equipment for automating the final inspection process needs to be constructed. Therefore, the automatic vehicle inspection system according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure will be described.

[0056] Referring to Figure 2 , the vehicle inspection system (or for the vehicle inspection system) according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure is a device for the final inspection line constructed using the water-tight chamber process, including a diagnostic terminal 10, a transceiver 20, an inspector 30, and a Manufacturing Execution System (MES) 40.

[0057] The vehicle is equipped with a diagnostic terminal 10 based on On-Board Diagnostics (OBD), assembled along a conveyor belt through multiple production lines, and then enters the final inspection line to inspect electrical components at the finished vehicle stage.

[0058] The diagnostic terminal 10 is a terminal that adds an automatic electrical load inspection function by improving the wireless OBD operating in the production line. The diagnostic terminal 10 is connected to the vehicle ECU through the OBD connector of the vehicle for wired and / or wireless communication, and is connected to an external inspector 30 through the transceiver 20 for wireless communication. Hereinafter, the two types of communication connected to the diagnostic terminal 10 are classified. The connection to the vehicle is called vehicle communication, and the wireless communication with the inspector 30 through the transceiver 20 is called diagnostic communication.

[0059] The diagnosis terminal 10 includes a vehicle electrical load inspection program according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure, and by executing the inspection program, controls individual electrical load inspections according to vehicle inspection items while performing a watertightness inspection in a watertight chamber.

[0060] Before the vehicle enters the watertight compartment, the diagnosis terminal 10 downloads electrical component inspection items according to the vehicle type and specification (option) from the checker 30 connected through the first diagnosis communication.

[0061] During a period of time when the vehicle enters the watertight chamber, the diagnostic terminal 10 checks the working status of the electrical components in sequence according to the inspection items by linking with the vehicle controller (electronic control unit (ECU)) connected through vehicle communication. Here, the diagnostic terminal 10 can ensure sufficient inspection time within a predetermined period of time during the vehicle passing through the watertight chamber, operate a single electrical component, and perform an automatic inspection of measuring a single operating current.

[0062] Here, in Figure 2 In the embodiment, one vehicle is shown to enter the watertight chamber, but the exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure is not limited thereto, and a plurality of vehicles may exist in a first-in-first-out manner in the watertight chamber further extending in the length direction. The electrical load check in the watertight chamber is performed by linkage with the ECU according to the vehicle communication of the diagnostic terminal 10, so that the connection of the first diagnostic communication can be released.

[0063] Thereafter, when the vehicle leaves the watertight chamber, the diagnosis terminal 10 connects the second wireless communication to transmit the electrical load check result to the checker 30 , thereby terminating the electrical load check of the vehicle.

[0064] The transceiver 20 is connected with the diagnosis terminal 10 of the transferred vehicle through a plurality of antennas 21 and 22 arranged along the final inspection line through diagnosis communication, and relays data transmission / reception with the inspector 30 .

[0065] The transceiver 20 includes a first antenna 21 installed at the entrance side of the watertight chamber and a second antenna 22 installed at the exit side of the watertight chamber. The first antenna 21 and the second antenna 22 are configured as directional antennas for short-range communication and are arranged along the conveying line of the moving vehicle. Bluetooth or wireless LAN can be used for short-range communication.

[0066] The first antenna 21 is connected to the diagnosis terminal 10 of the vehicle near the entrance side of the watertight chamber through the first diagnosis communication, and transmits the inspection items according to the vehicle type and specification of the vehicle received from the inspector 30 to the diagnosis terminal 10 .

[0067] The second antenna 22 is connected to the diagnostic terminal 10 of the vehicle that has moved to the exit side of the water-tight chamber through the second diagnostic communication, and transmits the inspection results received from the diagnostic terminal 10 to the inspector 30 through the transceiver 20.

[0068] The inspector 30 is a computer device installed in the final inspection line and controls the entire electrical load inspection process, and receives vehicle information (vehicle ID, vehicle type, specifications, installed OBD ID, etc.) and corresponding inspection items according to the mass production plan from the MES 40, and stores the received information and inspection items in a database (DB).

[0069] The inspector 30 identifies the vehicle ID of the vehicle entering the water-tight chamber, sends the inspection items according to the vehicle type and specifications corresponding to the vehicle ID to the diagnostic terminal 10 through the diagnostic communication, and identifies the vehicle ID of the vehicle leaving the water-tight chamber to collect the inspection results determined by the diagnostic terminal 10.

[0070] More specifically, the inspector 30 identifies the vehicle ID of the vehicle entering the final line through the first scanner SC#1 installed on the entrance side of the water-tight chamber, is connected to the diagnostic terminal 10 through the first diagnostic communication, and sends the inspection items matching the vehicle ID.

[0071] The inspector 30 identifies the vehicle ID of the vehicle leaving the final line through the second scanner SC#2 installed on the exit side of the water-tight chamber, is connected to the installed diagnostic terminal 10 through the second diagnostic communication, and collects the inspection results matching the vehicle ID. The first scanner SC#1 and the second scanner SC#2 can be barcode scanners that scan the barcodes attached to the vehicle.

[0072] In the above description, the inspector 30 can query the vehicle information from the MES 40 through the vehicle ID identified at the entrance / exit of the water-tight chamber, identify the corresponding OBD ID, and connect the diagnostic communication by requesting OBD ID authentication of the diagnostic terminal 10 for each of the access antennas 21 and 22.

[0073] In addition, the inspector 30 can generate inspection result report information in a predetermined form based on the vehicle ID and inspection items, and share the information with the MES 40. In addition, the inspector 30 can output an inspection result label through a printer and paste the label on the vehicle.

[0074] The inspector 30 can transfer the vehicles that have passed (OK) as inspection results to the driving inspection process, or send the vehicles that have failed the inspection (NG) to the repair process (see Figure 1 ). After that, when the vehicle passes (OK) the repair process and passes (OK) normally, the vehicle can be allowed to enter the driving inspection.

[0075] The MES 40 is a server that manages the entire production line of a vehicle manufacturing plant and manages the electrical component inspection items applied to vehicles according to the vehicle types and specifications of mass-produced vehicles. In addition, the MES 40 performs management by matching the OBD ID of the diagnostic terminal 10 installed in each vehicle with the vehicle ID, and shares information queries with the inspector 30.

[0076] Figure 3 is a block diagram schematically showing the configuration of a diagnostic terminal according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0077] Referring to Figure 3 , the diagnostic terminal 10 according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure includes a vehicle communication module 11, a wireless diagnostic communication module 12, a position recognition module 13, a storage module 14, and a control module 15.

[0078] The vehicle communication module 11 is connected to the ECU through vehicle communication via the vehicle's gateway (G / W) and sends / receives an electrical load inspection signal.

[0079] The vehicle communication module 11 sends an operation signal of each electrical component according to the inspection item to the ECU through vehicle communication and receives the operating current measured according to the operation of the electrical load from the ECU. Here, the vehicle's ECU can be connected to various electrical components through a vehicle network (i.e., Controller Area Network (CAN)) to apply an operation signal, and can measure the operating current supplied during the operation of the electrical load through a battery sensor installed on the battery. For example, the electrical components may include lights such as a left (LH) brake light, a right (RH) brake light, a high-mounted stop light (HMSL), a taillight, a headlight, and a fog light, a door glass lifting motor, door locking / unlocking, the operating states of various sensors, the operating state of an air conditioner, a relay switch, a valve, a pump, an EPB driver, a seat heating wire, an air compressor, a controller for various functions (e.g., DCT inspection target), etc.

[0080] According to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure, by measuring the operating current of the electrical load through the vehicle's battery sensor, the man-hours for installing a current meter and the measurement error problem caused by the aging of the current meter in the electrical load inspection process of the prior art can be solved.

[0081] The wireless diagnostic communication module 12 can be connected to the antenna of the transceiver 20 through diagnostic communication in a short-range wireless communication manner.

[0082] The wireless diagnostic communication module 12 can be connected to the first antenna 21 provided on the entrance side of the watertight chamber through the first diagnostic communication to receive inspection items, and can be connected to the second antenna 22 provided on the exit side of the watertight chamber through the second diagnostic communication to send the electrical load inspection result.

[0083] The position identification module 13 measures the position of the vehicle indoors and outdoors using a differential global positioning system (DGPS).

[0084] The position identification module 13 can identify the position of the vehicle before entering the watertight chamber, the position of the vehicle inside the watertight chamber, and the position of the vehicle after leaving the watertight chamber based on the high-precision vehicle position information obtained by processing GPS signals and the map information of the production line.

[0085] The storage module 14 includes at least one program and data for vehicle inspection / diagnosis through the diagnostic terminal 10 , and stores information generated according to the operation of the diagnostic terminal 10 .

[0086] In particular, the storage module 14 may store an electrical load inspection program and support the control module 15 according to the execution of the program to automatically perform the electrical load inspection according to inspection items of various vehicle types and specifications in the final inspection line.

[0087] The control module 15 may be configured as a microcontroller unit (MCU) in which an algorithm for overall control of the diagnosis terminal 10 is stored.

[0088] The control module 15 can identify the position of the vehicle on the production line through the position identification module 13. For example, the control module 15 can determine the watertight chamber entrance position and exit position of the vehicle through the position identification module 13.

[0089] The control module 15 controls each module by executing the electric load check program to automate the electric load check of the vehicle according to the exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0090] Here, the electric load inspection program may be programmed to execute each step of the automatic vehicle inspection method according to the exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure in the diagnosis terminal 10 installed in each vehicle.

[0091] Therefore, the automatic vehicle inspection method according to the exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure will be described based on the configuration of the above-mentioned vehicle inspection system, and here, the process of linkage between the diagnostic terminal 10 under the control of the control module 15 and the inspector 30 of the final inspection line will be mainly described.

[0092] Figure 4 is a flow chart schematically illustrating an automatic vehicle inspection method according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0093] Reference Figure 4, in S1, the diagnostic terminal 10 according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure is installed in a vehicle, and while moving towards the watertight chamber, receives electrical component inspection items matching the vehicle ID from the inspector 30 connected through diagnostic communication, and stores the received electrical component inspection items.

[0094] In S2, when the first scanner SC#1 located on the entrance side of the watertight chamber recognizes the barcode attached to the vehicle and the inspector 30 is connected to the first antenna 21 through the first diagnostic communication, the diagnostic terminal 10 can additionally receive and inspect the electrical component inspection items matching the vehicle ID from the inspector 30. Here, the diagnostic terminal 10 compares the inspection items received from the inspector 30 in step S1 with the inspection items received in step S2, and if it is determined that an inspection item is missing or the vehicle ID and the inspection items do not match, the diagnostic terminal 10 can receive the inspection items according to the vehicle ID from the inspector 30 again to update the inspection items.

[0095] In S3, when the diagnostic terminal 10 recognizes the position of the vehicle and the position of the watertight chamber entrance through the position recognition module 13, the diagnostic terminal 10 starts an automatic inspection according to the electrical load inspection procedure. Here, the diagnostic terminal 10 enables the vehicle to enter the IG ON mode, thereby supplying power to various electrical loads. Additionally, the diagnostic terminal 10 can send a door glass inspection signal to the ECU connected through the vehicle communication before entering the watertight chamber to perform a door glass lifting inspection and receive the operating current measured by the battery sensor.

[0096] In S4, when it is determined that the position of the vehicle is inside the watertight chamber, the diagnostic terminal 10 cooperates with the ECU through vehicle communication, operates (turns on / off (ON / OFF)) individual electrical components in sequence according to the inspection items, collects the individual operating currents corresponding to the operations of the individual electrical components, and determines whether the electrical components are normal.

[0097] For example, Figure 5 Shows an example of individual electrical load inspection according to an automatic inspection algorithm according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0098] Referring to Figure 5 , compared with the example of simultaneous inspection during the manual brake operation of the prior art described above with reference to FIG. 7, shows the process in which the diagnostic terminal 10 inspects an individual brake light according to the inspection items without operator intervention.

[0099] The diagnostic terminal 10 can generate an inspection command message including an electrical component identification code, an operation signal, an operation time, etc. according to the inspection order based on the inspection items, and send the inspection command message to the ECU through vehicle communication. Additionally, the diagnostic terminal 10 can receive the operating current measured according to the operation of the individual electrical load from the ECU through vehicle communication.

[0100] For example, the diagnostic terminal 10 sequentially sends inspection command messages for ① LH brake light, ② RH brake light, and ③ center high-mounted stop lamp (HMSL) via vehicle communication, and receives the individual operating currents ①, ②, and ③ accordingly.

[0101] The diagnostic terminal 10 compares the individual operating currents ①, ②, and ③ of the individual electrical loads with the reference ranges set for the respective individual electrical loads to determine whether the individual electrical loads are operating normally (OK / NG) within the upper / lower limits, and stores the collected inspection results in the storage module 14.

[0102] Here, different from the prior art of FIG. 7, the distribution of the operating currents measured according to the inspection of the individual electrical loads and the inspection area are reduced, thereby improving the inspection accuracy and reliability. In addition, since sufficient inspection time is ensured within a predetermined period when the vehicle stays in the water-tight chamber, additional inspections can be performed on various electrical components, such as rain sensor and wiper linkage inspections.

[0103] In addition, when it is determined that the vehicle position is the water-tight chamber exit position, the diagnostic terminal 10 can send the inspection command message in the above manner, and when an operation signal is received, the diagnostic terminal 10 can perform inspections such as tailgate latch and door unlocking in S5.

[0104] In S6, when the second scanner SC#2 located on the exit side of the water-tight chamber recognizes the barcode and the diagnostic terminal 10 is connected to the inspector 30 via the second diagnostic communication through the second antenna 22, the vehicle ID and the stored inspection results are sent to the inspector 30.

[0105] Here, the inspector 30 can transfer the vehicle with a normal (OK) inspection result to the driving inspection process, or can send the vehicle with a defective (NG) inspection result to the repair process.

[0106] In S7, for the vehicle entering the repair process, the NG items in the report information of the inspection result are checked, and then the vehicle is reinspected. When the vehicle passes the reinspection normally (OK), the vehicle is transferred to the driving inspection process. Thereafter, when the vehicle inspection is completed or the driving process is completed, the diagnostic terminal 10 can be removed from the vehicle.

[0107] Thereby, the problem of untraceable errors / defects occurring during the simultaneous inspection of electrical loads in the prior art can be solved, and the man-hours of the repair process can be reduced by only checking the NG items in the inspection result report information.

[0108] Figure 6A and Figure 6BAn automatic electrical load item according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure is shown, compared with the manual inspection of the prior art.

[0109] Referring to Figure 6A , due to the limitation of the number of inspection items applied, and due to the manual current inspection of the door glass rising / falling, headlights, taillights, fog lights, and various brake lights, the automatic current inspection of components such as the engine cooling fan, turn signal lights, daytime running lights, central door locking / unlocking, etc., and the sensor data such as vehicle VIN, TPMS valve ID, battery charge / discharge amount, refrigerant pressure reading, etc., as well as the DTC inspection (fault code) of components such as the engine, transmission, airbag, ABS, MDPS, etc., are applied to the process cycle time of the final inspection line, resulting in simultaneous execution of inspections. Therefore, there are various problems in the prior art.

[0110] In contrast, referring to Figure 6B , in the automatic vehicle inspection method according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure, by automating the existing manual current inspection according to the process cycle time additionally ensured in the water-tight chamber and increasing the inspection items related to the main safety components, an electrical load inspection with improved accuracy and reliability can be performed.

[0111] In addition, by preventing errors caused by external factors when inspecting the working current of electrical components and ensuring the consistency of inspection results according to individual component inspections, the quality inspection management specifications of electrical components can be enhanced, and on-site claims can be improved by preventing defective products.

[0112] In addition, since the inspection of electrical components of the vehicle is automated in the final inspection line using the water-tight chamber, additional factory sites can be obtained due to the cancellation of the final inspection line, and cost reduction effects based on manpower reduction can be expected.

[0113] Exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure may not be implemented only by the foregoing devices and / or methods, but may also be implemented by a program for implementing functions corresponding to the configurations of the exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure, a recording medium including the program, and the like. From the foregoing description of the exemplary embodiments, those skilled in the art to which the present disclosure pertains can easily implement such embodiments.

[0114] The exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure have been described in detail, but the scope of the present disclosure is not limited thereto. Various deformations and modifications made by those skilled in the art using the basic concepts of the present disclosure defined in the claims also belong to the scope of the present disclosure.

[0115] Although the present disclosure has been described in connection with exemplary embodiments that are presently considered to be practical, it is to be understood that the present disclosure is not limited to the disclosed exemplary embodiments. On the contrary, the present disclosure is intended to cover various modifications and equivalent arrangements included within the spirit and scope of the appended claims.

Claims

1. An automatic vehicle inspection system using the water-tight chamber process of a production plant, comprising: A diagnostic terminal installed in the vehicle and connected to the electronic control unit (ECU) of the vehicle through vehicle communication. When the vehicle passes through the water-tight chamber, the diagnostic terminal sequentially operates individual electrical components through the ECU based on stored electrical component inspection items, and the diagnostic terminal receives the measured corresponding individual operating currents to determine whether the electrical components are operating normally; A transceiver connected to the diagnostic terminal through wireless diagnostic communication via an antenna provided in the water-tight chamber process; and An inspector that identifies the vehicle ID of the vehicle entering the water-tight chamber, sends inspection items according to the vehicle type and specifications corresponding to the vehicle ID to the diagnostic terminal through the diagnostic communication, and further identifies the vehicle ID of the vehicle leaving the water-tight chamber to collect the inspection results determined in the diagnostic terminal.

2. The automatic vehicle inspection system according to claim 1, wherein the diagnostic terminal is an On-Board Diagnostic (OBD)-based terminal and is equipped with an electrical load inspection program for inspecting individual electrical components based on the inspection items.

3. The automatic vehicle inspection system according to claim 1, wherein the diagnostic terminal includes: A vehicle communication module connected to the ECU through vehicle communication via the vehicle's gateway; A wireless diagnostic communication module connected to the antenna of the transceiver through diagnostic communication in a short-range wireless communication manner; A position identification module that measures the position of the vehicle using at least one of Differential Global Positioning System (DGPS) and Ultra-Wideband (UWB); A storage module that stores an electrical load inspection program for vehicle inspection, the inspection items, and the inspection results; and A control module that identifies the position of the vehicle entering the water-tight chamber through the position identification module and controls the electrical load inspection according to the execution of the electrical load inspection program.

4. The automatic vehicle inspection system according to claim 3, wherein the vehicle communication module sends an operation signal of each electrical component according to the inspection items to the ECU through vehicle communication and receives the operating current measured by a battery sensor according to the operation of the corresponding electrical load from the ECU.

5. The automatic vehicle inspection system according to claim 3, wherein the wireless diagnostic communication module is connected to a first antenna provided on the entrance side of the water-tight chamber through a first diagnostic communication to receive the inspection items, and is connected to a second antenna provided on the exit side of the water-tight chamber through a second diagnostic communication to send the inspection results.

6. The automatic vehicle inspection system according to claim 3, wherein the position identification module identifies the water-tight chamber entrance position, the water-tight chamber internal position, and the water-tight chamber exit position of the vehicle based on vehicle position information and map information of the production line.

7. The automatic vehicle inspection system according to claim 3, wherein The control module generates an inspection command message including an electrical component identification code, an operation signal, and an operation time according to the inspection order based on the inspection item, and sends the generated inspection command message to the ECU.

8. The automatic vehicle inspection system according to claim 7, wherein, The control module sequentially sends inspection command messages of the left brake light, i.e., the LH brake light, the right brake light, i.e., the RH brake light, and the center high-mounted stop lamp, i.e., the HMSL, according to the inspection item through vehicle communication, and compares the received individual operating current with the reference range set for each lamp to determine whether the individual operating current is normal within the upper / lower limit.

9. The automatic vehicle inspection system according to claim 1, wherein, The checker identifies the vehicle ID of the vehicle entering the watertight chamber through the first scanner, i.e., SC#1, installed on the entrance side of the watertight chamber. The checker is connected to the diagnostic terminal through the first diagnostic communication and sends the inspection item matching the vehicle ID.

10. The automatic vehicle inspection system according to claim 1, wherein, The checker identifies the vehicle ID of the vehicle leaving the watertight chamber through the second scanner, i.e., SC#2, installed on the exit side of the watertight chamber. The checker is connected to the diagnostic terminal through the second diagnostic communication and collects the inspection results matching the vehicle ID.

11. The automatic vehicle inspection system according to claim 1, further comprising: A manufacturing execution system, i.e., MES, that matches and manages the electrical component inspection items applied to the vehicle according to the vehicle type and specifications of the vehicles mass-produced in the production plant, the OBDID of the diagnostic terminal installed in the vehicle, and the vehicle ID, and provides the matched electrical component inspection items, the OBDID, and the vehicle ID to the checker.

12. The automatic vehicle inspection system according to claim 11, wherein, The checker queries the vehicle information from the MES through the vehicle ID identified at each position of the entrance and exit of the watertight chamber to identify the matching OBDID, and connects the diagnostic communication by requesting OBDID authentication of the diagnostic terminal accessing each antenna.

13. An automatic vehicle inspection method using a diagnostic terminal installed in a vehicle assembled on a production line, comprising: a) During the transfer of the vehicle, when connecting the first diagnostic communication through the first antenna provided on the entrance side of the watertight chamber, receiving the electrical component inspection items matching the vehicle ID from the checker; b) Identifying the position of the vehicle and when identifying the watertight chamber entrance position, starting an automatic inspection according to the electrical load inspection procedure; c) When the vehicle passes through the watertight chamber, based on the inspection item, sequentially operating individual electrical components and checking the corresponding individual operating current to determine whether the individual electrical components are operating normally; and d) When connecting the second diagnostic communication through the second antenna provided on the exit side of the watertight chamber, sending the vehicle ID and the determined inspection results to the checker.

14. The automatic vehicle inspection method according to claim 13, wherein, step b) includes: putting the vehicle into the IG ON mode and supplying power to various electrical loads; before entering the watertight chamber, sending a door glass inspection signal to the ECU through vehicle communication to operate the door glass; and receiving the operating current measured by the battery sensor of the vehicle.

15. The automatic vehicle inspection method according to claim 13, wherein, step c) includes: sequentially sending inspection command messages for the left brake light (i.e., LH brake light), the right brake light (i.e., RH brake light), and the center high mount stop lamp (i.e., HMSL) based on the inspection items through vehicle communication, and receiving the corresponding individual operating currents; and comparing the individual operating currents with the reference ranges set for each lamp to determine whether the operation is normal and storing the collected inspection results.

16. The automatic vehicle inspection method according to claim 13, wherein, further included between step b) and step c) is: when identifying the position of the vehicle to identify the watertight chamber entrance / exit position, checking the operations of the tailgate latch and door unlocking.

17. The automatic vehicle inspection method according to claim 13, wherein, step c) further includes: recording the items with inspection failures (i.e., NG) in the report information of the inspection results.

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