An automated test system for a functional safety controller

Abstract

The present invention discloses an automated test system for a functional safety controller, including a main control board, an input port test board, an output port test board, a backplane, a controller adapter board, a load, a housing, a test host computer, etc. The main control board is the core of the entire test system and is responsible for: 1. generating dual-channel redundant test signals to the input port test board and distributing them to the corresponding input ports of the safety controller through the input port test board; 2. controlling multiple output port test boards to respectively connect the output ports of a specific safety controller and different-mode loads according to test messages; 3. communicating with the host computer through USB or RS485 to receive test instructions; 4. communicating with the safety controller through RS232, Ethernet port and CAN to receive controller feedback information. The present invention solves the problems of a large number of test cases for multi-port safety controllers and low efficiency of manual testing. At the same time, compared with the existing off-the-shelf board cards in the market, it has the characteristics of high flexibility and low cost.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to an automated test system for a functional safety controller, belonging to the technical field of construction machinery. Background Art

[0002] With the gradual acceptance of the concept of functional safety in the field of construction machinery, the development of related products is in full swing. Compared with ordinary controllers, functional safety controllers have redundant ports for input value comparison and need to simulate various load faults for output to test their diagnostic functions. Therefore, there are many test cases and test types. The traditional method of using manual plus auxiliary instruments for testing is inefficient and cannot meet the production and testing requirements. The method of building a semi-automated test using finished circuit boards is expensive and often cannot be directly adapted to products, requiring a large number of adapter boards and having poor flexibility. Summary of the Invention

[0003] The purpose of the present invention is to overcome the deficiencies in the prior art and provide an automated test system for a functional safety controller, which solves the problems of many test cases for multi-port safety controllers and low efficiency of manual testing. At the same time, compared with the existing finished circuit boards on the market, it has the characteristics of high flexibility and low cost.

[0004] To achieve the above object, the present invention is implemented by the following technical solutions:

[0005] The present invention provides an automated test system for a functional safety controller, including: a main control board, an input port test board, an output port test board, a backplane, a load, a controller adapter board, a housing, and a test host computer. The main control board, the input port test board, the output port test board, and the controller adapter board are connected to the backplane through European terminals. The load is connected to the backplane through a wire harness. All circuit boards and the load are placed in the housing. The controller adapter board is connected to the controller under test through a terminal connector.

[0006] Further, the main control board includes a communication port, an MCU module, an FPGA module, and a signal generator;

[0007] The MCU module receives test commands through the communication port and converts test messages into control commands for the FPGA module; at the same time, it receives message feedback from the controller under test to determine whether the test message has been successfully executed. The MCU module is connected to the FPGA module through SPI1, SDIO, or UART1;

[0008] The FPGA module receives the control commands issued by the MCU module and converts them into timing and combinational logic for processing;

[0009] The signal generator module is controlled by the FPGA timing, and outputs various types of test signals to the input port test board for testing.

[0010] Furthermore, the control signal of the FPGA module drives the relays of the input port test board and the output port test board through the IO Buffer, and simultaneously collects the voltage and current signals of the output port test board.

[0011] Furthermore, the communication ports include a LORA wireless module, an RS485 module, a USB module, an RS232 module, a CANFD module, a CAN module, and an Ethernet ETH module.

[0012] Furthermore, the main control board is connected to the host computer through the USB module or the RS485 module, connected to the remote controller through the LORA wireless module, and connected to the controller under test through the CAN module, the RS232 module, the CANFD module, and the Ethernet ETH module.

[0013] Furthermore, the types of the loads include resistive loads, inductive loads, and motor loads.

[0014] Furthermore, the input port test board is provided with multiple signal relays.

[0015] Furthermore, the output signal test board is provided with a signal acquisition chip and multiple power relays.

[0016] Furthermore, the input port test board is connected to the backplane through European terminals, not limited to one or more or fewer numbers.

[0017] Furthermore, the output port test board is connected to the backplane through European terminals, not limited to ten or more or fewer numbers.

[0018] Compared with the prior art, the beneficial effects achieved by the present invention are as follows:

[0019] The present invention provides an automated test system for a functional safety controller, which solves the problems of many test cases for a multi-port safety controller and low manual test efficiency. At the same time, compared with the existing finished circuit boards in the market, it has the characteristics of high flexibility and low cost. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0020] Figure 1 is a schematic diagram of the system components provided by an embodiment of the present invention;

[0021] Figure 2 is a schematic diagram of the functions of the main control board provided by an embodiment of the present invention;

[0022] Figure 3 is a schematic diagram of the functions of the input port test board provided by an embodiment of the present invention;

[0023] Figure 4 It is a schematic diagram of the function of the output port test board provided by an embodiment of the present invention;

[0024] Figure 5 It is a schematic diagram of the function layout of the test host computer provided by an embodiment of the present invention.

[0025] In the figure: 1, main control board; 2, input port test board; 3, output port test board; 4, backplane; 5, load; 6, controller adapter board; 7, housing. Specific embodiments

[0026] The present invention will be further described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. The following embodiments are only used to more clearly illustrate the technical solution of the present invention, and cannot be used to limit the protection scope of the present invention.

[0027] In the description of the present invention, it should be understood that the terms "center", "longitudinal", "transverse", "upper", "lower", "front", "rear", "left", "right", "vertical", "horizontal", "top", "bottom", "inner", "outer", etc. indicate the orientation or positional relationship based on the orientation or positional relationship shown in the drawings, and are only for the convenience of describing the present invention and simplifying the description, rather than indicating or implying that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation, be constructed and operated in a specific orientation, and therefore cannot be understood as a limitation of the present invention. In addition, the terms "first", "second", etc. are only used for descriptive purposes, and cannot be understood as indicating or implying relative importance or implicitly indicating the quantity of the indicated technical features. Thus, the features defined with "first", "second", etc. may explicitly or implicitly include one or more of such features. In the description of the present invention, unless otherwise specified, the meaning of "plurality" is two or more.

[0028] In the description of the present invention, it should be noted that unless otherwise clearly specified and limited, the terms "installation", "connection", and "connection" should be understood in a broad sense. For example, it may be a fixed connection, a detachable connection, or an integral connection; it may be a mechanical connection or an electrical connection; it may be directly connected, or indirectly connected through an intermediate medium, and it may be the communication inside two elements. For those of ordinary skill in the art, the specific meanings of the above terms in the present invention can be understood through specific situations.

[0029] Embodiment 1

[0030] Such as Figure 1As shown in the figure, the system in this embodiment is composed of a main control board 1, an input port test board 2, ten output port test boards 3, and a controller adapter board 6, which are respectively connected to a backplane 4 through European terminals. The load 5 is connected to the backplane 4 through a wire harness. All boards and the load 5 are placed in a housing 7. The controller under test is connected to this system through the connector of the controller adapter board 6.

[0031] As Figure 2 shown in the figure, the main control board 1 used in this embodiment mainly consists of modules such as a communication port, an MCU, an FPGA, and a signal generator.

[0032] The communication port includes: 1. The LORA wireless module is connected to the MCU through UART2 and is used to receive the control commands of the remote controller; 2. The RS485 module is connected to the MCU through UART6. The RS485 module can be connected to the test host computer and is used to execute the automated test message; 3. The USB module is connected to the MCU through USB HS. The USB module can be connected to the test host computer and is used to execute the automated test message; 4. The RS232 module is connected to the MCU through UART3. The RS232 module is connected to the RS232 port of the controller under test and is used for test message feedback; 5. The CANFD module is connected to the MCU through SPI4. The CANFD module is connected to the CANFD port of the controller under test and is used for test message feedback; 6. The CAN module is connected to the MCU through CAN1. The CAN module is connected to the CAN port of the controller under test and is used for test message feedback; 7. The Ethernet ETH module is connected to the MCU through RMII. The ETH module is connected to the ETH port of the controller under test and is used for test message feedback.

[0033] The MCU receives the test commands through the above communication ports and converts the test messages into control commands for the FPGA; at the same time, it receives the message feedback from the controller under test to determine whether the test message is successfully executed. The FRAM ferroelectric memory module is connected to the MCU through SPI5 and is used to save parameters. The SPI Flash memory module is connected to the MCU through SPI2 and is used to save test data. The RTC clock module is connected to the MCU through I2C2 and is used to obtain the real-time time. The MCU is connected to the FPGA through SPI1, SDIO or UART1.

[0034] The FPGA module receives the control commands sent by the MCU and converts them into sequential and combinational logic for processing. The voltage signal generation modules DAC1 and 2 are connected to the FPGA through the SPI protocol. The FPGA periodically refreshes the preset voltage data into DAC1 and 2, and can generate a DC voltage signal of -12 - +36V, a sine wave or square wave signal with a frequency of 0 - 30 kHz and an amplitude of ±12V, and a quadrature encoder signal with a frequency of 0 - 30 kHz and a phase difference of 90°. DAC1 and DAC2 are used to test the voltage-type input, frequency-type input, or encoder input ports of the controller. The current generation modules DAC3 and DAC4 are connected to the FPGA through the SPI protocol. The FPGA periodically refreshes the current data into DAC3 and 4, and can generate a DC current signal of 0 - 24 mA, which is used to test the current-type input port of the controller. The resistance signal generation module is connected to the FPGA through a relay. The FPGA can turn on or off the corresponding relay as needed, and can generate resistance signals of about 100 ohms, 1K ohms, 5K ohms, and 10K ohms, which are used to test the resistance-type input port of the controller. All test signals are redundant outputs and are connected to the input port test board 2.

[0035] The control signals of the FPGA drive the relays of the input port test board 2 and the output port test board 3 through the IO Buffer, and at the same time collect the voltage and current signals of the output port test board 3.

[0036] The signal generator module is controlled by the FPGA timing and outputs various types of test signals to the input port test board 2.

[0037] As Figure 3 shown, the input port test board 2 used in this embodiment mainly consists of signal relays K1 - K6…. SG1 and SG2 are redundant test signals generated by the main control board 1 and are respectively distributed to the redundant ports of the safety controller through two groups of relays K1 - K5… and K2 - K6…. A total of 1 input port test board 2 is used in this embodiment, and it can be expanded according to the number of input ports of the controller to be tested.

[0038] As Figure 4As shown in the figure, the output port test board 3 used in this embodiment mainly consists of signal relays K1-K16 and a voltage and current acquisition ADC. K1-K6 are used to switch the output port channels. K7 is used to simulate the ground short circuit fault state, and K8 simulates the power short circuit state. K9 controls the direct connection of the port under test to COM1, and K10 controls the direct connection of the port under test to COM2. K11 controls the connection of the resistive load 5 to the ground, K12 controls the connection of the resistive load 5 to the power supply, and K13 controls the connection of the resistive load 5 to COM1. K14 controls the connection of the inductive load 5 to the ground, K15 controls the connection of the inductive load 5 to the power supply, and K16 controls the connection of the inductive load 5 to COM2. When K9 and K13 are enabled simultaneously, it can control the connection of the resistive load 5 to the redundant output port of the controller under test; when K10 and K16 are enabled simultaneously, it can control the connection of the inductive load 5 to the redundant output port of the controller under test; when K9 and K10 are enabled simultaneously, it can control the connection of the motor load 5 to the redundant output port of the controller under test. The ADC module can collect the voltage and current signals of the output port and convert them into digital signals to be fed back to the FPGA module. A total of 10 output port test boards 3 are used in this embodiment, and the number can be increased or reduced according to the number of output ports of the controller under test.

[0039] As Figure 5 shown in the figure, the host computer software used in this embodiment consists of a series of test buttons and setting boxes. The host computer is connected to this test system through a USB port or an RS485 port and can send test messages to this system; it is connected to the controller under test through CAN and can receive the feedback signals of the controller under test. The data and results generated during the test process will be saved to the PC.

[0040] The above are only the preferred embodiments of the present invention. It should be noted that for those of ordinary skill in the art, without departing from the technical principle of the present invention, several improvements and deformations can be made, and these improvements and deformations should also be regarded as the protection scope of the present invention.

Claims

1. An automated test system for a functional safety controller, characterized in that, it includes: a main control board, an input port test board, an output port test board, a backplane, a load, a controller adapter board, a housing, and a test host computer. The main control board, the input port test board, the output port test board, and the controller adapter board are connected to the backplane through European terminals. The load is connected to the backplane through a wire harness. All boards and the load are placed in the housing. The controller adapter board is connected to the controller under test through a terminal connector; the main control board includes a communication port, an MCU module, an FPGA module, and a signal generator module; the MCU module receives test commands through the communication port and converts test messages into control commands for the FPGA module; at the same time, it receives message feedback from the controller under test to determine whether the test message has been successfully executed. The MCU module is connected to the FPGA module through SPI1, SDIO, or UART1; the FPGA module receives control commands issued by the MCU module and converts them into timing and combinational logic for processing; the voltage signal generation modules DAC1 and DAC2 are connected to the FPGA through the SPI protocol. The FPGA periodically refreshes the preset voltage data into DAC1 and DAC2; the current generation modules DAC3 and DAC4 are connected to the FPGA through the SPI protocol. The FPGA periodically refreshes the current data into DAC3 and DAC4; the resistance signal generation module is connected to the FPGA through a relay. The FPGA turns on or off the corresponding relay as needed; the signal generator module is controlled by the FPGA timing and outputs various types of test signals to the input port test board; the types of the load include a resistive load, an inductive load, and a motor load; the output port test board consists of signal relays K1 - K16 and a voltage and current acquisition ADC. K1 - K6 are used for switching the output port channels. K7 is used to simulate the ground short - circuit fault state. K8 simulates the power short - circuit state. K9 controls the test port to be directly connected to COM1. K10 controls the test port to be directly connected to COM2. K11 controls the resistive load to be connected to the ground. K12 controls the resistive load to be connected to the power supply. K13 controls the resistive load to be connected to COM1. K14 controls the inductive load to be connected to the ground. K15 controls the inductive load to be connected to the power supply. K16 controls the inductive load to be connected to COM2. When K9 and K13 are enabled simultaneously, it controls the resistive load to be connected to the redundant output port of the controller under test. When K10 and K16 are enabled simultaneously, it controls the inductive load to be connected to the redundant output port of the controller under test. When K9 and K10 are enabled simultaneously, it controls the motor load to be connected to the redundant output port of the controller under test.

2. The automated test system for a functional safety controller according to claim 1, characterized in that: the control signals of the FPGA module drive the relays of the input port test board and the output port test board through an IO Buffer, and at the same time collect the voltage and current signals of the output port test board.

3. The automated test system for a functional safety controller according to claim 1, characterized in that: the communication ports include a LORA wireless module, an RS485 module, a USB module, an RS232 module, a CANFD module, a CAN module, and an Ethernet ETH module.

4. The automated test system for a functional safety controller according to claim 3, characterized in that: the main control board is connected to the host computer through the USB module or the RS485 module, connected to the remote controller through the LORA wireless module, and connected to the controller under test through the CAN module, the RS232 module, the CANFD module, and the Ethernet ETH module.

5. The automated test system for a functional safety controller according to claim 1, characterized in that: the input port test board is provided with multiple signal relays.

6. The automated test system for a functional safety controller according to claim 1, characterized in that: the output signal test board is provided with a signal acquisition chip and multiple power relays.

7. The automated test system for a functional safety controller according to claim 1, characterized in that: the input port test board is connected to the backplane through European terminals.

8. The automated test system for a functional safety controller according to claim 1, characterized in that: the output port test board is connected to the backplane through European terminals.

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