Methods, systems, and apparatus for monitoring the status of test benches used for vehicles.

Abstract

A method, system, and apparatus for monitoring the status of a test bench for vehicles are disclosed. The method for monitoring the status of a test bench for vehicles includes: receiving, via a network, a file containing data about the status of the test bench from multiple test benches at remote locations; determining the format of the received file, the file format including a first format and a second format, the first format being a format different from a predefined format and the second format being a format identical to a predefined format; if the file format is determined to be a first format, converting the file having the first format to a file having a predefined format, and storing the converted file in a database; if the file format is determined to be a second format, storing the file having the second format in the database; reading the file stored in the database; and generating and displaying a graph about the status of the test bench based on the read file.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This disclosure relates to methods, systems, apparatus, storage media, and program products for monitoring the status of test benches used for vehicles. Background Technology

[0002] During vehicle production, tests are required on the overall vehicle performance and the performance of its components. Different test benches are typically used to meet different performance testing needs (e.g., testing the overall vehicle performance, battery performance, engine performance, etc.). Generally, these test benches are located in different testing workshops within the vehicle production plant. For example, users such as developers who want to obtain test results from different test benches need to go to the corresponding testing workshop. Summary of the Invention

[0003] One aspect of this disclosure provides a method for monitoring the status of a test bench for a vehicle, comprising: receiving, via a network, a file containing data about the status of the test bench from multiple test benches at remote locations; determining the format of the received file, the file format including a first format and a second format, the first format being a format different from a predefined format and the second format being a format identical to a predefined format; if the file format is determined to be a first format, converting the file having the first format to a file having a predefined format, and storing the converted file in a database; if the file format is determined to be a second format, storing the file having the second format in the database; reading the file stored in the database; and generating and displaying a graph about the status of the test bench based on the read file.

[0004] Other features and advantages of this disclosure will become clear from the following description with reference to the accompanying drawings. Attached Figure Description

[0005] The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in and constitute a part of this specification, illustrate embodiments of the present disclosure and, together with the specification, serve to explain the principles of the disclosure without limitation. In the figures, similar reference numerals are used to denote similar items.

[0006] Figure 1 This is an exemplary block diagram of a system for monitoring the status of a test bench for a vehicle, according to some embodiments of the present disclosure.

[0007] Figure 2 This is an exemplary flowchart illustrating a method for monitoring the status of a test bench for a vehicle according to some embodiments of the present disclosure.

[0008] Figure 3 This is one embodiment of a system for monitoring the status of a test bench for a vehicle, according to some embodiments of the present disclosure.

[0009] Figure 4 This is another embodiment of a system for monitoring the status of a test bench for a vehicle, according to some embodiments of the present disclosure.

[0010] Figure 5 This is yet another embodiment of a system for monitoring the status of a test bench for a vehicle, according to some embodiments of the present disclosure.

[0011] Figure 6 The figures illustrate a general hardware environment in which this disclosure may be applied, according to some embodiments of the present disclosure. Detailed Implementation

[0012] In the following detailed description, numerous specific details are set forth to provide a thorough understanding of the exemplary embodiments described. However, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that the described embodiments can be practiced without some or all of these specific details. In the exemplary embodiments described, well-known structures or processing steps are not described in detail to avoid unnecessarily obscuring the concepts of this disclosure.

[0013] The blocks within each of the block diagrams shown below can be implemented using hardware, software, firmware, or any combination thereof to achieve the principles of this disclosure. Those skilled in the art will understand that the blocks described in each block diagram can be combined or divided into sub-blocks to achieve the principles of this disclosure.

[0014] The steps of the method presented in this disclosure are intended to be illustrative. In some embodiments, the method may be performed with one or more additional steps not described and / or without the one or more steps discussed. Furthermore, the order in which the steps of the method are illustrated and described is not intended to be limiting.

[0015] To better understand this disclosure, a brief description of the test bench used for vehicles will be given first.

[0016] During vehicle production, it is necessary to test the overall performance of the vehicle and the performance of its components. Typically, test benches are used for vehicle performance testing, and different test benches are used for different types of vehicle performance tests (e.g., overall vehicle performance testing, battery performance testing, engine performance testing, etc.). For example, for a vehicle's engine, a gasoline / diesel engine test bench is used for gasoline / diesel engine bench testing, and the obtained gasoline / diesel engine bench test results are used to determine the quality grade of gasoline / diesel engine oil.

[0017] In vehicle manufacturing plants, different test benches are typically located in test workshops in different locations. For example, if a user (e.g., a developer) wants to obtain test results from different test benches, they need to go to different test workshops. If the distance between different test workshops is far, it will take the user a significant amount of time to travel from one test workshop to another. This can lead to the user not being able to obtain test results from the test benches in a timely manner or to understand the status of the test benches in real time. In some cases, a test bench (e.g., a vehicle engine test bench) may have completed testing for vehicle components (e.g., gasoline / diesel engines), but because the user is not in the corresponding test workshop (e.g., the user is in their office), they cannot obtain the status of the test benches in a timely manner. This may result in the test benches being idle, leading to a decrease in the utilization rate of the test benches.

[0018] Furthermore, currently, test reports from test benches typically need to be exported manually by the user. For example, after the test bench completes the vehicle testing, the user needs to manually export the test report via a computer or other device connected to the test bench.

[0019] Furthermore, current testing systems used to manage test benches lack alarm functionality. For example, in cases where the test bench becomes abnormal (e.g., when the test bench enters a "faulty" state due to mechanical malfunctions or control program anomalies), the absence of an alarm system means that unless the user is in the testing workshop, they may not be able to obtain the test bench's status in a timely manner, potentially leading to a failure to address the test bench malfunction promptly.

[0020] Therefore, to better monitor the status of test benches used for vehicles, this disclosure provides a system for monitoring the status of test benches used for vehicles. Using this system, it is beneficial to uniformly monitor the status of different test benches, improve the utilization rate of test benches, facilitate user management of test benches, and send timely alarms to users. It should be understood that this disclosure uses a test bench in a vehicle manufacturing plant as an example for description. However, this disclosure is not limited to this, and can be applied to other situations where the status of equipment needs to be monitored.

[0021] Figure 1 This is an exemplary block diagram of a system for monitoring the status of a test bench for a vehicle, according to some embodiments of this disclosure. Figure 1As shown, system 100 may include a file receiving unit 110, a file format determining unit 120, a file format conversion unit 130, a file storage unit 140, a file reading unit 150, and a chart generation and display unit 160. The file receiving unit 110 can receive files containing data about the status of test benches from multiple test benches at remote locations via a network. The file format determining unit 120 can determine the format of the received file, which includes a first format and a second format. The first format is a format different from a predefined format, and the second format is the same as a predefined format. If the file format is determined to be the first format, the file format conversion unit 130 can convert the file with the first format to a file with a predefined format, and the file storage unit 110 can store the converted file in a database. If the file format is determined to be the second format, the file storage unit 110 can store the file with the second format in the database. The file reading unit 150 can read the file stored in the database. The chart generation and display unit 160 can generate and display charts about the status of the test benches based on the read files.

[0022] The following text will describe in further detail how... Figure 1 The operation of each component shown.

[0023] Figure 2 This is an exemplary flowchart illustrating an exemplary method for monitoring the status of a test bench for a vehicle, according to some embodiments of the present disclosure.

[0024] Method 200 begins at step S210, where the file receiving unit 110 receives, via a network, a file containing data about the status of the test benches from multiple test benches at remote locations. In some embodiments, for example, the file receiving unit 110 may receive, via a wireless network or wired cable, a file containing data about the status of the test benches, such as test reports, from multiple test benches located at different locations (e.g., devices such as the central processing unit of the test benches). In some embodiments, the data about the status of the test benches includes, for example, data about the duration of various states of the test benches (e.g., shutdown state, operating state, fault state, etc.).

[0025] In some embodiments, multiple test benches are used to perform different test operations on the vehicle. For example, a vehicle battery test bench is used to charge and discharge the vehicle's battery to test the vehicle's power management functions. Additionally, a vehicle engine test bench is used to test the vehicle's engine performance to determine the engine's performance level. Furthermore, a vehicle exhaust emission test bench is used to measure the vehicle's exhaust emissions to determine whether the vehicle's exhaust emissions comply with national emission standards.

[0026] In some embodiments, for example, multiple test benches are located in different workshops within a vehicle manufacturing plant. For instance, the vehicle's battery test bench is located in a first test workshop within the vehicle manufacturing plant, while the vehicle's engine test bench is located in a second test workshop within the vehicle manufacturing plant. In some embodiments, for example, the first and second test workshops are located at different locations within the vehicle manufacturing plant, and the first and second test workshops are far apart (e.g., a straight-line distance of tens to hundreds of meters between them).

[0027] In some embodiments, the state of the test bench may include multiple states, such as a shutdown state, a ready state, an operating state, a maintenance state, and a fault state. However, it should be understood that the multiple states are not limited to those listed above, but can be any state related to the test bench.

[0028] In some embodiments, for example, at a timing when the state of a test bench changes from a first state to a second state among a plurality of states, a file storing data about the first state of the test bench at the state change is received via a network from the test bench at the state change. For example, in some embodiments, when the state of, for example, a vehicle engine test bench changes from an operating state to a stopped state, a file storing data about the operating state of the vehicle engine test bench is received via a network from the vehicle engine test bench. For example, assuming the vehicle engine test bench starts operating at 11:50 AM on November 29th, and the vehicle engine test bench stops operating (i.e., the timing of the change from an operating state to a stopped state) at 2:50 PM on November 29th, then, for example, a file storing data about the operating state of the vehicle engine test bench during the time period from 11:50 AM to 2:50 PM on November 29th is received via a network from the vehicle engine test bench.

[0029] Method 200 proceeds to step S220, where the file format determination component 120 determines the format of the file received by the file receiving component 110. The format of the file received by the file receiving component 110 includes a first format and a second format. The first format is a format different from a predefined format, and the second format is a format identical to the predefined format. It should be noted that, in this disclosure, a predefined format refers, for example, to a file format that the system 100 according to this disclosure can recognize. For example, in some embodiments, the file format determination component 120 identifies the format of the file received by the file receiving component 110 using, for example, a known file format recognition method (e.g., a keyword recognition method) to determine whether the format of the file received by the file receiving component 110 is the same as the format of a file that the system 100 according to this disclosure can recognize.

[0030] In some embodiments, for example, the format of a file generated via a test bench that stores data about the state of the test bench is different from the format of a file that the system 100 according to this disclosure can recognize, for example, the programming language used for the file is different.

[0031] Additionally, in some embodiments, for example, the format of a file generated via the test bench that stores data about the state of the test bench is the same as the format of a file that the system 100 according to this disclosure can recognize, for example, the same programming language used for the file.

[0032] In some embodiments, for example, test benches of different brands generate files storing data about the status of the test bench in different formats. For instance, the file format storing data about the status of the test bench generated by a Keysight brand test bench is different from the file format that the system 100 according to this disclosure can recognize, while the file format storing data about the status of the test bench generated by an AVL brand test bench is the same as the file format that the system 100 according to this disclosure can recognize.

[0033] In some embodiments, for example, if the file containing data about the state of the test bench is determined by the file format determination unit 120 to be in a first format, the method proceeds to step 231. At step 231, the file format conversion unit 130 may convert the file having the first format to a file having a predefined format. For example, the file format conversion unit 130 may use a known file conversion method to convert the file having the first format to a file having a predefined format.

[0034] In some embodiments, the file storage component 110 may store files converted by the file format conversion component 130 (i.e., files with a predefined format) in the database of the system 100.

[0035] In some embodiments, for example, if the file format storing data about the state of the test bench is determined to be a second format by the file format determination unit 120, the method proceeds to step 232. At step 232, the file storage unit 110 may store the file with the second format in the database of the system 100.

[0036] Method 200 proceeds to step S240, where the file reading unit 150 can read files stored in the database. For example, in some embodiments, the file reading unit 150 can automatically read the added file whenever a file converted by the file format conversion unit 130 or a file with a second format is stored in the database.

[0037] Method 200 proceeds to step S250, where the graph generation and display unit 160 can generate and display a graph regarding the state of the test bench based on the read file. For example, in some embodiments, the graph generation and display unit 160 can display the graph regarding the state of the test bench via a graphical user interface. Furthermore, in some embodiments, for example, the graph generation and display unit 160 can automatically update the graph regarding the state of the test bench corresponding to the read file based on the file read by the file reading unit 150. However, it should be understood that the graph regarding the state of the test bench can also be updated manually by the user.

[0038] In some embodiments, the graphs relating to the state of the test benches may include, for example, graphs showing the duration of different states of each of a plurality of test benches. Additionally, the graphs relating to the state of the test benches may also include graphs relating to the key performance indicators (KPIs) of the test benches. Reference will be made next. Figure 3 and Figure 4 The diagrams above describe the state of the test bench in detail.

[0039] Figure 3 This illustration shows one embodiment of a system for monitoring the status of a test bench for a vehicle, according to some embodiments of the present disclosure. Specifically, Figure 3 An interface (“Status Chart”) is shown for configuring and displaying a chart showing the duration of different states for each of the multiple test benches.

[0040] For example, in some embodiments, generating a chart about the status of a test bench based on a read file includes: receiving a user selection for one or more display items, the one or more display items including the test bench, date, and the status of the test bench; and, in response to receiving the user selection, displaying a statistical chart of the selected test bench about the selected display items.

[0041] As an example, a graph about the state of the test bench may be generated based on the file read by the file reading unit 150 at step S240, for example, a statistical graph about the duration of different states of each of the multiple test benches. In some embodiments, the user's input may be received for... Figure 3 The “Configuration” and “Display Settings” sections show selections for one or more display items, including but not limited to test bench, date, and status. Then, in response to receiving the user's selections, in... Figure 3 The right-hand section displays statistical charts of the selected test bench regarding the selected display items, for example, in... Figure 3 The right side of the graph shows a statistical chart of the duration of one or more states of the selected test bench.

[0042] In some embodiments, for example, the display items may include the item "Test Bench", the item "Date", and the item "Status". Figure 3 As shown, for example, the item "Test Bench" is set to "All," which means that all test benches in the vehicle production plant (e.g., BEV1, BEV2, CHA1, CM1, etc.) are selected. Additionally, for example, the item "Date" is set to "Last Week," which means that data on the status of the test benches from the previous week is used to generate statistical charts. Furthermore, for example, the item "Status" (here referring to the status of the test benches) is set to "All," which means that all statuses of the test benches will be displayed. It should be understood that all statuses of the test benches are not limited to... Figure 3 The operating status, ready status, test bench fault status, and maintenance status shown may also include any other test bench status, such as shutdown status, etc.

[0043] In some embodiments, for example, different colors can be used to represent each state of the test bench, such as green for the running state, yellow for the ready state, red for the fault state, and purple for the maintenance state. It should be understood that the above description is merely exemplary; in addition to using different colors to represent different states, different line patterns can also be used to represent different states. For example, the color or line pattern used to represent the state of the test bench can be set according to specific needs.

[0044] In some embodiments, for example, the display items may also include item "groups". For example, such as Figure 3 As shown, the "Grouping" item is set to "Test Bench," which means that test benches of the same type will be grouped together. For example, "BEV" type test benches will be grouped together, and "CHA" type test benches will be grouped together. Figure 3 The chart on the right shows the duration of one or more states of each test bench in the form of "BEV" group, "CHA" group, etc.

[0045] Furthermore, in some embodiments, for example, the display items may also include items such as "Chart Layout," "Number Display," and "Display Value" in the "Display Settings" section. Figure 3 As shown, the item "Chart Layout" is set to bar chart, for example, indicating that the chart will be displayed as a bar chart. However, this disclosure is not limited to this. For example, the chart can also be displayed as a pie chart, etc. Furthermore, as... Figure 3 As shown, the item "Data Display" is set to "Minutes," indicating that it will be displayed in minutes. However, this disclosure is not limited to this. For example, it can also be displayed in hours, etc. Additionally, as... Figure 3 As shown, the "Show Values" option is checked, which means that specific values ​​will be displayed in the chart.

[0046] It should be understood that, Figure 3 The display items shown in the "Configuration" and "Display Settings" sections are merely examples; more display items can be configured according to user needs.

[0047] In some embodiments, Figure 3 The interface may also include a "Update Chart" button. For example, in addition to the aforementioned automatic updates to the chart regarding the test bench's status, the chart can also be manually updated by the user clicking the "Update Chart" button.

[0048] exist Figure 3 The right side of the chart, for example, shows bar graphs illustrating the duration of different states of the test bench, such as "BEV1," "BEV2," etc. For example, in... Figure 3 In the graph, the bar chart for test bench "BEV1" is entirely green, indicating that test bench "BEV1" was in operation for approximately 10,000 minutes during the selected period of the previous week. Similarly, the remaining bar charts represent the status of the corresponding test bench during the previous week and the duration of that status.

[0049] It should be understood that the above refers to Figure 3 The description is merely illustrative and not restrictive. Users can customize the displayed items according to their specific needs to show different content. Figure 3 The chart shown is shown.

[0050] According to the system 100 of this disclosure, since it can automatically generate, for example, Figure 3 The statistical charts showing the duration of one or more states of the test bench, as illustrated, allow users to obtain real-time information about the test bench's status. For example, users can see in real time whether the test bench is in a stopped, running, or faulty state, and the duration of each state. Through the system disclosed herein, users can uniformly monitor the status of various test benches in a vehicle production plant without having to visit different testing workshops, saving significant time. Furthermore, through, for example... Figure 3 Statistical charts showing the duration of one or more states of a test bench can improve test bench utilization. For example, if a test bench has been idle for a period of time, the user can activate it as needed to improve the testing efficiency of vehicle parts. Furthermore, users can rationally allocate test items based on the duration of different states for each test bench. For instance, if one test bench had a longer operating period in the previous week, while another test bench of the same type had a shorter operating period, the user can allocate more test items to the test bench with the shorter operating period in subsequent tests. By rationally allocating test items, the lifespan of the test bench can be extended, for example.

[0051] Figure 4 This is another embodiment of a system for monitoring the status of a test bench for a vehicle, according to some embodiments of the present disclosure. Specifically, Figure 4 An interface (“KPI Chart”) is shown for configuring and displaying charts of key performance indicators (KPIs) related to the test bench. It should be understood that... Figure 4 The chart shown below, depicting the key performance indicators (KPIs) of the test bench, was used to analyze the performance of the test bench.

[0052] For example, in some embodiments, generating a chart about the status of a test bench based on a read file includes: receiving user input for one or more display items, including a Key Performance Indicator (KPI) type, test bench, KPI calculation method, date, and one or more thresholds; and, in response to receiving the user input, displaying a statistical chart of the input test bench with respect to the input display items, wherein the statistical chart is displayed in different modes for different thresholds.

[0053] As an example, a graph about the status of the test bench, such as a graph about the test bench's KPIs, may be generated based on the file read by the file reading unit 150 at step S240. In some embodiments, the user's input may be received for... Figure 4 The input includes one or more display items shown on the left, such as KPI type, test bench, KPI calculation method, date, and one or more thresholds. Then, in response to receiving user input, in... Figure 4 The right-hand side displays statistical charts of the entered test bench related to the entered display items, such as statistical charts of KPIs for the entered test bench. It should be understood that... Figure 4 The display items shown on the left are merely examples; more display items can be set according to user needs.

[0054] In some embodiments, the displayed items may include, but are not limited to, the item "KPI Type", the item "Test Bench", the item "Calculation" (i.e., the method of calculating the KPI), the item "Date" (e.g., "Start Date" and "End Date"), and the items "First Threshold" and "Second Threshold", etc. Figure 4 As shown, for example, in the "KPI Type" field, a user can enter "Emissions," which indicates that a statistical chart of KPIs related to the vehicle's exhaust emissions test bench will be generated. Figure 4 As shown, for example, the item "Test Bench" is set to "27 out of 28 test benches," indicating that 27 of the vehicle's exhaust emission test benches have been selected. Furthermore, for example, the item "Calculation" is set to "HVE PHEV Test Bench," indicating that the KPI calculation method is set to "HVE PHEV Test Bench," where "HVE PHEV Test Bench" refers to the KPI calculation method set for the HVE PHEV test bench. Additionally, for example, the items "Start Date" and "End Date" are set to 2020 / 08 / 08 and 2021 / 08 / 08 respectively, indicating that data regarding the test bench's status during this period will be used to calculate the test bench's KPI value.

[0055] In some embodiments, the display items may also include item "groups". For example, such as Figure 4 As shown, the item "Grouping" is set to "Date," which means that statistical charts of KPIs for different dates (e.g., the total of 27 test benches in a vehicle emissions test bench) will be displayed in chronological order. For example, in some embodiments, such as Figure 4 As shown, the horizontal axis represents the date. It should be understood that the "grouping" setting for items is not limited to this; for example, the "grouping" of items can be set to "Test Bench," which means that the KPI value for each test bench will be displayed separately.

[0056] In some embodiments, the display item may also include an item "Frequency" (not shown), which indicates how frequently the KPI value of the test bench is calculated. For example, the item "Frequency" may be set to "Daily," which means that the KPI value of the test bench will be calculated on a daily basis.

[0057] In some embodiments, for example, the display items may also include the items "Previous Year" and "Color Bar". When the items "Previous Year" and "Color Bar" are checked, as shown... Figure 4 The chart on the right side shows the KPI values ​​for the test benches in the previous year at the same point in time, and displays the KPI values ​​for the test benches at different dates, for example, in the form of colored bars.

[0058] In some embodiments, Figure 4 The charts in the document are displayed in different modes for different thresholds (one or more). The following section will describe in detail how these different modes are displayed.

[0059] like Figure 4 As shown, for example, the items "first threshold" and "second threshold" are set to 70 and 50, respectively. It should be understood that, in addition to the first and second thresholds mentioned above, users can set more thresholds as needed, and the values ​​of the set thresholds can be changed according to actual needs.

[0060] In some embodiments, for example, when the value of a KPI calculated according to the calculation method set in the item "Calculation" exceeds a first threshold, it indicates that the performance of the test bench associated with the calculated KPI is determined to be at a first level. In some embodiments, a first level means that the performance of the test bench is good, for example, reaching an excellent level—that is, reaching the level expected by the user. For example, as described above, when displaying KPI values ​​in the form of colored bars, a green bar can be used to represent the KPI value of the test bench at the date corresponding to the KPI value exceeding the first threshold (e.g., 70). It should be understood that the colors described herein are merely exemplary and not limiting.

[0061] In some embodiments, for example, when the KPI value calculated according to the calculation method set in the item "Calculation" is between a first threshold (e.g., 70) and a second threshold (e.g., 50), it indicates that the performance of the test bench associated with the calculated KPI is determined to be at a second level. In some embodiments, a second level means that the performance of the test bench is average, for example, not reaching an excellent level (i.e., not reaching the level expected by the user) but still usable. Similarly, the KPI value of the test bench at the corresponding date between the first and second thresholds can be represented by a yellow bar.

[0062] In some embodiments, for example, when the value of a KPI calculated according to the calculation method set in the item "Calculation" is lower than a second threshold, it indicates that the performance of the test bench associated with the calculated KPI is determined to be at a third level. In some embodiments, a third level means that the performance of the test bench is poor, for example, the test bench may not be usable and may require maintenance. For example, as described above, when displaying KPI values ​​in the form of colored bars, a red bar can be used to indicate the KPI value of the test bench at the corresponding date when the KPI value is lower than the second threshold (e.g., 50).

[0063] It should be understood that, in addition to using colored bars of different colors to display the values ​​of KPIs at different thresholds, other display modes can also be used, such as displaying them with different line styles.

[0064] In some embodiments, for example, the KPI calculation method may be to divide the duration of one of the multiple states of the test bench by the sum of the durations of all the states. Specifically, for example, in situations such as... Figure 4 As shown, when calculating the KPI value of a test bench on a daily basis, the status of the vehicle's exhaust emission test bench for a given day can be obtained, for example, by reading data on the status of the vehicle's exhaust emission test bench for that day. In some embodiments, for example, the status of the vehicle's exhaust emission test bench for that day includes an operating state, a shutdown state, and a maintenance state, and the durations of the operating state, shutdown state, and maintenance state for that day are 18 hours, 4 hours, and 2 hours, respectively, then the KPI can be calculated by dividing the duration of the operating state (18 hours) by the total duration of all states (24 hours).

[0065] In some embodiments, for example, the KPI calculation method includes dividing the sum of the durations of two or more states that are less than the total number of states in the plurality of states by the sum of the durations of all states in the plurality of states. Specifically, similar to the above, when calculating the KPI value of a test bench on a daily basis, the states of a vehicle exhaust emission test bench on a given day include an operating state, a shutdown state, and a maintenance state, and the durations of the operating state, shutdown state, and maintenance state of the vehicle exhaust emission test bench on that day are 18 hours, 4 hours, and 2 hours, respectively, then the KPI can be calculated by dividing the duration of the operating state (18 hours) and the duration of the maintenance state (2 hours) by the total duration of all states (24 hours).

[0066] It should be understood that the calculation method for KPIs is not limited to the above method, but can be customized by the user according to actual needs.

[0067] In some embodiments, the displayed items may also include, for example, a "Add" button and a "Update" button. For example, in response to a user clicking the "Add" button, a new item can be added... Figure 4 A new settings panel, identical to the one shown on the left, allows users to make new settings to display the same information. Figure 4 The right-hand side shows different statistical charts. In some embodiments, for example, after being reset by the user... Figure 4 Following the displayed items, in addition to automatically updating the chart of KPIs for the test bench at a predefined update frequency, the chart of KPIs for the test bench can also be manually updated by the user clicking the "Update" button.

[0068] It should be understood that the above refers to Figure 4 The description is merely illustrative and not restrictive. Users can customize the displayed items according to their specific needs to show different content. Figure 4 The chart shown is shown.

[0069] exist Figure 4 For example, by using different colors (or different line styles) for display, users can quickly visually identify which threshold range the KPI value of the test bench falls within, thus enabling a rapid qualitative assessment of the test bench's performance level. In this way, users can quickly determine whether the test bench requires debugging or maintenance.

[0070] Figure 5 This is yet another embodiment of a system for monitoring the status of a test bench for a vehicle, according to some embodiments of the present disclosure. Specifically, Figure 5 An interface for configuring and displaying alarm notifications (“Alarm Notifications”) is shown.

[0071] In some embodiments, for example, receiving user requests Figure 5 The settings of one or more configuration items shown on the left include the test bench, the state of the test bench's trigger alarm, the duration of the test bench's trigger alarm state, and the notification method; when the test bench is in the set state of the test bench's trigger alarm and the duration of the test bench's state exceeds the set duration of the test bench's trigger alarm state, an alarm is sent to the user via the set notification method.

[0072] In some embodiments, configuration items may include, for example, the item "Test Bench", the item "Trigger Status" (i.e., the status of the test bench's triggered alarm), the item "Trigger Duration" (i.e., the duration of the test bench's triggered alarm status), and the item "Notification Method". Figure 5 As shown, for example, the item "Test Bench" is set to "All," indicating that the user has selected all test benches in the vehicle production plant. Additionally, for example, the item "Trigger Status" is set to "Stop," and the item "Trigger Duration" is set to "333 (minutes)," meaning that an alarm will be triggered when the test bench is in a stopped state for more than 333 minutes. Furthermore, for example, the item "Notification Method" is set to "Email," meaning that relevant personnel will be notified via email when the alarm is triggered. It should be understood that the above settings are exemplary, and users can make different settings according to their own needs.

[0073] In some embodiments, the configuration items may also include an "Alarm Name" item for setting the alarm name, an "Level" item for setting the notification level, and an "Frequency" item for setting the notification frequency. For example, in some embodiments, the "Level" item is set to "Private," which means that when an alarm is triggered, it is only sent to a specific user (e.g., the administrator of the corresponding test bench). Furthermore, for example, in some embodiments, the "Frequency" item is set to "Always," which means that the user is notified whenever an alarm is triggered. It should be understood that the above settings are all exemplary, and users can make different settings according to their own needs.

[0074] In some embodiments, for example, in Figure 5 In the right part, it can be based on Figure 5 The settings in the "Alarm Configuration" section on the left side of the page are used to display the corresponding alarm notification records.

[0075] In some embodiments, Figure 5 The interface may also include, for example, a "Create" button. For instance, in response to a user clicking the "Create" button, a "Alarm Configuration" section can be added, allowing the user to make new settings.

[0076] It should be understood that the above refers to Figure 5 The description is merely illustrative and not restrictive; users can customize configuration items according to their specific needs.

[0077] Through such Figure 5The alarm notification configuration interface shown can send alarms to relevant users in a timely manner via email or other means when the test bench is in an alarm-triggered state and the alarm-triggered state continues for the set alarm duration. This allows users to respond more quickly and take timely action (e.g., maintenance) on the alarm-triggered test bench.

[0078] In some embodiments, such as Figure 3 , Figure 4 and Figure 5 The interface shown includes, for example, interfaces such as "Test Bench Overview," "Raw Data," and "System Management" (not shown). For example, in some embodiments, the "Test Bench Overview" interface is used to display a map showing the location distribution of test benches in the vehicle production plant. Furthermore, for example, in some embodiments, the "Raw Data" interface is used to display (e.g., in list form) files containing data about the status of the test benches received from them. Additionally, for example, in some embodiments, the "System Management" interface is used by users (e.g., users with advanced privileges) to configure system settings.

[0079] The above describes a method and system for monitoring the status of test benches used in vehicles according to this disclosure. The system of this disclosure may be, for example, a system that implements the method by a processor executing a computer program and / or a computer-readable storage medium. The method and system of this disclosure allow users to uniformly monitor the status of various test benches in a vehicle production plant without having to visit different testing workshops, saving significant time. The method and system of this disclosure allow users to efficiently and systematically manage test benches, thereby maximizing test bench utilization. The method and system of this disclosure allow users to extend the service life of test benches by rationally allocating test items. The method and system of this disclosure allow users to quickly and visually confirm the performance level of the test bench (e.g., confirming whether the KPI value of the test bench meets the expected level). The method and system of this disclosure allow for timely sending of alarms to users regarding test benches, enabling users to promptly handle test benches that trigger alarms.

[0080] Hardware implementation

[0081] Figure 6 An exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure is shown, in which a general hardware environment 600 to which the present disclosure may be applied is illustrated.

[0082] refer to Figure 6The computing device 600 will now be described as an example of a hardware device applicable to various aspects of this disclosure. The computing device 600 can be any machine configured to perform processing and / or computation, and can be, but is not limited to, a workstation, server, desktop computer, laptop computer, tablet computer, personal digital assistant, smartphone, portable camera, or any combination thereof. The system 100 described above can be implemented wholly or at least partially by the computing device 600 or similar devices or systems.

[0083] The computing device 600 may include elements capable of connecting to or communicating with the bus 602 via one or more interfaces. For example, the computing device 600 may include the bus 602, one or more processors 604, one or more input devices 606, and one or more output devices 608. The one or more processors 604 may be any type of processor and may include, but are not limited to, one or more general-purpose processors and / or one or more dedicated processors (such as dedicated processing chips). The input device 606 may be any type of device capable of inputting information to the computing device and may include, but is not limited to, a mouse, keyboard, touchscreen, microphone, and / or remote control. The output device 608 may be any type of device capable of presenting information and may include, but is not limited to, a monitor, speaker, video / audio output terminal, and / or printer. The computing device 600 may also include or be connected to a non-transient storage device 610. The non-transient storage device 610 may be any storage device that is non-transient and can implement a data repository, and may include, but is not limited to, disk drives, optical storage devices, solid-state storage devices, floppy disks, flexible disks, hard disks, magnetic tapes or any other magnetic media, compact disks or any other optical media, ROM (read-only memory), RAM (random access memory), cache memory and / or any other memory chips or cassettes, and / or any other media from which a computer can read data, instructions, and / or code. The non-transient storage device 610 may be detachable from an interface. The non-transient storage device 610 may have data / instructions / code for implementing the methods and steps described above. The computing device 600 may also include a communication device 612. The communication device 612 can be any type of device or system capable of communicating with external devices and / or with a network, and may include, but is not limited to, modems, network cards, infrared communication devices, wireless communication equipment and / or chipsets such as Bluetooth™ devices, 502.11 devices, WiFi devices, WiMax devices, cellular communication facilities, etc.

[0084] Bus 602 may include, but is not limited to, Industry Standard Architecture (ISA) bus, Micro Channel Architecture (MCA) bus, Enhanced ISA (EISA) bus, Video Electronics Standards Association (VESA) local bus, and Peripheral Component Interconnect (PCI) bus.

[0085] The computing device 600 may also include a working memory 614, which may be any type of working memory that can store instructions and / or data useful for the operation of the processor 604, and may include, but is not limited to, random access memory and / or read-only memory devices.

[0086] Software elements may reside in working memory 614, including but not limited to operating system 616, one or more application programs 618, drivers, and / or other data and code. Instructions for performing the above methods and steps may be included in one or more application programs 618, and components of the system 100 may be implemented by processor 604 by reading and executing the instructions of one or more application programs 618. More specifically, file receiving component 110 may be implemented by processor 604, for example, when executing application program 618 having instructions to perform step S210. File format determination component 120 may be implemented by processor 604, for example, when executing application program 618 having instructions to perform step S220. File format conversion component 130 may be implemented by processor 604, for example, when executing application program 618 having instructions to perform a portion of step S231. File storage component 140 may be implemented by processor 604, for example, when executing application program 618 having instructions to perform a portion of step S231 and / or step S232. The file reading unit 150 can be implemented, for example, by the processor 604 when executing the application 618 having instructions for execution step S240. Similarly, the chart generation and display unit 160 can be implemented, for example, by the processor 604 when executing the application 618 having instructions for execution step S250. The executable code or source code of the software element's instructions can be stored in a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium (such as the aforementioned storage device(s) 610) and can be read into the working memory 614 if compilation and / or installation are possible. The executable code or source code of the software element's instructions can also be downloaded from a remote location.

[0087] From the above embodiments, those skilled in the art will clearly understand that this disclosure can be implemented by software and necessary hardware, or by hardware, firmware, etc. Based on this understanding, embodiments of this disclosure can be implemented in part in software form. Computer software can be stored in computer programs and / or computer-readable storage media, such as floppy disks, hard disks, optical disks, or flash memory. Computer software includes a series of instructions that cause a computer (e.g., a personal computer, service station, or network terminal) to perform methods or a portion thereof according to various embodiments of this disclosure.

[0088] This disclosure has been described in this way; it is clear that this disclosure can be varied in many ways. These variations are not considered to depart from the spirit and scope of this disclosure, but rather all such modifications that would be obvious to those skilled in the art are included within the scope of the following claims.

Claims

1. A method for monitoring status of test benches for vehicles, comprising: receiving, via a network, from a plurality of test benches at remote locations, files storing data about status of the test benches; determining a format of the received files, the format of the files including a first format and a second format, the first format being a format different from a predefined format, and the second format being a format same as the predefined format; in a case where the format of the files is determined as the first format, converting the files having the first format to convert them to files having the predefined format, and storing the converted files in a database; in a case where the format of the files is determined as the second format, storing the files having the second format in the database; reading the files stored in the database; and generating and displaying a graph about the status of the test benches based on the read files, wherein the displayed graph includes statistical data of the test benches over a period of time, wherein the status of the test benches includes a plurality of statuses including a down status, a ready status, a running status, a maintenance status, and a fault status, and at a timing where the status of a test bench changes from a first status among the plurality of statuses to a second status among the plurality of statuses, receiving, via the network, from the test bench whose status changed, a file storing data about the first status of the test bench whose status changed.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the generating the graph about the status of the test benches based on the read files includes: receiving a selection of one or more display items by a user, the one or more display items including the test benches, dates, and the status of the test benches; in response to receiving the selection of the user, displaying a statistical graph of the selected test benches with respect to the selected display items.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein the generating the graph about the status of the test benches based on the read files includes: receiving an input of one or more display items by a user, the one or more display items including a key performance indicator (KPI) type, the test benches, a calculation method of the KPI, dates, and one or more thresholds; in response to receiving the input of the user, displaying a statistical graph of the inputted test benches with respect to the inputted display items, wherein the statistical graph is displayed in different patterns for different ones of the one or more thresholds.

4. The method according to claim 3, wherein, when a value of the KPI calculated according to the calculation method exceeds a first threshold among the one or more thresholds, a performance of the test bench associated with the calculated KPI is determined to be at a first level, when the value of the KPI calculated according to the calculation method is between the first threshold and a second threshold among the one or more thresholds, the performance of the test bench associated with the calculated KPI is determined to be at a second level, wherein the second threshold is lower than the first threshold, and when the value of the KPI calculated according to the calculation method is lower than the second threshold, the performance of the test bench associated with the calculated KPI is determined to be at a third level. ​ 5. The method of claim 3, wherein, the states of the test benches include a plurality of states, and the method of calculating the KPI includes dividing a duration of one of the plurality of states by a sum of durations of all of the plurality of states.

6. The method of claim 3, wherein, the states of the test benches include a plurality of states, and the method of calculating the KPI includes dividing a sum of durations of two or more of the plurality of states and less than a total number of all of the plurality of states by a sum of durations of all of the plurality of states.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising: receiving a user’s settings for one or more configuration items including the test benches, a state of the test benches to trigger an alert, a duration of the state of the test benches to trigger the alert, and a notification manner; when a state of the test benches is the state of the test benches to trigger the alert and a duration of the state of the test benches exceeds the duration of the state of the test benches to trigger the alert, sending an alert to the user via the notification manner.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising: automatically reading an added file each time the converted file or the file having the second format is stored into a database, and automatically updating a graph about the states of the test benches corresponding to the read file based on the read file.

9. The method of claim 1, displaying the graph about the states of the test benches includes: displaying the graph about the states of the test benches via a graphical user interface, wherein, the graph about the states of the test benches includes durations of different states of each of the plurality of test benches.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein, the plurality of test benches are used to respectively perform different test operations for vehicles, and the plurality of test benches are respectively located in different workshops in a vehicle production factory.

11. A system for monitoring states of test benches for vehicles, comprising: means for performing the method of any one of claims 1-10.

12. An apparatus for monitoring states of test benches for vehicles, comprising at least one processor; and at least one storage device having stored instructions that, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the at least one processor to perform the method of any one of claims 1-10.

13. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing instructions that, when executed by a processor, cause performance of the method of any one of claims 1-10.

14. A program product storing a program that, when executed by a processor, causes performance of the method of any one of claims 1-10.

Images