Method, device, controller, vehicle and program product for determining relay life

Abstract

The present disclosure relates to a method, an apparatus, a controller, a vehicle and a program product for determining relay life. The method comprises detecting a set of contact voltages and a set of contact currents of contacts of a relay, and a set of coil currents of a coil for controlling the contacts. The method further comprises determining, based on the set of contact voltages, the set of contact currents and the set of coil currents, a target contact current and a target contact voltage associated with the relay performing a target action. The method further comprises determining, based on the target contact current and the target contact voltage, a life of the relay. The method further comprises. In this way, the target current and voltage determined from the coil currents, the contact currents and voltages are associated with performing a predetermined action, which can be used as a basis for now determining the relay life, to enable online estimation of the relay life.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This disclosure relates to the field of vehicles, and more specifically, to methods, apparatus, controllers, vehicles, and computer program products for determining relay life. Background Technology

[0002] Relays are a common component in automotive control circuits. They utilize the principle of electromagnetic induction to control the connection or disconnection of a circuit, enabling a small current to control a large current, thereby reducing the current load on the control switch contacts and protecting them from burning out. Electromagnetic relays are widely used in automobiles; common types include power supply relays, starter relays, horn relays, fog light relays, and wiper relays.

[0003] The lifespan of a relay is affected by the number of operations and the operating environment. Different contact voltages and contact currents can significantly impact the relay's lifespan. Therefore, testing the lifespan of relays is important for automotive safety. Summary of the Invention

[0004] In a first aspect of this disclosure, a method for determining the lifespan of a relay is provided. The method includes detecting a set of contact voltages and a set of contact currents of the relay contacts, and a set of coil currents for controlling the contacts. The method further includes determining, based on the set of contact voltages, the set of contact currents, and the set of coil currents, a target contact current and a target contact voltage associated with the relay performing a target action. The method also includes determining the lifespan of the relay based on the target contact current and the target contact voltage.

[0005] In a second aspect of this disclosure, an apparatus for determining the lifespan of a relay is provided. The apparatus includes a detection module configured to detect a set of contact voltages and a set of contact currents of the relay contacts, and a set of coil currents of a coil used to control the contacts. The apparatus also includes a target determination module configured to determine, based on the set of contact voltages, the set of contact currents, and the set of coil currents, a target contact current and a target contact voltage associated with the relay performing a target action. The apparatus further includes a lifespan determination module configured to determine the lifespan of the relay based on the target contact current and the target contact voltage.

[0006] In a third aspect of this disclosure, a controller is provided. It includes: at least one processor; and a memory coupled to the at least one processor and having instructions stored thereon, which, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the electronic device to perform the method according to the first aspect of this disclosure.

[0007] In a fourth aspect of this disclosure, a power conversion system is provided. The power conversion system includes one or more relays. The system also includes a controller according to a third aspect of this disclosure, which is used to control the one or more relays.

[0008] In a fifth aspect of this disclosure, a computer program product is provided. The computer program product includes computer-executable instructions, wherein the computer-executable instructions are executed by a processor to implement the method provided according to a first aspect of this disclosure.

[0009] In a sixth aspect of this disclosure, a computer-readable storage medium is provided. The computer-readable storage medium stores computer-executable instructions, which are executed by a processor to implement the method provided according to a first aspect of this disclosure.

[0010] It should be understood that the description in the Summary of the Invention section is not intended to limit the key or essential features of the embodiments of this disclosure, nor is it intended to restrict the scope of this disclosure. Other features of this disclosure will become readily apparent from the following description. Attached Figure Description

[0011] The above and other features, advantages, and aspects of the embodiments of this disclosure will become more apparent from the accompanying drawings and the following detailed description. In the drawings, the same or similar reference numerals denote the same or similar elements, wherein:

[0012] Figure 1 A schematic diagram of example modules in which various embodiments of the present disclosure may be implemented is shown;

[0013] Figure 2 A flowchart is shown illustrating an example method for determining relay life according to some embodiments of this disclosure;

[0014] Figure 3 A flowchart is shown illustrating a specific example method for determining relay life according to some embodiments of the present disclosure;

[0015] Figure 4A A flowchart is shown illustrating an example method for determining relay lifespan for a closing action according to some embodiments of this disclosure;

[0016] Figure 4B A schematic diagram showing the example curves of electrical parameters changing over time during the closing action is presented;

[0017] Figure 5A A flowchart is shown illustrating an example method for determining relay lifespan for disconnection operations according to some embodiments of this disclosure;

[0018] Figure 5BA schematic diagram showing an example of how electrical parameters change over time during the disconnection process is illustrated.

[0019] Figure 6 A schematic diagram of an example process for determining relay life according to some embodiments of the present disclosure is shown;

[0020] Figure 7 A block diagram of an example apparatus for determining relay life according to some embodiments of the present disclosure is shown; and

[0021] Figure 8 A block diagram of a device that can implement several embodiments of the present disclosure is shown. Detailed Implementation

[0022] Embodiments of this disclosure will now be described in more detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. While some embodiments of this disclosure are shown in the drawings, it should be understood that this disclosure can be implemented in various forms and should not be construed as limited to the embodiments set forth herein. Rather, these embodiments are provided to provide a more thorough and complete understanding of this disclosure. It should be understood that the accompanying drawings and embodiments of this disclosure are for illustrative purposes only and are not intended to limit the scope of protection of this disclosure.

[0023] In the description of embodiments of this disclosure, the term "comprising" and similar terms should be understood as open-ended inclusion, i.e., "including but not limited to". The term "based on" should be understood as "at least partially based on". The term "one embodiment" or "the embodiment" should be understood as "at least one embodiment". The terms "first", "second", etc., may refer to different or the same objects. Other explicit and implicit definitions may also be included below.

[0024] It should be understood that when a component is referred to as "connected" or "coupled" to another component, it may be directly connected or coupled to the other component or there may be intermediate components. Conversely, when a component is referred to as "directly connected" or "directly coupled" to another component, there are no intermediate components. Other terms used to describe the relationship between components should be interpreted in a similar manner (e.g., "between" and "directly between," "adjacent" and "directly adjacent," etc.).

[0025] As discussed above, relays are typically the shortest-lived components in a vehicle, thus their lifespan significantly impacts vehicle operation. The electrical life of a relay refers to the number of times it operates normally under specified operating conditions. It primarily depends on factors such as the relay's contact material, load type, and switching frequency. The lifespan of a relay is a finite value, typically less than 200,000 cycles. According to optimal control theory, the relay's operating time should be kept at the lowest possible contact current and voltage to meet its lifespan limit.

[0026] In related technologies, the nominal lifespan of a relay is tested by simulating the loads encountered in actual use. For example, if the relay is used to control a motor circuit in a practical application, then an inductive load similar to that used during motor start-up and shutdown should be used during testing. For resistive loads, a resistance box can be used to simulate them. The lifespan of a relay can also be determined by causing the relay to operate at a certain frequency (e.g., several times per minute) under specified load conditions and recording the number of operations using a counter.

[0027] In addition, the remaining lifespan of a relay can be estimated by referring to data provided by the manufacturer. Manufacturers typically provide lifespan curves or lifespan estimation formulas for relays under different conditions. Based on actual operating conditions and this data, a rough estimate of the relay's lifespan can be made. For example, the manufacturer can provide electrical lifespan data for the relay under different load currents and operating frequencies. By finding data points that closely match the load current and operating frequency in actual applications, the relay's electrical lifespan can be estimated. However, environmental factors must be considered to adjust for lifespan limitations; for instance, in high-temperature environments, the relay's lifespan may be shortened by a certain percentage compared to normal environments. Furthermore, relying solely on the manufacturer's reference curves will result in some degree of inaccuracy in the relay lifespan estimate.

[0028] In view of this, embodiments of the present disclosure provide a method for estimating relay lifespan by measuring the coil current, contact voltage, and current of a relay. In this method, the contact voltage, contact current, and coil current are obtained by detecting the electrical parameters of the relay coil and contacts. Then, the target current and voltage at time points that significantly affect the relay's lifespan are determined using the relationship between the coil current and the contact voltage and current, and the relay's lifespan is determined using the target current and voltage. In this way, the target current and voltage determined based on the coil current, contact current, and voltage are associated with the execution of a predetermined action, thus serving as the basis for determining the relay's lifespan and enabling online estimation of the relay's lifespan. This improves vehicle driving safety.

[0029] The following will combine Figures 1 to 6 The present disclosure will now describe in detail the scheme and principles of the embodiments. Figure 1A schematic diagram of an example power conversion system 100 in which several embodiments of the present disclosure may be implemented is shown. The power conversion system 100 may also be referred to as a power transfer unit (PTU). The power transfer unit 100 may include, for example, a motor, a controller, a gearbox, and a coupling. The motor is the power source that converts electrical energy into mechanical energy. The controller is used to control parameters such as the motor's speed and torque to achieve precise power output. The gearbox is used to change the speed and torque of the power source to meet different application requirements. The coupling is used to connect components such as the motor and the gearbox to ensure efficient power transmission. Furthermore, to achieve the electrical operation of the power conversion system 100, the power conversion system 100 also includes, for example, one or more relays for one or more components.

[0030] exist Figure 1 In the illustrated embodiment, the power conversion system 100 includes one of one or more relays, namely relay 102. Relay 102 includes a magnetic circuit system 104 and a contact system 106. The magnetic circuit system 104 includes a coil, an iron core wound around the coil, and an armature. When a certain voltage or current is applied across the coil, a magnetic field is generated around the iron core. The generated magnetic field causes the iron core to attract the armature, thereby actuating the contact system 106 to switch the circuit on and off.

[0031] Accordingly, the contact system 106 includes a stationary contact and a moving contact. The stationary contact is a fixed conductive piece, typically connected to the external circuitry of the relay 102. The moving contact is connected to the armature and moves with the armature. When the armature is attracted, the moving contact contacts the stationary contact, thus completing the circuit; when the armature is reset, the moving contact separates from the stationary contact, breaking the circuit.

[0032] The power conversion system 100 also includes a current sensor 112 for measuring the coil current of the magnetic circuit system 104, a current sensor 116 for measuring the contact current in the contact system 106, and a voltage sensor 114 for measuring the contact voltage. The power conversion system 100 also includes a controller 120. The controller 120 communicates with the current sensor 112, the voltage sensor 114, and the current sensor 116, and acquires corresponding detection values. The controller 120 can execute a method for determining relay life according to an embodiment of this disclosure based on the acquired detection values.

[0033] For example, controller 120 can determine the target contact current and target contact voltage associated with the relay performing a closing or opening action based on the corresponding detected values. Controller 120 can then determine the lifespan of the relay after performing the corresponding action based on the target contact current and target contact voltage. In this way, by detecting the electrical parameters of the relay, the target electrical parameters affecting the lifespan of a standard relay performing on / off actions can be determined, thereby enabling real-time monitoring of the relay.

[0034] The following will refer to Figures 2 to 6 This describes a scheme for determining relay life according to embodiments of the present disclosure. Figure 2 A flowchart of an example method 200 for determining relay life according to some embodiments of the present disclosure is shown. For discussion purposes, it will be combined with... Figure 1 To describe method 200. Method 200 can, for example, be described by... Figure 1 The controller 120 shown is used to execute this.

[0035] like Figure 2 As shown, at 202, method 200 includes detecting a set of contact voltages and a set of contact currents of the relay contacts, and a set of coil currents for controlling the coils of the contacts. For example, in Figure 1 In the illustrated embodiment, the controller 120 can detect the coil current, contact voltage, and contact current in real time using the current sensor 112, voltage sensor 114, and current sensor 116, respectively. The detected coil current, contact voltage, and contact current can then be stored. Thus, the controller 120 can obtain a set of contact voltages and a set of contact currents for the relay contacts, as well as a set of coil currents for the coil, by reading the stored data.

[0036] At 204, method 200 includes determining a target contact current and a target contact voltage associated with the relay performing a target action, based on a set of contact voltages, a set of contact currents, and a set of coil currents. For example, in Figure 1In the illustrated embodiment, the controller 120 can determine the target contact current and target contact voltage associated with the relay 102 performing a target action based on a set of contact voltages, a set of contact currents, and a set of coil currents. Here, the target action can be a closing action or an opening action. Typically, when the relay performs a target action, its electrical state needs to transition from an initial state to a target state. During this process, the electrical state undergoes a certain process from initial change to stabilization. Simultaneously, the contact current, contact voltage, and coil current each follow certain variation patterns. Therefore, the state of the relay can be determined based on these patterns. In some embodiments, the controller 120 can determine the state before the relay performs the target action and the stable state afterward based on the detected contact voltage, contact current, and coil current. After determining the corresponding state, the current and voltage values ​​at moments critical to characterizing the relay's lifespan can be selected based on the voltage and current of the corresponding state.

[0037] In some embodiments, the target current and target voltage associated with the relay 102 performing the target action may be the maximum current and / or voltage during the execution of the target action determined by the relay 102 based on the contact current and contact voltage and the coil current, or the operating current and / or voltage when stable.

[0038] At point 206, method 200 includes determining the relay's lifespan based on the target contact current and the target contact voltage. For example, in... Figure 1 In the illustrated embodiment, the controller 120 can determine the lifespan of the relay 102 based on the determined target contact current and target contact voltage.

[0039] In some embodiments, the controller 120 may acquire a lifetime function corresponding to a target action. The lifetime function may indicate the relationship between the target current and target voltage as variables and the relay's lifetime. For example, when determining the lifetime of the relay after performing one closing action, the controller 120 may acquire a first objective function corresponding to the closing action and calculate the lifetime as a function value based on the detected target current and target voltage. Conversely, when determining the lifetime of the relay after performing one opening action, the controller 120 may acquire a second objective function corresponding to the opening action. In some embodiments, the objective function is obtained by fitting experimentally measured data before the relay leaves the factory. It should be understood that the form of the objective function can be determined based on the actual data obtained, and the form of the objective function may differ for different relays.

[0040] In this way, the target current and voltage, determined based on the coil current, contact current, and voltage, are associated with the execution of a predetermined action. This serves as the basis for determining the relay's lifespan, enabling online estimation of the relay's lifespan. Consequently, vehicle driving safety can be improved.

[0041] Figure 3 A flowchart of a specific example method 300 for determining relay life according to some embodiments of the present disclosure is shown. For discussion purposes, it will be combined with... Figure 1 To describe method 200. Method 200 can, for example, be described by... Figure 1 The controller 120 shown is used to execute this.

[0042] like Figure 3 As shown, at 302, the controller 120 can determine that the vehicle is powered on, thereby initiating the execution of the relay life determination mechanism. At 304, the controller 120 can read the relay's life and / or status from stored data. Here, the relay's status indicates whether the relay is usable. In some embodiments, the controller 120 can compare the current relay life with a predetermined life threshold. If the controller 120 determines that the relay life is greater than the predetermined life threshold, for example, if the remaining on / off cycles of the relay are greater than a predetermined lower limit, then the controller 120 determines that the relay is usable. Conversely, if the controller 120 determines that the relay life is less than the predetermined life threshold, for example, if the remaining on / off cycles of the relay are less than a predetermined lower limit, then the controller 120 determines that the relay is no longer usable.

[0043] At 306, controller 120 checks whether the current state of the relay is available. If controller 120 determines that the current state of the relay is available, then method 300 proceeds to 308. Controller 120 begins executing a scheme for determining the lifetime of the relay according to an embodiment of this disclosure. At 308, controller 120 determines the lifetime of the relay after performing a closing operation and updates the stored lifetime with the determined lifetime. Then, at 310, controller 120 determines the lifetime of the relay after performing a opening operation and updates the stored lifetime with the determined lifetime. At 312, method 300 ends.

[0044] Conversely, if controller 120 determines that the current state of the relay is unavailable, then method 300 proceeds to 314. At 314, controller 120 reports the unavailable state of the relay. At this time, relay 120 can control other components to issue an unavailable alarm to the user. When the user sees the alarm, the user can replace the unavailable relay with a new relay. At 316, controller 120 determines that the replacement has been completed and resets the stored lifetime and state to the lifetime and available state of the new relay.

[0045] according to Figure 3 The illustrated embodiment performs detection and corresponding actions for different relay states, thus providing a complete monitoring process and enabling real-time monitoring of the relay to avoid safety hazards caused by relay failure. The following will combine... Figures 4A to 5B This section describes in detail the method for determining relay life based on target action.

[0046] Figure 4A A flowchart of an example method 400A for determining relay life for a closing action according to some embodiments of the present disclosure is shown. For discussion purposes, it will be combined with... Figure 1 To describe method 200. Method 200 can, for example, be described by... Figure 1 The controller 120 shown is used to execute this. Furthermore, method 400A can correspond to... Figure 3 Step 308 in the illustrated embodiment.

[0047] like Figure 4A As shown, at 402, the controller 120 determines the pull-in moment when the coil current reaches a preset pull-in current. At 404, the controller 120 determines the moment of a predetermined time period before the pull-in moment as the first moment. At 406, the controller 120 determines the contact voltage at the first moment as the first contact voltage. At 408, the controller 120 determines the closing moment when the coil current drops to a predetermined switching threshold. At 410, the controller 120 uses the contact current at the closing moment as the first contact current. At 412, the controller 120 determines the first lifetime of the relay based on the first contact voltage and the first contact current, according to a first objective function, as the lifetime.

[0048] Through research, the inventors were pleasantly surprised to discover that the actual operating current and maximum voltage value after stabilization significantly impact the lifespan during the closing action. The maximum voltage value occurs before the stationary and moving contacts close. Therefore, the contact voltage at a moment before closing was chosen as the target contact voltage. The actual operating current occurs when the relay completes the closing action, that is, when the coil current decreases. Furthermore, based on the above concept, the first objective function is also established by detecting the actual operating current and maximum voltage value. The following will combine... Figure 4B This will illustrate the changes in voltage and current during the process.

[0049] Figure 4B A schematic diagram of example curves (400B) showing the change of electrical parameters over time during the closing action is shown. Figure 4B As shown, the variation curve 400B includes, for example, curves formed by... Figure 1 The curve 410 shows the change in contact current A1 detected by current sensor 116. The curve 400B also includes, for example, the change curve 400B caused by... Figure 1The voltage sensor 114 in the circuit detects the change curve 420 of the contact voltage V. The change curve 400B also includes, for example, the change curve 400B of the contact voltage V detected by the voltage sensor 114 in the circuit. Figure 1 The curve 430 shows the change in coil current A2 detected by current sensor 112. Furthermore, curve 400B also includes a curve 440 showing the change in indicator signal DO used to indicate the on / off state of the relay.

[0050] At time T41, the indicator signal DO changes from low to high to indicate that the relay begins to perform a closing action. The coil current begins to increase, and the magnetic circuit system generates a magnetic field. The magnetic force generated by the magnetic field increases with the increase of current, causing the moving contact to move towards the stationary contact. At the same time, the contact voltage V begins to decrease. At time T42, the stationary contact and the moving contact are attracted together. The controller 120 can determine that time T42 is the attraction time based on the change of the coil current A2. Based on this, the controller 120 can determine the time of a predetermined time period P before the attraction time. The controller 120 can determine the first contact voltage 421 from the stored historical data. The first contact voltage 421 can characterize the effect of the relay performing the closing action on its lifespan.

[0051] After engagement, an electric arc is generated between the contacts, and the contact current A1 abruptly peaks at time T43. Afterward, the contact current A1 drops and stabilizes. At time T44, the coil current decreases to coil current 431, and the coil changes from an engaged state to a maintained engaged state. At this time, the controller 120 determines that time T44 is the closing moment when engagement is complete based on the coil current decreasing to a predetermined threshold. The controller 120 determines the contact current 411 at time T44 as the first contact current.

[0052] according to Figure 4A and Figure 4B The embodiment shown can more accurately determine the lifespan of a relay after it performs a closing action by selecting the critical current and voltage values ​​at critical moments, i.e., the actual operating current and the maximum voltage, based on the variation rules of coil current, contact current and contact voltage.

[0053] Figure 5A A flowchart illustrating an example method for determining relay lifespan for disconnection operations according to some embodiments of this disclosure is shown. For discussion purposes, it will be combined with... Figure 1 To describe method 200. Method 200 can, for example, be described by... Figure 1 The controller 120 shown is used to execute this. Furthermore, method 500A can correspond to... Figure 3 Step 310 in the illustrated embodiment.

[0054] like Figure 5AAs shown, at 502, the controller 120 determines the initial disconnection time when the coil current decreases to a preset first disconnection current threshold. At 504, the controller 120 uses the contact current at the initial disconnection time as the second contact current. At 506, the controller 120 determines the completion disconnection time when the contact current decreases to a preset second disconnection current threshold. At 508, the controller 120 determines the contact voltage at the completion disconnection time as the second contact voltage. At 510, the controller 120 determines the second lifetime of the relay based on the second contact voltage and the second contact current, according to a second objective function, as the lifetime.

[0055] Similarly, the inventors were pleasantly surprised to find that the maximum values ​​of the contact current and contact voltage during the disconnection process had the greatest impact on the relay's lifespan. The maximum current value occurred at the moment when the gold contact and the moving contact began to separate. Therefore, the contact current at the moment when the coil current dropped below a predetermined threshold, i.e., when the magnetic force provided by the coil was insufficient to attract the armature, was selected. The maximum voltage value occurred at the moment the disconnection was completed. Therefore, the contact voltage at the moment when the contact current decreased to a certain level was selected. Based on the above concepts, the second objective function was also established by detecting the actual operating current and the maximum voltage value. The following will combine... Figure 5B This will illustrate the changes in voltage and current during the process.

[0056] Figure 5B A schematic diagram of example curves showing the change of electrical parameters over time during the disconnection process is shown in Figure 500B. Figure 5B As shown, the variation curve 500B includes, for example, curves formed by... Figure 1 The curve 510 shows the change in contact current A1 detected by current sensor 116. The curve 500B also includes, for example, the change curve 510 caused by... Figure 1 The voltage sensor 114 in the circuit detects the change curve 520 of the contact voltage V. The change curve 500B also includes, for example, the change curve 520 of the contact voltage V detected by the voltage sensor 114 in the circuit. Figure 1 The curve 530 shows the change in coil current A2 detected by current sensor 112.

[0057] like Figure 5BAs shown, at time T52, the relay begins to perform the disconnecting action. At this time, the coil current A2 begins to decrease rapidly. At time T53, the coil current A2 decreases to the coil current 531. The controller 120 can determine that the coil current 531 is lower than the predetermined coil current threshold 532. At this time, the coil current decreases to a point where it can no longer maintain the magnetic force attracting the armature. Therefore, the moving contact begins to move away from the stationary contact under the action of the reset mechanism. Based on this, the controller 120 can determine that time T53 is the moment when the relay begins to perform the disconnecting action. Subsequently, as the moving contact and the stationary contact separate, the contact current A1 begins to decrease and the contact voltage begins to increase. At the same time, the contact voltage V begins to decrease. Therefore, at time T53, the contact current 511 is at its maximum value.

[0058] At time T54, the contact current A1 drops below the predetermined current threshold 512, the stationary contact has completely separated from the moving contact, the contact current A1 no longer decreases, and the contact voltage no longer increases. At this time, the contact voltage 521 is at its maximum value. The controller 120 can determine that the relay has completed its disconnection action based on the first predetermined threshold of the contact current, and determine time T54 as the time of completion of disconnection. The controller 120 selects the contact voltage 521 at time T54 as the target contact voltage for subsequent determination of the relay's lifespan.

[0059] according to Figure 5A and Figure 5B The embodiment shown can more accurately determine the lifespan of the relay after performing the disconnection action by selecting the critical current and voltage values, i.e., the maximum current and voltage, at the critical moment for the disconnection action, based on the variation rules of coil current, contact current and contact voltage.

[0060] Figure 6 A schematic diagram of an example process 600 for determining relay life according to some embodiments of the present disclosure is shown. Process 600 may, for example, be performed by... Figure 1 The power conversion system 100 in the illustrated embodiment performs this operation. Figure 6 As shown, after the system is powered on, at 604, the power conversion system 100 detects the current state of the relay by reading the relay lifetime and state 602 stored thereon from its memory (e.g., electrically erasable programmable read-only memory (EEPROM)). If the power conversion system 100 determines that the relay is available, then at 618, the power conversion system 100 controls the relay to close. Simultaneously, at 606, the power conversion system 100 monitors the coil current, contact current, and contact voltage in real time, and... Figure 4BAt the target time shown, the first contact current and the first contact voltage are sampled as the target contact current and target contact voltage. Then, at 608, the power conversion system 100 calculates the lifespan of the relay after performing a closing action, i.e., the number of on / off operations that can be performed before it fails, based on the sampled first contact current and the first contact voltage and according to the corresponding first objective function.

[0061] At 610, the power conversion system 100 updates the relay lifespan and state 602 in the memory using the calculated lifespan and state. On the other hand, if the power conversion system 100 detects a relay fault at 620 during vehicle operation after the relay is closed, the power conversion system 100 will trigger an update operation at 610 to update the relay lifespan and state 602 in the memory using the fault state. After the update, the relay state is unavailable. In the absence of a fault, at 622, the power conversion system 100 controls the relay to perform an open operation. At this time, at 612, the power conversion system 100... Figure 5B At the target time shown, the second contact current and the second contact voltage are sampled as the target contact current and target contact voltage. Then, at 614, the power conversion system 100 calculates the relay's lifespan after performing a closing action based on the sampled second contact current and second contact voltage and according to the corresponding second objective function. At 616, the power conversion system 100 updates the relay lifespan and state 602 in the memory using the calculated lifespan and state.

[0062] Figure 7 A block diagram of an example apparatus 700 for determining relay life according to some embodiments of the present disclosure is shown. Figure 7 As shown, the device 700 includes a detection module 702. The detection module 702 is configured to detect a set of contact voltages and a set of contact currents of the relay contacts, and a set of coil currents for controlling the coils of the contacts. The device 700 also includes a target determination module 704. The target determination module 704 is configured to determine a target contact current and a target contact voltage associated with the relay performing a target action based on the set of contact voltages, the set of contact currents, and the set of coil currents. The device 700 also includes a lifespan determination module 706. The lifespan determination module 706 is configured to determine the lifespan of the relay based on the target contact current and the target contact voltage.

[0063] In some embodiments, the target determination module 704 includes: a first voltage determination module configured to, in response to a target action being a closing action, determine a first contact voltage at a first moment before the relay closes as a target contact voltage based on a set of coil currents and a set of contact voltages; and a first current determination module configured to, based on a set of coil currents, determine a first contact current of the relay after the closing action is completed as a target contact current based on a set of contact currents.

[0064] In some embodiments, the lifetime determination module 706 includes: a first lifetime determination unit configured to determine a first lifetime of the relay as the lifetime based on a first contact voltage and a first contact current according to a first objective function.

[0065] In some embodiments, the first voltage determination module includes: a pull-in time determination unit configured to determine the pull-in time when the coil current reaches a preset pull-in current; to determine a time before the pull-in time as a first time; and a first voltage determination unit configured to determine the contact voltage at the first time as the first contact voltage.

[0066] In some embodiments, the first current determination module includes: a closing time determination unit configured to determine the closing time when the coil current drops to a predetermined switching threshold; and a first current determination unit configured to use the contact current at the closing time as the first contact current.

[0067] In some embodiments, the target determination module 704 includes: a second current determination module configured to determine a second contact current when the relay initiates a disconnection action based on a set of contact currents and a set of coil currents in response to a target action being a disconnection action; and a second voltage determination module configured to determine a second contact voltage between the contacts of the relay at a second moment when the relay completes a disconnection action based on a set of contact voltages and a set of coil currents.

[0068] In some embodiments, the lifetime determination module 706 includes: a second lifetime determination module configured to determine a second lifetime of the relay as a lifetime based on a second contact voltage and a second contact current according to a second objective function.

[0069] In some embodiments, the second current determination module includes: a disconnection time determination unit configured to determine an initial disconnection time when a set of coil currents decreases to a preset first disconnection current threshold; and a second current determination unit configured to use the contact current at the initial disconnection time as a second contact current.

[0070] In some embodiments, the second voltage determination module includes: a disconnection time determination unit configured to determine the completion disconnection time when the contact current decreases to a preset second disconnection current threshold; and a second voltage determination module configured to determine the contact voltage at the completion disconnection time as the second contact voltage.

[0071] In some embodiments, the apparatus 700 further includes: a lifespan comparison module configured to compare the lifespan with a predetermined lifespan threshold; a first state determination module configured to determine that the relay is in a usable state in response to determining that the lifespan is greater than the predetermined lifespan threshold, or a second state determination module configured to determine that the relay is in a failed state in response to determining that the current lifespan is less than the predetermined lifespan threshold; and a storage module configured to store the usage state and the current lifespan.

[0072] In some embodiments, the apparatus 700 further includes: a status acquisition module configured to acquire a usage status in response to the activation of an electrical system including a relay; and an alarm generation module configured to generate an alarm to indicate relay failure in response to determining that the usage status indicates relay failure.

[0073] Figure 8 A schematic block diagram of an example device 800 that can be used to implement embodiments of the present disclosure is shown. As shown, device 800 includes a processor 801 that can perform various appropriate actions and processes according to computer program instructions loaded into random access memory (RAM) 803 based on computer program instructions stored in read-only memory (ROM) 802. Various programs and data required for the operation of device 800 may also be stored in RAM 803. The processor 801, ROM 802, and RAM 803 are interconnected via bus 804. Input / output (I / O) interface 805 is also connected to bus 804.

[0074] The various processes and procedures described above, such as methods 200, 300, 400A, and 500A, can be executed by processor 801. For example, in some embodiments, methods 200, 300, 400A, and 500A can be implemented as computer software programs tangibly contained in a machine-readable medium. In some embodiments, part or all of the computer program can be loaded and / or installed on device 800 via ROM 802. When the computer program is loaded into RAM 803 and executed by processor 801, one or more actions of methods 200, 300, 400A, and 500A described above can be performed.

[0075] This disclosure can be a method, apparatus, system, and / or computer program product. A computer program product may include a computer-readable storage medium having computer-readable program instructions loaded thereon for performing various aspects of this disclosure.

[0076] A computer-readable storage medium can be a tangible device capable of holding and storing instructions for use by an instruction execution device. A computer-readable storage medium can be, for example—but not limited to—an electrical storage device, a magnetic storage device, an optical storage device, an electromagnetic storage device, a semiconductor storage device, or any suitable combination thereof. More specific examples (a non-exhaustive list) of computer-readable storage media include: random access memory (RAM), read-only memory (ROM), erasable programmable read-only memory (EPROM or flash memory), static random access memory (SRAM), and any suitable combination thereof. The computer-readable storage medium as used herein is not to be construed as a transient signal itself, such as radio waves or other freely propagating electromagnetic waves, electromagnetic waves propagating through waveguides or other transmission media (e.g., light pulses through fiber optic cables), or electrical signals transmitted through wires.

[0077] The computer-readable program instructions described herein can be downloaded from computer-readable storage media to various computing / processing devices, or downloaded via a network, such as the Internet, local area network, wide area network, and / or wireless network, to an external computer or external storage device. The network may include copper transmission cables, fiber optic transmission, wireless transmission, routers, firewalls, switches, gateway computers, and / or edge servers. A network adapter card or network interface in each computing / processing device receives the computer-readable program instructions from the network and forwards them to the computer-readable storage media in the respective computing / processing device.

[0078] Computer program instructions used to perform the operations of this disclosure may be assembly instructions, instruction set architecture (ISA) instructions, machine instructions, machine-dependent instructions, microcode, firmware instructions, status setting data, or source code or object code written in any combination of one or more programming languages, including object-oriented programming languages ​​such as Smalltalk, C++, etc., and conventional procedural programming languages ​​such as the "C" language or similar programming languages. The computer-readable program instructions may execute entirely on the user's computer, partially on the user's computer, as a standalone software package, partially on the user's computer and partially on a remote computer, or entirely on a remote computer or server. In cases involving a remote computer, the remote computer may be connected to the user's computer via any type of network—including a local area network (LAN) or a wide area network (WAN)—or may be connected to an external computer (e.g., via the Internet using an Internet service provider). In some embodiments, electronic circuitry, such as programmable logic circuitry, field-programmable gate arrays (FPGAs), or programmable logic arrays (PLAs), is personalized by utilizing the status information of the computer-readable program instructions to implement various aspects of this disclosure.

[0079] Various aspects of this disclosure are described herein with reference to flowchart illustrations and / or block diagrams of methods, apparatus (systems), and computer program products according to embodiments of this disclosure. It should be understood that each block of the flowchart illustrations and / or block diagrams, and combinations of blocks in the flowchart illustrations and / or block diagrams, can be implemented by computer-readable program instructions.

[0080] These computer-readable program instructions can be provided to a processing unit of a general-purpose computer, a special-purpose computer, or other programmable data processing apparatus to produce a machine such that, when executed by the processing unit of the computer or other programmable data processing apparatus, they create means for implementing the functions / actions specified in one or more blocks of the flowchart and / or block diagram. These computer-readable program instructions can also be stored in a computer-readable storage medium that causes a computer, programmable data processing apparatus, and / or other device to operate in a particular manner. Thus, the computer-readable medium storing the instructions comprises an article of manufacture that includes instructions for implementing aspects of the functions / actions specified in one or more blocks of the flowchart and / or block diagram.

[0081] Computer-readable program instructions may also be loaded onto a computer, other programmable data processing apparatus, or other device to cause a series of operational steps to be performed on the computer, other programmable data processing apparatus, or other device to produce a computer-implemented process, thereby causing the instructions executed on the computer, other programmable data processing apparatus, or other device to perform the functions / actions specified in one or more boxes of a flowchart and / or block diagram.

[0082] The flowcharts and block diagrams in the accompanying drawings illustrate the architecture, functionality, and operation of possible implementations of systems, methods, and computer program products according to various embodiments of the present disclosure. In this regard, each block in a flowchart or block diagram may represent a module, segment, or portion of an instruction containing one or more executable instructions for implementing a specified logical function. In some alternative implementations, the functions marked in the blocks may occur in a different order than those shown in the drawings. For example, two consecutive blocks may actually be executed substantially in parallel, and they may sometimes be executed in reverse order, depending on the functions involved. It should also be noted that each block in the block diagrams and / or flowcharts, and combinations of blocks in the block diagrams and / or flowcharts, may be implemented using a dedicated hardware-based system that performs the specified function or action, or using a combination of dedicated hardware and computer instructions.

[0083] The various embodiments of this disclosure have been described above. These descriptions are exemplary and not exhaustive, and are not limited to the disclosed embodiments. Many modifications and variations will be apparent to those skilled in the art without departing from the scope and spirit of the described embodiments. The terminology used herein is chosen to best explain the principles, practical applications, or technical improvements to the technology in the market, or to enable others skilled in the art to understand the embodiments disclosed herein.

Claims

1. A method (200) for determining the life of a relay, comprising: Detect a set of contact voltages and a set of contact currents of the relay contacts (202), as well as a set of coil currents for controlling the coils of the contacts; Based on the set of contact voltages, the set of contact currents, and the set of coil currents, determine (204) the target contact current and target contact voltage associated with the relay performing the target action; as well as The lifespan of the relay is determined based on the target contact current and the target contact voltage (206).

2. The method (200) according to claim 1, wherein determining the target contact current and the target contact voltage associated with the relay performing the target action based on the set of contact voltages, the set of contact currents, and the set of coil currents comprises: In response to the target action being a closing action, based on the set of coil currents, the first contact voltage of the contact at the first moment before the relay closes is determined as the target contact voltage from the set of contact voltages; as well as Based on the set of coil currents, the first contact current of the relay after completing the closing action is determined from the set of contact currents as the target contact current.

3. The method (200) according to claim 2, wherein determining the lifespan of the relay based on the target contact current and the target contact voltage comprises: Based on the first objective function, and using the first contact voltage and the first contact current, the first lifespan of the relay is determined as the lifespan.

4. The method (200) according to claim 2, wherein determining the voltage of the first contact at the first moment before the relay is closed comprises: Determine the pull-in time when the coil current reaches the preset pull-in current; The time period preceding the engagement time is defined as the first time. as well as The contact voltage at the first moment is determined as the first contact voltage.

5. The method (200) according to claim 2, wherein determining the first contact current of the relay after completing the closing action comprises: Determine the closing time when the coil current drops to a predetermined switching threshold; as well as The contact current at the closing moment is taken as the first contact current.

6. The method (200) of claim 1, wherein determining the target contact current and the target contact voltage associated with the relay performing the target action based on the set of contact voltages, the set of contact currents, and the set of coil currents comprises: In response to the target action being a disconnection action, the second contact current when the relay initiates the disconnection action is determined based on the set of contact currents and the set of coil currents; as well as Based on the set of contact voltages and the set of coil currents, determine the second contact voltage between the contacts of the relay at the second moment when the relay completes the disconnection action.

7. The method (200) according to claim 6, wherein determining the lifespan of the relay based on the target contact current and the target contact voltage comprises: Based on the second objective function, and using the second contact voltage and the second contact current, the second lifespan of the relay is determined as the lifespan.

8. The method (200) according to claim 6, wherein determining the second contact current when the relay initiates the disconnection operation comprises: Determine the initial disconnection time when the current in the set of coils decreases to a preset first disconnection current threshold. as well as The contact current at the initial disconnection moment is taken as the second contact current.

9. The method (200) of claim 6, wherein determining the second contact voltage between the contacts of the relay at the second moment when the relay completes the disconnection action comprises: Determine the time when the contact current decreases to a preset second disconnection current threshold to complete the disconnection; as well as The contact voltage at the moment of completion of disconnection is determined as the second contact voltage.

10. The method (200) according to claim 1, further comprising: Compare the lifespan with a predetermined lifespan threshold; In response to determining that the lifespan is greater than a predetermined lifespan threshold, the relay is determined to be in an available state, or In response to determining that the lifespan is less than the predetermined lifespan threshold, the relay is determined to be in a failed state. as well as Store the usage status and the current lifespan.

11. The method (200) according to claim 10, further comprising: The usage status is acquired in response to the activation of an electrical system including the relay; as well as In response to determining that the usage status indicates that the relay has failed, an alarm is generated to indicate that the relay has failed.

12. An apparatus (700) for determining the life of a relay, comprising: The detection module (702) is configured to detect a set of contact voltages and a set of contact currents of the relay contacts, as well as a set of coil currents for controlling the coils of the contacts; The target determination module (704) is configured to determine the target contact current and target contact voltage associated with the relay performing the target action based on the set of contact voltages, the set of contact currents and the set of coil currents; as well as The lifespan determination module (706) is configured to determine the lifespan of the relay based on the target contact current and the target contact voltage.

13. A controller (800), comprising: At least one processor (801); as well as A memory (802, 803) coupled to the at least one processor (801) and having instructions stored thereon, which, when executed by the at least one processor (801), cause the controller (800) to perform the method according to any one of claims 1-11.

14. A power conversion system (100), comprising: One or more relays (102); The controller (800) according to claim 13 is used to control the one or more relays (102).

15. A computer program product comprising computer-executable instructions, wherein the computer-executable instructions are executed by a processor to implement the method according to any one of claims 1 to 11.

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