Method for determining the remaining service life of an electronic component installed in a motor vehicle

Abstract

The invention relates to a method for determining the remaining service life of an electronic component installed in a motor vehicle, wherein the remaining service life is deduced by comparing a determined actual service life with a previously determined and stored maximum service life, wherein the actual service life and the stored maximum service life are determined on the basis of defined service life parameters by means of a calculation rule, wherein the actual service life is determined on the basis of currently determined actual values ​​of the service life parameters by means of the calculation rule, and wherein the stored maximum service life was determined on the basis of maximum values ​​of the service life parameters determined and validated in laboratory tests by means of the calculation rule.

Description

The invention relates to a method for determining a remaining remaining remaining life of an electronic component installed in a motor vehicle according to the type specified in patent claim 1.As is known, temperature monitoring is carried out for electronic components installed in a motor vehicle with high thermal power loss in order to prevent possible destruction of the electronic component or to prevent accelerated aging of the electronic component as much as possible when a limit temperature is exceeded by functional degradation or shutdown.A method for optimizing system performance using information regarding the state of operability is disclosed in DE 10 2021 222 650 A1. The method provides for monitoring a series of components, such as a rechargeable battery pack, of a system, for example a drive system of a motor vehicle, by a controller which is configured to estimate the operability of the monitored components on the basis of a current state of function or a power level and to control the system in such a way that its service life is maximized.From DE 10 2005 022 514 A1 a device for monitoring components of a motor vehicle is known, wherein the device is configured to carry out a continuous determination of a so-called wear value and a comparison with a maximum permissible wear value and to output a signal for replacing the component, such as a fan motor, when the maximum wear value is reached.The invention is based on the object of specifying a method for determining a remaining remaining remaining service life of an electronic component installed in a motor vehicle, which method makes it possible to maintain / replace the electronic component as required.This object is achieved by the features of claim 1.The dependent claims 2 to 11 represent advantageous further developments of the invention.To this end, the method according to the invention provides that an actual service life is determined for the electronic component installed in the motor vehicle, such as a sensor, control device, etc., installed in the motor vehicle, and the remaining remaining remaining service life is deduced by means of comparison with a maximum service life determined and stored in advance, wherein the actual service life and the stored maximum service life are determined by means of defined service life parameters by means of a calculation rule, wherein the actual service life is determined by means of the calculation rule on the basis of currently determined actual values of the service life parameters, and wherein the stored maximum service life has been determined by means of the calculation rule on the basis of maximum values of the service life parameters determined and validated in laboratory tests.Merely in addition, it should be pointed out that the method is not restricted to a single electronic component, but rather that a multiplicity or all electronic components installed in the motor vehicle are included as well. That is to say that the method enables a statement about the remaining remaining remaining life of a multiplicity or of all electronic components installed in the motor vehicle.The laboratory tests for determining and validating the maximum values of the lifetime parameters for the electronic component follow the test-to-fail principle. That is, the electronic components are tested until the defect.The method according to the invention has the effect that-since the remaining remaining remaining service life is now known-forward maintenance is made possible. Due to the predictive maintenance now made possible, the risk of functional restrictions during the running operation of the motor vehicle up to the standstill of the motor vehicle is advantageously significantly reduced.In order to be able to better estimate or number the influence of the installed electronic components on the overall value of the motor vehicle, for example, during a sale of the motor vehicle, a preferred embodiment of the method according to the invention provides that a degree of wear in percent, an expected end time of service life and / or an expected maintenance time of the electronic component is calculated and stored by means of a computing algorithm.Preferably, the data calculated by means of the calculation algorithm are stored on a central memory element which is configured to be read out by means of a service interface. This ensures that read-out is made possible at any time, for example when a workshop is present. It is also advantageous that-since the data are stored on a central storage element-only the communication with the central storage element is necessary for the readout, and thus a rapid readout of the data is ensured.Alternatively or additionally, it is conceivable that-in order to also render the life status of the installed electronic components more transparent for the holder or driver of the motor vehicle-a reading of the data is also provided as a "function on demand".In order to increase the accuracy in the determination of the remaining remaining service life of an electronic component installed in the motor vehicle, a plurality of parameters which are independent of one another, in particular the parameters temperature range-specific operating time, number of switch-on / switch-off cycles and operating state-independent age, are used as defined service life parameters.It is particularly preferred that a plurality of defined temperature ranges are evaluated for the parameter of temperature-specific operating time, wherein after measuring the temperature and assigning the measured temperature to a temperature range, the temperature range-specific operating times are determined by summing up the operating hours per temperature range. Due to the consideration of several temperature-controlled ranges and corresponding to the determination of several temperature-specific operating times, a particularly high quality is ensured in the determination of the remaining service life.Preferably, the temperature is measured within the electronic component or in its direct environment.Since the electronic components are exposed to different thermal loads depending on the operating mode present, a further preferred embodiment provides that-in order to take account of these different requirements-the parameter temperature-specific operating duration for a plurality of operating modes, in particular for the "driving" operating mode and the "charging" operating mode, is determined.It is preferably provided that five defined temperature ranges are evaluated for each operating mode and thus five temperature range-specific operating times are determined. As first experiments have shown, the following temperature ranges have proved to be particularly advantageous:Temperature range_ 130° C.≤temperature (t)<0° C.,Temperature range_ 20° C.≤temperature (t)<30° C.,Temperature range_330C° ≤ temperature (t) < 60°C,Temperature range_ 460C° ≤ temperature (t) < 90°CTemperature range_590° C.≤temperature (t)<120° CPreferably, the laboratory tests for determining validated maximum values of the service life parameters are checked or repeated at regular intervals and, provided that the check has led to changed maximum values of the service life parameters, an updated maximum service life is determined by means of the calculation rule, which is then transmitted to the motor vehicle by remote maintenance and stored there. This ensures that changes which may possibly occur can be taken into account promptly.References included in the specificationThis list of documents cited by the applicant has been produced in an automated manner and is only included for the better information of the reader. The list is not part of the German patent application or utility model application. The DPMA does not take any adhesion for any faults or omissions.Patent Literature citedDE 10 2021 222 650 A1

[0003] DE 10 2005 022 514 A1

[0004]

Claims

Method for determining a remaining remaining life of an electronic component installed in a motor vehicle, wherein the remaining remaining life is deduced by means of comparison of a determined actual life with a maximum life determined and stored in advance, wherein the actual life and the stored maximum life are determined on the basis of defined life parameters by means of a calculation rule, wherein the actual life is determined on the basis of currently determined actual values of the life parameters by means of the calculation rule, and wherein the stored maximum life has been determined by means of the calculation rule on the basis of maximum values of the life parameters determined and validated in laboratory tests.Method according to Claim 1, characterized in that a degree of wear in percent, an expected end-of-life time and / or an expected maintenance time of the electronic component is calculated and stored by means of a calculation algorithm.Method according to Claim 2, characterized in that the data calculated by means of the calculation algorithm are stored on a central storage element which can be read out by means of a service interface.Method according to Claim 2, characterized in that a reading out of the stored data is made available as a "function on demand" for a driver of the motor vehicle.Method according to Claim 1, characterized in that the parameters temperature-range-specific operating time, number of switch-on / switch-off cycles and operating-state-independent age are used as defined lifetime parameters of the electronic component.Method according to Claim 5, characterized in that a plurality of defined temperature ranges are evaluated for the parameter of temperature-specific operating time, wherein, after measurement of the temperature and assignment of the measured temperature to a temperature range, the temperature-range-specific operating times are determined by summing up the operating hours per temperature range.Method according to claim 6, characterised in that the temperature is measured inside the electronic component or in its direct environment.Method according to Claim 6, characterized in that the parameter temperature-specific operating duration is determined for a plurality of operating modes.Method according to Claim 8, characterized in that five defined temperature ranges are evaluated for each operating mode and five temperature-range-specific operating times are therefore determined, the five temperature ranges having been determined as follows:Temperature range_ 130° C.≤temperature (t)<0° C.,Temperature range_ 20° C.≤temperature (t)<30° C.,Temperature range_330C° ≤ temperature (t) < 60°C,Temperature range_ 460C° ≤ temperature (t) < 90°CTemperature range_590° C.≤temperature (t)<120° C.Method according to Claim 8, characterized in that the temperature-range-specific operating times are determined at least for the operating modes "driving" and "charging".Method according to Claim 1, characterized in that the laboratory test for determining validated maximum values of the service life parameters is checked for regular intervals, and in that - provided the check has led to changed maximum values of the service life parameters - an updated maximum service life is determined by means of the calculation rule, and in that the updated value of the maximum service life is transmitted to the motor vehicle by remote maintenance and stored there.