Method for measuring dark current

Abstract

This invention provides a suitable method for measuring dark current when the vehicle's ignition switch is in the OFF position. [Solution] A method for measuring the dark current of a battery, wherein the vehicle's ignition switch is turned OFF, a predetermined time is waited for, and then the dark current of the battery is measured. The measured value of the dark current is stored as RoB information including information on specified conditions, and this stored RoB information is transmitted to the center.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present disclosure relates to a method for measuring the parasitic current of a battery mounted on a vehicle.

Background Art

[0002] Patent Document 1 discloses a method for managing an electronic control unit (ECU) mounted on a vehicle.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] In recent years, the number of electronic devices (electronic equipment) mounted on vehicles has been increasing, and the number of ECUs as control devices for controlling these electronic devices has also been increasing. Therefore, the probability of a malfunction occurring in any of the ECUs also tends to increase. In particular, when the vehicle system mounted on the vehicle is turned off, that is, when the ignition switch of the vehicle is turned off (IG-OFF), if any of the ECUs cannot transition to a power-saving state (for example, a sleep state) due to some malfunction, the parasitic current increases. This increased parasitic current may consume the power of the in-vehicle battery or cause deterioration of the battery itself, and ultimately there is a risk that the vehicle may not be able to start.

[0005] Therefore, in order not to cause such an undesirable state, it is important to measure the parasitic current at the time of IG-OFF, and there is room for considering a method.

[0006] This disclosure has been made in view of the above-mentioned problems and aims to provide a suitable method for measuring dark current when the IG is OFF. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] To solve the above problems, one aspect of the disclosed technology is a method for measuring the dark current of a battery, wherein the vehicle's ignition switch is turned OFF, a predetermined time is waited for, and then the dark current of the battery is measured; the measured value of the dark current is stored as RoB information including information on specified conditions; and this stored RoB information is transmitted to a center. [Effects of the Invention]

[0008] According to the above disclosure, a suitable method for measuring dark current when the IG is OFF can be provided. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0009] [Figure 1] System configuration diagram for realizing a dark current measurement method according to one embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 2] Flowchart illustrating a method for measuring dark current according to one embodiment of the present disclosure. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0010] Hereinafter, one embodiment of this disclosure will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. <Embodiment> [composition] Figure 1 is a diagram showing a schematic configuration of a system for realizing a dark current measurement method according to one embodiment of the present disclosure. The system illustrated in Figure 1 includes a control device 100, a battery 200, a dark current measurement target 300, and a measuring instrument 400. The control device 100, battery 200, and dark current measurement target 300 may be mounted on a vehicle.

[0011] The battery 200 is a rechargeable secondary battery, such as a lead-acid battery or a lithium-ion battery. This battery 200 is usually connected to the device to be measured for dark current 300 via a wire harness (W / H) or the like (not shown in the diagram), and can supply the power necessary for the operation of the device to be measured for dark current 300.

[0012] The dark current measurement targets 300 are various in-vehicle loads that consume power, such as electronic devices and ECUs installed in the vehicle. These dark current measurement targets 300 can operate by receiving power from a battery 200 or the like. In this embodiment, the dark current measurement targets 300 include in-vehicle loads that consume power, i.e., dark current flows, when the vehicle's ignition switch is turned off (IG-OFF). Some or all of the in-vehicle loads that become dark current measurement targets 300 have a sleep function that disables some functions in order to reduce power consumption when IG-OFF is enabled.

[0013] The measuring instrument 400 is a device (e.g., a battery sensor, ammeter, etc.) for detecting the current flowing from the battery 200. This measuring instrument 400 is inserted between the battery 200 and the device to be measured for dark current 300 when it is necessary to measure the dark current flowing from the battery 200 to the device to be measured for dark current 300, such as when investigating a dead battery 200 at a vehicle dealership or repair shop.

[0014] The control device 100 is configured to measure the dark current of the battery 200. This control device 100 has the function of measuring the dark current of the battery 200 after waiting for a predetermined time to elapse after the vehicle's ignition switch is turned OFF (IG-OFF), the function of storing the measured dark current value as RoB information including information on specified conditions, and the function of transmitting this stored RoB information to a center (not shown). The control performed by this control device 100 will be described later.

[0015] Note that part or all of the control device 100 can typically be configured by an electronic control unit (ECU) including a processor such as a microcomputer, a memory, and an input / output interface.

[0016] [Control] Referring further to FIG. 2, a method for measuring dark current according to an embodiment of the present disclosure will be described. FIG. 2 is a flowchart showing the processing procedure of dark current measurement control of the battery 200 executed by the control device 100.

[0017] The dark current measurement control of the battery 200 illustrated in FIG. 2 is started, for example, by transmitting a command instructing the control device 100 to measure the dark current at the time when 30 minutes have elapsed after IG-OFF by a vehicle diagnostic tool such as GTS (Global Tech Stream) by a dealership engineer during an investigation of battery runout at a dealership.

[0018] (Step S201) The control device 100 determines whether the ignition switch of the vehicle has changed from the ON state to the OFF state (IG-OFF). This determination can be made by monitoring an IG signal (not shown) of the vehicle. If the ignition switch has changed to the OFF state (IG-OFF) (Step S201, Yes), the process proceeds to Step S202.

[0019] (Step S202) When the ignition switch of the vehicle changes to the OFF state (IG-OFF), the measuring instrument 400 and GTS are set by a dealership engineer or the like. Specifically, the battery 200 is removed from the dark current measurement target 300, the measuring instrument 400 is inserted between the battery 200 and the dark current measurement target 300, and GTS starts the preparations necessary for measurement. When the measuring instrument 400 and GTS are set, the process proceeds to Step S203.

[0020] (Step S203) The control device 100 determines whether 30 minutes have elapsed after the ignition switch of the vehicle is turned off (after IG-OFF). Note that the 30 minutes for determining this elapsed time is just an example, and it can be set as a predetermined time when the noise included in the data detected by the measuring instrument 400 after the ignition switch is turned off becomes small enough to ignore its influence. When 30 minutes have elapsed after IG-OFF of the ignition switch (step S203, yes), the process proceeds to step S204.

[0021] (Step S204) The control device 100 measures the dark current flowing from the battery 200 to the dark current measurement target 300 using the measuring instrument 400. When the dark current of the battery 200 is measured, the process proceeds to step S205.

[0022] (Step S205) The control device 100 stores the value of the dark current of the battery 200 measured using the measuring instrument 400 in a predetermined memory such as DID (Data Item Definition). When the value of the dark current of the battery 200 is stored, the process proceeds to step S206.

[0023] (Step S206) The control device 100 stores the stored value of the dark current of the battery 200 as RoB (Record On Behavior) information including information on specified conditions. This RoB information is information (data) that associates the state of the vehicle when the dark current is measured, etc. as specified conditions with the value of the dark current. This ROB for storing the dark current can be newly set. When the value of the dark current of the battery 200 is stored as RoB information, the process proceeds to step S207.

[0024] (Step S207) The control device 100 transmits the stored RoB information to a predetermined center accessible by the dealership. When the RoB information is transmitted to the center, the control for measuring the dark current of this battery 200 ends.

[0025] This allows the technical department and dealerships to check the measured quiescent current of the Battery 200 located at the center (quiescent current value 30 minutes after IG-OFF) at any time via remote communication through the Data Communication Module (DCM).

[0026] <Effects and Actions> As described above, according to the dark current measurement method of one embodiment of the present disclosure, after turning off the vehicle ignition, a predetermined time is waited for the dark current of the battery 200 to be measured, the measured dark current value is stored as RoB information including information on specified conditions, and this stored RoB information is transmitted to the center.

[0027] Generally, immediately after turning the vehicle's ignition switch OFF (IG-OFF), the battery sensor's detection data contains a lot of noise. Therefore, by detecting the dark current after a predetermined time has elapsed since IG-OFF, it is possible to obtain data with less noise.

[0028] Furthermore, according to the dark current measurement method according to one embodiment of this disclosure, the act of holding the measuring instrument 400 between the battery 200 and the dark current measurement target 300 for 30 minutes from the start to the end of the measurement, which was necessary in conventional work, becomes unnecessary. In other words, this dark current measurement method automates work that conventionally required human intervention, thereby improving the efficiency of work and data analysis during dark current measurement.

[0029] Although one embodiment of the disclosed technology has been described above, the disclosed technology can be understood not only as a method for measuring dark current, but also as a program for executing the method performed by the dark current measurement method, a computer-readable non-temporary storage medium storing the program, a control device for executing the dark current measurement method, and so on. [Industrial applicability]

[0030] This disclosure can be used, for example, when you want to accurately measure the dark current of a battery installed in a vehicle. [Explanation of symbols]

[0031] 100 Control device 200 batteries 300 Dark current measurement targets 400 measuring instruments

Claims

[Claim 1] A method for measuring the dark current of a battery, After turning the vehicle's ignition switch to the OFF position, a predetermined time is waited for the battery's dark current to be measured. The measured dark current value is stored as RoB information including information on the specified conditions. The aforementioned RoB information is transmitted to the center. Method for measuring dark current.

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