Automatic inspection device

Abstract

This invention provides an automated inspection device that can inspect an ECU by simulating abnormal conditions such as disconnections between the ECU and the vehicle load, as well as short circuits and power supply system failures. [Solution] An automatic inspection device comprising a simulated load that simulates a controlled object, an electronic load that consumes power supplied from the ECU and power supply system, a simulated circuit inserted between the ECU, the simulated load, the power supply system, and the electronic load, and an inspection unit that inspects the operation of the ECU in each simulated state set by the simulated circuit, wherein the simulated circuit simulates a break in the simulated load by interrupting the connection between the power supply system and the electronic load, the connection between the ECU and the electronic load, and the connection between the ECU and the simulated load, and conducts the connection between the ECU and the electronic load, and simulates a short circuit in the simulated load, and conducts the connection between the ECU and the simulated load and the connection between the power supply system and the electronic load, and interrupts the connection between the ECU and the electronic load.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present disclosure relates to an automatic inspection device that automatically inspects a power control ECU mounted on a vehicle.

Background Art

[0002] Patent Document 1 discloses an automatic inspection device that can simulate a state where a wiring connecting various electronic control units (ECUs: Electronic Control Unit) and loads (engines, motors, batteries, etc.) mounted on a vehicle is disconnected and automatically inspect the operation of the electronic control unit in the simulated disconnected state.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] In the automatic inspection device described in Patent Document 1 above, although it is possible to simulate an abnormal state where the connection line between the electronic control unit and the vehicle-mounted load is disconnected, it is not possible to simulate and inspect abnormal states such as a short circuit of the connection line or a failure in the power supply system.

[0005] The present disclosure has been made in view of the above problems, and an object thereof is to provide an automatic inspection device that can simulate abnormal states such as a short circuit of the connection line between the electronic control unit and the vehicle-mounted load and a failure in the power supply system in addition to a disconnection of the connection line and inspect the electronic control unit.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0006] To solve the above problems, one aspect of the disclosed technology is an automatic inspection device for automatically inspecting a power control ECU, comprising: a simulated load that simulates a controlled object; an electronic load that consumes power supplied from a power supply system connected to the power control ECU in a manner that allows power to be supplied to the power control ECU; a simulated circuit inserted between the power control ECU, the simulated load, the power supply system, and the electronic load; and an inspection unit that inspects the operation of the power control ECU in each simulated state set by the simulated circuit, wherein the simulated circuit is connected to the power supply system and the electronic load. This is an automated inspection device that simulates a disconnected state of a simulated load by disconnecting the connection between the power control ECU and the electronic load, and the connection between the power control ECU and the simulated load; simulates a short-circuit state of a simulated load by disconnecting the connection between the power system and the electronic load, and the connection between the power control ECU and the simulated load, and then conducting the connection between the power control ECU and the electronic load; and simulates a fault state of the power system by conducting the connection between the power control ECU and the simulated load, and the connection between the power system and the electronic load, and then disconnecting the connection between the power control ECU and the electronic load. [Effects of the Invention]

[0007] According to the automated inspection device described above, the electronic control unit can be inspected by simulating abnormal conditions such as disconnections in the connection wires between the electronic control unit and the vehicle load, as well as short circuits in the connection wires and power supply system failures. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0008] [Figure 1] A schematic diagram of a system configuration including an automated inspection apparatus and its peripheral parts according to one embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 2] This diagram shows the connection status of each switch in the simulated circuit in a simulated disconnection state. [Figure 3] This diagram shows the connection status of each switch in the simulated circuit under a short-circuit simulation. [Figure 4] This diagram shows the connection status of each switch in the simulated circuit during a simulated power system failure scenario - 1. [Figure 5] This diagram shows the connection status of each switch in the simulated circuit during a simulated power system failure in state 2. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0009] The automated inspection device of this disclosure inspects the electronic control unit by suitably controlling a characteristic simulated circuit and an electronic load, thereby simulating abnormal conditions such as disconnections in the connection lines between the electronic control unit and the vehicle load, as well as short circuits in the connection lines and power supply system failures. The embodiments of this disclosure will be described in detail below with reference to the drawings.

[0010] <Embodiment> [composition] Figure 1 is a schematic diagram of a system configuration example including an automatic inspection device 200 and its surrounding parts according to one embodiment of the present disclosure. The system illustrated in Figure 1 comprises a high-voltage battery 110, a DC-DC converter 120, an auxiliary battery 130, a power control ECU 140, and an automatic inspection device 200. The high-voltage battery 110, DC-DC converter 120, auxiliary battery 130, and power control ECU 140 are mounted in a vehicle.

[0011] The high-voltage battery 110 is a rechargeable secondary battery, such as a lithium-ion battery. This high-voltage battery 110 can supply the power it stores to the power control ECU 140 via the DC-DC converter 120.

[0012] The DC-DC converter 120 is installed between the high-voltage battery 110 and the power control ECU 140 and is a voltage converter that converts the voltage of the high-voltage battery 110 into the required voltage and outputs it to the power control ECU 140.

[0013] The auxiliary battery 130 is a rechargeable secondary battery, such as a lithium-ion battery. This auxiliary battery 130 can supply the power it stores to the power control ECU 140.

[0014] The power control ECU 140 is configured to supply and control power to multiple loads, such as many devices and equipment mounted on the vehicle, using the high-voltage battery 110 and the auxiliary battery 130 as power sources. This power control ECU 140 performs complex power supply and control according to various vehicle conditions and has control logic to maintain the vehicle's condition appropriately when abnormalities such as open circuits or short circuits occur in the power supply path.

[0015] The automated inspection device 200 is configured to simulate and reproduce abnormalities that may occur in multiple loads connected to the power control ECU 140 in an actual vehicle, as well as abnormalities that may occur in the high-voltage battery 110 and auxiliary battery 130, which are power sources, and to inspect whether the power control ECU 140 is operating correctly (as designed) in the event of an abnormality. This automated inspection device 200 comprises multiple simulated loads 211, 212, and 213, an electronic load 220, a simulated circuit 230, and an inspection unit 240.

[0016] The multiple simulated loads 211, 212, and 213 are circuits that simulate actual loads such as equipment and devices to be controlled that are mounted on the vehicle. More specifically, these controlled actual loads are loads that receive power from the power control ECU 140. These simulated loads 211, 212, and 213 are composed of resistance values ​​equivalent to the resistance values ​​of their respective actual loads in a steady state. In addition, each of the simulated loads 211, 212, and 213 is capable of automatically measuring its own power consumption. Note that the number of simulated loads is not limited to the number shown in Figure 1, and can be arbitrarily set according to the state of the vehicle to be inspected (inspection state, inspection pattern).

[0017] The electronic load 220 is configured to consume the input power. More specifically, the electronic load 220 consumes the power input (supplied) from the power control ECU 140, the accessory battery 130, and the DCDC converter 120, which are connected via the simulation circuit 230 described below. When consuming power, this electronic load 220 operates to absorb all of the input power by the maximum consumption current in principle, and exceptionally operates to gradually absorb the input power by gradually increasing the consumption current.

[0018] The simulation circuit 230 is inserted between the power control ECU 140, the plurality of simulation loads 211, 212, 213, the accessory battery 130 and the DCDC converter 120 that constitute the power supply system, and the electronic load 220, and is configured to switch the electrical conduction state and the cutoff state between both sides.

[0019] More specifically, in the simulation circuit 230, a switch SW11 is inserted between the simulation load 211 and the electronic load 220, and switches SW12 and SWc are inserted between the power control ECU 140 and the electronic load 220 in parallel with this switch SW11. Similarly, a switch SW21 is inserted between the simulation load 212 and the electronic load 220, and switches SW22 and SWc are inserted between the power control ECU 140 and the electronic load 220 in parallel with this switch SW21. Similarly, a switch SW31 is inserted between the simulation load 213 and the electronic load 220, and switches SW32 and SWc are inserted between the power control ECU 140 and the electronic load 220 in parallel with this switch SW31. Also, a switch SWa is inserted between the accessory battery 130 and the electronic load 220, and a switch SWb is inserted between the DCDC converter 120 and the electronic load 220. For these switches SW11, SW12, SW21, SW22, SW31, SW32, SWa, SWb, and SWc, for example, mechanical relays or semiconductor relays are used.

[0020] The inspection unit 240 is configured to inspect the operation of the power control ECU 140. In the inspection, the inspection unit 240 controls the electrical conduction / blocking states of the switches SW11, SW12, SW21, SW22, SW31, SW32, SWa, SWb, and SWc in the simulation circuit 230, respectively. Also, the inspection unit 240 controls the operation of the electronic load 220. This inspection unit 240 provides information (patterns) simulating various vehicle states to the power control ECU 140, controls the simulation circuit 230 and the electronic load 220, and measures the outputs from the power control ECU 140 to the simulation loads 211, 212, and 213, thereby confirming the operation (behavior) of the power control ECU 140.

[0021] As an example, this inspection unit 240 includes a functional unit that measures voltage, current, etc. and a HILS (Hardware In the Loop Simulation) device including plant models of loads and sensors, and a personal computer (host PC) for HILS.

[0022] [Control] Next, referring further to FIGS. 2, 3, 4, and 5, a method for controlling the state of a vehicle to be inspected by the automatic inspection device 200 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure will be described. In the following description, regarding the abnormality occurring in the simulation load 211, it will be described on behalf of the plurality of simulation loads 211, 212, and 213.

[0023] (1) Disconnection simulation state FIG. 2 is a diagram showing the connection states of the switches SW11, SW12, SWa, SWb, and SWc in the simulation circuit 230 when simulating a state in which an abnormality occurs where the connection line between the power control ECU 140 and the simulation load 211 is disconnected.

[0024] In this simulated disconnection state, all switches SW11, SW12, SWa, SWb, and SWc in the simulated circuit 230 are controlled to the off state. This control prevents the power control ECU 140 from supplying power from the auxiliary battery 130 and the DC-DC converter 120 to the simulated load 211. As a result, the inspection unit 240 can safely and automatically inspect the operation (behavior) of the power control ECU 140 in the simulated disconnection state.

[0025] (2) Short circuit simulation state Figure 3 shows the connection status of switches SW11, SW12, SWa, SWb, and SWc in the simulated circuit 230 when simulating a situation in which an abnormality occurs in which the connection line between the power control ECU 140 and the simulated load 211 is short-circuited (ground fault) to the ground level.

[0026] In this simulated short-circuit state, switches SW11, SWa, and SWb in the simulated circuit 230 are controlled to the off state, while switches SW12 and SWc are controlled to the conduction state. This control causes the power control ECU 140 to consume all the power input from the auxiliary battery 130 and the DC-DC converter 120 at the electronic load 220 without supplying it to the simulated load 211. As a result, the inspection unit 240 can safely and automatically inspect the operation (behavior) of the power control ECU 140 in the simulated short-circuit state.

[0027] Furthermore, to simulate a situation where an abnormality occurs in which the connection line between the power control ECU 140 and the simulated load 211 is short-circuited (overhead fault) with the power level, the electronic load 220 should be controlled to an operating state that supplies the voltage of that power level.

[0028] (3) Power system failure simulation state - 1 Figure 4 shows the connection status of switches SW11, SW12, SWa, SWb, and SWc in the simulation circuit 230 when simulating a situation in which the auxiliary battery 130 fails and the power supply from the auxiliary battery 130 to the power control ECU 140 is lost.

[0029] In this simulated power system failure state-1, switches SW12, SWb, and SWc in the simulated circuit 230 are controlled to the off state, and switches SW11 and SWa are controlled to the conduction state. This control ensures that all power output from the auxiliary battery 130 is absorbed by the electronic load 220, and the only power source from the power control ECU 140 to the simulated load 211 is the DC-DC converter 120. This allows the inspection unit 240 to safely and automatically inspect the operation (behavior) of the power control ECU 140 in a simulated power system failure state caused by the auxiliary battery 130.

[0030] (4) Power system failure simulation state - 2 Figure 5 shows the connection status of switches SW11, SW12, SWa, SWb, and SWc in the simulated circuit 230 when simulating a situation in which the DC-DC converter 120 fails and the power supply from the DC-DC converter 120 to the power control ECU 140 is lost.

[0031] In this simulated power system failure state-2, switches SW12, SWa, and SWc in the simulated circuit 230 are controlled to the off state, and switches SW11 and SWb are controlled to the conduction state. This control ensures that all the power output from the DC-DC converter 120 is absorbed by the electronic load 220, and the only power source from the power control ECU 140 to the simulated load 211 is the auxiliary battery 130. This allows the inspection unit 240 to safely and automatically inspect the operation (behavior) of the power control ECU 140 in a simulated power system failure state caused by the DC-DC converter 120.

[0032] Furthermore, to simulate a situation where the auxiliary battery 130 and the DC-DC converter 120 fail simultaneously, switches SW12 and SWc in the simulation circuit 230 should be controlled to the off state, and switches SW11, SWa, and SWb should be controlled to the conduction state.

[0033] <Effects and Actions> As described above, according to the automatic inspection device 200 of one embodiment of the present disclosure, the connection state of each switch in the simulated circuit 230 is appropriately controlled to simulate open-circuit and short-circuit conditions of the on-board load, as well as failure conditions of the power supply system (auxiliary battery 130, DC-DC converter 120). This makes it possible to safely and automatically inspect the operation (behavior) of the power control ECU 140 in the case of open-circuit conditions of the on-board load, short-circuit conditions of the on-board load, and failure conditions of the power supply system.

[0034] Furthermore, according to the automatic inspection device 200 according to one embodiment of the present disclosure, by preparing multiple simulated loads 211, 212, and 213 corresponding to multiple on-board loads connected to the power control ECU 140, and by preparing input patterns of vehicle conditions and expected output patterns in advance, a vast number of inspections can be performed automatically without changing the connections of the simulated loads 211, 212, and 213 for each inspection.

[0035] Furthermore, according to the automatic inspection device 200 of one embodiment of the present disclosure, by changing the operating pattern of the electronic load 220, it is possible to confirm not only the simple normal / abnormal switching of the simulated loads 211, 212, and 213 by the simulated circuit 230, but also the transient state change from a normal state to an abnormal state.

[0036] Although one embodiment of the present disclosure has been described above, the present disclosure can be interpreted not only as the automated inspection device described above, but also as a method executed by an automated inspection device equipped with a processor and memory, a program for that method, a computer-readable non-temporary recording medium storing that program, or a vehicle equipped with the automated inspection device. [Industrial applicability]

[0037] The automated inspection device described herein can be used, for example, when it is desired to automatically inspect a power control ECU installed in a vehicle. [Explanation of symbols]

[0038] 110 High-voltage battery 120 DC-DC converters 130 Auxiliary Battery 140 Power Control ECU 200 Automatic Inspection Devices 211~213 Simulated load 220 electronic load 230 Simulated circuit 240 Inspection Department

Claims

1. An automated inspection device that automatically performs inspections of the power control ECU, A simulated load that simulates the controlled object, The power control ECU and an electronic load that consumes power supplied from a power system connected to the power control ECU in a manner that allows power to be supplied to the power control ECU, A simulated circuit is inserted between the power control ECU, the simulated load, the power supply system, and the electronic load. The system includes an inspection unit that inspects the operation of the power control ECU in each simulated state set by the simulated circuit, The aforementioned simulated circuit is By disconnecting the connection between the power supply system and the electronic load, the connection between the power control ECU and the electronic load, and the connection between the power control ECU and the simulated load, the disconnection state of the simulated load is simulated. By disconnecting the connection between the power supply system and the electronic load, and the connection between the power control ECU and the simulated load, and by restoring the connection between the power control ECU and the electronic load, a short-circuit state of the simulated load is simulated. The power supply control ECU and the simulated load are connected, and the power supply system and the electronic load are connected, and the power supply control ECU and the electronic load are disconnected, thereby simulating a failure state in the power supply system. Automatic inspection device.

2. There are multiple simulated loads as described above. The simulation circuit individually switches the connection state between the power control ECU and each of the plurality of simulated loads based on a pattern corresponding to a desired test state. The automatic inspection apparatus according to claim 1.

3. The simulated circuit simulates transient state changes leading to a short circuit in the simulated load and a failure in the power supply system by gradually increasing the amount of power consumed by the electronic load. The automatic inspection apparatus according to claim 1 or 2.

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