Eletrical circuit desing system and method

Abstract

According to one embodiment of the present invention, a method for creating an electrical circuit diagram of a circuit design system may include the operation of selecting functional unit modules to be provided in the electrical circuit diagram, the operation of inserting the selected modules into a bill of material (BOM) of the electrical circuit diagram and assigning part numbers, the operation of placing each component of the modules inserted into the BOM at a location according to each functional attribute, and the operation of configuring the electrical circuit diagram based on the placement.

Description

Technology Field

[0001] The following embodiments relate to a system and method for designing an electrical circuit, and specifically to a system and method for designing an electrical circuit based on a module unit. Background Technology

[0003] To produce electrical devices for industrial sites, automated machinery, electric construction equipment, etc., it is essential to create electrical circuit diagrams that illustrate the connections between components.

[0004] The creation of electrical circuit diagrams was performed manually, and related information, such as the characteristics of the drawn components or wires, also had to be entered manually one by one, which was considerably cumbersome.

[0005] In addition, for circuits used identically across multiple products or multiple circuits used within a single product, each circuit had to be redrawn. Consequently, if a circuit that should have been drawn identically differed or required modification, all changes had to be reflected in every circuit, resulting in the inconvenience of repeating the same work. The problem to be solved

[0007] To resolve the aforementioned problems, we propose an electrical circuit design system and method that combines functional unit modules to form an electrical circuit diagram and enables changes in the modules to be immediately reflected in the electrical circuit diagram. means of solving the problem

[0009] According to one embodiment of the present invention, a method for creating an electrical circuit diagram of a circuit design system may include the operation of selecting functional unit modules to be provided in the electrical circuit diagram, the operation of inserting the selected modules into a bill of material (BOM) of the electrical circuit diagram and assigning part numbers, the operation of placing each component of the modules inserted into the BOM at a location according to each functional attribute, and the operation of configuring the electrical circuit diagram based on the placement.

[0010] In addition, the operation of configuring the electrical circuit diagram may include the operation of entering a circuit number corresponding to the specifics of each component of the module inserted in the BOM.

[0011] In addition, the above method may further include the operation of designing the electrical circuit diagram of the above functional unit module.

[0012] In addition, the operation of designing the electrical circuit diagram of the above-mentioned functional unit module may include the operation of selecting components to be used in the above-mentioned functional unit module, the operation of selecting fuses, controllers and / or communication lines to be used in the module, the operation of selecting illuminations, ACCs and / or jump boxes to be used in the module, the operation of selecting grounds to be used in the module, and the operation of generating wires for connecting components in the module.

[0013] Additionally, the operation of designing the electrical circuit diagram of the above-mentioned functional unit module may further include the operation of generating a component symbol with attributes assigned to each pin for the selected component, the operation of placing the component symbol on the electrical circuit diagram of the above-mentioned functional unit module, the operation of connecting a wire to the pin of the component symbol, and the operation of assigning attributes to the wire based on the attributes assigned to the pin.

[0014] Additionally, the operation of connecting a wire to a pin of the component symbol may include the operation of obtaining pins requiring a fuse connection based on attributes added to each pin of the component symbol placed in the electrical circuit diagram, the operation of listing fuses selected for use in the module, the operation of selecting one of the pins requiring a fuse connection, the operation of selecting one of the listed fuses based on attributes assigned to the selected pin, and the operation of connecting the selected pin and the selected fuse on the electrical circuit diagram.

[0015] Additionally, the operation of connecting a wire to a pin of the component symbol may include the operation of obtaining pins requiring relay connection based on attributes added to each pin of the component symbol placed in the electrical circuit diagram, the operation of listing relays selected for use in the module, the operation of selecting one of the pins requiring relay connection, the operation of selecting one of the listed relays based on attributes assigned to the selected pin, and the operation of connecting the selected pin and the selected fuse with a wire on the electrical circuit diagram.

[0016] Additionally, the operation of connecting a line to a pin of the component symbol may include the operation of obtaining pins to be connected to the input / output pins of the controller based on attributes added to each pin of the component symbol placed in the electrical circuit diagram, the operation of listing the input / output pins of the controller, the operation of selecting one of the pins to be connected to the input / output pins of the controller based on attributes assigned to the selected pin, and the operation of connecting the selected pin and the selected input / output pin of the controller with a line on the electrical circuit diagram.

[0017] In addition, the operation of connecting with a line on the above electrical circuit diagram may include the operation of assigning an attribute to the wire based on the attribute assigned to the selected pin.

[0018] In addition, the operation of assigning attributes to the wire based on the attributes assigned to the pin may include the operation of setting attributes for the thickness of the line based on the load current attribute value assigned to the pin.

[0019] Additionally, the operation of assigning attributes to the line based on the attributes assigned to the pin may include the operation of setting the color attribute of the line based on the attribute value assigned to the pin.

[0020] According to another embodiment of the present invention, a circuit design system for creating an electrical circuit diagram includes a computer or server on which a circuit design tool program capable of creating an electrical circuit diagram is operated. The circuit design tool program operated on the computer or server selects functional unit modules to be provided in the electrical circuit diagram, inserts the selected modules into a Bill of Materials (BOM) of the electrical circuit diagram and assigns part numbers, places each component of the modules inserted into the BOM in a location according to each functional attribute, and can construct the electrical circuit diagram based on the arrangement.

[0021] In addition, the circuit design tool program can enter a circuit number corresponding to the specifics of the parts for each component of the module inserted in the BOM when configuring the electrical circuit diagram based on the above layout.

[0022] The circuit design tool program described above includes a module designer tool for designing an electrical circuit diagram of the functional unit module, and the module designer tool may include a first area for entering the name and number of the module, a second area for selecting components to be used in the module, a third area for selecting fuses, controllers and / or communication lines to be used in the module, a fourth area for selecting illuminations, ACCs and / or jump boxes to be used in the module, a fifth area for selecting ground to be used in the module, a sixth area for creating or deleting wires for connecting components in the module, and a seventh area for displaying information about the wires to be used in the module.

[0023] Additionally, the circuit design tool program includes a fuse distribution tool, which is a graphical user interface for distributing fuses selected in the third area corresponding to pins requiring fuse connection based on attributes assigned to each pin of a component selected in the second area, and the fuse distribution tool may include a 2-1 area listing fuses selected in the third area, a 2-2 area acquiring and displaying pins requiring fuse connection based on attributes added to each pin of a component selected in the second area, and a 2-3 area for selecting and displaying one of the pins displayed in the 2-2 area, matching and displaying one of the fuses listed in the 2-1 area, and distributing.

[0024] Additionally, the circuit design tool program further includes a controller input / output distribution tool, and the controller input / output distribution tool may include a 3-1 area indicating input / output pins provided in a controller selected in the 2nd area, a 3-2 area indicating pins of a component to which the controller's input / output pins must be connected based on the attributes of the component selected in the 2nd area, a 3-3 area indicating pins of a component to which the controller's input / output pins are already connected, and a 3-4 area indicating pins of a component selected to be connected to the controller's input / output pins.

[0025] In addition, the circuit design tool program can set the attribute for the thickness of the wire based on the load current attribute value assigned to the pin.

[0026] In addition, the circuit design tool program can set the color attribute of the wire based on the attribute value assigned to the pin. Effects of the invention

[0028] According to one embodiment of the present invention, an electrical circuit diagram can be generated without the need to draw it manually, based on configuring modules, which are separation units of minimum independent functions, into a BOM.

[0029] In addition, in the event of a change or replacement of a module, modifying the module itself rather than the electrical circuit diagram enables module management by function, allows verification of the usage history of the same module, and facilitates easy verification of design history. Brief explanation of the drawing

[0031] Figure 1 is a diagram illustrating a method for designing an electrical circuit diagram based on a module unit. FIG. 2 is a drawing illustrating a module designer tool for designing modules, and Figure 3 is a diagram illustrating a method for designing a module. This is a drawing illustrating the design method for an electrical circuit. FIG. 4 is a drawing illustrating an example of a symbol of a part according to one embodiment. FIG. 5 is a drawing illustrating an example of a part generation tool for generating a symbol of a part to which an attribute value is assigned. Figure 6 is a diagram illustrating an example in which attributes are reflected in a wire by connecting pins. FIG. 7 is a drawing illustrating a fuse distribution tool according to one embodiment. FIG. 8 is a drawing illustrating a controller input / output distribution tool according to one embodiment. FIG. 9 is a drawing illustrating examples of fuses, communication lines, illumination, ACC, and ground symbols. Figure 10 is a diagram illustrating the hierarchical structure of a BOM for a module. Figure 11 is a drawing illustrating an example in which sheet information is added to a BOM for a module. Specific details for implementing the invention

[0032] Specific structural or functional descriptions regarding embodiments according to the concept of the present invention disclosed herein are provided merely for the purpose of explaining embodiments according to the concept of the present invention, and embodiments according to the concept of the present invention may be implemented in various forms and are not limited to the embodiments described herein.

[0033] Embodiments according to the concept of the present invention may be subject to various modifications and may take various forms; therefore, embodiments are illustrated in the drawings and described in detail in this specification. However, this is not intended to limit the embodiments according to the concept of the present invention to specific disclosed forms, and includes all modifications, equivalents, or substitutions that fall within the spirit and scope of the present invention.

[0034] Terms such as "first" or "second" may be used to describe various components, but said components should not be limited by said terms. For the sole purpose of distinguishing one component from another, for example, without departing from the scope of rights according to the concept of the present invention, the first component may be named the second component, and similarly, the second component may be named the first component.

[0035] When it is stated that one component is "connected" or "connected" to another component, it should be understood that while it may be directly connected or connected to that other component, there may also be other components in between. Conversely, when it is stated that one component is "directly connected" or "directly connected" to another component, it should be understood that there are no other components in between. Other expressions describing the relationship between components, such as "between" and "exactly between," or "adjacent to" and "directly adjacent to," should be interpreted in the same way.

[0036] The terms used in this specification are used merely to describe specific embodiments and are not intended to limit the invention. The singular expression includes the plural expression unless the context clearly indicates otherwise.

[0037] In this specification, terms such as “comprising” or “having” are intended to specify the existence of the described features, numbers, steps, actions, components, parts, or combinations thereof, and should not be understood as precluding the existence or addition of one or more other features, numbers, steps, actions, components, parts, or combinations thereof.

[0038] Unless otherwise defined, all terms used herein, including technical or scientific terms, have the same meaning as generally understood by those skilled in the art to which this invention pertains.

[0039] Terms such as those defined in commonly used dictionaries should be interpreted as having meanings consistent with their meanings in the context of the relevant technology, and should not be interpreted in an ideal or overly formal sense unless explicitly defined in this specification.

[0040] In the following description, identical identifiers denote identical configurations, and unnecessary redundant explanations and descriptions of known technologies will be omitted.

[0041] Hereinafter, the present invention will be described in detail by explaining preferred embodiments of the present invention with reference to the attached drawings.

[0042] Electrical circuit diagrams can be created by a circuit design system.

[0043] A circuit design system may be a general computer or server running a circuit design tool program capable of creating electrical circuit diagrams. Therefore, the method described below may be executed on a general computer or server by a circuit design tool program designed according to the method proposed in the present invention.

[0044] Figure 1 is a diagram illustrating a method for designing an electrical circuit diagram based on a module unit.

[0045] Referring to FIG. 1, a method for designing an electrical circuit diagram based on a module unit may include designing an electrical circuit diagram of a functional unit module (S10), selecting a module to be used in the electrical circuit diagram from among the designed modules (S20), inserting the selected module into a BOM (bill of material) and assigning a part number (S30), configuring the electrical circuit diagram by placing the module configured in the BOM at a location according to each functional attribute in a circuit design system (S40), and automatically entering a circuit number that matches the characteristics of the part (S50).

[0046] The circuit design system can form an electrical circuit diagram by combining functional unit modules based on the method shown in Fig. 1, and allow changes in the modules to be immediately reflected in the electrical circuit diagram. As a result, it is easy to respond when changes or replacements of modules occur in the electrical circuit diagram, and it is also easy to manage modules for each function.

[0047] Figure 2 is a drawing illustrating a module designer tool for designing a module, and Figure 3 is a drawing illustrating a method for designing a module.

[0048] Referring to FIG. 2, a circuit design system can design a module using the module designer tool shown in FIG. 2. According to one embodiment, the circuit design system can list the components to be used in the current module through the module designer tool and configure the module circuit according to the method shown in FIG. 3. The circuit design system can use the module design tool to rename the information between connected components to indicate that they are one element in the module and assign an ID.

[0049] Referring to FIG. 2, the circuit design system can create and store modules based on the name and number of the module entered by the user in the area (210) of the module design tool. According to one embodiment, the module number may be automatically set according to the function of the module that the circuit design system intends to create.

[0050] The circuit design system can load components to be used in a module based on information entered by the user in the area (220) of the module design tool. According to one embodiment, the user may specify the attributes or symbols of the components to be loaded in the area (220), and the circuit design system may display components corresponding to the attributes or symbols and load the components selected by the user from among them. According to one embodiment, when the user selects a new component other than a previously created component, the circuit design system may create a new component using a component creation tool (300) according to the operation S110 of FIG. 3.

[0051] According to one embodiment, the circuit design system can insert a fuse, a controller, and / or a communication line (CAN) into the module based on information entered by the user in the area (240) of the module design tool.

[0052] According to one embodiment, the circuit design system can insert illumination (ILL), ACC and / or jump box into the module based on information entered by the user in the area (250) of the module design tool.

[0053] According to one embodiment, the circuit design system can insert ground into the module based on information entered by the user in the area (250) of the module design tool. The ground can be distinguished into a load ground and a controller ground.

[0054] According to one embodiment, the circuit design system may generate a table for a module circuit based on a user clicking a button provided in the area (280) of the module design tool. According to one embodiment, the table for the module circuit may include all components included in the module as well as connection information between components assigned IDs.

[0055] According to one embodiment, the circuit design system can change the name of a component based on the user clicking a button provided in the area (285) of the module design tool.

[0056] The circuit design system can create or delete wires connecting pins of components included in the module based on the user clicking a button provided in the area (230) of the module design tool. According to one embodiment, the circuit design system may use the fuse distribution tool (500) shown in FIG. 7 or the controller input / output distribution tool (600) shown in FIG. 8 to create wires. According to one embodiment, the circuit design system may display information about the wires in the area (270) of the module design tool.

[0057] Referring to FIG. 3, in operation S100, the circuit design system can generate symbols for components necessary to configure a module. According to one embodiment, the component symbols can be generated directly by the user using the circuit design system. According to another embodiment, the manufacturer may have pre-generated symbols for the components they can provide and created a library, and the circuit design system can generate component symbols by finding and retrieving the necessary component symbols from the library. According to one embodiment, attributes regarding the electrical characteristics of each component may be assigned to each component symbol.

[0058] FIG. 4 is a drawing illustrating an example of a symbol of a part according to one embodiment.

[0059] Referring to FIG. 4, the symbol of a component shown in the electrical circuit diagram may be a rectangular shape with pins protruding from it. As shown in FIG. 4, each pin may be indicated with a pin number and a pin name that can describe the pin.

[0060] FIG. 4 illustrates an example of a symbol representing a part, and according to other embodiments, it may be a circular shape rather than a rectangular shape, or may have other geometric shapes. According to one embodiment, the symbol of the part may have the same shape as the top view that appears when the part is viewed from above.

[0061] FIG. 5 is a drawing illustrating an example of a part generation tool for generating a symbol of a part to which an attribute value is assigned.

[0062] The component creation tool (300) illustrated in FIG. 5 may be, for example, a graphic user interface (GUI) tool included in a circuit design system, but according to another embodiment, it may also be implemented in the format of an Excel file.

[0063] Referring to FIG. 5, the component creation tool (300) may include a component name selection unit (310) for inserting and selecting the name of a component to which attributes are to be assigned, a pin position creation unit (320) for defining the symbol-based creation positions of the pins to be provided, a general pin creation unit (330) for defining general pins, a designated pin creation unit (340) for defining designated pins, a pin editor (350) for assigning attributes to pins, and a component creation unit (310) for creating a component after inputting the drawing name of the component that is displayed when placed on a circuit diagram. According to one embodiment, it may additionally include an Excel form creation unit (370) for creating an Excel form corresponding to the component creation tool (300).

[0064] The part name selection section (310) may include an area for entering a part name and a selection tab. The part name may be distinguishable from the part name of another part. For example, the part name may be defined to include information that allows one to recognize what kind of part it is and what characteristics it has from the name of the part, such as "VDK14W EPOS 10I_47," but is not necessarily limited thereto. When the selection tab is pressed, a search is performed to see if there is a part with the corresponding part name in the database; if not, it indicates that there is no duplicate name, and according to one embodiment, if there is a part with the corresponding part name, a popup window asking whether to retrieve the information may be displayed. If the retrieval is approved, the information stored in the database may be retrieved and displayed in each area of ​​the part creation tool (300).

[0065] The pin position generation unit (320) may be a part that obtains user input to determine whether to place the pins of the component on the left / right side of the symbol, or on the top / bottom side, or on all top / bottom / left / right sides.

[0066] The general pin generation unit (330) may be a part for defining general pins to be connected to the outside that the component is equipped with. According to one embodiment, the general pin generation unit (330) may include an area for entering a pin number (connector No.), an area for entering the number of pins (Total Pin), and a "Generate" tab. Here, the number of pins indicates the number of general pins to be generated, and the pin number may define the number of the general pins to be generated. For example, if you want to generate 6 pins and want to generate pin numbers from 1 to 6, you can enter 6 in the area for entering the number of pins and enter "1-" in the area for entering the pin numbers and click the "Generate" tab. Then, 6 general pins having pin numbers from 1 to 6 can be generated. As another example, if the number of general pins to be created is 4 and the pin numbers are 1, 2, 3, and 6, you can enter 4 in the pin number input area and enter "1-3,6" in the pin number input area and click the "Create" tab. Then, 4 general pins with pin numbers 1, 2, 3, and 6 can be created. This input method is one embodiment and is not limited thereto.

[0067] The designated pin generation unit (340) can be used to generate a pin with a pre-specified name. The designated pin generation unit (340) may include an area for entering the name of the designated pin and a "Generate" tab. The designated pin may be a pin to which a + power supply must be connected, such as pin 1 shown in FIG. 3, or a pin to which a - power supply must be connected, such as pin 3. According to one embodiment, the name and number may be combined and set for the designated pin in the component generation tool (300). For example, in the component generation tool (300), the pin to be connected to the + power supply may have the pin number 1 and the name set as "+", and the pin to be connected to the - power supply or ground may have the last pin number among the pin numbers assigned and the name set as "-". Accordingly, the pin can be generated by entering the pre-set name in the area for entering the name of the designated pin generation unit (340) and clicking the "Generate" tab.

[0068] The pin editor (350) can assign attributes to the pin.

[0069] According to one embodiment, the pin editor (350) can set information related to the connector to be connected or information related to the harness connector to be connected for each pin. Herein, the information related to the connector may include, but is not limited to, information about the manufacturer of the connector, the part number of the connector, the pin number, and the location of the pin.

[0070] Additionally, the pin editor (350) can set the current capacity and current consumption for each pin.

[0071] In addition, the pin editor (350) can set unique characteristics for each pin in the property area.

[0072] Additionally, the pin editor (350) is equipped with a “Load” tab and a “Paste” tab so that existing pin-related attributes can be loaded or pasted.

[0073] The component creation unit (310) can create a final component symbol by entering a drawing name that is displayed when provided in a circuit diagram after all attributes have been entered into the component symbol and clicking the "Create" tab. Here, the drawing name entered in the component creation unit (310) may be an arbitrary name, but it may be more concise than the name entered in the component name selection unit (310), and may also be a name that allows the user to intuitively understand the function performed by the component. For example, the drawing name entered in the component creation unit (310) corresponding to the name "VDK14W EPOS 10I_47" entered in the component name selection unit (310) may be "EPOS 10i". According to one embodiment, various drawing names may be set and stored for the same name in the component name selection unit (310).

[0074] According to one embodiment, the part creation tool (300) can create an Excel form in which the symbol of the part can be set and attributes assigned in the Excel form creation unit (370). The user inputs the above-described content according to the Excel form, and the part creation tool (300) reads the corresponding Excel file or another tool reads the Excel file to create the corresponding part and store it in a database or memory.

[0075] Referring again to FIG. 3, in operation S110, the circuit design system places the component symbols called to be included in the module in accordance with the user's input instructions on the electrical circuit diagram and can connect lines to each pin set in the symbol. Then, the attributes assigned to each pin can be automatically set as the attributes of the line connected to the pin, i.e., the wire.

[0076] Figure 6 is a diagram illustrating an example in which attributes are reflected in a wire by connecting pins.

[0077] Referring to FIG. 6, a first component (410) with the drawing name "Urea Tank" and a second component (420) with the drawing name "DL06S5_E~" are placed in the circuit diagram, and the user can connect pin 3 of the first component (410) and pin 5 of the second component (420). Then, the attributes set on pin 3 of the first component (410) and pin 5 of the second component (420) can be reflected in the wire (430). Accordingly, the rated current of the wire (430) can be automatically set to 1214A. Referring to FIG. 5, the wire (430) automatically has an attribute marked "0.5R", which will be explained later.

[0078] According to one embodiment, the pin connection may be performed in the electrical circuit diagram as described above, but according to another embodiment, it may be performed by clicking the line creation button in the area (230) of the module design tool of FIG. 2.

[0079] Referring again to FIG. 3, in operation S120, the user can distribute fuses to pins that need to be connected to fuses using a fuse distribution tool provided in the circuit design system.

[0080] FIG. 7 is a drawing illustrating a fuse distribution tool according to one embodiment.

[0081] Referring to FIG. 7, the fuse distribution tool may be a graphical user interface capable of distributing fuses to pins that require connection to fuses. The fuse distribution tool (500) may include a first area (510) listing fuses brought in for use in a module, a second area (520) that obtains and displays pins that require fuse connection based on component symbols or attributes added to each pin of the component symbols shown in the electrical circuit diagram, and a third area (530) that matches and distributes pins to fuses.

[0082] Referring to one embodiment of FIG. 7, the second area (520) may show pins that are to be connected to a fuse based on attributes of component symbols designed in an electrical circuit diagram. According to one embodiment, the second area (520) may indicate a component name (MODULE), a component drawing name (NAME), a pin number (PIN), a fuse type to be connected (TYPE), and a rated current (RC) based on the attributes of the component. Here, the fuse type to be connected (TYPE) may include B+ or KeyOn, where B+ indicates a type in which the fuse is connected to a battery and power is always supplied, and KeyOn indicates a type in which power is not always supplied but is supplied when the engine of a vehicle or construction machine is turned on.

[0083] When a user selects one of the pins shown in the second area (520), the attributes of the selected pin may be displayed in the third area (530). Then, the user may select one of the fuses shown in the first area (510). Then, information related to that fuse may be displayed in the third area (530). Then, by clicking the "Distribute" tab, the selected fuse may be distributed to the selected pin. Then, the drawing name of the part symbol containing the selected pin may be displayed in the "Load" of the selected fuse in the first area (5100).

[0084] According to another embodiment, if a user selects one of the pins shown in the second area (520), the attributes of the selected pin may be displayed in the third area (530). Then, the fuse distribution tool (500) may select a fuse that can be matched based on the attributes of the selected pin and display it in the first area (510), and display information related to the selected fuse in the third area (530). If the user decides to use the fuse selected by the fuse distribution tool (500), the user may click the "Distribute" tab to distribute the fuse selected by the fuse distribution tool (500) to the selected pin. Then, the drawing name of the part symbol containing the selected pin may be displayed in the "Load" of the selected fuse in the first area (5100). If the user decides not to use the fuse selected by the fuse distribution tool (500), the user may directly select one of the fuses displayed in the first area (510). Then, information related to the fuse may be displayed in the third area (530). Then, when the "Distribute" tab is clicked, the selected fuse can be distributed to the selected pin. Then, the drawing name of the part symbol containing the selected pin can be displayed in the "Load" of the selected fuse in the first area (5100).

[0085] Based on the distribution described above, the circuit design system can automatically draw a line connecting the selected fuse and the selected pin, and attributes based on the attributes assigned to the selected pin can be added to the line.

[0086] As described above, when using the fuse distribution tool (500), the fuse distribution tool (500) included in the circuit design system automatically retrieves and distributes fuses suitable for use in the electrical circuit being designed and pins requiring fuse connections within the electrical circuit diagram, thereby making it much easier to create an electrical circuit diagram for a module than the conventional method of finding pins one by one and connecting wires.

[0087] In one embodiment of FIG. 7, only the distribution for fuses is shown, but for relays and IPS, the tool can be used in the same way to distribute corresponding relays and IPS to pins that require connection with the relay or IPS.

[0088] Referring again to FIG. 3, in operation S130, the circuit design system can use a controller input / output distribution tool to distribute the controller's input / output pins to pins that require connection with the controller's input / output pins based on user input.

[0089] FIG. 8 is a drawing illustrating a controller input / output distribution tool according to one embodiment.

[0090] Referring to FIG. 8, the controller input / output distribution tool (600) may include a first area (610) for displaying input / output pins provided in a controller symbol placed in an electrical circuit diagram or called for use in a module, a second area (620) for displaying pins of a component to which the controller's input / output pins are to be connected based on the attributes of a component symbol placed in the electrical circuit diagram, a third area (630) for displaying pins of a component to which the controller's input / output pins are already connected, and a fourth area (640) for displaying pins of a component selected to be connected to the controller's input / output pins.

[0091] Referring to one embodiment of FIG. 8, the second area (620) may indicate a pin that must be connected to an input / output pin of the controller based on the attributes of component symbols designed in an electrical circuit diagram. According to one embodiment, the second area (620) may indicate a component name (MODULE), a component drawing name (NAME), a pin number (PIN), and a type (TYPE) based on the attributes of the component. The type may include DOH indicating that it is an output pin, DIH and DIL indicating that it is an input pin, and 5V GND indicating that it must be connected to 5V ground.

[0092] When a user selects one of the pins shown in the second area (620), the type of the selected pin may be displayed in the fourth area (640). The user may then select a controller to be connected to the corresponding pin and write it in the EPOS Type area of ​​the fourth area (640). Here, the selectable controller may be only a component having the attribute of a controller selected by the user in FIG. 2 for use in the module. When the user selects the connected controller, the input / output pins of the corresponding controller may be displayed in the first area (610). Then, when the user selects one of the pins displayed in the first area (610) and clicks the "Distribute" tab in the fourth area (640), the pins of the controller and the pins of the component may be automatically connected by a line by the circuit design system. At this time, the line connecting the pins of the controller and the pins of the component may be assigned an attribute based on the attribute assigned to the two connected pins.

[0093] According to another embodiment, if a user selects at least one of the pins shown in the second area (620) and selects a controller to be used by writing it in the EPOS Type area of ​​the third area (640), the controller input / output distribution tool (600) can select and connect the pins of the selected controller to be connected to each of the at least one pin selected in the second area (620) based on the attributes of each pin. That is, the controller input / output distribution tool (600) can automatically connect the input / output pins of the controller and the pins of the component while minimizing user intervention.

[0094] As described above, when using the controller input / output distribution tool (600), the input / output pins of the controller and components within the electrical circuit diagram created by the controller input / output distribution tool (600) included in the circuit design system are automatically brought in and connected, thereby making it much easier to create the electrical circuit diagram than the conventional method of finding pins one by one and connecting wires.

[0095] Referring again to Fig. 3, when the distribution of fuses is completed in operation S120 and the connection of controller pins is completed in operation S130, the circuit design system can automatically generate an electrical circuit diagram.

[0096] According to one embodiment, the circuit design system can automatically set the thickness (e.g., 0.5) of the connecting wire as shown in FIG. 6 based on the load current attribute value assigned to each pin.

[0097] According to one embodiment, the circuit design system may define and use the wire color (e.g., R (Red) or Br (Brown) of the connected wires based on the assigned attribute values ​​(sensor, power, output) as shown in FIG. 6.

[0098] According to one embodiment, the circuit design system may indicate the fuse and communication line (CAN) inserted into the module in FIG. 2 using a predetermined symbol in the circuit design diagram. At this time, a mark may be displayed on each symbol to facilitate finding the connection circuit of each component or to easily locate its position. For example, in the case of a fuse, when multiple fuses are provided in a fuse box, each fuse may be indicated by a combination of a horizontal number and a vertical number where it is located within the fuse box. The first letter may be F to indicate the fuse. For example, as shown in FIG. 9 in the circuit diagram, the fuse (910) may be indicated as "F043A". Here, F indicates the fuse, 043 indicates the horizontal number, and A indicates the vertical number.

[0099] In the case of a communication line, it can be distinguished from other communication lines by indicating the first letter of communication, C, and the order of communication connection and wire in the circuit. For example, as shown in FIG. 9 in the circuit diagram, a communication line (920) can be indicated as "C13A". Here, C indicates that it is a communication line, 13 indicates the order of communication connection, and A indicates the order of wire.

[0100] According to one embodiment, the circuit design system may configure the illumination (ILL) (930), ACC (940), and ground (950) inserted into the module in FIG. 2 to be represented only by symbols as shown in FIG. 9. When these symbols are connected to a line, it is easy to identify exactly where the line is connected.

[0101] According to one embodiment, the electrical circuit diagram of the module may include other modules that have already been designed and stored.

[0102] While performing the above-described operation, the circuit design system can automatically generate an electrical circuit diagram of the module.

[0103] If an electrical circuit diagram for each module is created based on a component symbol containing attributes in the manner described above, it may be possible to distribute the requirements specification using only the attribute values ​​of the drawings included in the electrical circuit diagram, reliability target specifications, and operational function standards when creating the product specification.

[0104] The aforementioned functional unit module design can be performed for products from multiple companies capable of performing the same function. For example, even if power modules are constructed using identical components, electrical characteristics may differ if the rated power provided by each module varies, even if the components used are of the same type. Alternatively, when creating electrical circuit diagrams for power modules providing the same rated power, the components used and the capacities of resistors, inductors, and capacitors may differ depending on the company. Therefore, multiple distinct electrical circuit diagrams may be created for modules capable of performing the same function. In other words, multiple modules with different electrical characteristics for the same function may be designed and stored in a repository.

[0105] Referring again to FIG. 1, in operation S20, the circuit design system can select a module to be used in the electrical circuit diagram from among the designed modules. As described above, multiple modules may be designed for the same function according to electrical characteristics or primary components and stored in a storage.

[0106] According to one embodiment, the circuit design system may request the user to input options for a desired circuit design. The circuit design system may then display available modules on the screen based on the options, and the user may select one of the modules displayed on the screen. For example, the user may input power or a controller as an option input. The circuit design system may then display a module capable of providing power or a controller module on the screen. Each displayed module may have different electrical characteristics. The user may select a power module from the displayed power modules based on the amount of power it can provide. Additionally, the user may select a controller module suitable for the desired circuit design from the displayed controller modules based on the number of input and output pins or processing power, etc.

[0107] In operation S30, the circuit design system can insert the selected module into the BOM and then assign a part number (1010). The BOM may be a list disclosing the parts included in the circuit. According to one embodiment, the BOM may disclose the parts in a hierarchical structure. Thus, the module inserted into the BOM by the circuit design system may be displayed as a list in a hierarchical structure as shown in FIG. 10, and the part number (1010) assigned to the module may be displayed at the top of the hierarchical structure, and the parts and modules included in the module may be displayed at the bottom of the hierarchical structure.

[0108] In operation S40, the circuit design system can construct an electrical circuit diagram by placing the modules configured in the BOM at locations according to each functional attribute. For example, based on user instructions, the circuit design system can generate sheets (1110, 1120, 1130) corresponding to each sheet of the electrical circuit diagram under the part number (1010) as shown in FIG. 11, and place the parts according to function under the corresponding sheets.

[0109] In operation S50, the circuit design system can automatically configure each sheet of the electrical circuit diagram based on the layout configuration in operation S40. At this time, the circuit design system can automatically input circuit numbers by configuring them according to the characteristics of each component. The circuit numbers generated at this time may be unique numbers that do not exist identically throughout the entire electrical circuit diagram.

[0110] As described above, when configuring an electrical circuit diagram based on modules, if a part of the modules included in the electrical circuit diagram is changed, the change in the corresponding module can be reflected in the generated electrical circuit diagram. For example, if a controller chip included in a controller module is upgraded and the previously used chip is no longer produced and a change to the upgraded chip is desired, the change can be immediately reflected in the electrical circuit diagram by changing the controller chip in the corresponding controller module.

[0111] Furthermore, when creating electrical circuit diagrams for designing new devices or construction machinery, it may be unnecessary to draw new circuit diagrams from scratch by utilizing existing models in the library. Alternatively, electrical circuit diagrams for new devices or construction machinery can be designed simply and easily by deleting unused parts from the BOM of existing devices and adding newly used parts.

[0112] In the foregoing, although all components constituting the embodiments of the present invention have been described as being combined or operating together, the present invention is not necessarily limited to such embodiments. That is, within the scope of the purpose of the present invention, all components may at least selectively combine and operate.

[0113] In addition, while all such components may each be implemented as a single independent piece of hardware, some or all of the components may be optionally combined to be implemented as a computer program having a program module that performs some or all of the combined functions on one or more pieces of hardware. The codes and code segments constituting the computer program will be readily deducible by those skilled in the art of the present invention.

[0114] Furthermore, terms such as "include," "constitute," or "have" as described above, unless specifically stated otherwise, imply that the relevant component may be inherent; therefore, they should be interpreted as allowing for the inclusion of additional components rather than excluding them.

[0115] All terms, including technical or scientific terms, have the same meaning as generally understood by those skilled in the art to which this invention pertains, unless otherwise defined. Commonly used terms, such as those defined in advance, should be interpreted as consistent with their meaning in the context of the relevant technology and should not be interpreted in an ideal or overly formal sense unless explicitly defined in this invention.

[0116] The above description is merely an illustrative explanation of the technical concept of the present invention, and those skilled in the art to which the present invention pertains will be able to make various modifications and variations within the scope of the essential characteristics of the present invention.

[0117] Accordingly, the embodiments disclosed in this invention are intended to illustrate, not limit, the technical concept of the invention, and the scope of the technical concept of the invention is not limited by these embodiments. The scope of protection of this invention shall be interpreted by the claims below, and all technical concepts within an equivalent scope shall be interpreted as being included within the scope of rights of this invention.

Claims

Claim 1 A method for creating an electrical circuit diagram of a circuit design system, comprising: selecting functional unit modules to be provided in the electrical circuit diagram; inserting the selected modules into a Bill of Materials (BOM) of the electrical circuit diagram and assigning part numbers; placing each component of the modules inserted into the BOM at a location according to each functional attribute; and configuring the electrical circuit diagram based on the placement. Claim 2 A method for creating an electrical circuit diagram according to claim 1, wherein the operation of configuring the electrical circuit diagram includes the operation of writing a circuit number corresponding to the specification of each component of the module inserted in the BOM. Claim 3 A method for creating an electrical circuit diagram, wherein, in claim 1, the operation of designing an electrical circuit diagram of the above-mentioned functional unit module is further included. Claim 4 A method for creating an electrical circuit diagram according to claim 3, wherein the operation of designing the electrical circuit diagram of the functional unit module comprises: the operation of selecting a component to be used in the functional unit module; the operation of selecting a fuse, controller, and / or communication line to be used in the module; the operation of selecting an illumination, ACC, and / or jump box to be used in the module; the operation of selecting a ground to be used in the module; and the operation of generating a wire for connecting components in the module. Claim 5 A method for creating an electrical circuit diagram according to claim 4, wherein the operation of designing the electrical circuit diagram of the functional unit module further comprises: generating a component symbol in which an attribute for each pin is assigned to the selected component; placing the component symbol on the electrical circuit diagram of the functional unit module; connecting a wire to the pin of the component symbol; and assigning an attribute to the wire based on the attribute assigned to the pin. Claim 6 A method for creating an electrical circuit diagram according to claim 5, wherein the operation of connecting a wire to a pin of the component symbol comprises: the operation of obtaining pins requiring a fuse connection based on attributes added to each pin of the component symbol placed in the electrical circuit diagram; the operation of listing fuses selected for use in the module; the operation of selecting one of the pins requiring a fuse connection; the operation of selecting one of the listed fuses based on attributes assigned to the selected pin; and the operation of connecting the selected pin and the selected fuse on the electrical circuit diagram. Claim 7 A method for creating an electrical circuit diagram according to claim 5, wherein the operation of connecting a wire to a pin of the component symbol comprises: the operation of obtaining pins to be connected to the input / output pins of a controller based on attributes added to each pin of the component symbol placed in the electrical circuit diagram; the operation of listing the input / output pins of the controller; the operation of selecting one of the pins to be connected to the input / output pins of the controller based on attributes assigned to the selected pin; and the operation of connecting the selected pin and the selected input / output pin of the controller with a wire on the electrical circuit diagram. Claim 8 A method for creating an electrical circuit diagram, wherein, in claim 5, the operation of assigning an attribute to the wire based on the attribute assigned to the pin includes the operation of setting an attribute for the thickness of the wire based on the load current attribute value assigned to the pin. Claim 9 A method for creating an electrical circuit diagram, wherein, in claim 5, the operation of assigning an attribute to the line based on the attribute assigned to the pin includes the operation of setting a color attribute of the line based on the attribute value assigned to the pin. Claim 10 A circuit design system for creating an electrical circuit diagram, comprising a computer or server on which a circuit design tool program capable of creating an electrical circuit diagram is operated, wherein the circuit design tool program operated on the computer or server selects functional unit modules to be provided in the electrical circuit diagram, inserts the selected modules into a Bill of Materials (BOM) of the electrical circuit diagram and assigns part numbers, places each component of the modules inserted into the BOM in a position according to each functional attribute, and constructs the electrical circuit diagram based on the placement. Claim 11 In claim 10, the circuit design tool program is a circuit design system that, when configuring the electrical circuit diagram based on the above layout, enters a circuit number corresponding to the specific of the part for each part of the module inserted in the above BOM. Claim 12 In claim 11, the circuit design tool program comprises a module designer tool for designing an electrical circuit diagram of the functional unit module, wherein the module designer tool comprises: a first area for entering the name of the module and the number of the module; a second area for selecting components to be used in the module; a third area for selecting fuses, controllers, and / or communication lines to be used in the module; a fourth area for selecting illuminations, ACCs, and / or jump boxes to be used in the module; a fifth area for selecting ground to be used in the module; a sixth area for creating or deleting wires for connecting components in the module; and a seventh area for displaying information about the wires to be used in the module. Claim 13 In claim 12, the circuit design tool program comprises a fuse distribution tool, which is a graphical user interface for distributing a fuse selected in the third area to a pin requiring a fuse connection based on attributes assigned to each pin of a component selected in the second area, wherein the fuse distribution tool comprises: a second-1 area listing fuses selected in the third area; a second-2 area acquiring and displaying pins requiring a fuse connection based on attributes added to each pin of a component selected in the second area; and a second-3 area selecting and displaying one of the pins displayed in the second-2 area, matching and displaying one of the fuses listed in the second-1 area, and distributing. Claim 14 In claim 12, the circuit design tool program further comprises a controller input / output distribution tool, wherein the controller input / output distribution tool comprises: a 3-1 area indicating input / output pins provided in a controller selected in the 2 area; a 3-2 area indicating pins of a component to which the controller's input / output pins are to be connected based on the attributes of a component selected in the 2 area; a 3-3 area indicating pins of a component to which the controller's input / output pins are already connected; and a 3-4 area indicating the controller's input / output pins and pins of a component selected to be connected. Claim 15 In paragraph 12, the circuit design tool program is a circuit design system that sets attributes for the thickness of the wire based on a load current attribute value assigned to a pin to which the wire is connected. Claim 16 In paragraph 12, the circuit design tool program is a circuit design system that sets the color attribute of the wire based on the attribute value assigned to the pin to which the wire is connected.

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