Wire Harness Test Unit Communication via Signal Routing
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional Automated Test Equipment (ATE) for wire harnesses requires extensive customization of interface cables and test programs, making the testing process time-consuming, costly, and inefficient, especially in environments where each system under test (SUT) has a unique configuration and unpredictable failures.
Innovation Solution
A communication method using at least one wire under test to control a slave connector or test unit, enabling the ATE to send and receive signals through the wire harness, allowing for rapid deployment without existing communication infrastructure, and using electronic identifiers like EEPROMs to identify connections and measure resistive values, thereby reducing the need for specific interface cables and test programs.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If conventional ATE uses customized interface cables and dedicated test programs for each SUT configuration, then testing accuracy and reliability are improved, but preparation time and costs increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies universality by enabling interface cables to work with multiple different SUT configurations through auto-configuration capability. The test program automatically detects SUT topology and adapts to different connector layouts, eliminating the need for dedicated customized cables and programs for each configuration, thus reducing preparation time while maintaining testing accuracy
Solution Approach 2:
The test program performs self-service by automatically configuring itself based on detected SUT characteristics. The system autonomously identifies connectors, determines topology, and sets up appropriate test sequences without manual intervention, thereby reducing both preparation time and operational complexity while ensuring reliable testing
2Measurement precision
If customized interface cables are prepared for each specific SUT configuration, then measurement precision is improved, but device complexity and costs increase
Solution Approach 1:
The interface cable is designed with universal connectivity capability, allowing a single cable design to interface with multiple different SUT configurations. The auto-configuration feature enables the same physical cable to adapt to various connector types and layouts, eliminating the need for multiple specialized cable variants, thus reducing device complexity and costs while maintaining measurement precision
Solution Approach 2:
The system dynamically changes operational parameters based on detected SUT characteristics. The test program adjusts measurement parameters, signal levels, and test sequences according to the automatically identified configuration, enabling a single interface cable to achieve precise measurements across different SUT types without physical customization
3Ease of operation
If distributed test units are used to reduce interface cable footprint, then ease of operation is improved, but communication infrastructure requirements increase complexity
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the communication function with the existing SUT wire harness. Instead of requiring separate communication infrastructure between distributed test units, the system utilizes the SUT's own wiring as the communication medium, thereby eliminating additional infrastructure requirements and maintaining ease of operation in environments without existing network infrastructure
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This approach enables efficient validation of wire harness integrity with reduced preparation time and costs, allowing for automated testing in environments with uncertain or unknown SUT specifications, and facilitates the use of generic mating interface cables and test programs.
Implementation Method 1
The ATE will generate a signal, one at a time, to each and all connection points, and sequentially find any and all linked connections by having a method to capture transmitted signals
Implementation Method 2
the ability to provide a report on a wire-to-wire and wire-to-ground interconnectivity of all connections points
Data Source
AI summary
There is described a method for communicating between distributed test units testing a wire harness. The method comprises connecting a first test unit and a second test unit to the wire harness to test, acting as a master and a slave, and either identifying a wire that is good to communicate or sending a test signal through a circuit comprising a wire of the wire harness from the first test unit to the second test unit to identify such a wire. Then the first test unit sends a communication signal through the circuit comprising the wire of the wire harness from any one of the first test unit and the second test unit to the other one.