Connector device, apparatus and method for acquiring data of electrical device using the connector device, and control system for electrical device

• US 20060166546A1
• Filed: 12/27/2005
• Published: 07/27/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 01/26/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
• Inventors: Sakama, Isao, Ashizawa, Minoru
• Granted Patent: US 7,602,289 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 439/373
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/6691 with built-in signalling means H01R13/717 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/7038 making use of a remote controlled switch, e.g. relais, solid state switch activated by the engagement of the coupling parts
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 29/00 Coupling parts for selective co-operation with a counterpart in different ways to establish different circuits, e.g. for voltage selection, for series-parallel selection, programmable connectors
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 9/2475 Means facilitating correct wiring, e.g. marking plates, identification tags

Abstract

A connector device used for electrical connection between electrical devices, including: a first connector; an IC chip disposed in a casing of the first connector; a first antenna disposed in the casing of the first connector, for wirelessly transmitting ID data of the IC chip stored in the IC chip in response to a signal from an external device; a second connector detachable from the first connector, electrically connecting the electrical devices when coupled to the first connector; and a second antenna disposed in a casing of the second connector, brought close to the first antenna to amplify and transmit a radio wave from the first antenna, when the first and second connectors are normally coupled together.

Claims

1. A connector device used for electrical connection between electrical devices, comprising:

a first connector;

an IC chip disposed in a casing of the first connector;

a first antenna disposed in the casing of the first connector, for wirelessly transmitting ID data of the IC chip stored in the IC chip in response to a signal from an external device;

a second connector detachable from the first connector, electrically connecting the electrical devices when coupled to the first connector; and

a second antenna disposed in a casing of the second connector, brought close to the first antenna to amplify and transmit a radio wave from the first antenna, when the first and second connectors are normally coupled together.

2. The connector device according to claim 1, wherein the ID data of the IC chip corresponds to ID data of a first electrical device connected to the first connector.

3. The connector device according to claim 2, wherein the ID data of the first electrical device connected to the first connector is associated with characteristic data of the first electrical device.

4. The connector device according to claim 3, wherein:

the first electrical device is a fuel injector of an engine;

a second electrical device connected to the second connector is an electronic control unit of the engine; and

when the first and second connectors are coupled together, the ID data of the first electrical device transmitted from the second antenna is received by the electronic control unit, whereby fuel injection characteristic data of the fuel injector can be acquired.

5. A data acquiring apparatus for an electrical device, comprising:

an IC tag read unit for reading ID data of an electrical device electrically connected to a first connector, via an antenna disposed in a second connector coupled to the first connector provided with an IC chip;

a characteristic data registering unit for receiving and storing measured characteristic data of the electrical device; and

a characteristic data management table having recorded thereon the characteristic data of the electrical device, associated with ID data of the first connector connected to the electrical device.

6. The apparatus according to claim 5, wherein:

the electrical device is a fuel injector of an engine; and

the characteristic data of the electrical device are fuel injection quantity characteristics of the fuel injector.

7. A data acquiring method for an electrical device comprising the steps of:

coupling to a first connector electrically coupled to the electrical device a second connector electrically coupled to a measurement apparatus;

transmitting ID data of an IC chip mounted on the first connector from a first antenna mounted on the first connector; and

reading, by reading means, the ID data transmitted from the first antenna via a second antenna mounted on the second connector.

8. The method according to claim 7, further comprising the steps of:

associating the read ID data of the IC chip with ID data of the electrical device;

measuring, by the measurement apparatus, a characteristic of the electrical device; and

creating data having the measured characteristic associated with the ID data of the IC chip and recording the data.

9. The method according to claim 8, wherein:

the electrical device is a fuel injector of an engine; and

the characteristic data of the electrical device are fuel injection quantity characteristics of the fuel injector.

10. A data acquiring apparatus for an electrical device, comprising:

an IC tag read unit for reading ID data of an electrical device electrically connected to a first connector, via an antenna disposed in a second connector coupled to the first connector provided with an IC chip;

a characteristic data input unit for receiving measured characteristic data of the electrical device from the outside;

a correction data creating unit for determining an error in the measured characteristic data relative to basic characteristic data of the electrical device;

a characteristic data correction table having recorded thereon the ID data read by the IC tag read unit, associated with the correction data of the electrical device; and

a characteristic data download unit for outputting the correction data of the electrical device from the characteristic data correction table in response to a request from the outside.

11. The apparatus according to claim 10, wherein the electrical device is a fuel injector of an engine, and the characteristic data of the electrical device are fuel injection quantity characteristics of the fuel injector.

12. A data acquiring method for an electrical device comprising the steps of:

coupling to a first connector electrically coupled to the electrical device a second connector electrically coupled to a control device for controlling the electrical device;

acquiring data having ID data of an IC chip mounted on the first connector, associated with measured characteristic data of the electrical device;

creating correction data for correcting an error in the measured characteristic data of the electrical device relative to basic characteristic data;

transmitting the ID data of the IC chip mounted on the first connector from a first antenna mounted on the first connector;

reading, by reading means, the ID data transmitted from the first antenna via a second antenna mounted on the second connector; and

creating data having the read ID data of the IC chip associated with the correction data of the electrical device and supplying the data to the control device.

13. The method according to claim 12, wherein the electrical device is a fuel injector of an engine, and the characteristic data of the electrical device are fuel injection quantity characteristics of the fuel injector.

14. The method according to claim 12, wherein the step of acquiring data having ID data of the IC chip associated with measured characteristic data of the electrical device is performed via a computer network.

15. A control system for an electrical device comprising:

a first connector;

an IC chip disposed in a casing of the first connector;

a first antenna disposed in the casing of the first connector, for wirelessly transmitting ID data from the IC chip;

a second connector detachable from the first connector, electrically connecting the electrical devices when coupled to the first connector;

a second antenna disposed in a casing of the second connector, brought close to the first antenna to amplify and transmit a radio wave from the first antenna, when the first and second connectors are normally coupled together;

a control device electrically coupled to the second connector; and

a database having recorded thereon control data of the electrical device corresponding to the ID data of the IC chip, wherein the control device reads the control data of the electrical device corresponding to the ID data of the IC chip and controls the electrical device based on the control data.

16. The system according to claim 15, wherein:

the electrical device is a fuel injector of an engine; and

the characteristic data of the electrical device are fuel injection quantity characteristics of the fuel injector.

17. A control method for an electrical device comprising the steps of:

transmitting ID data of an IC chip mounted on a first connector electrically coupled to the electrical device from a first antenna mounted on the first connector;

reading, by a control device electrically coupled to the second connector, the ID data from the first antenna via a second antenna mounted on a second connector coupled to the first connector;

reading based on the read ID data of the IC chip, control data of the electrical device corresponding to the ID data of the IC chip from a database stored in the control device, and controlling the electrical device based on the control data.

18. The method according to claim 17, wherein:

the electrical device is a fuel injector of an engine; and

the characteristic data of the electrical device are fuel injection quantity characteristics of the fuel injector.