Integration and supervision for modeled and mechanical vehicle testing and simulation

• US 20070275355A1
• Filed: 05/08/2006
• Published: 11/29/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 05/08/2006
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: MTS Systems Corporation (Illinois Tool Works Inc.)
• Original Assignee: MTS Systems Corporation (Illinois Tool Works Inc.)
• Inventors: Barsness, Daniel, Langer, William, Stachel, Thomas
• Application Number:
  US11/430,472
• Publication Number:
  US 20070275355A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 434/29
• CPC Class Codes: G01M 17/007 Wheeled or endless-tracked vehicles G01M17/08 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 9/00 Simulators for teaching or training purposes for the use of weapons F41; computing aspects G06; protocols for games, networked simulations or virtual reality H04L67/131

Abstract

A supervisor module for managing vehicle testing is disclosed. The supervisor module includes logic configured to provide a startup and initialization function with respect to testing of a vehicle, logic configured to provide sequence control and event management with respect to testing of the vehicle, logic configured to receive simulation results from a simulator, the simulator configured to simulate operation with respect to the vehicle, logic configured to receive data resulting from actuation of a vehicle component, logic configured to analyze the simulation results and the data resulting from actuation of the vehicle component and generate one or more control signals based on the analysis, and logic configured to forward the one or more control signals to one or more actuators to dynamically actuate the vehicle component.

Claims

1. A system for managing vehicle testing, comprising:

a simulator configured to simulate operation of a vehicle and generate simulation results;

a mechanical loading device configured to actuate a vehicle component to be tested; and

a supervisor module configured to;

provide a startup and initialization function with respect to testing of the vehicle;

provide sequence control and event management with respect to testing of the vehicle;

receive the simulation results from the simulator;

receive data resulting from actuation of the vehicle component;

generate one or more control signals based on the simulation results and the data resulting from actuation of the vehicle component; and

forward the one or more control signals to the one or more actuators to dynamically actuate the vehicle component.

2. The system of claim 1 wherein the supervisor module is further configured to receive the simulation results from the simulator on a real-time basis.

3. The system of claim 1 wherein the supervisor module is further configured to facilitate communication amongst the simulator, the mechanical loading device, a data acquisition module and a data repository.

4. The system of claim 3 wherein the supervisor module is further configured to include a user interface to allow an operator to coordinate actions amongst the supervisor module, the simulator, the mechanical loading device, the data acquisition module and the data repository.

5. The system of claim 1 wherein the mechanical loading device includes an actuator configured to actuate the body of the vehicle.

6. The system of claim 1 wherein the mechanical loading device includes an actuator configured to actuate a suspension associated with the vehicle.

7. The system of claim 1 wherein the vehicle component to be tested includes an active suspension system having an electronic control unit and an active suspension;

and

wherein the simulator is further configured to communicate with the electronic control unit.

8. The system of claim 1 wherein the simulator includes a hardware-in-the-loop (HIL) simulator.

9. The system of claim 1 wherein the supervisor module is further configured to allow an operator to define and control a testing sequence with respect to the vehicle component.

10. A supervisor module for managing vehicle testing, comprising:

logic configured to provide a startup and initialization function with respect to testing of a vehicle;

logic configured to provide sequence control and event management with respect to testing of the vehicle;

logic configured to receive simulation results from a simulator, the simulator configured to simulate operation with respect to the vehicle;

logic configured to receive data resulting from actuation of a vehicle component;

logic configured to analyze the simulation results and the data resulting from actuation of the vehicle component and generate one or more control signals based on the analysis; and

logic configured to forward the one or more control signals to one or more actuators to dynamically actuate the vehicle component.

11. The supervisor module of claim 10 further comprising:

logic configured to receive the simulation results from the simulator on a real-time basis.

12. The supervisor module of claim 10 further comprising:

logic configured to facilitate communication amongst the simulator, the mechanical loading device, a data acquisition module and a data repository.

13. The supervisor module of claim 12 further comprising:

logic configured to include a user interface to allow an operator to coordinate actions amongst the supervisor module, the simulator, the mechanical loading device, the data acquisition module and the data repository.

14. The supervisor module of claim 10 wherein the mechanical loading device includes an actuator configured to actuate the body of the vehicle.

15. The supervisor module of claim 10 wherein the mechanical loading device includes an actuator configured to actuate a suspension associated with the vehicle.

16. The supervisor module of claim 10 wherein the vehicle component to be tested includes an active suspension system having an electronic control unit and an active suspension;

and

wherein the simulator is further configured to communicate with the electronic control unit.

17. The supervisor module of claim 10 wherein the simulator includes a hardware-in-the-loop (HIL) simulator.

18. The supervisor module of claim 10 further comprising:

logic configured to allow an operator to define and control a testing sequence with respect to the vehicle component.