VEHICLE TEST SYSTEM INCLUDING PLURALITY OF APPARATUSES MUTUALLY COMMUNICABLE VIA NETWORK

• US 20100256860A1
• Filed: 04/07/2010
• Published: 10/07/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 04/07/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: DENSO Corporation
• Original Assignee: DENSO Corporation
• Inventors: Yamada, Mitsuo
• Granted Patent: US 8,676,437 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/32
• CPC Class Codes: G01M 17/00 Testing of vehicles testing fluid tightness G01M3/00; testing elastic properties of bodies or chassis, e.g. torsion-testing, G01M5/00; testing alignment of vehicle headlight devices G01M11/06; testing of engines G01M15/00
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 5/008 communicating information to a remotely located station transmission systems for measured values G08C

Abstract

A test apparatus sends a command to an A-control module as a destination. The command includes a request to send fault information at the A-control module and a B-control module being included in an integrated ECU to the test apparatus. The A-control module reads the own diagnostic code and orders the B-control module to read the diagnostic code of the B-control module. The B-control module reads the own diagnostic code in response to the order from the A-control module. A response data generation module in the A-control module generates a fault information command based on the diagnostic codes detected by the A-control module and the B-control module and sends the command to the test apparatus.

Claims

1. A test system for detecting a fault in control of a vehicle, having a plurality of apparatuses mutually communicable via a network arranged in the vehicle, the system comprising:

a control apparatus mounted on the vehicle, having a plurality of objects being controlled which executes a series of procedures to perform at least one function and each object has a fault detecting module for detecting fault information about faults occurring at the controlled object;

a first communication means adapted to the control apparatus for communicating with other apparatuses via the network, receiving data sent from the other apparatus of which sending destination is any one of the objects being owned by the control apparatus and sending data concerning the object to the other apparatus;

a test apparatus being electrically connected to the control apparatus via the network;

a fault information reading means adapted to the test apparatus for reading fault information at the object being owned by the control apparatus;

a second communication means adapted to the test apparatus for communicating with any one of the objects being owned by the control apparatus as a communication partner; and

a transmission control means adapted to the control apparatus for transmitting the fault information at the object to the test apparatus based on a sending request command being sent by the fault information reading means;

wherein

the object executes the series of procedure in response to the received data sent from the other apparatus, the fault information reading means is configured to send the sending request command via the second communication means, to any one of the objects to send both the fault information included in the any one of the objects and the fault information included in the other object, and the transmission control means is configured to order the first communication means to transmit the fault information detected by the fault detecting module being included in the object designated by the sending request command, to the test apparatus when the first communication means receives the sending request command.

2. The test system according to claim 1, wherein the transmission control means is configured to generate a response command indicative of the fault information detected by the fault detecting module and to order the first communication means to transmit the response command to the test apparatus.

3. The test system according to claim 1, wherein the plurality of the apparatuses mutually communicate based on a communication protocol applied to the network, the communication protocol defines communication IDs assigned to each apparatus including the objects in order to establish the communication in the network, and an unique communication ID assigned to each object individually, differently from the communication ID assigned to the apparatus at which the each object is installed.

4. The test system according to claim 1, wherein the sending request command sent to any one of the objects owned by the control apparatus includes an additional code that orders to detect the fault information at the other object other than the object to which the sending request command is sent.

5. The test system according to claim 2, wherein the sending request command sent to any one of the objects owned by the control apparatus includes an additional code that orders to detect the fault information at the other object other than the object to which the sending request command is sent.

6. The test system according to claim 3, wherein the sending request command sent to any one of the objects owned by the control apparatus includes an additional code that orders to detect the fault information at the other object other than the object to which the sending request command is sent.

7. The test system according to claim 6, wherein the test apparatus is mounted on the vehicle at which the control apparatus is mounted.

8. The test system according to claim 4, wherein the test apparatus further comprising:

an ID obtaining means configured to send an ID request is command to any one of the objects via the second communication means, wherein the ID request command is a request to send the entire communication IDs that the control apparatus concerning the object owns; and

a memory control means configured to receive a plurality of the communication IDs as a response to the ID request command via the second communication means, to have the plurality of the communication IDs grouped and to store the grouped communication ID;

the control apparatus further comprising an ID notifying means configured to send the entire communication ID of the objects that the control apparatus owns to the test apparatus via the first communication means, when the control apparatus received the ID request via the first communication means.

9. The test system according to claim 7, wherein the test apparatus further comprising:

an ID obtaining means configured to send an ID request command to any one of the objects via the second communication means, wherein the ID request command is a request to send the entire communication ID that the control apparatus concerning the object owns; and

a memory control means configured to receive a plurality of the communication IDs as a response to the ID request command via the second communication means, to have the plurality of the communication IDs grouped and to store the grouped communication ID;

the control apparatus further comprising an ID notifying means configured to send the entire communication ID of the objects that the control apparatus owns to the test apparatus via the first communication means, when the control apparatus received the ID request via the first communication means.

10. The test system according to claim 7, wherein the test apparatus further comprising:

a wireless communication means configured to communicate with a remote center being arranged outside the system, the fault information reading means is configured to send the sending request command in response to a command received from the remote center via the wireless communication means; and

a sending means that is configured to send the fault information to the remote center via the wireless communication means when the test apparatus receives the fault information as a response to the sending request command, from the test apparatus via the second communication means.

11. The test system according to claim 10, wherein a communication ID is assigned to each object, the test apparatus further comprising:

an ID obtaining means configured to send an ID request command in response to a received command from the remote center, to any one of the controlled objects via the second communication means, wherein the ID request command is a request to send the entire communication ID that the control apparatus concerning the controlled object owns; and

an ID sending means configured to send a plurality of communication IDs to the remote center via the wireless communication means when the test apparatus received the communication ID in response to the ID request command via the second communication means,

wherein the control apparatus further comprises an ID notifying means configured to send the entire communication ID of the controlled objects that the control apparatus owns to the test apparatus via the is first communication means, when the control apparatus received the ID request via the first communication means.

16. The remote center performing wireless communication with the test apparatus according to claim 10, wherein

the remote center further comprises a remote communication means configured to communicate with the test apparatus via the wireless communication and a sending request means configured to send a request to the test apparatus via the remote communication means, the request requires sending fault information.

17. The remote center performing wireless communication with the test apparatus according to claim 11, wherein

the remote center further comprises a remote communication means configured to communicate with the test apparatus via the wireless communication and a sending request means configured to send a request to the test apparatus via the remote communication means, the request requires sending fault information.

18. The remote center according to claim 16, wherein the sending request means is configured to send an ID notification command that requires the communication ID assigned to the each object that the control apparatus owns, to the test apparatus via the remote communication means;

the remote center receives a plurality of the communication IDs from the test apparatus as a response to the ID notification command via the remote communication means, make the plurality of the communication IDs grouped and store the grouped communication ID associated with a vehicle ID of the vehicle at which the test apparatus is mounted.

12. A control apparatus connected to a network arranged in a vehicle, mounted on the vehicle, mutually communicable with other apparatuses being connected to the network, the control apparatus comprising:

a plurality of objects being controlled which executes series of procedures to perform at least one function, each controlled object has a fault detecting module for detecting fault information about faults occurring at the controlled object; and

a communication means for communicating with other apparatus via the network, receiving data sent from the other apparatus of which sending destination is any one of the objects being owned by the control apparatus and sending data concerning the object to the other apparatus;

wherein

the object executes the series of procedure in response to the received data which is sent from the other apparatus;

the communication means is configured to receive a sending request command sent from a test apparatus being connected to the network, the command orders any one of the objects that the control apparatus owns to send the fault information being included in any one of the objects and the fault information being included in the other object that the control apparatus owns; and

the control apparatus further comprises a transmission control means that orders the communication means to transmit the fault information in response to the reception of the sending request command, the fault information being included in the objects that is designated by the sending request command, fault information being detected by the fault detecting module.

13. The control apparatus according to claim 12, wherein the control apparatus and other apparatuses mutually communicate based on a communication protocol applied to the network, the communication protocol defines communication IDs assigned to each apparatus including the objects in order to establish the communication in the network, and an unique communication ID assigned to each object individually, differently from the communication ID assigned to the apparatus at which the each object is installed.

14. The control apparatus according to claim 12, wherein the test apparatus sends an ID request command to the control apparatus to send the entire communication IDs assigned to the objects, the control apparatus further comprising:

an ID notifying means configured to send the entire communication ID of the objects that the control apparatus owns to the test apparatus via the communication means, in response to the ID request command sent from the test apparatus;

wherein

the test apparatus further comprises an ID obtaining means configured to send the ID request command to any one of the objects via a communication means of the test apparatus; and

a memory control means configured to receive a plurality of the communication IDs as a response to the ID request command via the communication means of the test apparatus, to have the plurality of the communication IDs grouped and to store the grouped communication ID.

15. A test apparatus being electrically connected to a control apparatus via a network which is arranged in a vehicle, wherein the control apparatus is provided with a plurality of objects being controlled which execute a series of procedures to perform at least one function, the test apparatus comprising:

a communication means for controlling data communication with any one of the objects as a communication partner; and

a fault information reading means for reading fault information at the object being owned by the control apparatus;

wherein

the fault information reading means is configured to send a sending request command via the communication means, to any one of the objects to send both the fault information being included in the any one of the objects and the fault information being included in the other object.