DIAGNOSTIC APPARATUS AND SYSTEM ADAPTED TO DIAGNOSE OCCURRENCE OF COMMUNICATION ERROR

• US 20110035180A1
• Filed: 08/06/2010
• Published: 02/10/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 08/07/2009
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: DENSO Corporation
• Original Assignee: DENSO Corporation
• Inventors: JIN, Noriyuki
• Application Number:
  US12/852,263
• Publication Number:
  US 20110035180A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 702/122
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/66 Arrangements for connecting between networks having differing types of switching systems, e.g. gateways

Abstract

The diagnostic apparatus for diagnosing communication apparatuses connected thereto. The diagnostic apparatus periodically monitors a control data sent from the communication apparatuses and determines a communication apparatus to be diagnosed based on the monitoring result. The diagnostic apparatus is adapted to transmit a plurality of test signals to the communication apparatus to be diagnosed and the communication apparatus returns a response signal to the diagnostic apparatus as an acknowledge corresponding to the test signal. The diagnostic apparatus determines whether or not the response signal corresponding to the test signal is received within a predetermined period. The diagnostic apparatus diagnose whether or not a communication error occurs between the diagnostic apparatus and the communication apparatus based on the determining results.

Claims

1. A diagnostic apparatus being connected to a plurality of communication apparatuses via a communication bus, diagnosing at least one communication apparatus, the diagnostic apparatus comprising:

monitoring means for monitoring a control data signal sent from the communication apparatuses at a predetermined period;

first determining means for determining a communication apparatus to be diagnosed from among the plurality of communication apparatuses based on a result of the monitoring;

transmitting means for transmitting a plurality of test signals to the communication apparatus to be diagnosed when the first determining means determines the communication apparatus, the test signals being uniquely recognizable each other;

receiving means for receiving a response signal sent from the communication apparatus to be diagnosed, the response signal being recognizable as a signal responding to each test signal transmitted by the transmitting means;

second determining means for determining whether or not the receiving means receives the response signal corresponding to each test signal within a predetermined period that limits an elapsed time counted from a time when the test signal is transmitted; and

diagnosis means for diagnosing whether or not a communication error occurs between the diagnostic apparatus and the communication apparatus based on the determining results for respective response signals determined by the second determining means.

6. The diagnostic apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the transmitting means and the second determining means are configured such that transmitting the test signal by the transmitting means and the determining the response signals by the second determining means are executed sequentially in time for every single test signal.

7. The diagnostic apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the diagnosis means is configured to use all determining results of the response signals determined by the second determining means, when the diagnosis means diagnoses the communication error between the communication apparatuses that receive the test signals and the diagnostic apparatus, the response signals being sent by the communication apparatus.

8. The diagnostic apparatus according to claim 7, wherein the diagnosis means is configured to diagnose the communication error based on a ratio represented by a frequency of failing to receive the response signals within the predetermined period, divided by a frequency of transmitting the test signals transmitted by the transmitting means.

2. A diagnostic apparatus being connected to a plurality of communication apparatuses via a communication bus, diagnosing at least one communication apparatus, the diagnostic apparatus comprising:

monitoring means for monitoring a control data signal sent from the communication apparatuses at a predetermined period;

first determining means for determining a communication apparatus to be diagnosed from among the plurality of communication apparatuses based on a result of the monitoring;

start signal transmitting means for transmitting a start signal to the communication apparatuses that periodically send the control data signal when the first determining means determines the communication apparatus, the start signal being used to notify the communication apparatuses about starting of a diagnostic test;

first receiving means for receiving accept signals responding to the start signal, the accept signals being sent from the communication apparatuses;

test signal transmitting means for transmitting a plurality of test signals to the communication apparatuses that send the accept signals, when the first receiving means receives the accept signals, the test signals being uniquely recognizable each other;

second receiving means for receiving a response signal sent from the communication apparatuses, the response signal being recognizable as a signal responding to each test signal transmitted by the transmitting means;

second determining means for determining whether or not the second receiving means receives the response signal corresponding to each test signal within a predetermined period that limits an elapsed time counted from a time when the test signal is transmitted; and

diagnosis means for diagnosing whether or not a communication error occurs between the diagnostic apparatus and the communication apparatus based on the determining results for respective response signals determined by the second determining means.

3. The diagnostic apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the start signal transmitting means is configured to repeatedly transmit the start signal to the communication apparatuses.

4. The diagnostic apparatus according to claim 2, further comprising termination signal transmitting means, wherein the termination signal transmitting means transmits a termination signal to the communication apparatuses that send the accept signals, when the diagnosis means completes the diagnosing.

5. The diagnostic apparatus according to claim 3, further comprising termination signal transmitting means, wherein the termination signal transmitting means transmits a termination signal to the communication apparatuses that send the accept signals, when the diagnosis means completes the diagnosing.

9. A diagnostic system comprising:

a plurality of communication apparatuses that transmit a control data signal at a predetermined period;

a diagnostic apparatus connected to the plurality of communication apparatuses via a communication bus, diagnosing at least one communication apparatus;

monitoring means adapted to the diagnostic apparatus for monitoring the control data signal transmitted from the communication apparatuses;

first determining means adapted to the diagnostic apparatus for determining a communication apparatus to be diagnosed from among the plurality of communication apparatuses based on a result of the monitoring;

test signal transmitting means adapted to the diagnostic apparatus for transmitting a plurality of test signals to the communication apparatus to be diagnosed when the determining means determines the communication apparatus, the test signals being uniquely recognizable each other;

responding means adapted to the communication apparatus for responding to each transmitted test signal by sending a response signal to the diagnostic apparatus when the communication apparatus receives the test signal, the response signal being recognizable as a signal responding to each test signal transmitted by the transmitting means;

second determining means adapted to the diagnostic apparatus for determining whether or not the diagnostic apparatus receives the response signal corresponding to each test signal within a predetermined period that limits an elapsed time counted from a time when the test signal is transmitted; and

diagnosis means adapted to the diagnostic apparatus for diagnosing whether or not a communication error occurs between the diagnostic apparatus and the communication apparatus based on the determining results for respective response signals determined by the second determining means.

10. The diagnostic system according to claim 9, wherein the communication apparatus further comprises extending means for extending the predetermined period used for transmitting the control data signal during a period starting from a time when the communication apparatus receives the test signal to a time when the diagnostic apparatus completes the diagnosing.

15. The diagnostic system according to claim 9, wherein the test signal transmitting means and the second determining means are configured such that transmitting the test signal by the test signal transmitting means and the determining the response signals by the second determining means are executed sequentially in time for every single test signal.

16. The diagnostic system according to claim 9, wherein the diagnosis means is configured to use all determining results of the response signals determined by the second determining means, when the diagnosis means diagnoses the communication error between the communication apparatuses that receive the test signals and the diagnostic apparatus, the response signals being sent by the communication apparatus.

17. The diagnostic system according to claim 16, wherein the diagnosis means is configured to diagnose the communication error based on a ratio represented by a frequency of failing to receive the response signals within the predetermined period, divided by a frequency of transmitting the test signals transmitted by the test signal transmitting means.

11. A diagnostic system comprising:

a plurality of communication apparatuses that transmit a control data signal at a predetermined period;

a diagnostic apparatus connected to the plurality of communication apparatuses via a communication bus, diagnosing at least one communication apparatus;

monitoring means adapted to the diagnostic apparatus for monitoring the control data signal transmitted from the communication apparatuses;

first determining means adapted to the diagnostic apparatus for determining a communication apparatus to be diagnosed from among the plurality of communication apparatuses based on a result of the monitoring;

start signal transmitting means adapted to the diagnostic apparatus for transmitting a start signal to the communication apparatuses that periodically transmit the control data signal when the first determining means determines the communication apparatus, the start signal being used to notify the communication apparatuses about starting of a diagnostic test;

extending means adapted to the communication apparatus for extending the predetermined period used for transmitting the control data signal when the communication apparatus once receives the start signal;

accept signal returning means adapted to the communication apparatus for returning an accept signal to the diagnostic apparatus when the communication apparatus receives the start signal transmitted by the start signal transmitting means;

test signal transmitting means adapted to the diagnostic apparatus for transmitting a plurality of test signals to the communication apparatuses that transmit the accept signals, when the diagnostic apparatus receives the accept signal, the test signals being uniquely recognizable each other;

test signal responding means adapted to the communication apparatus for responding to each transmitted test signal by sending a response signal to the diagnostic apparatus when the communication apparatus receives the test signal, the response signal being recognizable as a signal responding to each test signal transmitted by the transmitting means;

second determining means for determining whether or not the diagnostic apparatus receives the response signal corresponding to each test signal within a predetermined period that limits an elapsed time counted from a time when the test signal is transmitted; and

diagnosis means for diagnosing whether or not a communication error occurs between the diagnostic apparatus and the communication apparatus based on the determining results for respective response signals determined by the second determining means.

12. The diagnostic system according to claim 11, further comprising termination signal transmitting means, wherein the termination signal transmitting means transmits a termination signal to the communication apparatuses that returned the accept signals, when the diagnosis means completes the diagnosing, and the extending means reset the extended period to the predetermined period when the diagnosis means completes the diagnosing.

13. The diagnostic system according to claim 11, wherein the start signal transmitting means is configured to repeatedly transmit the start signal to the communication apparatuses.

14. The diagnostic system according to claim 12, wherein the start signal transmitting means is configured to repeatedly transmit the start signal to the communication apparatuses.

18. A diagnostic method executed on a diagnostic apparatus being connected to a plurality of communication apparatuses via a communication bus, diagnosing at least one communication apparatus, the method comprising steps of:

monitoring a control data signal sent from the communication apparatuses at a predetermined period;

determining a communication apparatus to be diagnosed from among the plurality of communication apparatuses based on a result of the monitoring;

transmitting a plurality of test signals to the communication apparatus to be diagnosed when the communication apparatus is determined;

receiving a response signal sent from the communication apparatus to be diagnosed;

determining whether or not the diagnostic apparatus receives the response signal corresponding to each test signal within a predetermined period that limits an elapsed time counted from a time when the test signal is transmitted; and

diagnosing whether or not a communication error occurs between the diagnostic apparatus and the communication apparatus based on the determining results for respective response signals.

19. A diagnostic method executed on a diagnostic apparatus being connected to a plurality of communication apparatuses via a communication bus, diagnosing at least one communication apparatus, the method comprising steps of:

monitoring a control data signal sent from the communication apparatuses at a predetermined period;

determining a communication apparatus to be diagnosed from among the plurality of communication apparatuses based on a result of the monitoring;

transmitting a start signal to the communication apparatuses that periodically send the control data signal when the communication apparatus is determined;

receiving accept signals responding to the start signal, the accept signals being sent from the communication apparatuses;

transmitting a plurality of test signals to the communication apparatuses that send the accept signals, when the diagnostic apparatus receives the accept signals;

receiving a response signal sent from the communication apparatuses, the response signal being recognizable as a signal responding to each test signal;

determining whether or not the diagnostic apparatus receives the response signal corresponding to each test signal within a predetermined period that limits an elapsed time counted from a time when the test signal is transmitted; and

diagnosing whether or not a communication error occurs between the diagnostic apparatus and the communication apparatus based on the determining results for respective response signals determined by the second determining means.