DEGRADATION DETERMINATION

• US 20120158344A1
• Filed: 12/08/2011
• Published: 06/21/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 12/21/2010
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
• Original Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
• Inventors: HIMMELSTOSS, Armin, HEINTZE, Andreas
• Application Number:
  US13/315,094
• Publication Number:
  US 20120158344A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 702/108
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 31/54 Testing for continuity
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 31/66 Testing of connections, e.g. of plugs or non-disconnectable joints testing for incorrect line connections G01R31/55
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 7/4017 of HF systems

Abstract

An electrical device includes connectors for an electrical connection to a voltage source, a sampling device for determining a voltage applied to the connectors, a controllable load for changing an electrical power consumption of the device at the connectors, and a control device, which is configured for the purpose of determining a degradation of the electrical connection if voltages, which are applied to the connectors at different electrical power consumptions, differ from one another by more than a predetermined amount.

Claims

1. An electrical device, comprising:

connectors for an electrical connection to a voltage source;

a sampling device to determine a voltage applied to the connectors;

a controllable load to change an electrical power consumption of the device at the connectors; and

a control device configured to determine a degradation of the electrical connection if voltages, which are applied to the connectors at different electrical power consumptions, differ from one another by more than a predetermined amount.

2. The device as recited in claim 1, wherein the electrical connection includes a plug connection and the degradation includes a corrosion of the plug connection.

3. The device as recited in claim 1, wherein the electrical connection includes an electromechanical interruption element and the degradation includes wear of the interruption element.

4. The device as recited in claim 1, wherein the controllable load includes a switchable electrical resistor.

5. The device as recited in claim 4, wherein the device is a radar sensor for use on a motor vehicle and the electrical resistor includes a heatable radar lens of the radar sensor.

6. A method for detecting a degradation of an electrical connection between a voltage source and connectors of an electrical device, comprising:

determining a first voltage, which is applied to the connectors of the electrical device;

changing an electrical power consumption of the device at the connectors;

determining a second voltage, which is applied to the connectors of the electrical device; and

detecting the degradation if the first and second voltages differ from one another by more than a predetermined amount.

7. The method as recited in claim 6, wherein the first and second voltages are converted into a digital form and are compared to one another in the digital form.

8. The method as recited in claim 6, further comprising:

receiving a signal which triggers the method from a control unit connectable to the device.

9. The method as recited in claim 8, further comprising:

outputting a signal indicating the degradation to a further control unit.

10. A computer-readable data carrier storing a computer program code for detecting a degradation of an electrical connection between a voltage source and connectors of an electrical device, the computer program code, when executed on a processor, causing the processor to perform the steps of:

determining a first voltage, which is applied to the connectors of the electrical device;

changing an electrical power consumption of the device at the connectors;

determining a second voltage, which is applied to the connectors of the electrical device; and

detecting the degradation if the first and second voltages differ from one another by more than a predetermined amount.