Method and System for Diagnosing Breakdown Cause of Vehicle and Computer Readable Storage Medium Storing the Method

• US 20130261879A1
• Filed: 05/21/2012
• Published: 10/03/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 04/03/2012
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Institute For Information Industry
• Original Assignee: Institute For Information Industry
• Inventors: Wang, Jhing-Fa, Shang, Tzyh-Jong, Chen, Shi-Huang
• Application Number:
  US13/476,518
• Publication Number:
  US 20130261879A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/31.8
• CPC Class Codes: G01M 17/007 Wheeled or endless-tracked vehicles G01M17/08 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01M 17/025 using infrasonic, sonic or ultrasonic vibrations

Abstract

A method for diagnosing breakdown cause of a vehicle is disclosed. In the method, several sound signals are sensed respectively with several sound sensing devices, which are respectively installed at several zones among the vehicle, from the vehicle. A current driving status of the vehicle is obtained through an electrical control unit (ECU) of the vehicle. Determine a sound source of the vehicle according to the sound signals. A breakdown cause of the vehicle is diagnosed according to the sound signals, the current driving status and the sound source.

Claims

1. A method for diagnosing breakdown cause of a vehicle comprising:

(a) sensing a plurality of sound signals respectively with a plurality of sound sensing devices, which are respectively installed at a plurality of zones among the vehicle, from the vehicle;

(b) obtaining a current driving status of the vehicle through an electrical control unit (ECU) of the vehicle;

(c) determining a sound source of the vehicle according to the sound signals; and

(d) diagnosing a breakdown cause of the vehicle according to the sound signals, the current driving status and the sound source.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the current driving status of the vehicle comprises a current speed of the vehicle, and step (d) comprises:

analyzing a frequency and an amplitude of an abnormal noise generated from the vehicle according to the sound signals;

when the frequency and the amplitude of the abnormal noise changes with the current speed, analyzing a category of the abnormal noise generated from the vehicle; and

when the category of the abnormal noise is determined as a rolling noise, determining that a tire-wear abnormality occurs around the sound source of the vehicle.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the current driving status of the vehicle comprises a current speed of the vehicle, and step (d) comprises:

analyzing a frequency and an amplitude of an abnormal noise generated from the vehicle according to the sound signals;

when the frequency and the amplitude of the abnormal noise changes with the current speed, analyzing a category of the abnormal noise generated from the vehicle; and

when the category of the abnormal noise is determined as a bearing noise, determining that a bearing-wear abnormality occurs around the sound source of the vehicle.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the current driving status of the vehicle comprises a current brake status of the vehicle, and step (d) comprises:

when an abnormal noise is detected among the sound signals during the current brake status in operation, determining that a breakdown is occurred at a shock absorber around the sound source of the vehicle.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the current driving status of the vehicle comprises a current turning angle of a steering wheel of the vehicle and a current speed of the vehicle, and step (d) comprises:

analyzing a frequency and an amplitude of an abnormal noise generated from the vehicle according to the sound signals;

when the frequency and the amplitude of the abnormal noise changes with the current turning angle of the steering wheel and the current speed, determining that a gap of a suspension arm of the vehicle around the sound source of the vehicle is abnormal.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein step (d) comprises:

when the sound source of the vehicle is a tailpipe of the vehicle and it is determined that the sound signals comprise a tailpipe-hanger abnormality noise, determining that a rubber for a tailpipe hanger of the vehicle has a breakdown or a gap of the tailpipe hanger is abnormal.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the vehicle comprises a plurality of tires, each of the zones is neighboring to one of the tires.

8. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

outputting the breakdown cause.

9. A system for diagnosing breakdown cause of a vehicle comprising:

a plurality of sound sensing devices installed at a plurality of zones among the vehicle; and

a processing unit for building connections with the sound sensing devices, wherein the processing unit comprises;

a sound receiving module for receiving a plurality of sound signals, which are sensed respectively with the sound sensing devices at the zones;

a status obtaining module for obtaining a current driving status of the vehicle through an electrical control unit (ECU) of the vehicle;

a sound source determining module for determining a sound source of the vehicle according to the sound signals; and

a breakdown diagnosing module for diagnosing a breakdown cause of the vehicle according to the sound signals, the current driving status and the sound source.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein the current driving status of the vehicle comprises a current speed of the vehicle, and the breakdown diagnosing module comprises:

a sound analyzer for analyzing a frequency and an amplitude of an abnormal noise generated from the vehicle according to the sound signals; and

a category analyzer for analyzing a category of the abnormal noise generated from the vehicle when the frequency and the amplitude of the abnormal noise changes with the current speed, wherein when the category analyzer determines that the category of the abnormal noise is a rolling noise, the breakdown diagnosing module determines that a tire-wear abnormality occurs around the sound source of the vehicle.

11. The system of claim 9, wherein the current driving status of the vehicle comprises a current speed of the vehicle, and the breakdown diagnosing module comprises:

a sound analyzer for analyzing a frequency and an amplitude of an abnormal noise generated from the vehicle according to the sound signals; and

a category analyzer for analyzing a category of the abnormal noise generated from the vehicle when the frequency and the amplitude of the abnormal noise changes with the current speed, wherein when category analyzer determines that the category of the abnormal noise is a bearing noise, the breakdown diagnosing module determines that a bearing-wear abnormality occurs around the sound source of the vehicle.

12. The system of claim 9, wherein:

the current driving status of the vehicle comprises a current brake status of the vehicle, and

when an abnormal noise is detected among the sound signals during the current brake status in operation, the breakdown diagnosing module determines that determines that a breakdown is occurred at a shock absorber around the sound source of the vehicle.

13. The system of claim 9, wherein the current driving status of the vehicle comprises a current turning angle of a steering wheel of the vehicle and a current speed of the vehicle, and the breakdown diagnosing module comprises:

a sound analyzer for analyzing a frequency and an amplitude of an abnormal noise generated from the vehicle according to the sound signals, wherein when the frequency and the amplitude of the abnormal noise changes with the current turning angle of the steering wheel and the current speed, the breakdown diagnosing module determines that a gap of a suspension arm of the vehicle around the sound source of the vehicle is abnormal.

14. The system of claim 9, wherein when the sound source of the vehicle is a tailpipe of the vehicle and it is determined that the sound signals comprise a tailpipe-hanger abnormality noise, the breakdown diagnosing module determines that a rubber for a tailpipe hanger of the vehicle has a breakdown or a gap of the tailpipe hanger is abnormal.

15. The system of claim 9, wherein the vehicle comprises a plurality of tires, each of the sound sensing devices is installed neighboring to one of the tires.

16. The system of claim 9 further comprising:

an output unit electrically connected to the processing unit, wherein the output unit outputs the breakdown cause.

17. A computer readable storage medium with a computer program to execute a method for diagnosing breakdown cause of a vehicle, wherein the method comprises:

(a) sensing a plurality of sound signals respectively with a plurality of sound sensing devices, which are respectively installed at a plurality of zones among the vehicle, from the vehicle;

(b) obtaining a current driving status of the vehicle through an electrical control unit (ECU) of the vehicle;

(c) determining a sound source of the vehicle according to the sound signals; and

(d) diagnosing a breakdown cause of the vehicle according to the sound signals, the current driving status and the sound source.