Vehicle-mounted control unit having checking program installed therein, inspection device, and inspection method

• US 6,438,470 B1
• Filed: 12/07/2001
• Issued: 08/20/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 12/14/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Autonetworks Technologies, Ltd. (Sumitomo Corporation), Sumitomo Electric Industries Limited (Sumitomo Corporation), Sumitomo Wiring Systems Limited (Sumitomo Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Autonetworks Technologies, Ltd. (Sumitomo Corporation), Sumitomo Electric Industries Limited (Sumitomo Corporation), Sumitomo Wiring Systems Limited (Sumitomo Corporation)
• Inventors: Hiramatsu, Shinya
• Primary Examiner(s): Camby, Richard M.
• Application Number:
  US10/004,928
• Publication Number:
  US 20020128758A1
• Time in Patent Office: 256 Days
• Field of Search: 701/29, 701/31, 701/32, 701/34, 701/36, 701/45, 702/182, 702/183, 340/439, 340/991, 340/992, 340/993, 731/173, 324/73.1
• US Class Current: 701/29
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 23/0213 Modular or universal configuration of the monitoring system, e.g. monitoring system having modules that may be combined to build monitoring program; monitoring system that can be applied to legacy systems; adaptable monitoring system; using different communication protocols
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 23/0256 injecting test signals and analyzing monitored process response, e.g. injecting the test signal while interrupting the normal operation of the monitored system; superimposing the test signal onto a control signal during normal operation of the monitored system

Abstract

An inspection program having custom-designed inspection procedures set is stored for each control unit in an inspection program storage section on the control unit. The inspection program is transferred, by means of communications means, to a rewritable inspection program storage section provided in an inspection apparatus. The type of a control unit which is an object of inspection is identified by means of causing the inspection apparatus to run the inspection program. Appropriate input and loads are provided for the control unit, thus causing the control unit to perform inspection procedures.

Claims

1. A control unit which is provided in a vehicle, and outputs a control signal to a corresponding vehicle-mounted electrical component upon being subjected to a user'"'"'s switching action,

said control unit comprising:

input terminals for receiving control switch signals;

output terminals for outputting control signals to respective electrical components; and

an inspection program storage section for storing an inspection program having set therein procedures for inspecting said control unit.

2. The control unit according to claim 1 has two types of control modes of:

a normal control mode in which said control unit performs operation for normal use after having been shipped and mounted on a vehicle, and

an inspection mode in which an output signal is output from an output terminal in response to a signal input to an input terminal prior to shipping of said control unit with a response time shorter than a response time in the normal control mode.

3. The control unit according to claim 1, further comprising:

control mode switching means which switches a control mode from the normal control mode to an inspection mode, only when a specific input instruction signal is input to a certain input terminal of said input terminals, and by means of an input method which is not be employed under normal control operation.

4. The control unit inspection system comprising:

said control unit according to claim 1, and

an inspection apparatus for inspecting said control unit,

communications means which, upon receipt of an instruction from said inspection apparatus, transfers a custom-designed inspection program stored in said inspection program storage section provided on each control unit to said inspection apparatus from a specific terminal of said output terminals.

5. The control unit inspection apparatus for inspecting said control unit described in claim 1, comprising:

a rewritable inspection program storage section for reading and storing an inspection program stored in said control unit, wherein

an inspection apparatus control section provided in said inspection apparatus implements the inspection program.

6. The control unit inspection apparatus according to claim 5, further comprising:

model identification means for acquiring information required for specifying a model of a control unit by means of the inspection program transferred by said communications means.

7. The control unit inspection apparatus according to claim 5, further comprising:

input devices for enabling conduction of a dummy input inspection signal from said input terminal for the type of a control unit at the time of inspection of said control unit;

wherein

said inspection apparatus control section includes input means for controlling said respective input terminals in said inspection apparatus.

8. The control unit inspection apparatus according to claim 5, further comprising:

a custom-designed input device provided for each type of a control unit to be an object of inspection; and

input device changeover means for switching an input device to be used in accordance with the type of a control unit which is an object of inspection.

9. The control unit inspection apparatus according to claim 5, further comprising:

a dummy load storage section storing therein a plurality of dummy loads which at the time of an operation test receive a signal output from said control unit, instead of each type of electrical component.

10. The control unit inspection apparatus according to claim 5, further comprising:

a custom-designed dummy load storage section provided for each type of control unit to be inspected;

wherein

said inspection apparatus control section includes dummy load changeover means for switching a dummy load storage section to be used in accordance with the type of a control unit to be inspected.

11. A method of inspecting a control unit through use of an inspection system, the control unit is provided in a vehicle, and outputs a control signal to a corresponding vehicle-mounted electrical component upon being subjected to a user'"'"'s switching action,

said control unit comprising:

input terminals for receiving control switch signals;

output terminals for outputting control signals to respective electrical components; and

an inspection program storage section for storing an inspection program having set therein procedures for inspecting said control unit;

the inspection system comprising;

an inspection apparatus for inspecting said control unit,

communications means which, upon receipt of an instruction from said inspection apparatus, transfers a custom-designed inspection program stored in said inspection program storage section provided on each control unit to said inspection apparatus from a specific terminal of said output terminals;

said method comprising the steps of;

storing, into an inspection program storage section provided in each control unit, an inspection program for which custom-designed inspection procedures are set for each type of control unit;

transferring, by means of communication means, the inspection program to a rewritable inspection program provided in an inspection apparatus;

automatically identifying the models of control units supplied in an arbitrary sequence by means of causing said inspection apparatus to run the inspection program; and

inspecting a plurality of types of control units through use of a single inspection apparatus.