Apparatus and method for detecting incorrect connector insertion, and program for carrying out the method

• US 6,950,779 B2
• Filed: 02/28/2003
• Issued: 09/27/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 02/28/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Aisin AW Company Limited (Aisin Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Aisin AW Company Limited (Aisin Corp.)
• Inventors: Minatani, Yoshihiko
• Primary Examiner(s): Hoff, Marc S.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Desta, Elias
• Application Number:
  US10/375,132
• Publication Number:
  US 20040243348A1
• Time in Patent Office: 942 Days
• Field of Search: 702/57, 702107-108, 702/150, 702/182, 361/640, 361/357.2, 439/43, 439/152, 307/38, 307/125, 324/538
• US Class Current: 702/182
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2250/30 by voice
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 3/00 Electric devices on electrically-propelled vehicles for safety purposes; Monitoring operating variables, e.g. speed, deceleration or energy consumption methods or circuit arrangements for monitoring or controlling batteries or fuel cells B60L58/00
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 50/16 with provision for separate direct mechanical propulsion
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 31/006 on road vehicles, e.g. automobiles or trucks testing of ignition installations peculiar to internal combustion engines F02P17/00
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 31/68 Testing of releasable connections, e.g. of terminals mounted on a printed circuit board
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/70 Energy storage systems for electromobility, e.g. batteries
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/7072 Electromobility specific charging systems or methods for batteries, ultracapacitors, supercapacitors or double-layer capacitors

Abstract

An apparatus for detecting incorrect connector insertion. The apparatus includes a first member including a first connector; a second member including a second connector; a test signal output processing unit that outputs a first test signal to the first member and the second member; a first determination signal outputting portion that outputs a first determination signal in accordance with outputting the first test signal to the first member; and a second determination signal outputting portion that outputs a second determination signal in accordance with outputting the first test signal to the second member. The apparatus further includes a connector-connected state determination processing unit that determines the connected state of the first connector and the second connector based on the first determination signal and the second determination signal.

Claims

1. An apparatus for detecting incorrect connector insertion, comprising:

a first member including a first connector;

a second member including a second connector;

a test signal output processing unit that outputs a first test signal to the first member and the second member;

a first determination signal outputting portion that outputs a first determination signal in accordance with outputting the first test signal to the first member;

a second determination signal outputting portion that outputs a second determination signal in accordance with outputting the first test signal to the second member; and

a connector-connected state determination processing unit that determines the connected state of the first connector and the second connector based on the first determination signal and the second determination signal.

2. The apparatus for detecting the incorrect connector insertion according to claim 1, wherein the connector-connected state determination processing unit selectively outputs a second test signal to the first and second determination signal outputting portions, the first determination signal is output in accordance with outputting of the first test signal to the first member and the second test signal to the first determination signal outputting portion, and the second determination signal is output in accordance with outputting of the first test signal to the second member and the second test signal to the second determination signal outputting portion.

3. The apparatus for detecting the incorrect connector insertion according to claim 2, wherein the connector-connected state determination processing unit determines that incorrect connector insertion has occurred if the first and second determination signals become active when the second test signal is output to the first and second determination signal outputting portions, and if a predetermined determination signal does not become active when the second test signal is output to one of the first and second determination signal outputting portions.

4. The apparatus for detecting the incorrect connector insertion according to claim 3, wherein the first member outputs a first output signal to the first determination signal outputting portion in accordance with outputting the first test signal to the first member, and the first determination signal outputting portion outputs the first determination signal in accordance with outputting the first output signal, and wherein the second member outputs a second output signal to the second determination signal outputting portion in accordance with outputting the second test signal to the second member, and the second determination signal outputting portion outputs the second determination signal in accordance with outputting the second output signal.

5. The apparatus for detecting the incorrect connector insertion according to claim 4, wherein each of the first and second determination signal outputting portions receive the second test signal output from the connector-connected state determination processing unit, and respectively output the first and second determination signals.

6. The apparatus for detecting the incorrect connector insertion according to claim 5, wherein the test signal output processing unit and the connector-connected state determination processing unit are provided in a third member.

7. The apparatus for detecting the incorrect connector insertion according to claim 5, wherein the first test signal and the second test signal are an ignition voltage.

8. The apparatus for detecting the incorrect connector insertion according to claim 5, wherein the first member is a first power supply circuit portion, and the second member is a second power supply circuit portion, wherein the first determination signal outputting portion is a first intelligent power module (IPM), and the second determination signal outputting portion is a second IPM, and wherein the first output signal is a voltage required to drive the first IPM, and the second output signal is a voltage required to drive the second IPM.

9. The apparatus for detecting the incorrect connector insertion according to claim 5, wherein the first determination signal outputting portion is provided in the first member, and the second determination signal outputting portion is provided in the second member.

10. The apparatus for detecting the incorrect connector insertion according to claim 1, wherein the connector-connected state determination processing unit determines that incorrect connector insertion has occurred if the first and second determination signals become active when the second test signal is output to the first and second determination signal outputting portions, and if a predetermined determination signal does not become active when the second test signal is output to one of the first and second determination signal outputting portions.

11. The apparatus for detecting the incorrect connector insertion according to claim 10, wherein the first member outputs a first output signal to the first determination signal outputting portion in accordance with outputting the first test signal to the first member, and the first determination signal outputting portion outputs the first determination signal in accordance with outputting the first output signal, and wherein the second member outputs a second output signal to the second determination signal outputting portion in accordance with outputting the second test signal to the second member, and the second determination signal outputting portion outputs the second determination signal in accordance with outputting the second output signal.

12. The apparatus for detecting the incorrect connector insertion according to claim 11, wherein each of the first and second determination signal outputting portions receive the second test signal output from the connector-connected state determination processing unit, and respectively output the first and second determination signals.

13. The apparatus for detecting the incorrect connector insertion according to claim 1, wherein the first member outputs a first output signal to the first determination signal outputting portion in accordance with outputting the first test signal to the first member, and the first determination signal outputting portion outputs the first determination signal in accordance with outputting the first output signal, and wherein the second member outputs a second output signal to the second determination signal outputting portion in accordance with outputting the second test signal to the second member, and the second determination signal outputting portion outputs the second determination signal in accordance with outputting the second output signal.

14. The apparatus for detecting the incorrect connector insertion according to claim 13, wherein each of the first and second determination signal outputting portions receive the second test signal output from the connector-connected state determination processing unit, and respectively output the first and second determination signals.

15. The apparatus for detecting the incorrect connector insertion according to claim 1, wherein each of the first and second determination signal outputting portions receive the second test signal output from the connector-connected state determination processing unit, and respectively output the first and second determination signals.

16. A method for detecting incorrect connector insertion, comprising:

outputting a first test signal to a first member having a first connector, and to a second member having a second connector; and

determining a connected state of the first connector and the second connector based on a first determination signal outputted by a first determination signal outputting portion in accordance with outputting the first test signal to the first member, and on a second determination signal outputted by a second determination signal outputting portion in accordance with outputting the first test signal to the second member.

17. A program that provides instructions for detecting incorrect connector insertion, instructions, which when executed by a processor, cause the processor to perform operations comprising:

outputting a first test signal to a first member having a first connector, and to a second member having a second connector; and

determining a connected state of the first connector and the second connector based on a first determination signal outputted by a first determination signal outputting portion in accordance with outputting the first test signal to the first member, and on a second determination signal outputted by a second determination signal outputting portion in accordance with outputting the first test signal to the second member.

18. An apparatus for detecting incorrect connector insertion, comprising:

a first member including a first connector;

a second member including a second connector;

a test signal output processing means for outputting a first test signal to the first member and the second member;

a first determination signal outputting means for outputting a first determination signal based on the first test signal output to the first member;

a second determination signal outputting means for outputting a second determination signal based on the first test signal output to the second member; and

a connector-connected state determination processing means for determining the connected state of the first connector and the second connector based on the first determination signal and the second determination signal.