Portable USB power mode simulator tool

• US 8,150,671 B2
• Filed: 04/30/2009
• Issued: 04/03/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 04/30/2009
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC (General Motors Company)
• Original Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC (General Motors Company)
• Inventors: Quezada, Juan M., Kirchhoff, Robert F., De Stefano, Robert A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Shah, Kamini S
• Assistant Examiner(s): Gebresilassie, Kibrom
• Application Number:
  US12/432,886
• Publication Number:
  US 20100280813A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,069 Days
• Field of Search: 703/8, 703/13, 703/16, 703/19, 703/20, 703/21, 703/22, 703/23, 703/24, 703/25, 434/29, 434/62, 307/10.5, 307/10.6
• US Class Current: 703/13
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 41/28 Interface circuits
• CPC Class Codes: F02N 2300/30 characterised by the use of digital means
• CPC Class Codes: F02P 5/02 non-automatically; dependent on position of personal controls of engine, e.g. throttle position

Abstract

A simulation tool includes a printed circuit board assembly or PCBA having a built-in USB communication port and a microcontroller. A host computer transmits user-selected configuration data to the microcontroller, which transforms the data into solid-state signals. These are provided to a power master module in an electrical bench or a test vehicle. A method of simulating a low-current ignition switch that is usable with the PMM includes transmitting user-selectable configuration data from a host computer to a PCBA having a microcontroller, transforming the configuration data into a set of solid-state signals simulating a desired set of power mode parameters, and transmitting the solid-state signals to the PMM to thereby simulate an operation of the low-current ignition switch.

Claims

1. A portable tool operable for simulating a low-current ignition switch and usable with a vehicle power master module (PMM), the tool comprising:

a printed circuit board assembly (PCBA) having;

a USB port that is connectable to a host computer and configured for receiving user-selectable configuration data from the host computer, including a predetermined set of switch positions for the low-current ignition switch;

a microcontroller in communication with the USB port and configured for transforming the configuration data into a set of solid-state signals; and

a circuit in electrical communication with the microcontroller, the circuit having a set of solid-state buffers and transistors, wherein the circuit receives the solid-state signals from the microcontroller and selectively transmits one of two discrete voltages as an output to the PMM in response to receiving the solid-state signals; and

an algorithm downloadable to and executable by the microcontroller, wherein the algorithm includes the configuration data;

wherein the microcontroller is configured to transmit the set of solid-state signals to the solid-state buffers and transistors to thereby simulate the predetermined set of switch positions of the low-current ignition switch.

2. The tool of claim 1, wherein the set of solid-state signals has a timing delay or interval greater than 1 millisecond.

3. The tool of claim 1, wherein the low-current ignition switch is configured as a Discrete Logic Ignition Switch (DLIS).

4. The tool of claim 1, wherein the microcontroller is configured as a PIC18F4550 device.

5. The tool of claim 1, wherein the PMM is configured as one of a Body Control Module (BCM) of a vehicle and a portion of a test bench.

6. The tool of claim 1, wherein the configuration data includes a desired power mode, a desired delay time for the desired power mode, and a number of required cycles.

8. The tool of claim 1, wherein the circuit includes a plurality of a PNP small signal transistors, and the plurality of solid-state buffers includes inverter buffers having open collector outputs which selectively prevent current from flowing to the PNP small signal transistors when providing 0V to the PMM as the discrete voltage.

9. The tool of claim 8, wherein the solid-state buffers are configured as I.C. 7406-type inverter buffers.

10. The tool of claim 8, wherein the transistors are each configured for supporting 800 mA of electrical current.

11. The tool of claim 8, wherein an output of each transistor is connected to a different 10 Kohm resistor to provide only one of the two discrete voltages at an output of the PCBA.

12. The tool of claim 10, wherein the two discrete voltages are 0-volts and 12-volts.

7. A portable tool operable for simulating a low-current ignition switch and usable with a vehicle power master module (PMM), the tool comprising:

a printed circuit board assembly (PCBA) having a USB port configured for receiving configuration data from a host computer, a microcontroller configured for transforming the configuration data into a set of solid-state signals of between 3 volts (V) and 12V,

a circuit including a solid-state buffers and transistors for selectively providing one of two discrete voltages to the PMM in response to the solid-state signals, wherein one of the two discrete voltages is 0V and the other discrete voltage is between 3V and 12V;

an algorithm downloadable to and executable by the microcontroller, wherein the algorithm includes the configuration data, and wherein the configuration data includes a plurality of user-selectable values including a desired power mode and a desired number of cycles of the low-current ignition switch;

wherein the microcontroller is configured to transmit the set of solid-state signals to the circuit to thereby simulate an operation of the low-current ignition switch.

13. A method of simulating a low-current ignition switch that is usable with a vehicle power master module (PMM), the method comprising:

connecting a printed circuit board assembly (PCBA) to each of a 5volt (V) power supply and a 12V power supply;

transmitting user-selectable configuration data from a host computer to a printed circuit board assembly (PCBA) having a microcontroller and a circuit having a set of solid-state buffers and transistors;

transforming, via the microcontroller, the configuration data into a set of solid-state signals of between 3V and 12 V for simulating a desired set of power mode parameters; and

transmitting one of two discrete voltages from the circuit to the PMM to thereby simulate an operation of the low-current ignition switch, wherein the two discrete voltages includes 0V and the voltage level of the solid-state signals.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the PMM is configured as a Body Control Module (BCM) of a vehicle.

15. The method of claim 13, wherein transmitting user-selectable configuration data from a host computer to a PCBA includes transmitting the configuration data over a USB connection to a USB port that is built-in to the PCBA.

16. The method of claim 13, wherein transforming the configuration data includes processing the configuration data using a plurality of a PNP small signal transistors and a plurality of solid-state inverter buffers that are each electrically connected to a respective one of the PNP small signal transistors.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the solid-state buffers are configured as I.C. 7406-type inverter buffers that each feature an open collector output for selectively preventing a flow of current from the solid-state buffers to the transistors.

18. The method of claim 13, wherein the configuration data includes a desired power mode selected from the group consisting essentially of:

OFF, AWAKE, ACCESSORY, RUN, and CRANK.