Method for examining a state of an electric circuit of a motor vehicle

• US 8,577,544 B2
• Filed: 03/08/2011
• Issued: 11/05/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 03/20/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Audi AG (Volkswagen AG)
• Original Assignee: Audi AG (Volkswagen AG)
• Inventors: Sichert, Werner
• Primary Examiner(s): Shafi, Muhammad
• Application Number:
  US13/634,174
• Publication Number:
  US 20130006466A1
• Time in Patent Office: 973 Days
• Field of Search: 701/31.4, 701/30.9, 701/31.7, 701 299- 313, 701/32.2, 701/33.5, 324/72.5, 324/99.D, 324/263, 324/424, 324/444, 324/522, 324/117, 324/164, 324/713, 324348-375
• US Class Current: 701/31.4
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 19/155 Indicating the presence of voltage
• 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

Abstract

In a method for examining a state of a circuit of a motor vehicle, a state for the circuit is requested, whereafter it is checked whether the requested state is actually set. An actual value for a quantity related to the circuit is measured by a measuring unit of the motor vehicle and is compared by a control unit of the motor vehicle with values for the quantity specified for the requested state of the circuit. In parallel, corresponding steps are initiated or performed by a control unit disposed outside the motor vehicle. A message is outputted when the control unit determines that the requested state for the circuit is set. A motor vehicle using the method is also disclosed.

Claims

1. A method for checking a state of a high-voltage electric circuit of a motor vehicle, wherein the motor vehicle is an electric vehicle or a hybrid vehicle, the method comprising the steps of:

a) requesting a state for the electric circuit,

b) measuring with at least one measuring device of the motor vehicle disposed in the motor vehicle a current value for at least one variable relating to the electric circuit, based on which the state of the electric circuit can be derived,

c) checking with at least one control device of the motor vehicle whether the current value for the at least one variable corresponds to at least one predetermined value for the at least one variable for the requested state,

d) when the current value for the at least one variable corresponds to the at least one predetermined value for the at least one variable for the requested state, indicating that the requested state of the electric circuit is set,

in parallel with the steps b) though d), initiating and performing with at least one additional control device disposed outside the motor vehicle the following steps;

e) performing with the at least one measuring device of the motor vehicle at least one additional measurement of another current value for the at least one variable relating to the electric circuit from which the state of the electric circuit can be derived, and communicating results of the at least one additional measurement to the at least one additional control device,

f) performing an additional check with the at least one additional control device whether the current value of the at least one variable corresponds to at least one predetermined value the at least one variable, and

g) performing an additional indication that the requested state of the electric circuit is set, when the current value for the at least one variable corresponds to the at least one predetermined value for the at least one variable for the requested state.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the variable is a voltage in the electric circuit.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein it is indicated whether the state for the electric circuit was requested.

4. A motor vehicle embodied as an electric vehicle or a hybrid vehicle, comprising:

at least one electric circuit,

at least one measuring device disposed in the motor vehicle for measuring a quantity related to the electric circuit,

at least one operating device for requesting a state of the electric circuit, and

at least one control device which is configured to

receive from the measuring device at least one current value for the variable related to the electric circuit,

check whether the at least one current value corresponds to at least one predetermined value for the variable for the requested state,

indicate that the requested state for the electric circuit is set, when the at least one current value for the variable relating to the electric circuit corresponds to the at least one predetermined value for the variable of the electric circuit,

the motor vehicle further comprising;

a communication interface for exchanging data with a control device disposed outside the motor vehicle, wherein the control device outside the motor vehicle is configured to

cause the at least one measuring device of the motor vehicle to measure at least one additional current value for the variable relating to the electric circuit,

check whether the at least one additional current value corresponds to at least one predetermined value for the variable for the requested state,

indicate that the requested state for the electric circuit is set, when the at least one additional current value for the variable relating to the electric circuit corresponds to the at least one predetermined value for the variable relating to the electric circuit.

5. The motor vehicle of claim 4, wherein the at least one control device comprises a memory for storing at least one of measurement values and the predetermined values for the variable.

6. The motor vehicle of claim 4, comprising an electric engine, wherein the electric circuit is associated with the electric engine.