Diagnostic device for checking a control signal line

• US 10,168,373 B2
• Filed: 06/21/2013
• Issued: 01/01/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 07/05/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Audi AG (Volkswagen AG)
• Original Assignee: Audi AG (Volkswagen AG)
• Inventors: Zaki, Sami, Schalli, Niklas
• Primary Examiner(s): Astacio-Oquendo, Giovanni
• Assistant Examiner(s): Fortich, Alvaro
• Application Number:
  US14/412,627
• Publication Number:
  US 20150160281A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,020 Days
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 3/0023 Detecting, eliminating, remedying or compensating for drive train abnormalities, e.g. failures within the drive train
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 3/12 Recording operating variables ; Monitoring of operating variables
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/14 Conductive energy transfer
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/60 Monitoring or controlling charging stations
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/665 Methods related to measuring, billing or payment
• 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 31/52 Testing for short-circuits, leakage current or ground faults
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 31/54 Testing for continuity
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 31/58 Testing of lines, cables or conductors testing of electric windings G01R31/72
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 90/12 Electric charging stations
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 90/14 Plug-in electric vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 90/16 Information or communication technologies improving the operation of electric vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 90/167 Systems integrating technologies related to power network operation and communication or information technologies for supporting the interoperability of electric or hybrid vehicles, i.e. smartgrids as interface for battery charging of electric vehicles [EV] or hybrid vehicles [HEV]
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 30/14 Details associated with the interoperability, e.g. vehicle recognition, authentication, identification or billing

Abstract

A diagnostic device for checking a control signal wire between a controller of a motor vehicle and a charging port for a battery of the motor vehicle located on the motor vehicle side is disclosed, wherein on the charging port side, a first resistor is provided in the controller connecting the control signal wire to chassis ground, and a second resistor connected in parallel to the first resistor is provided. An evaluation device of the controller has a current source and/or a voltage source for supplying an electric current and/or a voltage independent of a charging process, and is configured to measure an electric current indicating a defect in the control signal wire, or a voltage indicating a defect in the control signal wire, utilizing the first and the second resistor.

Claims

1. A diagnostic device for checking a control signal wire disposed between a controller of a motor vehicle and a vehicle-side charging port for a battery of the motor vehicle, the diagnostic device comprising:

a first resistor and a diode arranged in the controller, said first resistor connecting the control signal wire to ground,

a second resistor connected electrically in parallel with a group consisting of the diode and the first resistor on the vehicle-side charging port,

an evaluation device of the controller comprising at least one of a current source and a voltage source arranged in the controller for supplying a current or a voltage when the battery is not being charged, said evaluation device configured to measure a current or a voltage indicating a control signal wire defect by using the parallel connection of the first and the second resistor.

2. The diagnostic device of claim 1, wherein the first and the second resistor have identical resistance values.

3. The diagnostic device of claim 1, wherein the second resistor is arranged in a charging socket of the charging port.

4. The diagnostic device of claim 1, wherein the first and the second resistor are connected to a common ground wire.

5. The diagnostic device of claim 1, wherein the evaluation device comprises a measuring resistor connected downstream of the voltage source so as to form a voltage divider in conjunction with the first and the second resistor.

6. The diagnostic device of claim 5, wherein the evaluation device is configured to detect the control signal wire defect when measuring across the parallel connection of the first and the second resistor a voltage that corresponds only to the voltage of the first resistor.

7. The diagnostic device of claim 1, wherein the current source is configured to apply a predetermined current through the parallel circuit formed of the first and the second resistor, wherein the evaluation device comprises a current measuring device for measuring the current flowing through the first resistor.

8. The diagnostic device of claim 1, wherein the evaluation device further comprises a switching device for selectively connecting the voltage source or the current source for carrying out a diagnostic operation outside a charging process of the battery.

9. A motor vehicle comprising a diagnostic device for checking a control signal wire disposed between a controller of a motor vehicle and a vehicle-side charging port for a battery of the motor vehicle, the diagnostic device comprising:

a first resistor and a diode arranged in the controller, said first resistor connecting the control signal wire to ground,

a second resistor connected electrically in parallel with a group consisting of the diode and the first resistor on the vehicle-side charging port,

an evaluation device of the controller comprising at least one of a current source and a voltage source arranged in the controller for supplying a current or a voltage when the battery is not being charged, said evaluation device configured to measure a current or a voltage indicating a control signal wire defect by using the parallel connection of the first and the second resistor.

10. A method for detecting a control signal wire defect of a control signal wire disposed between a controller of a motor vehicle and a charging port for a battery of the motor vehicle, the method comprising:

connecting the control signal wire to ground by way of a first resistor and a diode arranged in the controller, electrically connecting a second resistor arranged on a vehicle-side charging port in parallel with a group consisting of the diode and the first resistor,

feeding a voltage or a current to a circuit comprising the first and the second resistor when the battery is not being charged,

measuring at another location of the circuit a current or a voltage that depends on whether the second resistor is available in the circuit, by utilizing the parallel connection of the group consisting of the diode and the first resistor and the second resistor, and

evaluating with an evaluation device the measured current or voltage with respect to the control signal wire defect, said evaluation device comprising at least one of a current source and a voltage source arranged in the controller.