Multiple electronic control unit diagnosing system and method for vehicle

• US 9,305,408 B2
• Filed: 11/22/2013
• Issued: 04/05/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 06/07/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hyundai Motor Company (Hyundai Motor Group), YURA Corporation
• Original Assignee: Hyundai Motor Company (Hyundai Motor Group), YURA Corporation
• Inventors: Kwon, Hae Yun, Park, Jun Seo, Bae, Dong Min, Kim, Duk Jun
• Primary Examiner(s): Shaawat, Mussa A
• Application Number:
  US14/088,239
• Publication Number:
  US 20140365067A1
• Time in Patent Office: 865 Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 2205/02 using a vehicle scan tool
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 5/0808 Diagnosing performance data testing of vehicles G01M17/00; testing of electrical installation on vehicles G01R31/005

Abstract

A multiple electronic control unit (ECU) diagnosing system and a method thereof for a vehicle by which a diagnosis time for an ECU can be shortened by using an Ethernet protocol and a communication gateway. The multiple ECU diagnosing system for the vehicle applies a multiple ECU diagnosing algorithm of a one-to-n method which is more efficient than a diagnosis algorithm of a one-to-one method between diagnostic equipment. ECUs for the vehicle are connected through various communication networks (K-Line, CAN, LIN, FlexRay, and MOST) by using a communication gateway transferring messages and signals between the ECUs, thus significantly shortening a diagnosis time for the ECUs and acquiring a large amount of diagnosis information at the same time.

Claims

1. A multiple electronic control unit (ECU) diagnosing system for a vehicle, comprising:

diagnostic equipment installed in the vehicle and having multiple diagnostic information software (MDIS) to provide diagnostic instructions for a plurality of ECUs and to transmit and receive signals;

a multiple diagnostic protocol (MDP) which is an Ethernet communication protocol having a data structure for multiple diagnoses between the diagnostic equipment and a gateway of the vehicle; and

a diagnostic distribution system (DDS) for analyzing the MDP and performing diagnosis communications with the ECUs connected to the gateway through a network,

wherein the diagnostic equipment and the DDS of the gateway are connected to each other through an Ethernet communication network, and

wherein the plurality of ECUs, which transmit and receive diagnostic information to and from the DDS, are connected to each other through different communication networks or through one identical communication network.

2. The multiple ECU diagnosing system of claim 1, further comprising:

communication networks of different speeds including a CAN communication network, a FlexRay communication network, a LIN communication network, and a K-Line communication network, and

wherein the one identical communication network is selected from the CAN communication network, the FlexRay communication network, the LIN communication network, and the K-Line communication network.

3. A multiple electronic control unit (ECU) diagnosing method for a vehicle, comprising:

inputting diagnosis request information for multiple diagnoses of a plurality of ECUs through MDIS;

transmitting the input diagnosis request information toward a gateway of the vehicle connected from diagnostic equipment through an Ethernet communication network in the form of an MDP;

transmitting the MDP transmitted from the MDIS through the Ethernet communication network to a DDS of the gateway of the vehicle;

analyzing information on an ECU to be diagnosed from the MDP and performing diagnostic communications with the ECUs in the DDS;

transmitting a response message on the diagnosis request information through a communication network to the DDS in the respective ECUs;

recombining the response message of the ECU collected by the DDS and transmitting the response message to the MDIS of the diagnostic equipment through the Ethernet communication network; and

analyzing the recombination information of the MDP and providing multiple diagnosis results for the ECUs to a user,

wherein when the multiple diagnoses for the plurality of ECUs is performed, the diagnostic equipment and the DDS of the gateway is connected to the Ethernet communication network and the DDS, and

wherein the plurality of ECUs transmit and receive diagnostic information through different communication networks or through one identical communication network.

4. The multiple ECU diagnosing method of claim 3, wherein the MDIS of the diagnostic equipment recombines the diagnosis request information selected by the user and transmits the diagnosis request information to the gateway through the Ethernet communication network.

5. The multiple ECU diagnosing method of claim 3, wherein the MDP comprises types and number of ECUs to be diagnosed and the communication network type connected to the ECUs.

6. The multiple ECU diagnosing method of claim 3, wherein the different communication networks of different speeds include a CAN communication network, a FlexRay communication network, a LIN communication network, and a K-Line communication network, and

wherein one identical communication network is selected from the CAN communication network, the FlexRay communication network, the LIN communication network, and the K-Line communication network.