GB2031164A - Improvements in and relating to an automotive automatic diagnostics system and apparatus therefor - Google Patents
Improvements in and relating to an automotive automatic diagnostics system and apparatus therefor Download PDFInfo
- Publication number
- GB2031164A GB2031164A GB7917201A GB7917201A GB2031164A GB 2031164 A GB2031164 A GB 2031164A GB 7917201 A GB7917201 A GB 7917201A GB 7917201 A GB7917201 A GB 7917201A GB 2031164 A GB2031164 A GB 2031164A
- Authority
- GB
- United Kingdom
- Prior art keywords
- vehicle
- data
- sensing devices
- diagnostics system
- processing unit
- Prior art date
- Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
- Granted
Links
- 238000012545 processing Methods 0.000 claims abstract description 22
- 238000012544 monitoring process Methods 0.000 claims abstract description 3
- 230000000694 effects Effects 0.000 claims description 4
- 239000007858 starting material Substances 0.000 claims description 3
- 230000008878 coupling Effects 0.000 claims description 2
- 238000010168 coupling process Methods 0.000 claims description 2
- 238000005859 coupling reaction Methods 0.000 claims description 2
- 238000003780 insertion Methods 0.000 claims description 2
- 230000037431 insertion Effects 0.000 claims description 2
- 238000000034 method Methods 0.000 description 7
- 239000000523 sample Substances 0.000 description 6
- 239000002826 coolant Substances 0.000 description 4
- 239000012530 fluid Substances 0.000 description 3
- 239000010705 motor oil Substances 0.000 description 3
- 230000007547 defect Effects 0.000 description 2
- 238000003745 diagnosis Methods 0.000 description 2
- 238000010586 diagram Methods 0.000 description 2
- 239000003792 electrolyte Substances 0.000 description 2
- 239000000446 fuel Substances 0.000 description 2
- 101100360207 Caenorhabditis elegans rla-1 gene Proteins 0.000 description 1
- 230000005540 biological transmission Effects 0.000 description 1
- 238000013500 data storage Methods 0.000 description 1
- 238000001514 detection method Methods 0.000 description 1
- 238000012423 maintenance Methods 0.000 description 1
- 239000003921 oil Substances 0.000 description 1
- 239000004033 plastic Substances 0.000 description 1
- 229920003023 plastic Polymers 0.000 description 1
- 230000011664 signaling Effects 0.000 description 1
- 238000007619 statistical method Methods 0.000 description 1
- 238000012360 testing method Methods 0.000 description 1
- 230000000007 visual effect Effects 0.000 description 1
Classifications
-
- B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
- B60—VEHICLES IN GENERAL
- B60K—ARRANGEMENT OR MOUNTING OF PROPULSION UNITS OR OF TRANSMISSIONS IN VEHICLES; ARRANGEMENT OR MOUNTING OF PLURAL DIVERSE PRIME-MOVERS IN VEHICLES; AUXILIARY DRIVES FOR VEHICLES; INSTRUMENTATION OR DASHBOARDS FOR VEHICLES; ARRANGEMENTS IN CONNECTION WITH COOLING, AIR INTAKE, GAS EXHAUST OR FUEL SUPPLY OF PROPULSION UNITS IN VEHICLES
- B60K28/00—Safety devices for propulsion-unit control, specially adapted for, or arranged in, vehicles, e.g. preventing fuel supply or ignition in the event of potentially dangerous conditions
- B60K28/10—Safety devices for propulsion-unit control, specially adapted for, or arranged in, vehicles, e.g. preventing fuel supply or ignition in the event of potentially dangerous conditions responsive to conditions relating to the vehicle
-
- B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
- B60—VEHICLES IN GENERAL
- B60K—ARRANGEMENT OR MOUNTING OF PROPULSION UNITS OR OF TRANSMISSIONS IN VEHICLES; ARRANGEMENT OR MOUNTING OF PLURAL DIVERSE PRIME-MOVERS IN VEHICLES; AUXILIARY DRIVES FOR VEHICLES; INSTRUMENTATION OR DASHBOARDS FOR VEHICLES; ARRANGEMENTS IN CONNECTION WITH COOLING, AIR INTAKE, GAS EXHAUST OR FUEL SUPPLY OF PROPULSION UNITS IN VEHICLES
- B60K28/00—Safety devices for propulsion-unit control, specially adapted for, or arranged in, vehicles, e.g. preventing fuel supply or ignition in the event of potentially dangerous conditions
-
- F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
- F16—ENGINEERING ELEMENTS AND UNITS; GENERAL MEASURES FOR PRODUCING AND MAINTAINING EFFECTIVE FUNCTIONING OF MACHINES OR INSTALLATIONS; THERMAL INSULATION IN GENERAL
- F16D—COUPLINGS FOR TRANSMITTING ROTATION; CLUTCHES; BRAKES
- F16D66/00—Arrangements for monitoring working conditions, e.g. wear, temperature
- F16D66/02—Apparatus for indicating wear
- F16D66/021—Apparatus for indicating wear using electrical detection or indication means
- F16D66/022—Apparatus for indicating wear using electrical detection or indication means indicating that a lining is worn to minimum allowable thickness
-
- G—PHYSICS
- G01—MEASURING; TESTING
- G01M—TESTING STATIC OR DYNAMIC BALANCE OF MACHINES OR STRUCTURES; TESTING OF STRUCTURES OR APPARATUS, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
- G01M15/00—Testing of engines
- G01M15/04—Testing internal-combustion engines
- G01M15/05—Testing internal-combustion engines by combined monitoring of two or more different engine parameters
-
- G—PHYSICS
- G01—MEASURING; TESTING
- G01R—MEASURING ELECTRIC VARIABLES; MEASURING MAGNETIC VARIABLES
- G01R31/00—Arrangements for testing electric properties; Arrangements for locating electric faults; Arrangements for electrical testing characterised by what is being tested not provided for elsewhere
- G01R31/005—Testing of electric installations on transport means
- G01R31/006—Testing of electric installations on transport means on road vehicles, e.g. automobiles or trucks
- G01R31/007—Testing of electric installations on transport means on road vehicles, e.g. automobiles or trucks using microprocessors or computers
-
- G—PHYSICS
- G07—CHECKING-DEVICES
- G07C—TIME OR ATTENDANCE REGISTERS; REGISTERING OR INDICATING THE WORKING OF MACHINES; GENERATING RANDOM NUMBERS; VOTING OR LOTTERY APPARATUS; ARRANGEMENTS, SYSTEMS OR APPARATUS FOR CHECKING NOT PROVIDED FOR ELSEWHERE
- G07C5/00—Registering or indicating the working of vehicles
- G07C5/08—Registering or indicating performance data other than driving, working, idle, or waiting time, with or without registering driving, working, idle or waiting time
- G07C5/0808—Diagnosing performance data
Landscapes
- Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
- Chemical & Material Sciences (AREA)
- Combustion & Propulsion (AREA)
- Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
- Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
- General Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
- Transportation (AREA)
- General Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
- Computer Hardware Design (AREA)
- Microelectronics & Electronic Packaging (AREA)
- Combined Controls Of Internal Combustion Engines (AREA)
Abstract
An automatic diagnostics system for vehicles particularly for public service vehicles including a plurality of electrical sensing devices (e.g. 4,5,10,11) on the vehicle to provide signals indicative of predetermined characteristics e.g. brake liner wear of selected components e.g. brakes of the vehicle, means including a multicore jack lead and interface means (25,26,27) to couple the outputs of the sensing devices (4,5,10,11) and stores connected to those sensors monitoring operation during running of the vehicle to a data processing unit at a depot for the vehicle, said data processing unit including data reading means responsive to the signals to produce signals indicative of the predetermined characteristics of the selected components and including storing means for storing the data and for recording the data received from the vehicle. <IMAGE>
Description
SPECIFICATION
Improvements in and relating to an automotive automatic diagnostics system and apparatus therefor
This invention relates to an automatic diagnostics system and apparatus for vehicles and particularly but not exclusively to such a system and apparatus for public service vehicles such as buses.
An object of the invention is to provide on-vehicle equipment and means at a depot such as a bus garage such that faults present in components on the vehicle can be diagnosed quickly and any such faults indicated to maintenance personnel in the depot.
According to the present invention there is provided an automatic diagnostics system for vehicles including a plurality of electrical sensing devices on the vehicle arranged to provide digital and/or analogue signls indicative of predetermined characteristics of selected components of the vehicle, means for coupling the outputs of the sensing devices to a data processing unit including data reading means responsive to said signals to produce signals indicative of said predetermined characteristics of said selected components and including storage means for storing the data and means for recording the data received from the sensing means.
In a preferred embodiment of the invention a plurality of sensing devices are associated with various selected components of the vehicle, such sensing devices checking the characteristics of such components on the vehicle as the side, tail stop, direction indication and rear number plate lamps, the degree of wear of the brake lining on all wheels of the vehicle, the degree of adjustment of the handbrake of the vehicle, the levels of coolant fluid, engine oil, hydraulic fluid and battery electrolyte, the charge on the alternator and the engine temperature thermostat. The system is able to store data other than diagnostics for example fare coded data indicative inter alia of the number of each value of tickets issued together with data indicatve of the total number of tickets issued and signals indicative of such AFC data are supplied to the data processing unit at the depot.
The data processing equipment on the vehicle includes a microprocessor unit which controls the interrogation of the on-vehicle sensing devices and contains a storage device for data concerning those components which are checked whilst the vehicle is in service.
In an embodiment of the invention applicable to public service vehicles such as buses, each bus at the end of a day's run is parked adjacent a re-fuelling island in the depot, where a suspended multi-core jacket lead is located. The jack is inserted in a socket in the bus on the same side of the bus as the fuel inlet pipe. The automatic diagnostics procedure is then initiated. At the re-fuelling island, a visual indication by means of a lamp indicator unit is provided to indicate to the operator whether the coolant fluid and/or the engine oil requies topping up. Two further lamps are provided to indicate whether any of the items being checked has a defect or not.The data reading device and a data print-out unit is located within a console containing a microprocessor unit which controls the interrogation procedures of the on-bus sensor units, A teletype machine or similar device provides a printout of the diagnosis and data storage unit stores the data received from the various sensors for statistical analysis purposes where required. Associated with the console is a battery auxiliary power supply to maintain the operation of the system for at least twelve hours in the event of a mains power failure.
The invention will now be described by way of example only with particular reference to the accompanying drawing which is a block schematic diagram of the diagnostics system of the present invention.
The near-side and off-side 5w lamps of the vehicle are shown at 1 and 2 with a 10 ohm resistor (not shown) connected in series with the filament of each lamp 1, 2 within the lamp housing. The small voltage drop across the resistor when the bulb is illuminated is detected and a 'no-voltage' detection indicates a failed bulb. A signal to this effect is sent to the data processing unit at the depot when the jack is plugged into the vehicle socket. The handbrake is shown at 3 and has a microswitch (not shown) associated therewith to sense the degree of adjustment of the handbrake. The microswitch is located slightly beyond the position of maximum permitted hand brake lever movement and movement beyond this point actuates the switch. The data indicative of the position of the switch is conveyed to the data processing unit at the depot.
Brake lining wear sensors for the near-side front, the off-side front, the near-side rear and off-side rear wheels are shown at 4, 5; 10, 11; respectively. The brake liner wear sensors have been described in co-pending Patent Application No. 8241/77 and each comprise, in place of one of the retaining rivets of the brake disc, or drum, a heat resistant plastics probe containing a loop of wire extending across the top face, the two ends of the loop being connected to an isolated power supply. The head of the probe is set relative to the surface of the brake lining such that as the lining wears to a thickness approaching that at which it should be replaced, the loop or wire is eventually broken by frictional contact with the brake drum.The resultant break, in the current flowing through the probe is detected and data indicative of this characteristic of the brake lining is conveyed to the data processing unit.
Each of four batteries on the bus, is provided with a simple lead probe 6, 7, 8, 9, as shown below the block diagram or alternatively with simple float switches 6, 7, 8, 9; the probe for detecting the level of the elelctrolyte in the batteries is described in co-pending Patent Application No. 42407/77. Where a float switch is used, the contacts will normally be closed but will be opened and break an electrical circuit if the level of the electrolyte drops below a certain level and topping-up is required. Data indicative of the electrical circuit condition is conveyed to the data processing unit at the depot.
To check that the alternator 12 is providing an output it is necessary to ensure that the engine is turning. All gears except third and fourth can be normally selected with the engine stopped. The method of checking the alternator 12 is therefore to compare two electrical signals, viz. that selecting third and fourth gear and the current flowing from the alternator. If the former signal occurs but there is no output from the alternator this is a positive indication that the alternator charging system has failed and a signal indicative of this failure is passed to the data processing unit at the depot.
The existing engine coolant overheat sensing switch in the engine compartment of the bus is shown at 13 and is used at the sensor to provide data for the data processing unit.
The engine oil level, the engine coolant level and the steering oil level are detected by a float switch or probe, 14, 15, 16, respectively and data indicative of any topping-up of the levels passed to the data processing unit.
The direction indicator lamps comprise two 21w lamps in series and the lamps for the near side direction indicators are shown at 17 and the lamps for the off-side direction indicators shown at 18, each pair of lamps having a 1 ohm resistor (not shown) connected in series therewith within the lamp housing.
The near-side and off-side tail lamps 19, 20, are each 5w bulbs having a respective 10 ohm resistor (not shown) connected in series with each within the lamp housing.
The near-side and off-side stop lamps 21,22, each comprise a 21w bulb and each have a respective 2.2 ohm resistor (not shown) connected in series therewith, within the lamp housing.
The rear number plate indicator 23 comprises a pair of 6w lamps with a 4.7 ohm resistor (not shown) connected in series with the lamps and located within the lamp housing. With all the lamps 17 to 23 inclusive, the voltage drop across the respective resistor is sensed to indicate whether or not the respective lamp(s) is/are faulty and data representative of the voltage drop is passed to the data processing unit.
Block 24 indicates the automatic fare collection system on the bus and data indicative thereof is passd to the data processing unit.
Data signals from the sensors 1 to 24 inclusive are passed to an interface board 25 which is connected to a central processing unit 26. The 4-way socket for the jack (not shown) is indicated at 27 and connected to relay RLA 1 connected to the input of interface board 25. A second relay RLA 2 is connected to the lighting circuits to effect monitoring thereof, a third relay RLA 4 is connected to a starter inhibit line to ensure that the engine of the bus cannot be restarted until the jack is removed and a fourth relay RLA 3 is connected to the engine to stop solenoid to stop the engine of the bus when the jack is inserted.
All lamps 1,2 and 17 to 23 inclusive, and all sensors 6 to 9 and 14to 16 inclusive are interrogated directly at the refuelling island, but all the remaining sensors 3,4, 5, 10, 11, 12, 13 and 24 are monitored during service operation and the data stored since some characteristics cannot, and others may not be reliably detected with the bus stationary and the engine not running.
The microprocessor of the data processing unit is programmed such that a defect in any component tested, by sensors 3,4, 5, 10, 11, 12, 13 and 24 has to be detected during its scaning routing, several times before the data is entered into storage, thus avoiding the possibility of an incorrect indication of a fault due to a freak event or interference.
In operation, the bus arrives at the re-fuelling island and the jack plug is inserted in the 4-way socket 27 which is located on the same side of the bus as the fuel inlet pipe. The subsequent procedure is entirely automatic and the following sequence of events occurs:
The engine is stopped if not already stopped by the driver, by energisation of the engine stop solenoid. The starter is inhibited via relay RLA 4to prevent the bus being driver away from the island before removal of the jack All lamps to be checked are switched on via relay RLA 2 and remain switched on whilse the plug is in position in the socket.
Ten seconds after insertion of the jack, (the delay being introduced to ensure that the engine has stopped) the data processing unit at the garage initiates the diagnostics procedure by signalling the bus data processing equipment to commence interrogation of the bus sensors.
The bus responds to the interrogation byfirstly transmitting data signals indicative of the identity of the bus, followed by a signal indication of the condition of e#ach sensor or switch, or the content of the storage device in the case of those components tested during a service operation as previously explained, where for any reason a component cannot, or may not bs detected without the engine running.
The data signals are transmitted from the bus sensors at a relatively high speed employing coded transmission to eliminate the possibility of corruption by electrical interference during the diagnostics process, and self-testing routines are progrmmed into the microprocessor to ensure system integrity during the entire diagnosis process.
The data received by the data processing unit at the garage provides two functions. It effects operation of the teletype of similar device to print out data indicative of garage and bus identity, time and details of any faults detailed. It also stores data indicative of the faults and relates these to bus identity to enable an analysis to be made at any time, especially at regular intervals to coincide with normal servicing routines.
Although the invention has been described with particular reference to a bus diagnostics system, it will be appreciated that the invention is applicable to any automatic diagnostics system for vehicles of all kinds.
Claims (5)
1. An automatic diagnostics system for vehicles including a plurality of electrical sensing devices on the vehicle arranged to provide digital and/or analogue signals indicative of predetermined characteristics of selected components of the vehicle, means for coupling the outputs of the sensing devices to a data processing unit including data reading means responsive to said signals to produce signals indicative of said predetermined characieristics of said selected components and including storage means for storing the data and means for recording the data received from the sensing means.
2. An automatic diagnostics system as claimed in Claim 1 wherein the data processing unit is located at a point remote from the vehicle and includes a microprocessor unit controlling the interrogation of the sensing devices on the vehicle, signals passing from the sensing devices to the microprocessor unit via a multicore cable connected to a jack arranged to be inserted in a socket in the vehicle, the terminals of which are connected to said sensing devices.
3. An automatic diagnostics system as claimed in Claim 2 wherein data signals from the sensing devices are passed to an interface circuit connected to a control processing unit, a multi-way socket for the jack being connected to a first relay device connected to the input of the interface circuit, a second relay device being conncted to the lighting circuits of the vehicle to effect monitoring thereof, a third relay being connected to a starter inhibit circuit to ensure that the engine of the vehicle cannot be restarted after insertion of the jack and before removal thereof, and a fourth relay device being connected in circuit with a solenoid device to stop the engine of the vehicle when the jack is initially inserted in the socket.
4. An automatic diagnostics system as claimed in any preceding claim wherein a storage device is provided on the vehicle for storing data indicative of the condition of certain sensing devices tested whilst thevehilce is running.
5. An automatic diagnostics system substantially as hereinbefore described and as shown in the accompanying drawing.
Priority Applications (1)
| Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| GB7917201A GB2031164B (en) | 1978-10-06 | 1979-05-17 | Automotive automaticdiagnostics system and apparatus therefor |
Applications Claiming Priority (2)
| Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| GB7839614 | 1978-10-06 | ||
| GB7917201A GB2031164B (en) | 1978-10-06 | 1979-05-17 | Automotive automaticdiagnostics system and apparatus therefor |
Publications (2)
| Publication Number | Publication Date |
|---|---|
| GB2031164A true GB2031164A (en) | 1980-04-16 |
| GB2031164B GB2031164B (en) | 1983-02-16 |
Family
ID=26269105
Family Applications (1)
| Application Number | Title | Priority Date | Filing Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| GB7917201A Expired GB2031164B (en) | 1978-10-06 | 1979-05-17 | Automotive automaticdiagnostics system and apparatus therefor |
Country Status (1)
| Country | Link |
|---|---|
| GB (1) | GB2031164B (en) |
Cited By (3)
| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| WO1986002411A1 (en) * | 1984-10-17 | 1986-04-24 | Robert Bosch Gmbh | Device for controlling and monitoring processes in a motorized vehicle |
| EP0637029B1 (en) * | 1993-07-23 | 2001-11-14 | Weidmüller Interface GmbH & Co. | Autorecognition device and fabrication method |
| GB2408579A (en) * | 2003-11-27 | 2005-06-01 | Norwich Union Insurance Ltd | Reducing damage to a vehicle |
-
1979
- 1979-05-17 GB GB7917201A patent/GB2031164B/en not_active Expired
Cited By (3)
| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| WO1986002411A1 (en) * | 1984-10-17 | 1986-04-24 | Robert Bosch Gmbh | Device for controlling and monitoring processes in a motorized vehicle |
| EP0637029B1 (en) * | 1993-07-23 | 2001-11-14 | Weidmüller Interface GmbH & Co. | Autorecognition device and fabrication method |
| GB2408579A (en) * | 2003-11-27 | 2005-06-01 | Norwich Union Insurance Ltd | Reducing damage to a vehicle |
Also Published As
| Publication number | Publication date |
|---|---|
| GB2031164B (en) | 1983-02-16 |
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Legal Events
| Date | Code | Title | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| PCNP | Patent ceased through non-payment of renewal fee |