JPH04166737A - Fault diagnosing apparatus for vehicle - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To prevent the runaway by inhibiting the operation of the CPU of an intermediate I/F unless a power supply on the side of a portable computer is turned ON and mutual communication becomes actually possible even if he power supply switch on the side of the intermediate I/F is turned ON before the power supply switch of the portable computer is turned ON. CONSTITUTION:At the time when an electronic note 11 becomes ON, a confirmation signal is sent to the side of an I/F 17. The presence or absence of the answer from the I/F 17 is judged with respect to the signal. When the answer is not received, the alarm image for turning a power supply for the intermediate I/F 17 ON is displayed on an information display screen 25 of the electronic note 11. Then, the worker notices the OFF of the power supply for the I/F 17 and immediately turns the powers supply ON. Therefore, the electronic note 11 continues the transmitting and receiving operation and can perform fault diagnosis. Even if the power supply for the I/F 17 is turned ON beforehand, the ON/OFF of a power supply on the side of the electronic note 11 is automatically judged based on the voltage level and its duration. The mutual communication is started only when the normal communication becomes possible. Therefore, the runaway of the CPU of the intermediate I/F 17 does not occur.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION (Industrial Field of Application) The present invention relates to a fault diagnosis device for a vehicle that uses a computer for inverting an electronic notebook or the like.

(Prior Art) As the electronic control of vehicles itself progresses, masters of advanced electronic technology are also required to diagnose failures when they occur.

The basics of fault diagnosis for electronic control systems is to clarify the correlation between human power and output, and to determine that the cause lies in a breakdown in that correct correlation.

Then, based on the combination of failure symptoms obtained from the certain correlation and their causes, work patterns to be used in actual diagnostic work are checked/printed in the order shown in the check notes. Performing specific failure diagnosis according to the method is what is called system maintenance.

Regarding this system maintenance, in the early days of introducing microcomputers into automobiles, failure diagnosis was carried out for each vehicle side number control unit using a manual method based on Chienokunto, but recently, OA technology such as personal computers etc. With the progress and the widespread use of OA devices themselves, highly accurate fault diagnosis devices for vehicles using OA devices such as personal computers have come to be provided (for example, see Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 62-64652). .

(Problem to be solved by the invention) However, it may be used as a failure diagnosis device or an operating status check/check device as a development support tool at the research and development site of an automobile manufacturer, etc. Nato's individual vehicle failure N
If diagnosis is considered as the main use, the reality is that there is no need for a failure diagnosis device with such high precision and diverse diagnostic uses, and if the system is too precise and complex, service personnel will be forced to perform diagnostic work. It will take time.

Particularly recently, a flexible type microcomputer device called an electronic notebook has been provided, and even if the electronic notebook's functions such as calculation, memory, input/output, and information display are utilized, it is sufficient to prevent vehicle failures of the above level. Diagnosis is possible.

Therefore, for example, as shown in FIG. 15, the electronic notebook 1 as a portable computer is employed as an input/output and information display means of a vehicle failure diagnosis system, and an intermediate interface is provided to a well-known vehicle failure diagnosis information processing means 3. By connecting via 2, it is possible to configure a low-cost and easy-to-operate vehicle fault diagnosis system.

However, when configured in this way, the electronic notebook 1 and the intermediate interface (1/F) 2 are originally independent and separate products, so each has an independent power switch. (1
If the power switch of /F) 2 is turned on first, the intermediate interface (1/F) 2 monitors the power supply of electronic notebook 1 or connects the signal line (of the electronic notebook) to
Since the output level of the wiring harness (wire harness) is Hl or OFF and it is H (high) as shown in Figure 6, when viewed from the intermediate interface (1/F) 2 side, communication has started (evening, This results in communication being started without being able to be distinguished from H) due to the ON of the current switch, resulting in a problem that the CP of the intermediate interface (1/F) 2 goes out of control.

(Means for Solving the Problems) The present invention has been made for the purpose of solving the above-mentioned problems. It is equipped with an information processing section and an externally operable portable computer connected to the failure diagnosis information processing section via an intermediate interface section, and the intermediate interface section and the portable computer each have mutually independent power switches. A vehicle fault diagnosis device comprising: a signal level reading means for reading a signal level of a signal transmission section on the output side of the portable computer between the portable computer and the intermediate interface section; and a communication start timing of the device. and communication start timing control means for controlling the output side of the portable computer, at least when the power switch of the intermediate interface section is ON, the signal level of the portable computer output side signal transmission section read by the signal level reading means is set to the intermediate interface section. The device is characterized in that communication of the device is started only after it is determined that the inverted state has continued for a predetermined period of time after the power switch is turned on.

(Function) Therefore, in the vehicle fault diagnosis device of the present invention, there is a fault diagnosis information processing section connected to the first vehicle side control unit via a predetermined communication line, and an intermediate terminal for the fault diagnosis information processing section. The basic configuration consists of a portable computer that can be operated externally and is connected via an interface, making it easy to operate by taking full advantage of the features of the low-cost, easy-to-operate portable computers such as electronic notebooks mentioned above. It will become possible to realize fault diagnosis/systems for vehicles, and work efficiency will also improve.

In addition to the operation of the basic configuration, the vehicle fault diagnosis device of the present invention further reads the signal level of the portable computer side output signal transmission section between the portable computer and the intermediate interface section in the above basic configuration. A signal level reading means and a communication start time control means for controlling the communication start time of the device are respectively provided, and at least when the power switch of the intermediate interface section is ON, the portable signal level read by the signal level reading means is provided. Device communication is only started after it is determined that the signal level of the portable computer output signal transmission section between the computer and the intermediate interface or that the power switch of the intermediate interface section has been in an inverted state for a predetermined period of time or more since the power switch ○N. To begin with, the above-mentioned Intermediate InnoTurf Ace section is clearly a portable computer power switch.

It becomes possible to judge the 0N10FF of the chain.

(Effects of the Invention) Therefore, according to the vehicle fault diagnosis device of the present invention as described above, the portable computer and the intermediate interface section have mutually independent power switches, and prior to starting communication, both switches Even if the power switch on the intermediate interface side is turned on before the power switch on the portable computer side, at least the power switch on the portable computer side must be turned on. Since the CPU of the intermediate interface does not operate unless mutual communication is actually possible, runaway of the CPU does not occur.

Therefore, with this device, even beginners can start troubleshooting work with peace of mind, and work efficiency is improved.

(Embodiment) FIGS. 1 to 14 show a vehicle failure diagnosis device according to an embodiment of the present invention.

First, FIG. 1 shows the overall/stem configuration of a vehicle failure diagnosis apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention.

In FIG. 1, the symbol A is 1lli in this embodiment.
This is a vehicle to be diagnosed, and the vehicle A has, for example, a first
A centralized connector 15 is provided for each vehicle-side vehicle transport vehicle as shown in FIG.

In addition, each controller unit on the vehicle A side is equipped with a self-diagnosis function, and the self-diagnosed failure details are output in the form of a trouble hood (trouble code) signal. It has become.

On the other hand, reference numeral 11 is a well-known electronic notebook as an example of a portable computer computer, and the electronic notebook 11 includes a failure diagnosis information processing section 16 and a failure diagnosis intermediate interface (I/F ) 17 is connected to the main body 12 via the connector 14,
And, as shown in the figure, they are integrally fixed. As shown in FIG. 3, for example, the tester part main body 12 has a specially shaped concave groove 19 on the top surface of its box-shaped casing to force and hold the notebook-shaped electronic notebook 11. , the groove portion 1
Use 9 to move on! c! The electronic notebook 11 is fitted and fixed together as shown in FIG.

That is, the recessed groove portion 19 is formed in the tester portion main body 12.
The peripheral edge of the upper part is surrounded by a locking rib 21 formed by a rubber mount member having a core material inside, and a hook-shaped edge 21a is placed at an appropriate position on the inner side of the rib 21.
, 2 l b, 21 c, 21 d, 21 e, 21 f, 2
]g, and the electronic notebook 11 is locked and fixed over the entirety using the edges 21a to 21g.

During this engagement, the edge 11 at one end of the electronic notebook 11 side
Hook-shaped edge 21e of the tester part main body 12 with the D side first
, 21f are provided with elastic protrusions 22, 22 and 22 made of rubber shown in FIG.
・After engaging by pressing, the other end connector side is pushed down to fit.

That is, in this case, one side of the rib 21 is provided with a connector 14b on the other side that receives the pin plug 14a of the connector on the electronic notebook 11 side, and the connector portion 14 formed by them connects the electronic notebook 11. Electrical connection between the side and the intermediate interface 17 on the tester partial main body 12 side is ensured. That is, no wire harness is used in this part.

The electronic notebook 11 has a display side half unit 7 11A having an information processing display screen 25, a touch key display screen (or writing screen) 26, and various operation keys 27.2.
It is constructed by connecting two ICs 22, 2 and 2, and 8.32 and IIB so that they can be opened and closed with each other via a hinge mechanism part 11C, and both are electrically connected. ing.

An IC cart insertion slot is formed on the back side of the display side half unit A, and an IC card containing a fault diagnosis program (target, order, method, etc.) is inserted into the IC card insertion slot. has been done.

Furthermore, the tester part main body 12 has a multi-bin connector 3° located on the left side of the upper surface thereof and connected to the wire harness H from the vehicle side central connector 15, based on the gripping state during diagnostic work. The multi-bin connector 30 is used to connect to the central connector 15 on the control unit side of the vehicle A via the wire harness H. Then, failure code signals and the like are sent and received to and from each of the vehicle side controls Cl-Cn (not shown as it is the same as in Fig. 15) via the wire harness H, and as shown in Fig. 15. Failure diagnosis of a plurality of vehicle-side control units C1 to Cn is sequentially performed.

When the configuration of a portion of the tester configured as described above is schematically shown in a plan view, it is shown in FIG. 5, for example.

With such a system configuration, unlike the configuration of the failure diagnosis device as shown in FIG. 15 described above, the configuration shown in FIG. This eliminates the need for the wire harness H1, and increases the reliability of the signal transmission method since disconnections and the like are less likely to occur.

Further, the intermediate interface 17 and the failure diagnosis information processing section 1
6 is completely integrated, the system itself is compact and easy to handle. Furthermore, the conventional wire harness H7 is no longer necessary, and the reliability of transmission and reception performance is improved in this respect as well.

In addition, the multi-bin connector 3o is located close to the left side of the upper surface of the tester main body 12 so that the wire harness H does not get in the way of the body when the multi-bin connector 3o is held during operation, so that the operation is easy.

Furthermore, with the above configuration, the electronic notebook 11 can be used alone as a normal office office equipment by removing it from the tester main body 12 and replacing the IC card if necessary. It can also contribute to reducing equipment costs.

In order to facilitate this removal, a space FS for inserting a finger is formed between the edges 21e and 21f, as shown in FIGS. 2 and 3.

By the way, in the vehicle fault diagnosis/system using the electronic notebook with the configuration shown in FIG.
Connect the power switch on the side to the intermediate interface (+/F) 2
If it is turned ON before , the electronic notebook 11 monitors the power status of the intermediate interface (1/F) 2 side, but if 74# of the intermediate interface (1/F) 2 is OFF, it will output as is. I have a problem with it stopping. Next, (2) when the intermediate interface (1/F) 2 is turned on first, the power status of the electronic notebook 1 is monitored, but the signal line H3 of the electronic notebook 1 is OFF and the output level is H ( As a result, when viewed from the intermediate interface (1/F) 2, it cannot be distinguished from the state in which communication has started (H due to the touch switch being turned on), and communication starts. , there is a problem that the CPU of intermediate interface (1/F) 2 goes out of control.

Therefore, in the embodiments of the present invention, the following measures are taken.

First of all, regarding the problem (1) above, as shown in the flowchart of FIG. 7, for example, when the electronic notebook 11 is turned on, a confirmation signal is sent to the interface (1/F) 17 in step S1. ), it is determined whether or not there is a response from the interface (1/F) 17 side.
As shown in the figure, please supply power to the intermediate interface (1/F) 17 on the information display screen 25 of the electronic notebook 11 (ii) Display a warning screen asking you to turn on the source switch (ii). Step SS).

As a result, the worker uses the intermediate interface (■/F)
Since the user notices that the electronic notebook 17 is not turned on and immediately turns on the power, the electronic notebook 11 continues to perform proper signal transmission and reception operations and can perform failure diagnosis.

Next, to solve the above problem (2), first of all, as shown in the flowchart of FIG. 14) Check the signal state (step S,).

As a result, the signal level of the signal transmission section becomes H.
Check whether it is I (high) or LO (low) in step St). If the result is HI () / A), the power of the electronic notebook 11 is probably OFF.
The above determination operation is continued until the determination result becomes LO (low).

On the other hand, when the above determination result becomes LO (low), the process further proceeds to step S, where it is determined whether the LO (low) state has continued for at least the time T shown in FIG.
When E S (T, time has elapsed), it is assumed that the electronic notebook 11 side is powered on incorrectly (it has been turned on, and communication is possible normally), and communication is started.

In other cases where the determination is NO, the above-mentioned confirmation and determination operations are repeated until the determination is YES (LO and T1 time has elapsed).

Therefore, according to the configuration, the intermediate interface (1
/F) Even if the power on the 17 side is turned on first, the 0N10FF status of the power on the electronic notebook 11 side is automatically determined, and mutual communication can be started only when normal communication is possible. Become. Therefore, runaway of the CPU on the intermediate interface (1/F) 17 side does not occur as in the conventional case.

On the other hand, the above-mentioned commercially available electronic notebook 11 can generally be used for various purposes by replacing the rC card, and as shown in FIG. Many operation keys are provided.

Therefore, the keys to be operated at a predetermined operation point of a program during a specific diagnostic work are essentially limited, and other keys become so-called invalid keys that do not function even if operated.

However, in the case of an inexperienced worker such as a beginner, the worker may be confused as to whether the key is not working because it is an invalid key or whether there is a malfunction in the diagnostic system. It can happen.

Therefore, in the embodiment of the present invention, as a countermeasure against such a case, as shown in the flowchart of FIG. S, ), if it is an invalid key, it is displayed on the information screen 25 of the electronic notebook 11 as shown in FIG. 11 to make the operator aware that the input key is invalid. As a result, the operator can select and operate a new appropriate key.

Furthermore, in the vehicle fault diagnosis device having the above configuration, the wire harness H is different from the configuration shown in FIG.
Only one wire is required, and the reliability of the connection is greatly improved.However, there may still be disconnections in the wire harness H between the connector 30 of the main body 12 of the tester and the central connector 15 on the vehicle side. The possibility of such problems occurring cannot necessarily be denied.

Therefore, in order to detect such a disconnection, for example, the first
Connect the +B power terminal (in-vehicle battery terminal) of the vehicle side centralized connector 15 shown in FIG. 3 to the intermediate interface (1/F) 17 side with the monitor line ML as shown in FIG. I am trying to constantly monitor the 10B voltage. When a disconnection occurs in the wire harness H, the monitor wire ML will naturally also be disconnected, and the supply (input) of 10B14 pressure to the You will be able to do it.

Further, in general, the control unit on the vehicle side (C0 to Cn in FIG. 15) recognizes whether the IG switch is turned on using a hardware processing means using a capacitor or the like. On the other hand, such recognition of the IG switch ON is also necessary on the part of the above tester, and if the hardware processing was performed in the same way as the vehicle side control unit ζ, the structure would be complicated and the cost would increase. Undesirable.

Therefore, as a software process that is low in cost and simple in structure, for example, as shown in FIG. is possible, but the actual IG-
As shown in Figure 16, even if the voltage change (+IG) after turning on exceeds the threshold level at point (a), it will downshoot at point (b) when all loads are energized. There is a drawback that this may cause a communication error.

Therefore, in this embodiment, as shown in the flowchart of FIG. ,) was the 16th
At point (a) in the figure, a timer is set, and the timer sets a preset time T! in consideration of the voltage characteristics shown in FIG. 16 above. In order not to make the IG ON judgment until after the above-mentioned down shoot (step S,) has elapsed, the +IG1f pressure level after the elapse of the set time T which covers the above-mentioned down shoot is accurately compared with the above-mentioned threshold level. IG/ON is determined. Therefore, the occurrence of communication errors due to the influence of the downshoot (FIG. 16(b)) is reliably prevented.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a schematic system configuration of a vehicle failure diagnosis device according to an embodiment of the present invention, and FIG.
Fig. 3 is a perspective view showing the external structure of a part of the tester of the device with the electronic notebook attached; Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the tester of the device with the electronic notebook removed; Fig. 41 is a perspective view of the device; FIG. 5 is a perspective view of the main part of the side body of the tester (as viewed from the direction of the arrow in FIG. 3(a)), FIG. , a time chart showing the relationship between the ON/OFF status of 'r4# on the electronic notebook side of the device and the signal output on the interface ■/F side. Figure 7 shows the power-on confirmation control on the interface I/F side of the device. FIG. 8 is an explanatory diagram showing the contents of the warning display screen on the electronic notebook side realized by the control shown in FIG. FIG. 10 is a flowchart showing the control operation for starting communication on the interface I/F side according to the deafness condition. FIG. 10 is a flowchart showing the contents of invalid key operation indicating control in the device. FIG. Fig. 12 is an explanatory diagram showing the invalid operation warning screen of the electronic notebook realized by the control.
A schematic diagram showing the configuration of the wire harness disconnection detection system of the same device, FIG. 13 is a front view showing the terminal structure of the central connector for fault diagnosis for vehicles of the same device, and FIG.
A flowchart showing the contents of the IG/ON recognition operation in the same device, FIG. 15 is a block diagram showing the /stem configuration of a conventional vehicle fault diagnosis device configured using an electronic notebook, and FIG. It is a characteristic diagram of 1G11 pressure which shows the problem of IG/ON judgment of a device. 11... Electronic notebook 12... Tester part body 14... Connector section 15... Centralized connector 16... Failure diagnosis information processing section 17, fist...・Intermediate interface 30...Multi-pin connector 11, H, ~H8...Wire harness A...
・Vehicle time subject to failure diagnosis (see) Fig. 6 Fig. 7 Fig. 1g 8 Fig. 9 [f □-'' O Valid key × Invalid key Fig. 11 Fig. 13

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. comprising a fault diagnosis information processing section connected to the vehicle side control unit via a predetermined communication line, and an externally operable portable computer connected to the fault diagnosis information processing section via an intermediate interface section, and the intermediate interface section and the portable computer each have a mutually independent power switch. A signal level reading means for reading a signal level and a communication start time control means for controlling a communication start time of the device are provided, and at least when the power switch of the intermediate interface section is ON, the mobile phone read by the signal level reading means is provided. The apparatus is characterized in that communication of the apparatus is started only after it is determined that the signal level of the signal transmission section on the output side of the computer has continued to be in an inverted state for a predetermined period of time or more since the power switch of the intermediate interface section was turned on. Vehicle failure diagnosis device.