JPH11201873A - Method for inspecting onboard electronic control apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To improve working efficiency and wrong unit detection efficiency by eliminating the need for an inspector to write a wrong unit detection check sheet. SOLUTION: An inspection computer 42 has inputs of specifications of a vehicle and also an identification number from an ECU(electronic control device) 10. When the identification number does not agree with the specifications, the inspection computer outputs a wrong unit detection signal to the ECU 10. The ECU 10 stores that the vehicle is abnormal when the wrong unit detection signal is input thereto, and turns on a warning lamp. Accordingly an inspector is free from the trouble of writing the wrong unit detection to a check sheet.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a method of inspecting an electronic control unit (hereinafter, referred to as "ECU") mounted on a vehicle by a computer, and more particularly, to a method of inspecting an ECU suitable for detecting an incorrect assembly. .

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In recent years, in vehicles such as automobiles, engine control, transmission control, steering control, airbag control, ABS
Many ECUs are mounted for control and the like. In the vehicle manufacturing process, there is provided a process of inspecting the ECU of the completed vehicle so as to prevent a so-called erroneous assembly in which a different ECU is erroneously assembled.

[0003] Inspection of a conventional ECU is performed as follows using an inspection computer. First, on the inspection line, the ECU of the vehicle and the inspection computer are connected by a serial communication cable. The inspection computer
It outputs various signals to the ECU and checks the operation. At this time, the transmission of the identification number is requested to the ECU, and the transmitted identification number is compared with the separately input vehicle specification.
If the identification number and the specification do not match, it is determined to be a wrong set,
The information is output to a CRT or the like to inform the inspector. Then, the inspector writes that fact on the check sheet, and in a later process, the operator replaces the ECU based on the check sheet.

[0004]

However, in the conventional inspection method, since the inspector has to fill in a check sheet every time when an incorrect assembly is detected, the work efficiency is low. In addition, depending on the inspector, entry mistakes and the like may occur, so the rate of correctly grasping mis-assembly (hereinafter referred to as “mis-assembly grasp rate”)
That. ) Will decrease.

For example, in the ABS control, when the vehicle type is the same, but the vehicle shape is slightly different (for example, short body, long body, long wide body, etc.), the control contents are slightly different even though the system is the same. Even if these ECUs are erroneously assembled, the warning lamp is not turned on by the malfunction diagnosis function of the ABS control ECU because the system is normal. Therefore, in the post-process, only the description of the check sheet serves as a criterion for erroneous assembly.

[0006]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a method for inspecting an ECU, which can improve the working efficiency and the rate of misassembly.

[0007]

According to the present invention, there is provided a method for inspecting an ECU, wherein an ECU mounted on a vehicle is inspected by an inspection computer. Then, the inspection computer inputs the specification of the vehicle and the identification number from the ECU, and outputs an erroneous assembly detection signal to the ECU if the identification number does not match the specification. The ECU stores the abnormality when the erroneous assembly detection signal is input. This eliminates the need for the inspector to enter the erroneous assembly detection on the check sheet.

[0008] Further, the ECU, based on the stored abnormality,
You may make it continue to drive the warning means provided in the vehicle. The driving of the warning means includes, for example, lighting of a warning lamp, sounding of a warning buzzer, display on a display, and the like. In this case, the warning means continues to operate unless the ECU is replaced with the correct ECU, so that the misassembly grasp rate becomes almost 100%.

[0009]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram for explaining one embodiment of an inspection method according to the present invention. Less than,
Description will be made based on this drawing.

[0010] The ECU 10 of the present embodiment is an ABS (Antilock Br) that operates the brake while preventing the wheels from locking.
ake System) for the control device 12. The ECU 10
Is provided with a non-volatile memory or a backup power supply so that a memory such as an erroneous assembly can be retained even when the ignition switch is turned off.

The ABS control device 12 includes a hydraulic unit 14 for controlling hydraulic pressure, speed sensors 16, 18, 20, 22 for detecting wheel speed, and a warning lamp 2 for displaying an abnormality.
4. Diag connector 26 for failure diagnosis, data link connector 28 for connection to inspection equipment, fail-safe relay 30 for supplying power to the solenoid by control signal from ECU 10, power to hydraulic control motor by control signal from ECU 10. It includes a motor relay 32 to be supplied, a stop lamp switch 34 linked to a brake pedal, a G sensor 36 for detecting a vehicle speed, a proportioning differential valve 38 for hydraulic control, and the like.
Since the ABS control device 12 is a general one, description of its operation is omitted.

The inspection apparatus 40 includes an inspection computer 42 connected to the ECU 10, a brake tester 44 for measuring the brake torque of each wheel, and a bar code scanner 4 for inputting the specification of the inspection vehicle from the vehicle bar code.
6 and a CRT for displaying various operation commands and pass / fail judgment results
48. The inspection computer 42 is connected to the data link connector 28 via a serial communication cable 50.

FIG. 2 is a flowchart showing the operation of the inspection computer according to this embodiment. FIG. 3 is a flowchart illustrating the operation of the ECU according to the present embodiment. Hereinafter, description will be made with reference to FIGS.

First, as shown in FIG. 2, the inspection computer 42 inputs the specifications of the inspection vehicle using the barcode scanner 46 (step 101). However, if the specifications have been input in advance, this step is unnecessary. Subsequently, a request for transmission of the identification number is made to the ECU 10 (step 102), and when the identification number is received (step 10).
3) It is determined whether or not the identification number matches the specification (step 104). If the identification number matches the specification, the system requests the ECU 10 to operate the system (step 105), and sends the check result from the ECU 10 to the CRT 4.
8 (step 106). If the identification number does not match the specification, an erroneous assembly detection signal is output to ECU 10 (step 107), and the erroneous assembly detection is displayed on CRT 48 (step 108).

On the other hand, as shown in FIG.
When the transmission of the identification number is requested from the inspection computer 42 (step 201), the identification number is transmitted to the inspection computer 42 (step 202). Subsequently, when the erroneous combination detection signal is not transmitted from the inspection computer 42 (step 203) and there is a system operation request from the inspection computer 42 (step 204), various operations are checked and the results are inspected. Computer 4
2 (step 205). When the erroneous group detection signal is received from the inspection computer 42 (step 20)
3), the wrong set flag is set (step 206), the wrong set diag code is stored (step 207), and the warning lamp 24 is turned on (step 208).

As described above, the inspector does not have to enter the detection of the misassembly in the check sheet. If there is a mis-assembly, the ECU 10 continues to store the mis-assembly detection even when the ignition switch is turned off, and turns on the warning lamp 24 again when the ignition switch is turned on. Therefore, if the correct ECU is not replaced, the warning lamp 24
Is kept lit, so that the worker does not overlook the erroneous assembly in the subsequent process. Further, the worker who sees the lighting of the warning lamp 24 can know that the wrong assembly is performed because the incorrect assembly diagnostic code is output from the diagnostic connector 26.

The above embodiment is, of course, merely an example, and does not limit the present invention. For example,
The ECU is not limited to the ABS control, and may be any control target such as engine control, transmission control, steering control, airbag control, and the like.

[0018]

According to the inspection method of the first aspect, the inspection computer inputs the vehicle specifications and sets the EC.
Since an identification number is input from U, and if the identification number does not match the specification, a misassembly detection signal is output to the ECU, and the ECU stores an abnormality when the misassembly detection signal is input, so that It is not necessary for the inspector to enter a check sheet for detecting misassembly. Accordingly, the work efficiency of the inspector can be reduced, so that the work efficiency can be improved, and entry mistakes can be eliminated.

According to the inspection method of the second aspect, the ECU
Since the warning means of the vehicle is continuously driven based on the stored abnormality, the warning means continues to operate unless the ECU is replaced with a correct one, so that the erroneous group grasp rate can be further improved.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram illustrating an embodiment of an inspection method according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a flowchart showing an operation of the inspection computer in the embodiment of FIG.

FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing an operation of an ECU in the embodiment of FIG.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10 ECU (in-vehicle electronic control device) 12 ABS control device 24 Warning lamp (warning means) 40 Inspection device 42 Inspection computer

Claims (2)

[Claims] 1. An inspection method for an in-vehicle electronic control device, wherein an electronic control device mounted on a vehicle is inspected by an inspection computer, wherein the inspection computer inputs specifications of the vehicle and the electronic control device. If the identification number does not match the specification, a misassembly detection signal is output to the electronic control device, and the electronic control device is abnormal when the misassembly detection signal is input. An inspection method for an in-vehicle electronic control device, comprising: 2. The inspection method for a vehicle-mounted electronic control device according to claim 1, wherein the electronic control device keeps driving a warning unit provided in the vehicle based on the stored abnormality.