Patent Description:
In the background of fuel-efficient competition or coping with a regulation, complicated business or increase of workload such as motorization or connectivity, it is required experiments and tests be conducted efficiently in developing an automobile. In case of dealing with analyzers for experiments or test, it is necessary to verify the cylinder gas residual quantity of a gas cylinder into which a calibration gas is enclosed in advance or to update the concentration value of the calibration gas at a time of replacing the gas cylinder not to interrupt the experiments or the tests. In case of updating the concentration value of the calibration gas, most users take a note of the concentration value of the gas cylinder at hand and manually input and set the concentration value of the calibration gas in front of the analyzer.

A cylinder management system that makes it easy to set the concentration of the calibration gas is disclosed in the patent document <NUM>. The test system shown in the patent document <NUM> is so configured that the kind of the span gas and the concentration of the span gas can be collected set for multiple analysis devices.

However, in order to verify the residual quantity of the cylinder gas in the multiple gas cylinders, it is necessary to go to the cylinder chamber where the gas cylinders are housed, and it takes time to go to the cylinder chamber placed various places and to verify the residual quantity of each cylinder gas. As a result of this, the period while the experiment and the test are interrupted becomes long. In addition, human errors might easily be caused due to verification error. <CIT> discloses a central management system for gas cylinders including an inspection system for inspecting the gas analyzer, gas cylinders for various standard gases supplied to the inspection system, and pressure sensors for each gas cylinder. A gas cylinder management processing unit manages the remaining amount of each gas cylinder. It comprises a communication line that enable communication between the management processing unit and each of the pressure sensors.

This invention is to solve all of the problems and a main object of this invention is to collectively manage a timing to replace multiple cylinders.

More specifically, a cylinder management system in accordance with this disclosure is a cylinder management system according to claim <NUM>.

A test system such as an exhaust gas analysis system comprises multiple gas analysis devices. In order to use this test system, the management device accumulates the gas consumption quantity assumed to be used for each gas type by the multiple gas analysis devices, and compares the accumulated gas consumption quantity with the cylinder gas residual quantity in each of the gas cylinders.

The management device manages the timing to replace the cylinder by comparing the cylinder gas residual quantity of each gas cylinder with the gas consumption quantity assumed to be used for each gas type by the multiple gas analysis devices.

In accordance with this arrangement, since the timing to replace the gas cylinder can be managed in consideration with the assumed gas consumption quantity, it is possible to replace the gas cylinder before the residual quantity of the cylinder gas reaches zero. As a result of this, it is possible to shorten the stand-by time while the test is interrupted.

The management device obtains a test schedule for each of the multiple gas analysis devices and calculates the gas consumption quantity assumed to be used by the multiple gas analysis devices for each gas type based on these test schedules.

In accordance with this arrangement, since the gas consumption quantity (assumed) to be used by each of the gas analysis devices can be previously anticipated, it is possible to replace the gas cylinder before the cylinder gas residual quantity reaches zero. As this result, it becomes possible not to interrupt the test.

Some gas type in the gas cylinder is used apart from the test schedule. In order to manage the timing to replace the gas cylinder more accurately, the management device uses a total value of the gas consumption quantity based on the test schedule and the gas consumption quantity used aside from the test schedule as the gas consumption quantity assumed to be used by the multiple gas analysis devices for each gas type.

The management device uses the gas consumption quantity in maintenance of a predetermined cycle set for each of the multiple gas analysis devices as the gas consumption quantity used aside from the test schedule.

It is preferable that the management device manages the timing to replace the gas cylinder based on a delivery date of the gas cylinder.

In accordance with this arrangement, it is possible to replace the gas cylinder without making the cylinder gas residual quantity of the gas cylinder zero.

In order to manage the timing to replace the gas cylinder more accurately, it is preferable that the management device has a machine learning part that anticipates the timing to replace the gas cylinder based on a machine learning algorithm by the use of a gas type, a gas residual pressure of the gas cylinder and the test schedule as input parameters.

In addition, a cylinder management method in accordance with this disclosure is a cylinder management method according to claim <NUM>.

Furthermore, a cylinder management program in accordance with this disclosure is a cylinder management program according to claim <NUM>.

In accordance with this invention having this arrangement, it is possible to collectively manage the timing to replace the multiple cylinders.

One embodiment of a cylinder management system in accordance with this invention will be explained with reference to drawings.

The cylinder management system <NUM> of this embodiment, as shown in <FIG>, is used for managing a gas cylinder <NUM> of one or multiple exhaust gas analysis systems <NUM> that analyze an engine exhaust gas discharged from a specimen as being a vehicle or a part of the vehicle. The specimen is a vehicle, an engine or a power train (a vehicle driving system).

One or multiple exhaust gas analysis systems <NUM> are used for a test on the specimen, and comprise a load device <NUM> such as a chassis dynamometer on which a vehicle is loaded, an engine dynamometer connected to an output shaft of an engine or a driving system test facility to test a vehicle driving system, a test facility <NUM> such as a CVS device that samples an exhaust gas discharged from the specimen, an automatic driving robot or a fan, one or multiple gas analysis devices <NUM> that analyze a component to be measured in the exhaust gas, multiple gas cylinders <NUM> that supply a cylinder gas (a utility gas or a calibration gas in this embodiment) to one or the multiple gas analysis devices <NUM> and a control unit <NUM> that controls the load device <NUM>, the test facility <NUM> or the gas analysis device <NUM> and that conducts the exhaust gas test based on a predetermined test schedule. One or the multiple exhaust gas analysis systems <NUM> may be arranged in a building or separately arranged in multiple buildings. The predetermined test schedule contains, for example, an exhaust gas certification test that corresponds to an enactment in each country, and may contain a cold start test, a transient test, a hot start test, a running gloss transpiration gas test, a hot soak transpiration gas test and a diurnal transpiration gas test. The test schedule is set by a user in advance.

The utility gas is a gas that is necessary at a time of analyzing the exhaust gas by the gas analysis device <NUM>, and for example, H<NUM> gas or O<NUM> gas. In addition, the calibration gas is a gas that is necessary at a time of calibrating the gas analysis device <NUM>, the calibration gas for span calibration is, for example, CO gas, CO<NUM> gas, C<NUM>H<NUM> gas, CH<NUM> gas, NO gas, NO<NUM> gas and N<NUM>O gas, and the calibration gas for zero calibration is, for example, N<NUM> gas. The calibration gas for span calibration is prepared for each concentration. A kind of the used gas or the concentration of the used gas is determined according to the test schedule by the gas analysis device (for low concentration, for high concentration). The gas analysis device is selected according to the gas for a passenger car, for a truck, for a gasoline-powered vehicle, for a diesel vehicle or for a natural gas vehicle.

The multiple gas cylinders <NUM> may be collectedly arranged in a single cylinder chamber, or separately arranged in multiple cylinder chambers or in a predetermined portion. The multiple gas analysis devices <NUM> to which the gas is supplied from each gas cylinder <NUM> may be contained in a single exhaust gas analysis system <NUM> or may be contained in the multiple exhaust gas analysis systems <NUM>.

The cylinder management system <NUM> manages the multiple gas cylinders <NUM> by the use of the pressure of each of the multiple gas cylinders <NUM>.

Concretely, the cylinder management system <NUM> comprises, as shown in <FIG>, multiple pressure sensors <NUM> that detect the pressure of each of the multiple gas cylinders <NUM> and a management device <NUM> that calculates a cylinder gas residual quantity in each gas cylinder <NUM> based on the pressure detected by each of the pressure sensors <NUM>, and manages a timing to replace each gas cylinder <NUM>.

The pressure sensor <NUM> is arranged for each gas cylinder <NUM>. The pressure sensor <NUM> may be fixed to the gas cylinder <NUM>, or may be post installed to an output port of the gas cylinder <NUM>. The pressure detection signal of the pressure sensor <NUM> is output to the management device <NUM> through a wired or wireless communication circuit.

The management device <NUM> is a dedicated or general purpose device having a CPU, an internal memory, an input/output interface, an input device such as a key board or a mouse, an output device such as a display or a printer and a communication device that is communicable to the pressure sensor <NUM> or the control unit <NUM> through the communication circuit.

The management device <NUM> produces functions as a cylinder gas residual quantity calculating part <NUM> and a replace timing managing part <NUM> by cooperatively working with the CPU and its peripheral devices based on cylinder management programs stored in the internal memory.

The cylinder gas residual quantity calculating part <NUM> receives the pressure detection signal of the multiple pressure sensors <NUM> on a constant basis or intermittently, and calculates the cylinder gas residual quantity of each gas cylinder <NUM>. Concretely, the cylinder gas residual quantity calculating part <NUM> calculates the cylinder gas residual quantity (unit: L) based on an electric current signal (unit: mA) output from each of the pressure sensors <NUM>.

The replace timing managing part <NUM> compares the cylinder gas residual quantity (R) of each gas cylinder <NUM> with the gas consumption quantity (U) assumed to be an accumulated quantity for each gas kind in the multiple gas analysis device <NUM>, and estimates and manages the timing to replace each gas cylinder <NUM>. The timing to replace the gas cylinder <NUM> may be a date, and may be a period from the present (for example, <NUM> days later).

In addition, the replace timing managing part <NUM> obtains each test schedule of the multiple gas analysis devices <NUM> from the control unit <NUM> and calculates the gas consumption quantity (U) assumed to be used by all of the multiple gas analysis devices <NUM> for each gas type.

The gas consumption quantity (U) assumed to be used for each gas type is a total value (U<NUM> + U<NUM>) of a gas consumption quantity U<NUM> based on the test schedule and a gas consumption quantity U<NUM> used aside from the test schedule. The gas consumption quantity U<NUM> used aside from the test schedule is a gas consumption quantity during a maintenance conducted at a predetermined cycle (for example, once a month) set for each of the multiple gas analysis devices <NUM>.

Concretely, as shown in <FIG>, the replace timing managing part <NUM> calculates the timing to replace the gas cylinder <NUM> by the use of the following expression.

The coefficient "a" is an average gradient of the gas consumption quantity U<NUM> consumed in the test schedule. The coefficient "a" may be a value that differs in accordance with the gas analysis device <NUM> to be used. In addition, the coefficient "a" may be changed in accordance with a content of the test schedule.

In addition, the coefficient "b" is an average gradient of the gas consumption quantity U<NUM> consumed during calibration that is conducted periodically. The coefficient "b" may be a value that differs in accordance with the gas analysis device <NUM> to be used.

Furthermore, the replace timing managing part <NUM> also manages the timing to replace the gas cylinder <NUM> based on the delivery date of the gas cylinder <NUM>. In this case, the replace timing managing part <NUM> calculates the timing to replace the gas cylinder <NUM> by the use of the following expression.

The number of days until replacement (timing to replace) calculated by the above-mentioned expression is displayed on a display of the management device <NUM>. In addition, in case that the timing to replace the gas cylinder <NUM> is shorter than a predetermined cycle, a reporting means to issue an alarm to urge the user to replace the gas cylinder <NUM> may be provided. Furthermore, the management device <NUM> may have an ordering part that automatically places an order of the gas cylinder based on the calculated timing to replace the gas cylinder <NUM>.

In accordance with the cylinder management system <NUM> of this embodiment, since the cylinder gas residual quantity (R) of the multiple gas cylinders <NUM> is calculated by the use of the multiple pressure sensors <NUM> each of which detects the pressure of each of the multiple gas cylinders <NUM>, and the timing to replace each gas cylinder <NUM> is anticipated and managed, it becomes possible to collectively manage the timing to replace the multiple gas cylinders <NUM>. In addition, since the timing to replace each gas cylinder <NUM> is anticipated and managed, there is no need of going to the cylinder chamber and verifying the cylinder gas residual quantity (R) so that it is possible to shorten a period to interrupt the experiment and the test. In addition, it becomes possible to reduce human errors due to confirmation mistakes.

This invention is not limited to the above-mentioned embodiment.

For example, as shown in <FIG>, the management device <NUM> may have a machine learning part <NUM> that anticipates the timing to replace the gas cylinder <NUM> by the use of machine learning algorithm. Concretely, the machine learning part <NUM> anticipates the timing to replace each gas cylinder <NUM> based on the machine learning algorithm by the use of the gas type, a cylinder gas residual pressure of each gas cylinder <NUM>, the test schedule of each gas analysis device <NUM> and the delivery date of each gas cylinder <NUM> as the input parameters. In addition, the machine learning part <NUM> may update the coefficient "a" and the coefficient "b" of the above-mentioned embodiment by the use of the machine learning algorithm.

The replace timing managing part <NUM> may manage the timing to replace the gas cylinder <NUM> by comparing the cylinder gas residual quantity obtained by the cylinder gas residual quantity calculating part <NUM> with the gas consumption quantity in the test schedule of each gas analysis device <NUM> without using the calculation formula of the above-mentioned embodiment. In this case, the replace timing managing part <NUM> roughly estimates the gas consumption quantity in the test schedule of each gas analysis device <NUM>, and manages the timing to replace the gas cylinder <NUM> by comparing the roughly estimated gas consumption quantity with the cylinder gas residual quantity.

In addition, the management device <NUM> in the above-mentioned embodiment may have a function of detecting a gas leak between the multiple gas analysis devices <NUM> and the multiple gas cylinders <NUM>. In this case, as shown in <FIG>, the exhaust gas analysis system <NUM> is provided with multiple flow rate sensors <NUM> that detect a flow rate of a fluid that flows in each of the multiple gas analysis devices <NUM>.

Claim 1:
A cylinder management system (<NUM>) that is configured to manage multiple gas cylinders (<NUM>) that supply a cylinder gas to multiple gas analysis devices (<NUM>) that analyze an exhaust gas of a specimen as being a vehicle or a part of the vehicle, comprising
multiple pressure sensors (<NUM>) each of which is configured to detect a pressure of each of the multiple gas cylinders (<NUM>), and
a management device (<NUM>) that is configured to calculate a cylinder gas residual quantity in each of the gas cylinders (<NUM>) based on the pressure detected by each of the pressure sensors (<NUM>), to compare the cylinder gas residual quantity (R) in each of the gas cylinders (<NUM>) with a gas consumption quantity (U) assumed to be used for each gas type by the multiple gas analysis devices (<NUM>) and to manage a timing to replace each of the gas cylinders (<NUM>), wherein
the management device (<NUM>) is configured to accumulate the gas consumption quantity (U) assumed to be used for each gas type by the multiple gas analysis devices (<NUM>), and to compare the accumulated gas consumption quantity with the cylinder gas residual quantity (R) in each of the gas cylinders (<NUM>),
characterized in that:
the management device (<NUM>) is further configured to obtain a test schedule for each of the multiple gas analysis devices (<NUM>) from each of multiple control units (<NUM>) that control the gas analysis devices (<NUM>) and to calculate the gas consumption quantity (U<NUM>) assumed to be used by the multiple gas analysis devices (<NUM>) for each gas type based on these test schedules,
the test schedule contains an exhaust gas certification test that corresponds to an enactment in each country, and contain at least one of a cold start test, a transient test, a hot start test, a running gloss transpiration gas test, a hot soak transpiration gas test and a diurnal transpiration gas test,
the management device (<NUM>) is configured to use a total value (U<NUM>+U<NUM>) of the gas consumption quantity based on the test schedule (U<NUM>) and the gas consumption quantity used aside from the test schedule (U<NUM>) as the gas consumption quantity assumed to be used by the multiple gas analysis devices for each gas type, and
the management device (<NUM>) is configured to use the gas consumption quantity during a maintenance conducted at a predetermined cycle set for each of the multiple gas analysis devices as the gas consumption quantity used aside from the test schedule (U<NUM>).