Patent Description:
Recent advances in computers and communications have had impact on how to control and operate a general vehicle. As a consequence, increasingly sophisticated processor based tools may be found throughout auto body and auto maintenance facilities for performing e.g. diagnosis work in relation to the vehicle. More and more of those devices communicate data back and forth with other similar devices and/or with host computers and various remote terminals.

For facilitating external computing equipment to be connected the vehicle is may be desirable to allow a so-called breakout cable or box to be connected to and possible in between an electrical control unit (ECU) of the vehicle and an electrical wiring system comprised with the vehicle. The breakout box is preferably adapted to allow for measurement and diagnosis to take place while the breakout box is connected, while maintaining the ECU connected to the equipment under test, etc. Thus, it is typically desirable to connect the breakout box directly to an electrical connector provided with the ECU.

With the constant development within the automotive industry and an ever increasing interest in miniaturization, new and even more advanced electrical connector are continuously developed, e.g. for different vehicle models and from different manufactures. Consequently, it will be almost impossible to provide electrical connectors taking into account the above while at the same time matching electrical connector of the ECU.

Accordingly, there seems to be room for means to simplify the presently tricky problem of allowing a breakout box to be swiftly connected in-between the ECU and the electrical wiring system comprised with the vehicle.

Further attention is drawn to <CIT>, presenting a method for building a part for use with a test equipment in the performance of a test of electrical equipment. The part comprises at least one of a connector, an interface cable, and a test program. The method comprises accessing a database comprising data about the part, building the part based on the data, and providing the part with a unique identifier. The data is sufficient for at least one of determining an availability of the part and allowing building the part.

According to an aspect of the present disclosure, it is therefore provided a method performed by a computer system for forming an adapter for an electrical jack connector mounted at an electrical control unit (ECU) arrangement comprised with a vehicle, as is defined by claim <NUM>.

The present disclosure is based upon the realization that connection of an electrical breakout box to an electrical system of a vehicle typically may be somewhat complicated, specifically since it is desirable that the connection may be made without affecting/destroying the already available connection between the ECU and the electrical system of the vehicle. Typically, the already available connection between the ECU and the electrical system of the vehicle includes an electrical jack connector (fixed socket connector), and having a first gender, mounted at e.g. a printed circuit board (PCB) of the ECU. The connection further comprises an electric plug connector, having a second gender, arranged at a wire bundle comprised with the electrical system of the vehicle (removable plug connector). The plug connector is adapted to be releasably connected to the jack connector.

The present disclosure provides an adapter for an automotive application to be fitted "in between" the plug connector provided at the wire bundle and the jack connector of the ECU, where the (formed) adapter is arranged to comprise an electrical plug connector having the first gender, thus making it connectable to the plug connector provided at the wire bundle. The adapter comprising the electrical plug connector is formed using a 3D printer based on an automated analysis and determination of connector features of the jack connector of the ECU. By the dynamic implementation as is made possible by combining (<NUM>) a direct analysis of the connector features of the jack connector and the following (<NUM>) formation of the adapter using a 3D printer, it is made possible to swiftly connect the breakout box in between the ECU and the electrical system of the vehicle, without having to mechanically e.g. mechanically interact/destroy the wire bundle and/or the plug connector provided at the wire bundle and the jack connector of the ECU.

In addition, by means of the present disclosure it is possible to drastically reduce the time need for connecting the breakout box in between a previously unknown/unused interface between the ECU and the electrical system of the vehicle, since the adapted possibly may be made e.g. "on-site" (such as at a workshop) based on the analysis of the jack connector provided at the ECU and the following 3D printing process, for example using a plastic material. It should of course be understood that the present disclosure is not limited to a specific location for performing the inventive process. Rather, some or all parts of the process may be performed remotely from where the adapter is to be used.

In line with the present disclosure, it should be understood that the expression "electrical jack connector" relates to a fixed connector typically mounted at a PCB or similar (forming socket). Conversely, the expression "electrical plug connector" is a defines as a connector typically connected to e.g. a wire bundle comprising a plurality of wires (forming a plug), where the electrical plug connector typically is releasably connected to the electrical jack connector.

The step of generating the
3D model of the adapter comprises forming a plurality of contact cavities with the 3D model for inserting of a plurality of electrical contacts with the adapter. That is, it will be possible to allow for separately insertable electrical contacts to be provided/arranged and within the cavities. The electrical contacts are in turn connected to a plurality of wires.

Furthermore, the plurality of electrical wires are connected to an electrical plug connector having a second gender, the electrical plug connector adapted to be connected to the electrical jack connector mounted at the ECU arrangement, and the second gender being different from the first gender. The electrical wires are also connected to the breakout box. Accordingly, the adapter will allow a for a "three-way connection", where the breakout box is allowed to "listen in" on the communication between the ECU and the electrical system of the vehicle. Such communication may for example include commands sent to and received from the ECU. The commands sent may in turn be used for controlling electrical vehicle components connected throughout the electrical system of the vehicle. Such electrical vehicle components may possibly include further ECUs.

In a possible embodiment of the present disclosure the first gender is female. Accordingly, in such an embodiment the second gender is male. In conjunction with the above discussion, the electrical jack connector mounted at the ECU would thus be female and the electrical plug connector comprised with the 3D printed adapter would also be female. The adapter may in such an embodiment additionally comprise a male electrical plug connector for connection with the female electrical jack connector mounted at the ECU.

The connector features comprise at least one of pin-out and mating dimensions of the electrical jack connector mounted at the ECU arrangement. The connector features are derived from an image or a video sequence of the electrical jack connector mounted at ECU, based on image analysis (image processing). The generation of the 3D model is thus based on the connector features, however adapted in the opposite gender as compared to the gender (e.g. female) of the electrical jack connector mounted at ECU.

According to an aspect of the present disclosure, there is further provided a computer system for forming an adapter for an electrical jack connector mounted at an electrical control unit (ECU) arrangement comprised with a vehicle, as is defined by claim <NUM>. This aspect of the present disclosure provides similar advantages as discussed above in relation to the previous aspects of the present disclosure.

In summary, the present disclosure generally relates to a novel method performed by a computer system of forming an adapter to be used for connecting a breakout box in-between an electrical control unit (ECU) of a vehicle and an electrical wiring system comprised with the vehicle. The adapter is formed using a 3D printer based on a construction of an electrical connector design provided with the ECU.

Turning now to the drawings and to Fig 1a in particular, there is conceptually and in a greatly simplified manner illustrated a vehicle <NUM> comprising an electrical system <NUM>. The electrical system <NUM> comprises a first ECU arrangement <NUM> and a plurality of sensors 106a, 106b and a plurality of controllers 108a, 108b and 108c. The ECU arrangement <NUM>, the sensors <NUM> and the controllers <NUM> are connected to each other using e.g. a data bus, such as a Controller Area Network (CAN) bus <NUM>. An optional second ECU arrangement <NUM> may also be connected to the CAN bus <NUM> and comprised with the electrical system <NUM>.

As indicated above, the first ECU arrangement <NUM> is adapted to send and receive commands from the sensors <NUM> and the controllers <NUM>, as well as optionally from the second ECU <NUM>, using the CAN bus <NUM>. The sensor <NUM> may include any type of sensing equipment comprised with the vehicle <NUM>. The controllers <NUM> may in turn comprise any type of vehicle equipment, such as for example but not solely controllers for actuators, motors, etc..

In line with the present disclosure, a breakout box <NUM> is preferably connected to the electrical system <NUM> for allowing e.g. testing and support of the electrical system <NUM>, as is well known to the person skilled in the art. The breakout box <NUM> specifically serves to "break out" signals communicated within the electrical system <NUM>, allowing e.g. in-depth analysis and troubleshooting of the electrical system <NUM>. The breakout box <NUM> may in turn be connected to e.g. a computer <NUM>, where processing power provided by the computer <NUM> may be used for performing e.g. the in-depth analysis.

In <FIG>, a connection for the breakout box <NUM> to the electrical system <NUM> is achieved at connection point <NUM>, forming a three-way connection between (<NUM>) the first ECU arrangement <NUM>, (<NUM>) the breakout box <NUM> and (<NUM>) the sensors/controllers <NUM>/<NUM> connected to the CAN bus <NUM>.

In <FIG> there is provided an example of an adapter <NUM> to be used for interfacing the breakout box <NUM> with the electrical system <NUM>. <FIG> also partly illustrates the first ECU arrangement <NUM> and an electrical jack connector <NUM> mounted at the first ECU arrangement <NUM>. In the illustrated embodiment the electrical jack connector <NUM> is a female connector.

The adapter <NUM> comprises an electrical plug connector <NUM> having the same gender as the electrical jack connector <NUM> of the first ECU arrangement <NUM>. Thus, in this case the electrical plug connector <NUM> is a female connector. The electrical plug connector <NUM> is formed (in line with the concept according to the present disclosure) to have pin-out and mating dimensions provided in a manner corresponding to the same connector features of the electrical jack connector <NUM> of the first ECU arrangement <NUM>.

The adapter <NUM> further comprises an electrical plug connector <NUM> having an opposite gender as compared to the electrical jack connector <NUM> of the first ECU arrangement <NUM>, i.e. in this embodiment provided as a male connector. A wire bundle <NUM> comprising a plurality of electrical wires is provided for electrically connecting a plurality of electrical contacts (female) <NUM> of the electrical plug connector <NUM> with a corresponding plurality of (male) electrical contacts <NUM> comprised with the electrical plug connector <NUM>.

The adapter <NUM> further comprises means for providing the three-way connection point <NUM> as was illustrated in <FIG>. In the illustrated embodiment as shown in <FIG> this is achieved by providing the adapter <NUM> with a further wire bundle <NUM> comprising a plurality of electrical wires. The plurality of wires, of the further wire bundle <NUM>, are in one end connected (using a fixed or removable interface) to the electrical breakout box <NUM>, in turn connected to the computer <NUM>. The other end the plurality of wires, of the further wire bundle <NUM>, are connected to the plurality of electrical contacts <NUM> of the electrical plug connector <NUM>. In a preferred embodiment of the present disclosure, the electrical contacts <NUM> of the electrical plug connector <NUM> are thus adapted to receive two separate electrical wires coming from two separate wire bundles <NUM>, <NUM>.

During use of the adapter <NUM> in conjunction with the breakout box <NUM> and the electrical system <NUM> of the vehicle <NUM>, an electrical (male) connector <NUM> of the electrical system <NUM> is initially connected to the electrical jack connector <NUM> of the first ECU arrangement <NUM>. The electrical connector <NUM> is electrically disconnected from the electrical jack connector <NUM> mounted at the first ECU arrangement <NUM>. The electrical plug connector <NUM> formed in a 3D printing process according to the present disclosure is then electrically connected to the electrical connector <NUM>. The electrical plug connector <NUM> is in turn connected to the electrical jack connector <NUM> of the first ECU arrangement <NUM>. Accordingly, the three-way connection point <NUM> is achieved allowing the breakout box <NUM> to be able to listen in on the communication over e.g. the CAN bus <NUM>.

Once the testing/support procedure is finalized it is again possible to disconnect the adapter <NUM> and reconnect the electrical connector <NUM> with the electrical jack connector <NUM> of the first ECU arrangement <NUM>, without having to mend a possibly broken electrical connector <NUM> or wire bundle.

Turning now to <FIG> illustrating the steps of forming the adapter <NUM> provided in line with the concept of the present disclosure. The description below is provided with reference to the illustration provided in relation to <FIG>, specifically in relation to the genders of the connectors. The process starts by e.g. a computer system (not shown) receiving, S1, information relating to the electrical jack connector <NUM> of the first ECU arrangement <NUM>. Such information may for example include an image or video of the electrical jack connector <NUM>, or a reference to a part number of the electrical jack connector <NUM>.

The computer system subsequently analyzes, S2, the received information for determining connector features of the electrical jack connector <NUM>. As discussed above, such connector features may for example include at least one of pin-out and mating dimensions of the electrical jack connector <NUM>. This process may for example comprise performing image analysis of the captured/received image or video, or receiving corresponding information from e.g. a remotely arranged server in case of having the part number for the electrical jack connector <NUM>.

Based on the resulting information, the computer system generates, S3, a 3D model for the adapter <NUM>. This process further comprises forming a female electrical plug connector <NUM> having the same connector features as the electrical jack connector <NUM>, specifically at the end/side of the electrical plug connector <NUM> at the "interface end" (i.e. where a further connector is to mate). However, the wire bundle end of the electrical plug connector <NUM> will be formed differently as compared to a "normal" plug connector. Specifically, the electrical plug connector <NUM> is adapted for allowing not only one but two wire bundles to be connected, one for the male electrical connector plug connector <NUM> (i.e. wire bundle <NUM>) and one for connection with the breakout box <NUM> (i.e. wire bundle <NUM>). Accordingly, the generation of the 3D model typically includes an adaptation step for allowing the formation of an electrical plug connector where (at least) the two wire bundles <NUM>, <NUM> are allowed to be connected.

The generation of the 3D model further comprises forming a plurality of contact cavities with the 3D model for inserting of a plurality of electrical contacts <NUM>. In line with the discussion above, the electrical contacts <NUM> are thus in accordance to the present disclosure adapted for receiving the wires of both of the wire bundles <NUM>, <NUM>.

Once the adapted 3D model has been formed, the 3D model is provided to a 3D printer where, typically but not exclusively a plastic based electrical plug connector <NUM> is formed, comprising the above mentioned contact cavities. The electrical contacts <NUM> may then be inserted into the cavities, either before or after connecting the wires of both of the wire bundles <NUM>, <NUM> to each of the electrical contacts <NUM>.

It should be understood that the 3D printer used for forming the adapter <NUM>, comprising the electrical plug connector <NUM>, may employ any type of suitable technique. It should further be understood that it could be possible, and within the scope of the present disclosure, to allow the 3D printing process to be a "mixed material" process, where e.g. a cover of the electrical plug connector <NUM> is made from plastic. The electrical contacts <NUM> may in turn be formed "within" the electrical plug connector <NUM>, formed from a metal material.

The control functionality of the present disclosure may be implemented using existing computer processors, or by a special purpose computer processor for an appropriate system, incorporated for this or another purpose, or by a hardwire system. Embodiments within the scope of the present disclosure include program products comprising machine-readable medium for carrying or having machine-executable instructions or data structures stored thereon. Such machine-readable media can be any available media that can be accessed by a general purpose or special purpose computer or other machine with a processor. By way of example, such machine-readable media can comprise RAM, ROM, EPROM, EEPROM, CD-ROM or other optical disk storage, magnetic disk storage or other magnetic storage devices, or any other medium which can be used to carry or store desired program code in the form of machine-executable instructions or data structures and which can be accessed by a general purpose or special purpose computer or other machine with a processor. When information is transferred or provided over a network or another communications connection (either hardwired, wireless, or a combination of hardwired or wireless) to a machine, the machine properly views the connection as a machine-readable medium. Thus, any such connection is properly termed a machine-readable medium. Combinations of the above are also included within the scope of machine-readable media. Machine-executable instructions include, for example, instructions and data which cause a general purpose computer, special purpose computer, or special purpose processing machines to perform a certain function or group of functions.

Claim 1:
A method performed by a computer system, wherein the computer system is arranged to form, using a 3D printer, a three-way connection point adapter (<NUM>) for an electrical jack connector mounted at an electrical control unit (ECU) (<NUM>, <NUM>) arrangement comprised with a vehicle (<NUM>), wherein the adapter is provided for allowing a breakout box (<NUM>) to be electrically connected in between the ECU and an electrical system of the vehicle, and the method comprises the steps of:
- receiving, at the computer system, information relating to the electrical jack connector (<NUM>) by acquiring, using a camera, an image or a video of the electrical jack connector mounted at the ECU, wherein the electrical jack connector has a first gender;
- analyzing, by the computer system, the received information by performing image analysis of the image or video of the electrical jack connector mounted at the ECU for determining connector features of the electrical jack connector;
- generating, by the computer system, a three dimensional (3D) model of the adapter based on a result of the analysis of the electrical jack connector, wherein the step of generating the 3D model comprises forming a plurality of contact cavities with the 3D model and the adapter is arranged as a corresponding electrical plug connector (<NUM>) having the first gender;
- forming, by the computer system and based on the 3D model, the adapter using the 3D printer;
- providing a plurality of electrical contacts (<NUM>, <NUM>) adapted to be inserted in the plurality of contact cavities;
- connecting a plurality of electrical wires (<NUM>, <NUM>) to the plurality of electrical contacts; and
- connecting the plurality of electrical wires to both of:
- an electrical plug connector (<NUM>) having a second gender, the electrical plug connector adapted to be connected to the electrical jack connector mounted at the ECU arrangement, and the second gender being opposite to the first gender, and
- the breakout box.