Patent Document

[0001]    This invention relates generally to diagnostic systems for networked electronics and more specifically to diagnostic systems for electrical connections in networked electronics.  
         BACKGROUND  
         [0002]    Modern electrical systems employ networks to reduce the number of conductors needed to implement ever-increasing electrical functionality. In a typical networked system, a central application computer executes a software program to implement a particular function. The application computer receives input data from a number of input sources such as switches and sensors. The software program then evaluates the input data and thereupon makes a determination to effect an output. The output is then converted to physical action by an output device such as an electrical motor or lamp. Communication between the input sources, application computer, and output devices takes place over the network.  
           [0003]    In the event of a breakdown of a component in the networked system, a technician must generally be employed to find the cause of the breakdown. In making a diagnosis, the technician often relies on diagnostic routines contained in the software program and executed by the application computer. These diagnostic routines often execute under the assumption that the network wiring connection is intact between the application computer and the related input sources and output devices. If the wiring connection is intact, the control computer almost always accurately diagnoses the source of the breakdown and the technician is likely to effect repair in a single attempt. If the wiring connection is broken however, or only intermittently closes the requisite electrical connection, the control computer is likely to arrive at an erroneous conclusion as to the cause of the breakdown. In this case, the technician will be led by the control computer to erroneously replace an input source or output device. After erroneously making the replacement the technician will then discover the system remains in a state of disrepair. The technician is then left to traditional tools and problem solving methods to discover the broken wiring connection.  
           [0004]    Therefore, a diagnostic arrangement is needed for determining whether the wiring connections are intact in a network system.  
         SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
         [0005]    Accordingly, a diagnostic arrangement is provided in accordance with the present invention for determining whether the wiring connections are intact in a network system.  
           [0006]    In accordance with one aspect of the invention, an open-circuit detection apparatus is provided for detecting whether a connection is closed between a local node and a remote node.  
           [0007]    In accordance with another aspect of the invention, a method is provided for determining whether a connection is closed between a local node and a remote node.  
           [0008]    Further areas of applicability of the present invention will become apparent from the detailed description provided hereinafter. It should be understood however that the detailed description and specific examples, while indicating preferred embodiments of the invention, are intended for purposes of illustration only, since various changes and modifications within the spirit and scope of the invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art from this detailed description.  
       
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0009]    [0009]FIG. 1 depicts a network system in accordance with the present invention;  
         [0010]    [0010]FIG. 2 depicts a detailed schematic of the ping source and a test circuit of FIG. 1;  
         [0011]    FIGS.  3 ( a ) and  3 ( b ) depict state diagrams of the invention;  
         [0012]    FIGS.  4 ( a ) and  4 ( b ) depict voltage waveforms related to a closed wiring connection in accordance with the invention; and  
         [0013]    FIGS.  5 ( a ) and  5 ( b ) depict voltage waveforms related to an open wiring connection in accordance with the invention. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT  
       [0014]    Turning now to FIG. 1 a network  10  is shown. While not to be construed as limiting, the network  10  can be a control arrangement for a motor vehicle. A controller  20  communicates with a controller node  15  via a controller line transceiver  70 . A power source  45  is provided to energize the transceiver  70 . The controller node  15  is also common to a line transceiver  50 , a ping source  40 , and connectors J 1 , J 2  and J 3 . Each of the connectors J 1 , J 2 , J 3  operate to electrically connect an object node  25   a ,  25   b , and  25   c , respectively, to the network node  15 . Each object node is also common to a test circuit and an object. Therefore, by way of example, object node  25   a  is common to J 1 , Test Circuit  30   a , and Object A  35   a . Each object  35   a ,  35   b , and  35   c  may be an input, such as a switch node or a sensor node, or an object  35  may be a load, such as motor node or lamp node. Each object  35   a ,  35   b , and  35   c  communicates with the controller  20  via its associated object node  25   a ,  25   b , and  25   c . Each test circuit  30   a ,  30   b ,  30   c  is connected to an object node  25   a ,  25   b ,  25   c  and operates to substantially change the impedance of its associated object node  25   a ,  25   b ,  25   c  in response to receiving a unique address from the ping source  40 . The ping source  40  transmits an address unique to one of the test circuits  30   a ,  30   b ,  30   c , and subsequently senses the impedance of the object node  25   a ,  25   b ,  25   c , associated with the addressed test circuit. For example, to diagnose connector J 2  the ping source  40  transmits an address unique to test circuit  30   b . In response to receipt of its unique address, test circuit  30   b  substantially changes the impedance of object node  25   b . The ping source  40  detects the substantial change in impedance thereby indicating that connector J 2  is closed.  
         [0015]    A mission manager  55  executes the method of the instant invention, which is discussed later. The mission manager  55  communicates with the controller  20  and objects  35   a ,  35   b ,  35   c  via mission line transceiver  50 . The mission manager  55  also communicates with the ping source  40 . A power source  45  is provided to energize the ping source  40  and mission line transceiver  50 . The mission manager  55  cooperates with the ping source  40  to determine whether connections J 1 , J 2  and J 3  are closed.  
         [0016]    Turning now to FIG. 2, a detailed view of the ping source  40  and a single test circuit  30   a  is shown. It should be noted that test circuits  30   a ,  30   b  and  30   c  are identical in function with the exception that each responds only to a unique address, as is described later. Mission manager  55  employs a suitable means, such as detecting a “QUIET MODE” message from the controller  20 , of sensing when the network node  15  is expected to be free of communication traffic. At the time the network node  15  is free of communication, the mission manager  55  instructs the ping controller  140  to emit a stream  105  of n bits (shown in FIG. 3( a )) from the output  65 . The n bits represent a unique address of object node  25   a . A buffer  60  amplifies the n bits for transmission on the network node  15 . The bits travel across the network node  15  to an address decoder  100  via the connection J 1  and the object node  25   a . The address decoder  100  asserts gate control  110  in response to receiving the unique n bit address transmitted by the ping controller  140 . The transistor Q 1  is normally off and conducts in response to the assertion by the gate control  110 . In the drawing of FIG. 1, each object node  25   a ,  25   b ,  25   c  has a unique address. Therefore, only one of the test circuits  30   a ,  30   b , and  30   c  is activated by the unique address in the bit stream  105 .  
       Detecting a Closed Connection  
       [0017]    In the situation where connection J 1  is closed, the conduction of transistor Q 1  creates a voltage divider between resistors R 1  and R 5 . Approximating the voltage drop across the drain  145  and source  150  as zero, the voltage at controller node  15  is given by the equation V=V + *R 5 /(R 1 +R 5 ). The voltage at controller node  15  also appears at the inverting input  80  of comparator  75 . The non-inverting input  85  has a reference voltage V REF  established by the voltage divider created by resistors R 3  and R 4 . The reference voltage V REF  is given by the equation V REF =V + *R 4 /(R 3 +R 4 ). The resistors R 1  and R 3 -R 5  should be chosen such that V REF  is greater than the voltage at the inverting input  80  when transistor Q 1  is conducting. With non-inverting input  85  at a higher voltage than the inverting input  80 , the comparator output  95  will be go high.  
         [0018]    The ping controller  140  then determines that the connection J 1  is closed based on detecting a high voltage at the output  95 .  
       Detecting an Open Connection  
       [0019]    Continuing to look at FIG. 2 assume that connection J 1  is open, such as would be the case when a connection is broken. Again, the ping controller  140  of the ping source  40  will emit a stream of n bits from the output  65 . With connection J 1  open, test circuit  30  is disconnected and unable to receive the stream of bits  105 . At the same time, other test circuits  30  that have good connections to the network node  15  will not react to the bit stream  105 . These other test circuits  30  each have an address decoder  100  that will not assert its gate control  110  in response to the address of another node. Therefore none of the transistors Q 1  will conduct and all of the connected test circuits  30  will have a high input impedance. With connection J 1  open and the other connected test circuits  30  at a high impedance, the voltage at controller node  15  and inverting input  80  is approximately equal to V + . Voltage V REF  appears at non-inverting input  85 . With the inverting input  80  at a higher voltage than the non-inverting input  85 , the comparator output  95  will go low.  
         [0020]    The ping controller  140  then detects the low voltage at the output  95  to determine that connection J 1  is open.  
         [0021]    FIGS.  3 ( a ) and  3 ( b ) show examples of state diagrams of the address decoder  100 . FIG. 3( a ) shows a stream of the n bits that enter the address decoder  100  via object node  25   a . The stream of bits may be preceded by a preamble, such as a start-of-frame  130  (SOF) indication as is known in the art. FIG. 3( b ) shows the behavior of gate control  110 . Normally gate control  110  is at a low state, thereby turning off transistor Q 1 . After receiving the stream of n bits  105  that match the unique address of the address decoder  100  however, the address decoder  100  asserts the gate control  110 .  
         [0022]    FIGS.  4 ( a ) and  4 ( b ) show, by way of example, voltage waveforms at the comparator  75  when a connection, such as J 1 , is under test and closed. The reference voltage V REF , which appears at the non-inverting input  85 , is represented as a dashed line. The vertical axis represents volts and the horizontal axis represents time. FIG. 4( a ) shows the voltage appearing at the inverting input  80 . While the n-th bit  125  is being transmitted on the controller node  15  the voltage of the inverting input  80  is irrelevant, as shown by the cross hatching in the voltage waveform. After the n-th bit  125  is transmitted, the voltage at the inverting input  80  drops below V REF  until the address decoder  100  turns off transistor Q 1  via the gate control  110 . FIG. 4( b ) shows that while transistor Q 1  is turned on the voltage at the output  95  of the comparator  75  is high. The output  95  goes to an indeterminate state when the transistor Q 1  is turned off at time  155 .  
         [0023]    FIGS.  5 ( a ) and  5 ( b ) show examples of voltages at the comparator  75  when a connection is open and under test. Like the waveforms of FIGS.  4 ( a ) and  4 ( b ), the vertical axis of the graphs in FIGS.  5 ( a ) and  5 ( b ) represent voltage and the horizontal axis represent time. FIGS.  5 ( a ) shows that when a connection, such as J 1 , is open and the n-th bit  125  has been sent by the buffer  60 , the inverting input  80  is pulled up to V+by the resistor R 1 . The non-inverting input  85  remains at V REF  as established by R 3  and R 4 . With the voltage at the inverting input  80  at a higher voltage than V REF , the output  95  of the comparator will go low as shown in FIGS.  5 ( b ). FIG. 5( b ) also shows that output  95  returns to an indeterminate state at time  155  after the ping controller has sent the n-th bit and received the low signal from the output  95 .  
         [0024]    The invention being thus described, it will be obvious that the same may be varied in many ways. Such variations are not to be regarded as a departure from the spirit and scope of the invention, and all such modifications as would be obvious to one skilled in the art are intended to be included within the scope of the following claims.

Technology Category: 3