METHOD TO TEST A STATE OF AN ELECTRICAL SYSTEM OF A MOTOR VEHICLE

Abstract

The disclosure relates to a method to test a state of an electrical system, in particular, of an electrical energy supply system, of a motor vehicle. In order to permit electronically automated testing of a state of the electrical system, or the system components of the motor vehicle, during testing of at least one electrical component of the system, at least one electrical property of this electrical component is detected electronically during variation of at least one electrical property of at least one further electrical component of the system. The individual electrical components of the system are detected electronically, and a deterministic test sequence to sequentially test the individual electrical components on the basis of the electrical components present is generated electronically, in which the test sequence is carried out electronically in an automated fashion.

Claims

1. A method to test a state of an electrical energy supply system of a motor vehicle comprising: testing at least one electrical component of the energy supply system; and detecting at least one electrical property of the electrical component electronically during variation of at least one electrical property of at least one further electrical component of the system.

2. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the at least one electrical component including a plurality of individual electrical component of the system, and further comprising: electronically detecting the individual electrical components of the system; and electronically generating a deterministic test sequence for sequentially testing the individual electrical components responsive to detecting the electrical components that are present, wherein the test sequence is carried out electronically in an automated fashion.

3. The method as claimed in claim 2 further comprising implementing, in an automated fashion, defined individual test states of the motor vehicle and state transitions between the test states to test the individual electronic components in individual test steps of the test sequence.

4. The method as claimed in claim 3 further comprising implementing a number of the test states and state transitions the test sequence, wherein the number is increased in a faulty system.

5. The method as claimed in claim 3, wherein the individual test steps include varying a rotational speed of an engine, varying a voltage setpoint value for a dynamo, charging or discharging a battery, switching on and off at least one electrical component, operating at least one electrical component in a specific state, and detecting power values of a starter of the motor vehicle are detected.

6. The method as claimed in claim 1 further comprising influencing individual components of the system to check a function of each of the individual components.

7. The method as claimed in claim 2 further comprising synchronizing electrical properties of the individual electrical components with data from a database that contains predefined electrical properties, test data, and maintenance data of the individual electrical components.

8. The method as claimed in claim 7 further comprising loading a result of the testing of the system into the database.

9. The method as claimed in claim 8 further comprising comparing the result with at least one test result that is contained in the database to determine a degree of wear of the system.

10. The method as claimed in claim 9 further comprising predicting faults of the system and a time for at least one electrical component to be changed based on the result of the comparing.

11. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the at least one electrical property of at least one electrical component of the system is detected via at least one sensor.

12. The method as claimed in claim 11 further comprising positioning the sensor based on the result of the testing of the system.

13. An electrical energy supply system comprising: sensors that detect an electrical property of an electrical component during variation of a further electrical property of a further electrical component; and electronics configured to electronically generate an automated deterministic test sequence that sequentially tests individual electrical components against the electrical and further electrical components such that individual test steps of the test sequence implement defined individual test states and transitions between the test states to test the individual electronic components.

14. The electrical energy supply system as claimed in claim 13, wherein the electronics are configured to synchronize electrical properties of the individual electrical components with data from a database that contains predefined electrical properties, test and maintenance data, and a test result of the test sequence.

15. The electrical energy supply system as claimed in claim 14, wherein the electronics are configured to determine a degree of wear based on a comparison of the result with at least one test result that is contained in the database.

16. The electrical energy supply system as claimed in claim 14, wherein the electronics are configured to predict system faults and a time for at least one electrical component to be changed based on a comparison result of the comparison.

17. A vehicle comprising: sensors that detect electrical components and further electrical components; and an energy supply system configured to electronically generate an automated deterministic test sequence that sequentially tests individual electrical components against the electrical components and further electrical components such that individual test steps of the test sequence implement defined individual test states and transitions between the test states to test the individual electronic components.

18. The vehicle as claimed in claim 17, wherein the system synchronizes electrical properties of the individual electrical components with data from a database that contains predefined electrical properties, test and maintenance data, and a result of the test sequence.

19. The vehicle as claimed in claim 18, wherein the system determines a degree of wear based on a comparison of the result with a test result stored in the database.

20. The vehicle as claimed in claim 19, wherein the system predicts faults and a time for at least one electrical component to be changed based on a comparison result of the comparison.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0026] The FIGURE shows a flowchart of an exemplary embodiment for a method according to the disclosure to test a state of an electrical energy supply system of a motor vehicle.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0027] As required, detailed embodiments of the present disclosure are disclosed herein; however, it is to be understood that the disclosed embodiments are merely exemplary of the disclosure that may be embodied in various and alternative forms. The figures are not necessarily to scale; some features may be exaggerated or minimized to show details of particular components. Therefore, specific structural and functional details disclosed herein are not to be interpreted as limiting, but merely as a representative basis for teaching one skilled in the art to variously employ the present disclosure.

[0028] In step 100, electronics, which are used to carry out testing, are connected to the electrical system of the motor vehicle. The electronics can be external evaluation electronics or vehicle-specific electronics.

[0029] In order to configure the testing, which is to be carried out with the electronics, the individual electrical components of the system are detected electronically in step 200.

[0030] In step 300, the electrical properties of the electrical components of the system are synchronized with data from a database that contains predefined electrical properties of the electrical components and/or test data relating to the electrical components and/or maintenance data relating to the electrical components.

[0031] In step 400, a deterministic test sequence generated from sequential testing of the individual electrical components is generated electronically on the basis of the electrical components that are present. In this context, individual test states of the system and/or of the motor vehicle, on the one hand, and/or state transitions between the test states, on the other, to test the individual electrical components, can be defined electronically based on the individual electrical components of the system.

[0032] Taking step 400 as a starting point for the entire electrical system being tested, and in step 500 the test sequence is carried out electronically in an automated fashion. Alternatively, in step 600, the testing is carried out only on a number of electrical components of the system. Alternatively, in step 700, the testing is carried out only on a number of electrical components of the system, measured values of separate external sensors being additionally taken into account. For this purpose, electrical properties of the electrical components are detected in step 710 by separate sensors. Positioning of the sensors can be defined in step 720 on the basis of a composition of the system detected in step 200.

[0033] In step 800, during the testing of the electrical components of the system, at least one electrical property of at least one electrical component is detected electronically during variation of at least one electrical property of at least one further electrical component of the system. In this context, the test states of the system and/or of the motor vehicle, which are defined in step 400, on the one hand, and/or state transitions between the test states, on the other, are optionally implemented electronically in an automated fashion in individual test steps of the sequential testing. During such a test step, a rotational speed of an engine of the motor vehicle and/or a voltage setpoint value for a dynamo of the motor vehicle can be varied and/or a battery of the motor vehicle can be charged and/or discharged and/or at least one electrical component can be switched on and/or off, and/or at least one electrical component can be operated in a specific state, and/or power values of a starter of the motor vehicle can be detected. In this context, a power consumption behavior of an electrical component to be tested can be detected. The individual test steps can be carried out when an ignition is switched on and off. A maximum outputting of the dynamo can be detected at specific rotational speeds of the engine. The rated value of a voltage of the dynamo can be varied in order to test a regulator operation of regulators of the dynamo.

[0034] In step 900, all the relevant states and parameters of the system or of specific electrical components thereof are detected. As a result, changes in the detected values compared to anticipated values can be detected. If, for example, a drop in current below an anticipated value occurs when a light is switched on, it can be inferred that a lamp or the like is defective. The detected data can be displayed on a display unit in real time.

[0035] In method step 910, a test report can be produced and stored. The test report, which represents the result of the testing of the system, can be loaded into the database. The system can move from step 910 to step 500, 600 or 700, in order to repeat the testing or to carry out other types of testing.

[0036] In step 920, the result of the testing of the system can be compared with at least one test result that is contained in the database. On the basis of a result of this comparison between the result and the at least one test result, it is possible to determine a degree of wear of the system. In addition, on the basis of a result of the comparison, it is possible to predict faults in the system and/or a time for at least one electrical component to be replaced.

[0037] While exemplary embodiments are described above, it is not intended that these embodiments describe all possible forms of the disclosure. Rather, the words used in the specification are words of description rather than limitation, and it is understood that various changes may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the disclosure. Additionally, the features of various implementing embodiments may be combined to form further embodiments of the disclosure.