WO2005038725A1

WO2005038725A1 - System for predictive diagnosis of faults on a motor vehicle and on-board diagnostic device for the same

Info

Publication number: WO2005038725A1
Application number: PCT/FR2004/002592
Authority: WO
Inventors: Yves Knipper
Original assignee: Johnson Controls Technology Company
Priority date: 2003-10-14
Filing date: 2004-10-13
Publication date: 2005-04-28
Also published as: EP1673733A1; FR2860895B1; FR2860895A1; EP1673733B8; ES2534852T3; EP1673733B1

Abstract

The invention relates to a system (1) for predictive diagnosis of faults on a motor vehicle, comprising, on board the vehicle, at least one central unit (100), for diagnostic management, a network (RA,RB), for acquisition of diagnostic data, connected to the central unit, memory means (200), for the diagnostic data and communication means (220), for communication with fixed diagnostic means and, at base, one of the units of the set, comprising a fixed diagnostic tool (2) and a diagnostic server (31), connected to a diagnostic database (32). The invention further relates to the onboard diagnostic device in the system.

Description

System for predictive diagnosis of motor vehicle malfunctions and its on-board diagnostic device

The present invention relates to the diagnosis of motor vehicle malfunctions.

In the past, to make a diagnosis, a mechanic collected the symptoms of dysfunctions perceived by the driver of the vehicle and then, with the help of these symptoms, he looked for the malfunction (s), by examining the vehicle visually and / or using physical measurement and electronic reading tools.

Such a diagnostic method proved cumbersome to implement and, moreover, unreliable. Indeed, it did not systematically find the malfunctions. In addition, the growing diversity and rapid development of vehicle electronic systems have made the diagnosis of malfunctions and therefore troubleshooting increasingly complex.

The more advanced diagnostic assistance system of the document US-

A 5,313,388 comprises means of acquiring symptomatic data supplied by a user of the vehicle, means of acquiring data of operation of the vehicle and it makes it possible to automate the elaboration of diagnoses by the introduction of electronic means and computer. But in this device of the prior art, in which a base of correlation of symptomatic data and of operating problems is used, the diagnosis remains however fairly empirical.

Document EP 1 039 390 discloses a device comprising means for acquiring symptomatic data supplied by a user of the vehicle, means for acquiring earlier symptomatic data, first means of diagnostic assistance by application, for each vehicle operating data, at least one predefined method of diagnostic assistance, and second diagnostic assistance means by comparing data from at least one of the two groups, respectively comprising the symptomatic data provided by vehicle user and vehicle operating data, along with previous symptomatic data.

"Previous symptomatic data" means to designate data relating to symptoms collected in the past on motor vehicles and for each of which at least one malfunction, which is the cause, is known. But this device, quite sophisticated, remains a device for carrying out curative diagnoses, with all the drawbacks, admittedly relative, linked to the curative nature of the diagnoses and, ultimately, to troubleshooting. Well, the Applicant had the idea of proposing to intervene before and not after malfunctions or breakdowns and to develop the diagnosis of predictive or preventive motor vehicles.

If we want to schematically define the curative diagnosis practiced until now, here is how the architecture looks: at the mechanic,

* a mobile vehicle with, at least - an on-board central unit (ECU), which incorporates a low-level diagnostic module, in the sense that it performs practically no diagnostics and confines itself to storing and transmitting data , - networks connected to the central unit, * a data acquisition probe from the ECU,

* an on-board or fixed diagnostic tool which - analyzes the frames collected by the probe and which implements - diagnostic and repair algorithms, with - a man-machine interface and - a computer terminal for liaison with the manufacturer,

at the manufacturer, a whole information system, with

- a database (or several), - a computer meta-engine, which is a diagnostic server.

The link between the probe and the garage diagnostic tool, on the one hand, and the link between the garage tool and the server manufacturer, on the other hand, may be radio links.

If we want to enter a little more into the details of the diagnostic tool, we find there, using the terminology provided by the Open System Interconnection (OSI) model, which divides communication functions into seven layers, -a layer of very low level of physical control of components, -a communication layer, -a data acquisition layer, in particular standardized buses of the CAN vehicle (controller network) and VAN (vehicle network), -a link layer with the on-board central unit (or central units) of the vehicle, -a functional layer, -a graphical user interface (GUI) layer and - an upper layer of applications. The problem of predictive diagnosis is solved, according to the applicant, with a system for predictive diagnosis of malfunctions of a motor vehicle comprising, on board the vehicle, at least - a central diagnostic management unit, - an acquisition network diagnostic data, connected to the central unit, - diagnostic data storage means and - communication means for communicating with fixed diagnostic means and, on the ground, - one of the elements of the assembly comprising - a fixed diagnostic tool, on the one hand, - a diagnostic server associated with a diagnostic database, on the other hand. The server and the database, which constitute a central system, are located at the manufacturer while the diagnostic tool, which completes the central on-board diagnostic management unit, mobile, can be fixed, or landed, either at the garage owner is at the manufacturer.

It should be noted that the central management unit for diagnosis with what is generally called the central cabin unit which is a computer.

The remarkable aspect of the invention lies in the integration of part of the diagnostic intelligence on board the vehicle to react in real time. In other words, predictive or preventive diagnosis is associated with on-board intelligence, while curative diagnosis corresponds with off-board intelligence. Thus, and by way of example, if a vehicle operating variable starts to drift and cross an alert threshold, this can be diagnosed on board to trigger an alert towards the manufacturer - transparent to the driver - then , after treatment, to the driver.

The applicant also intends to protect, as intermediate means, the diagnostic device on board a motor vehicle, comprising: a central diagnostic management unit, a diagnostic data acquisition network, connected to the central unit, diagnostic data storage means and communication means for communicating with one of the elements of the assembly comprising a fixed diagnostic tool, on the one hand, and a central fixed diagnostic system, comprising a server associated with a database, on the other hand.

Advantageously, the central management unit includes a controller of agents for managing diagnostic data at the input and output of the computers of the vehicle, that is to say agents managing the physical data transmission resources of the computers, in particular via the vehicle's CAN, VAN and LIN networks, and the software resources of these computers.

Management agents respond to requests from the management agents controller and issue alerts in the event of a malfunction and / or threshold being exceeded.

It is interesting to emphasize that for the manufacturer, with its associated server and base, motor vehicles with their central diagnostic management unit behave like personal computers on a computer network, LAN or INTRANET.

Preferably, the diagnostic data are associated with one another to form diagnostic frames in the means for storing the diagnostic data, each frame thus memorized associating the data involved in a single malfunction or a single diagnosis. Advantageously, the central management unit comprises a module for searching in the storage means for extracting frames containing the diagnostic data which has been the subject of an alert issued by a management agent. Advantageously also, the central management unit comprises an interrogation module for interrogating the fixed diagnostic tool and extracting from it frames containing at least the diagnostic data which have been the subject of alerts emitted by at least one management. Advantageously also, the central management unit comprises a module for updating the storage means of the diagnostic device in order to store therein the frames containing the diagnostic data from which a diagnosis could be established on the operation of the vehicle.

All these advantages and other interesting aspects of the invention will appear more clearly with the aid of the following description of a particular non-limiting form of the diagnostic device according to the invention and of the system for predicting diagnosis of dysfunctions using the device according to the invention, with reference to the appended drawing, in which:

- Figure 1 shows a block diagram of the predictive diagnostic system according to the invention, - Figure 2 shows a block diagram of the diagnostic device according to the invention and - Figure 3 shows a flow diagram of the operation of the device diagnostic according to the invention.

With reference to FIG. 1, the system 1 for predictive diagnosis of motor vehicle malfunctions (not shown) comprises either a diagnostic tool 2 on the ground, or fixed, or even landed, located at a garage, or a central diagnostic system 3, located at a motor vehicle manufacturer, and comprising a diagnostic server 31 associated with a central base diagnostic data 32, the tool and the central system can be in radio link TR, or by any other network, with an on-board diagnostic device which will be discussed below.

These pieces of equipment are those known to a person skilled in the art and need not be detailed here. They are usually connected to conventional electronic equipment 4 of the motor vehicle as already indicated above.

These conventional electronic devices 4, essentially the “ECUs” (electronic control units) 310, 320, ... 3i0, control by their modules 313, 323, ..., 3i3 of control-command and through CD links, and / or control, by RA network links which may belong to the vehicle's CAN, VAN and LIN networks, with sensors 314, 324, ..., 3i4 associated with these ECUs, the functions 400 of the vehicle: its engine, the passenger compartment and its man-machine interface, its electrical, pneumatic, hydraulic, mermic, etc. servitudes

The sensor data is collected by electronic cards 312, 322, ..., 3i2, either self-test "BITE" (built-in test equipment) cards, or "OBD" cards (on board diagnosis), which issue malfunction or breakdown alerts when the threshold is exceeded. Here, the electronic equipment 4 has been modified and supplemented as explained below.

On the one hand, the ECUs are equipped with agents 311, 321, ..., 3il for managing diagnostic data, that is to say physical measurements taken on the organs ensuring the functions 400 and parameters of operation applied to the 3i3 modules controlling these organs, collected by OBD / BITE cards or not, and independently of the alerts they issue.

Also included in this diagnostic data are abacuses mathematically modeling standard physical behavior organs of the functions 400, which will be designated hereinafter by operating standards.

It will be noted that the diagnostic data thus defined are generic of the symptomatic data of dysfunction.

Management agents 311 respond to requests from a controller 110 of management agents, explained below, and send data of deviations from operating standards and malfunction alarms.

In addition to the software resources of the ECUs, the management agents also manage the physical data transmission resources of these computers via the vehicle's CAN, VAN and LIN networks.

On the other hand, a diagnostic device 5 is therefore provided on board the motor vehicle, the functions of which are provided by: a central diagnostic management unit 100, detailed below, connected: to the management agents 310,. .., 3i0, by a network link RB for acquiring diagnostic data, network link belonging to one or the other of the CAN, VAN and LIN networks of the vehicle, to means 200 for storing data of diagnostics from the vehicle comprising a memory 201 of the history and a memory 202 of diagnostic frames, by a parallel link 203, to communication means 220, comprising a transceiver 222 and a pilot module 221 (driver), by a serial link 223 for communicating with at least the station 2 of fixed diagnosis or the centralized system 3 of diagnosis, or the second through the first.

The central diagnostic management unit 100 can comprise several sub-assemblies which naturally can communicate with each other and cooperate together to carry out the diagnosis.

The driver 221 is designed to communicate so that for the server and its associated base, or the tool 2, the central unit 100 of diagnostic management behaves like a personal computer network computer, LAN or INTRANET.

There is also a link 213 with 1THM (homrne-machine interface) in the vehicle cabin and alert and 212 interrogation functions 211, specific to diagnostic management, in this HMI.

The central management unit 100 will now be described, with reference to FIG. 2.

This unit includes a real-time controller 110, already mentioned above, agents 3il for managing diagnostic data, at the input and output of the computers 3i0 of the vehicle.

The controller 110 is connected at output to a module 120 for searching for data frames and received alerts, itself connected to a memory 121 of the data being processed, to the memory 202 of the diagnostic frames via the link 203, and as input to a module 140 for managing requests to be sent to the management agents 3il, this module 140 being connected to a memory 141 of the requests in progress.

The central unit 100 also includes a module 130 for diagnostic interrogation.

The diagnostic interrogation module 130 receives the “candidate” data frames, to be analyzed, sent by the frame search module 120, and can send requests to the request management module 140 intended for agents 3il, each agents managing and issuing these requests in the corresponding 3i0 ECUs, either to the BITE 3i2 modules or to the control-command 3i3 modules.

The module 130 comprises at least two interrogation sub-modules: - an internal interrogation sub-module 132 connected to the memory 201 of the vehicle history 200 of the storage means 200 via the link 203, for searching for frames having already given rise, for the vehicle, to a preventive or predictive diagnosis, that is to say a pre-diagnosis, a sub-module 134 for external interrogation, near the stations 2 or centralized diagnostic system 3, by means of a module 170 generating messages and via the link 223, in order to extract thereframe having already given rise, for the vehicle type, pre-diagnosis.

The diagnostic data are associated with each other to form significant pre-diagnostic frames, each frame being defined by the association of the data involved in a single pre-diagnosis, and when the pre-diagnosis is proven, for example during the occurrence of the fault, declared in 1THM, corresponding to the pre-diagnosis, or if the tool 2 or the central diagnostic system 3 confirms it, the frames are stored in the memory 202 of the storage means 200.

The sub-module 134 also controls, also connected to the memory 202 by the link 203, a module 160 for updating this memory 202 of the frames containing diagnostic data from which a pre-diagnosis has been established on the vehicle operation.

Finally, the sub-module 134 of external interrogation and the module 140 of request management are connected to iHM via a module 180 of dialogue commanding 1THM via the link 213, and receiving the responses .

The operation of the system will now be described, through a nonlimiting example.

Significant physical measurements of engine operation

400 of the vehicle, to take this example, are cyclically performed by the sensors 314 and collected by the card 312 via the RA network or directly calculated by the ECU 310, in this case a CCM (engine control computer), when the measurement is only accessible by calculation. The management agent 310 takes some of these measurements, for example from the upstream and downstream lambda probes, in relation to significant pre-diagnostic frames related to the operation in progress, issued by the central diagnostic management unit 100, as well as the operating standards corresponding to the current operating parameters of application, here, for example, the fuel richness charts and the angle of the acceleration control, the torque, the engine oil temperature, etc. If a measurement exceeds the engine operating standards, for example at the oil temperature, the agent 310 issues a dated alert and all of the diagnostic data thus collected to the controller 110 via the network RB. The controller 110, with reference to FIG. 3, collects, in step 10, all the alerts and the corresponding diagnostic data from all the ECUs of the vehicle and sorts them chronologically to prepare the subsequent establishment of a history, the dating can be a pre-diagnostic element, before communicating them to the module 120 for searching for frames.

In the example chosen, in step 20, the module 120 synthesizes the diagnostic data received from the various ECUs and stored over time in the memory 121 of the data being processed by assembling them into a coherent frame " candidate "at the functional level of the vehicle, that is to say assembling data, engine control, electricity, cooling, etc., concerning physical quantities affecting the same functional process of the vehicle, for example engine operation, and according to a chronology corresponding to a possible degradation process. These “candidate” frames are constructed on the frame models stored in advance in the memory 202.

In step 40, the candidate frame is compared, by the module 132, to the previous candidate frames stored in the memory 201 of the vehicle history. If it is not present, it is stored there. Otherwise, the module 120 takes account of the result of the processing which then took place. In particular, if there has been a pre-diagnosis, we go to a step 41 of the HMI alert, and again to step 20 to search for a new candidate frame.

If in step 40 it turns out that the candidate frame is new for the vehicle, we go to a step 50, executed by the module 134, in which the same interrogation as in step 40 is performed, but this time covering the entire fleet of vehicles of the same type. For this, during this step 50, the module 134 sends requests to the module 170 for generating messages which, during a step 51, is responsible for launching the communication means 220, via the link 223, the pilot 221 ensuring waiting, in a step 52, for responses from the tool 2 or from the central diagnostic system 3, and possibly a restart in the event of a communication fault. In step 50, the module 134 collects the frames of the responses and pre-diagnoses communicated and, in step 60, analyzes them. These responses can be a pre-diagnosis corresponding to the candidate frame, in which case the alert step 41 is executed, and the driver of the vehicle alerted, or diagnostic data frames compatible with the candidate frame, in which case we pass a step 70 of additional research to be carried out by the module 140, or an absence of risk, in which case no pre-diagnosis is possible and we return to step 10. We see that if a vehicle operating variable starts to drift outside the standards and possibly to cross an alert threshold, this can be diagnosed first to trigger an alert towards the manufacturer then, after treatment, towards the driver. By compatible frames is meant frames having in common the same diagnostic data, one more complete comprising more data than the other, among the data capable of generating at least one symptomatic datum of dysfunction. In this case, if the candidate frame is more complete, it is its restriction to the response frame which is processed, otherwise, during step 70, the module 140 detects the missing data and analyzes the possibility of collecting them or no.

In the latter case, we return to step 10. Otherwise, a test request 71 can be requested from the driver of the vehicle via the dashboard HMI and, after the driver's acknowledgment 72, the module 120 executes a step 30 of updating the candidate frame for a new analysis in steps 40 and 50 executed by the modules 132 and 134 of internal and external interrogation. However, it is possible that the driver's intervention is not necessary. In this case, in a step 80, the module 140 generates a request intended for the management agents 3il concerned, request sent by the controller 110 via the network RB during a step 90.

At this stage, the agents concerned pass on the request to their ECU which: 1) via their 3i3 control card, acts on the process to make the measures missing more significant,

2) program the execution of additional measurements by their BITE or OBD 312 test card

3) completes its calculation functions with an additional missing measurement calculation. The necessary software can then be downloaded from the central system 3.

In the latter case, there is provided in the central unit (100) a function (not shown) for downloading software, from the central diagnostic system 3, in the computers 3i0, to modify, via the agents 3il, the ECU ECU software which controls the acquisition of diagnostic data.

At the end of execution of step 90, step 30 is reactivated.

Claims

CLAIMS 1- System (1) for predictive diagnosis of motor vehicle malfunctions comprising, on board the vehicle, at least - a central diagnostic management unit (100), - an acquisition network (RA, RB) diagnostic data, connected to the central unit, - means (200) for storing diagnostic data and communication means (220) for communicating with fixed diagnostic means and, on the ground, - one of the elements of the assembly comprising - a fixed diagnostic tool (2), on the one hand, - a diagnostic server (31) associated with a diagnostic database (32), on the other hand.

2- The system as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that if a vehicle operating variable starts to drift and cross an alert threshold, this is diagnosed on board to trigger an alert towards the manufacturer then, after treatment, towards the driver.

3- Diagnostic device (5) on board a motor vehicle, comprising: - a central diagnostic management unit (100), a network (RA, RB) for acquiring diagnostic data, connected to the central unit, means (200) for storing diagnostic data and - communication means (220) for communicating with one of the elements of the assembly comprising a fixed diagnostic tool (2), on the one hand, and a system stationary diagnostic center (3) comprising a server (31) and a database (32), on the other hand.

4- Device according to claim 3, wherein the central management unit (100) comprises a controller (110) of agents (3il) for management of diagnostic data input and output of the ECU computers (3i0) of the vehicle .

5- Device according to claim 4, wherein the agents (3il) of management respond to requests from the controller (110) of management agents and issue alerts in the event of malfunctions.

6- Device according to one of claims 3 to 5, wherein the diagnostic data are associated with each other to form diagnostic frames in the means (200) for storing the diagnostic data.

7- Device according to claim 6 wherein each stored frame associates the data involved in a single malfunction that can give rise to a single diagnosis.

8- Device according to one of claims 3 to 7, wherein the central management unit (100) comprises a module (120) for searching in the storage means (200) for extracting frames containing the diagnostic data having is the subject of an alert issued by a management agent (3il).

9- Device according to one of claims 3 to 8, wherein the central management unit (100) comprises an external interrogation module (134) for interrogating the fixed diagnostic station and extracting frames containing at least the diagnostic data which has been the subject of alerts issued by at least one management agent (3il).

10- Device according to one of claims 3 to 9, wherein the central processing unit (100) comprises a module (160) for updating the storage means (200) for storing therein the frames containing the data of diagnosis from which a diagnosis could be established on the operation of the vehicle.

11.- Device according to one of claims 3 to 10, on board a vehicle and constituting a part of the system of one of claims 1 and 2.

12- System according to one of claims 1 and 2, wherein there is provided a software download function from the server (31) to modify the software of ECU computers (3i0) controlling the acquisition of diagnostic data.

13.- System according to one of claims 1 and 2, wherein the central diagnostic management unit (100) comprises several sub- assemblies arranged to communicate with each other and cooperate together to carry out the diagnosis.