Abstract:
An administrating device (7) that administrates a plurality of units for test used for a
test of a mobile object such as a vehicle or a constituting component of the mobile object
comprises a recognizing part that recognizes an assembly of one or more units for test (21) as
a group for test and an assembly of one or more group for test as a device for test, and an
administrating body part (73) that conducts a predetermined batch operation command or a
predetermined batch setting for a unit for test (21) that belongs to the designated one or more a groups for test andlor that conducts a predetermined batch operation command or a
predetermined batch setting on a unit for test that belongs to the designated one or more
device for test.
FIG 4
Get Free WhatsApp Updates!
Notices, Deadlines & Correspondence
FIELD OF THE ART
This invention relates to a test system for testing a mobile object itself such as a
vehicle, a ship or an airplane, and a component such as an internal combustion engine used
for the mobile object.
BACKGROUND ART
Conventionally known is, an automobile test system wherein a plurality of
measurement devices are connected to a single measurement administrating device and the
measurement devices are controlled by the administrating device. In addition, as shown in
the patent document 1, a test automatic administrating device is arranged above the
administrating device and a test schedule is determined by the test automatic administrating
device.
For the test system, it is possible to verifj an operation status of each measurement
unit by means of a screen of a display that displays measurement data or correction
information output by the measurement unit. In this case, each of the measurement data or
correction information is displayed on the corresponding window respectively in every
measurement unit. It is possible for an operator to conduct various sorts of setting or
operation command (for example, setting a span gas concentration value, a measurement
operation initiation command or the like) from an administrating device to each measurement
unit by remote control.
PRIOR ART DOCUMENTS
PATENT DOCUMENTS
Patent document 1: Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2005-49353
DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION
PROBLEMS TO BE SOLVED BY THE INVENTION
However, with the conventional arrangement, since it is necessary to conduct the
above-mentioned setting or operation command in every unit for measurement respectively, it
becomes complicated to operate the test system using a plurality of units for measurement.
In addition, when a number of the measurement unit becomes multiple, it becomes
difficult to immediately grasp the operation status of each unit for measurement because a
window indicating an operation status of some of the units for measurement is hidden or
every single window becomes small. In addition, in case that one of the windows is
displayed in, for example, a maximum size, since other windows are hidden by the
maximized window, it becomes difficult to verifj the information, namely the operation
status, of the device for measurement corresponding to the above-mentioned other windows
at once.
It is considered that these problems are common not only to the test system using the
unit for measurement but also to the test system using the unit for test to test the mobile
object or the component constituting the mobile object.
The present claimed invention is to solve these problems and a main object of this
invention is to provide a test system that can be operated flexibly by easily conducting
various sorts of setting or operation commands to a plurality of units for test and that can be
easily grasp the operation status of all of the units for test.
MEANS TO SOLVE THE PROBLEMS
More specifically, a test system in accordance with this invention is to test a mobile
object such as a vehicle, a ship or an airplane, or a component of the mobile object, and is
characterized by that one or a plurality of units for test used for the test and an administrating
device that administrates the unit for test are comprised, and the administrating device
comprises a recognizing part that recognizes an assembly of one or more units for test as a
group for test and an administrating body part that conducts a predetermined batch operation
command or a predetermined batch setting on every one or more designated groups for test.
It is more preferable that the recognizing part recognizes an assembly of one or more
groups for test as a device for test, and the administrating body part conducts the
predetermined batch operation command or the predetermined batch setting on the unit for
test that belongs to one or more designated devices for test.
In accordance with this arrangement, since the batch operation command or the
batch setting can be conduced while a systematic relation of each unit for test is grasped, it is
possible to make the operation easier to understand and to prevent a selection error of the
device for test.
In order to make it possible to operate the system further more flexibly, it is
preferable that the above-mentioned batch operation command or the above-mentioned batch
setting can be conducted on except for some of the units for test that belong to the abovementioned
group for test, or the above-mentioned device administration can be conducted on
except for some of the groups for test or the units for test that belong to the above-mentioned
device for test.
As a concrete embodiment of the recognizing part represented is that comprises a
memory part that stores hierarchical structure data where a device ID indicating the device
for test locates in an upper hierarchy, a group ID indicating the group for test and a unit ID
indicating the unit for test are positioned in this order in a lower hierarchy than that of the
device ID.
In order to make it possible to conduct the system administration without being
tethered by a hardware configuration or in compliance with a change of a hardware
configuration, it is preferable that the administrating device further comprises a receiving part
that receives addition, change or deletion of the group for test or the device for test that is
recognized by the above-mentioned recognizing part, and that reflects the addition, change or
deletion in the memory part.
More preferably represented is that the receiving part also receives a change from a
predetermined unit for test to the device for test, or a change from a predetermined device for
4
test to the unit for test.
In order to make it possible to share a content of the batch operation command or a
content of the batch setting among the administrating body parts, it is preferable to firther
comprise a communicating part that transmits a content of the batch operation command or a
5 content of the batch setting of one of the administrating body parts to the other administrating
body part.
As a concrete embodiment to produce the effect of this invention more
conspicuously represented is that the unit for test is a unit for measurement used for
measuring a gas flowing in an air intake and exhaust path of an internal combustion engine,
10 and an assembly of the units for measurement to measure a gas at a predetermined sampling
0 point arranged on the air intake and exhaust path is recognized as the group for test.
In addition, a test system in accordance with this invention is a test system to test an
object to be tested with a mobile object such as a vehicle, a ship or an airplane, or a
component used for the mobile object being as the object to be tested, and comprises one or a
15 plurality of devices for test used for the test and a device administrating device that is
connected to the devices for test in a communicable manner and that administrates the
devices for test, and is characterized by that the device administrating device has a display
part that obtains information output by the device for test and that displays the obtained
information in an erasable manner, a switchable manner or a movable manner on a display,
2 0 and the display part preferentially displays an operation status icon whose mode changes in
accordance with the operation status of the device for test irrespective of the display of the • information.
In accordance with this arrangement, the display part displays the operation status
icon in either case that various information output by the device for test is displayed, no
25 information is displayed or the information is moved inside of the display. Accordingly,
even though a case that the information from the device for test is not displayed, or it is
difficult to recognize the information because other display content overlaps the information,
it becomes possible to verify under what operation status the device for test is just by
verifying the operation status icon.
In other words, since the display part preferentially displays the operation status icon
whose mode varies in accordance with the operation status of the device for test irrespective
of the display of the information, it is possible to verify the operation status of the device for
test as needed during operation of the test system without any operation.
"The mode changes" in this invention includes a visual change of the operation
status icon by changing a shape, a size, a color, a drawing pattern or a picture, a character, a
lighting state (brightness, blinking) or the like of the operation status icon displayed in the
displaying part by itself or in combination.
In order to improve the recognizability by displaying the operation status icon only
to the device for test connected to the device administrating device, it is preferable that the
device administrating device further comprises a connection operation detecting part that
detects that a connection or disconnection operation to connect or disconnect the device for
test is conducted, and an operation status icon is not displayed for the device for test for
which the disconnection operation is detected by the connection operation detecting part.
In accordance with the above-mentioned arrangement, as the device for test
represented is a device for measurement used for measuring an exhaust gas of an internal
combustion engine. Concretely, as the device for measurement represented is the device for
measurement that is arranged in an exhaust gas path of the internal combustion engine and
measures the exhaust gas flowing in the exhaust gas path.
EFFECT OF THE INVENTION
In accordance with this invention, since it is possible for the operator to select a
plurality of units for test to conduct the batch setting while grasping the systematic
relationship of each unit for test by grouping the units for test, for example, in every content
of setting in a hierarchical structure, a setting operation becomes more easy to understand.
In addition, since it is possible to change an objet for batch operation command or batch
setting just by changing the recognition of the recognizing part, it becomes possible to
operate the test system flexibly.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
Fig. 1 is a pattern configuration diagram showing an overall of a test system in
5 accordance with a first embodiment of this invention.
Fig. 2 is a fluid circuit diagram simply showing a gas flow channel of this
embodiment.
Fig. 3 is a functional block diagram of a device and an administrating device of this
embodiment.
10 Fig. 4 is both a pattern diagram showing a data hierarchical structure and a screen
0 general configuration diagram showing an outline of a screen displayed when setting is batch
designated.
Fig. 5 is a screen configuration diagram showing an initial screen of this
embodiment.
15 Fig. 6 is a screen configuration diagram displayed when a batch operation command
is designated of this embodiment.
Fig. 7 is an enlarged view of an operation button to issue a batch operation command
of this embodiment.
Fig. 8 is a setting value input screen to input a correction setting value of this
2 0 embodiment.
Fig. 9 is a pattern configuration diagram of a vehicle performance test system in a accordance with a second embodiment of this invention.
Fig. 10 is a functional block diagram of a device for measurement and a device
administrating device of this embodiment.
25 Fig. 11 is a screen configuration diagram showing a plug-in screen of this
embodiment.
Fig. 12 is a screen configuration diagram showing a detailed information screen of
this embodiment.
Fig. 13 is a screen configuration diagram showing an enlarged operation status icon
area of this embodiment.
Fig. 14 is a screen configuration diagram showing a detail of an operation button of
this embodiment.
5 BEST MODES OF EMBODYING THE INVENTION
A first embodiment of this invention will be explained with reference to drawings,
and it is a matter of course that this invention is not limited to the following embodiment.
Fig. 1 schematically shows an overall view of a test system 100 in accordance with
10 this embodiment. The test system 100 is to test an engine performance of a vehicle, and
ail
comprises a test automatic administrating device (not shown in drawings), a dynamometer 1
connected to an internal combustion engine (EG), a plurality of analysis devices 2 and a
administrating device 7 or the like.
The analysis device 2 samples a gas from an air intake and exhaust path (LG) (if
15 classification is required, an air intake side is denoted by (LG(1)) and an exhaust side is
denoted by (LG(2)) ) of the internal combustion engine (EG) operated by a command from
the above-mentioned test automatic administrating device, measures an amount of each
component such as HC, N a , CO, COz contained in the sampled gas and calculates a
performance value of devices such as the internal combustion engine (EG) or a catalyst
2 0 device (C) based on the measurement value.
In order to measure the amount of the component, each analysis device 2 is, as
@ shown in Fig. 2, connected to a sampling pipe (LD) to sample the intake gas or the exhaust
gas from the air intake and exhaust path (LG) of the internal combustion engine (EG). A
point (a sampling point), where the sampling pipe (LD) is connected, on the air intake and
25 exhaust pipe (LG) is set at a point, for example, before and after the internal combustion
engine (EG), before and after the catalyst device (C) or a terminal part of the exhaust path
(LG(2)). In Fig. 2, a code (LS) indicates a span gas introducing pipe to introduce the span
gas for correction, a code (LZ) indicates a zero gas introducing pipe to introduce a zero gas
for correction, and a code (V) indicates a valve to switch the gas.
The sampled gas is, as shown in Fig. 2, introduced into one or more analysis units
21 of each analysis device 2 and a concentration of a predetermined component is measured.
In case that there is necessity of classifiring the analysis devices 2, a parentheses is put.
The analysis unit 21 is, for example, an FID to measure THD, a CLD to measure
5 NO,, or an NDIR to measure CO, COz, and comprises a sensor 2 la and its peripheral devices
to measure a single gas component or the same kind of a gas component. The analysis unit
21 corresponds to a unit for test or a unit for measurement in claims.
Furthermore, the analysis device 2 has a local computer. The local computer
comprises, a CPU, a memory, an A/D converter and a communication interface, not shown in
10 drawings. As shown in Fig. 3, the local computer produces both a function as a calculating
part 26 that provides a predetermined calculation on a detected value output by the sensor 2 la
of each analysis unit 21, calculates a measurement value indicating each component amount
and calculates the device performance value based on the measurement value, and a function
as a communicating part 22 that transmits the measurement value or the device performance
15 value calculated by the calculating part 26 to the administrating device 7 through a
predetermined protocol by cooperating the CPU and its peripheral devices based on the
programs stored in the memory. The local computer may be provided for each of the
analysis devices 2 respectively, or a single local computer may be provided for a plurality of
analysis devices 2. In this embodiment, the local computer acts with a device, to be
2 0 described later, as a unit.
The local computer hrther comprises a control part 23 that receives a command
@ signal from the administrating device 7 and controls the valve (V), the temperature adjusting
mechanism 21 b, and the pump 21c so as to control an operation mode (a measurement mode,
a correction mode, a purge mode or the like), or a state mode (a sleep mode, a pose mode, a
25 standby mode or the like) of the analysis device 2, a correcting part 24 that provides a
correction on the measurement value by the calculating part 26 or an arithmetic expression
for measuring the performance value so as to correct the sensor 21% or a local accumulating
part 25 that sequentially obtains state information of the analysis device 2 ranging from the
past to the present and accumulates the obtained state information.
The administrating device 7 is configured by installing predetermined programs on,
for example, a general purpose computer, and comprises a CPU, a memory, a display, an
input device (a keyboard or a mouse) and a communication interface. As shown in Fig. 3,
the administrating device 7 produces functions as a receiving part 71, a display part 72, an
5 administrating body part 73, a communication part 74 and a memory part 75 by cooperating
the CPU and its peripheral devices based on programs stored in the memory. A
communication port is provided for the administrating device 7, and the analysis device 2 is
connected to the administrating device 7 in an inter-communicable manner by wire or
wireless.
10 In the memory part 75 stored is data that is classified into a group (corresponds to a
group for test in claims) consisting of one or more analysis units 21 and a device a (corresponds to a device for test in claims) consisting of one or more groups with the analysis
unit 21 as the smallest unit.
More specifically, as schematically shown in Fig. 4, in this memory part 75 stored
15 is a tree structured hierarchy structure data where a device hierarchy to which a device ID
indicating the device belongs, in a lower level hierarchy of which a group hierarchy to which
a group ID indicating the group belongs and in a lower level hierarchy of which a unit
hierarchy to which a unit hierarchy to which a unit ID indicating the unit belongs are formed.
Fundamentally, a single analysis device 2 corresponds to a single device, and a
20 group locating in a lower level of the hierarchy of the analysis device 2 comprises one or
more analysis units, however, since the group and the device are classified arbitrarily from
the viewpoint of usability for a user, control or functionality, there are some cases wherein the
group and the device do not correspond one-to-one in a physical layout. More specifically,
there is a case that a plurality of devices correspond to a single analysis device 2, or a single
2 5 device corresponds to a plurality of analysis devices 2. In addition, its variation ranges over
variously such that there is a case that a single group comprises a plurality of analysis units
21 each of which belongs to a plurality of different analysis devices 2.
However, this embodiment makes it condition that each of the group and the device
is of a physical layout that can act independently as a unit (for example, a pump is comprised
and the gas can be sampled independently or the like).
Furthermore, in this embodiment, the analysis units 21 that act for a common
purpose are set as one group. The common purpose is, for example, a component analysis
of an exhaust gas at a predetermined sampling point of the air intake and exhaust path (LG),
5 or a measurement of a predetermined performance (for example, an EGR ratio, an exhaust
gas flow rate or the like) of the internal combustion engine (EG).
Concretely, for example, a family of analysis units that measure a gas flowing in an
terminal end part (tail pipe) of the exhaust path (LG(2)) is registered in the memory part 75 as
a "Tail Pipe" group. Speaking in relationship with the physical devices, the analysis device
10 2(1) and the analysis device 2(2) in Fig. 1 belong to the "Tail Pipe" group.
Other example is that a family of the analysis units connected to the upstream of the 0 catalyst device (C) is registered in the memory part 75 as a "Pre CAT' group. Speaking in
relationship with the physical devices, the analysis device 2(3) in Fig. 1 belongs to the "Pre
CAT' group. Since the gas sampled from the upstream of the catalyst device (C) is also
15 introduced into the analysis unit that is a part of the analysis device 2(1), a part of the analysis
device 2(1) belongs to the "Pre CATy group.
Furthermore, for example, a family of the analysis units that measures a gas
sampled in an upstream and a downstream of the internal combustion engine (EG) is
registered in the memory part 75 as an "EGR" group. Speaking in relationship with the
2 0 physical devices, the analysis device 2(4) in Fig. 1 belongs to the "EGR" group (expressed as
"group 1" in Fig. 6, to be described later). • In this embodiment, a unit of the device and the group is not necessarily the
analysis unit, and a device used for measurement, for example, although not shown in
drawings, an operation unit (PSU, ESU, CSU or the like) of CVS that conducts a
2 5 preprocessing of the measurement is also configured as the unit.
In addition, in this embodiment, as shown in Fig. 4, an administrating device
hierarchy is provided in an upper hierarchy of the device hierarchy, and an integrated
administrating device hierarchy is provided in a further upper hierarchy of the administrating
device hierarchy. This is based on a physical configuration wherein a plurality of
administrating devices 7 are administrated by the integrated administrating device.
Next, an operation of the test system 100 having the above-mentioned arrangement
in case that a predetermined operation is batch-commanded or a predetermined setting is
batch-conducted on the analysis device (or the device) by the use of the administrating device
5 7 will be explained.
First, the batch operation command will be explained, however, an initial screen as
being a precondition of the batch command is displayed. A screen (hereinafter also called as
a plug-in screen) 8A as shown in Fig. 5 is displayed as the initial screen on the display 7a of
the administrating device 7 by the function of the display part 72. A plurality of device
10 signs 81 indicating the preliminary registered devices are arranged so as not to be overlapped * each other. Each of the device signs 81 is in a rectangular shape, and a connection button 82
to be connected to the device, a disconnection button 83 to disconnect the connection of the
device and a connection state indicating area 84 to indicate a state of connection are provided
in addition to a schematic view indicating a pertinent device.
15 When an operator clicks, for example, the connection button 82 on the plug-in
screen 8A, exchange of a communication with the communicating part 22 of the pertinent
device is initiated. If a predetermined protocol is terminated in an orderly manner and an
inter-communicable connecting state is established, a "Connected" indicating a state of being
connected in a communicable manner is displayed in the connection state display area 84 in
2 0 the pertinent device sign 8 1.
Meanwhile, when the disconnection button 83 is clicked in this connected state, the
exchange of the communication with the pertinent device is blocked and a "Stopped"
indicating a state that the connection is released is displayed in the connection state display
area 84.
25 As mentioned, when the necessary device is connected to the administrating device
7 in a communicable manner and a predetermined operation is executed, the display part 72
displays a detailed information display screen 9A as shown in Fig. 6 on the display 7a. The
detailed information display screen 9A displays the measurement data of the device or
varieties of information in an operating mode (a measurement mode, a correction mode, a
purge mode or the like) or a state mode (a sleep mode, a stand-by mode or the like).
In this detailed information display screen 9A, a device panel window 9 that
displays the correction data or the measurement data corresponding to varieties of
information output from each device is displayed by a graph or a numerical value by the
5 display part 72, and an operation status icon 11 is displayed in an operation status icon area
10 arranged on the lower side of the display part 72.
A pull-down menu 15 to select the group that belongs to this device is arranged in
the display panel window 9, and the measurement data from each analysis unit 21 that
belongs to the group selected in the pull-down menu 15 is displayed. The displayed mode
10 can be switched to the graph or the numerical value by clicking a display mode switch button
12.
A plurality of operation buttons 14 are arranged in the lower side of the device
panel window 9. When the operator clicks either one of the operation buttons 14, the
receiving part 71 receives the operation and the administrating body part 73 specifies each
15 analysis unit 21 that belongs to the group selected in the device panel window 9 by referring
the memory part 75, and an operation indicated by a design of the operation button 14 is
batch-designated to each analysis unit 2 1.
Detail of the operation button 14 is shown in Fig. 7. When the operation button
141 indicated in "Span" is clicked, an operation of introducing a span gas is designated to the
2 0 device or the group for measurement indicated in the corresponding device panel window 9.
Similarly, in case of the operation button 142 of "Zero", the zero gas is introduced. In case
of the operation button 143 of "CAY, an operation of executing a calibration is designated
based on the measurement result of the introduced span gas and the zero gas. In case of the
operation button 144 of "Purge", an operation of executing cleaning up the gas in the device
2 5 is designated. In case of the operation button 145 of "Measure", an operation of executing
the measurement of the sampled gas is designated. In case of the operation button 146 of
"Stop", an operation of ceasing the measurement is designated.
An object of the batch operation command can be selected from the pull-down
menu 15. More specifically, not only the group but also the device arranged in the upper
hierarchy of the group, and the administrating device and the integrated administrating device
arranged in the further upper hierarchy can be selected, and also the object can be selected by
a unit of the analysis unit 2 1. When the operation of selection is conducted, the operation to
all of the analysis units 21 in the lower hierarchy is designated based on the hierarchy data
5 stored in the memory part 75. Although not shown in drawings, either of the unit, group and
device may be removed among the object to be batch-designated by the operation of the
operator.
Next, an operation of the batch-setting will be explained with an example of the
setting operation in accordance with the span correction.
10 As shown in Fig. 2, in case of the span correction, first a span gas supply source (B)
(a steel bottle or a syringe) whose concentration is known is connected to the span gas @ introducing pipe (LS) by operating an valve (Va) or the like.
Since the concentration of the span gas of the span gas supply source (B) is slightly
different in every individual product in spite of the same kind, it is necessary for the operator
15 to input an accurate concentration described on the span gas supply source (B) into the
administrating device 7every time the span gas supply source (B) is exchanged.
Then, the operator conducts an appropriate operation so that the administrating
device 7 displays the correction setting screen A1 shown in Fig. 8. Sections R2 and Rl to
input the kind of the span gas and the concentration of the span gas are provided, and a shift
2 0 button B 1 to shift the screen to a batch designation screen A2 to designate the analysis device
2 to be batch-set is provided for this correction setting screen Al.
@ A diagram indicating a hierarchical structure stored in the memory part 75, as
shown in, for example, Fig. 4, is illustrated together with the group ID or the device ID on the
batch designation screen A2.
25 Then, when the operator operates to designate an ID (for example, the group A1 in
this embodiment) of an arbitrary group, the analysis unit 21 that belongs to the group, in other
words, resulting in that all of the analysis units 21 locating in the hierarchical structure lower
than the group are selected. In addition, when the ID (a section of the "administrating
device (A)" in this embodiment) of the relevant administrating device is designated by being
clicked, the group, in other words, all of the analysis units 21 administrated by the
administrating device 7 are selected and a display of the selected part changes to be
distinguishable from others. In addition, when the ID section (a section of "DB" in this
embodiment) of the integrated administrating device is selected, all of the analysis units 21
5 are selected.
With this state kept, when a decision button, not shown in drawings, is clicked, the
receiving part 71 receives the span gas concentration as being its set content together with the
group designation, and the administrating body part 73 batch-transmits the span gas
concentration to the device (or the analysis device 2) including each of the selected analysis
10 units21.
The local computer of the measurement device (or the analysis device 2) that
@ receives the span gas concentration and the command corrects the value of the span gas
concentration used for correction or the correction formula for computation using the value of
the span gas concentration used by the correcting part 24 and stores the corrected value or the
15 corrected formula for computation in the local accumulating part 25.
The above-mentioned is the setting operation. Furthermore, in this embodiment, it
is possible to designate the group other than the group designated in the above-mentioned
batch designation screen shown in Fig. 4, and it is also possible to cancel a designation of the
device that belongs to the designated group or the group in the lower hierarchy. For
20 example, in the hierarchical structure drawing displayed in the batch designation screen,
when a predetermined operation is conducted so as to connect a group and a line that is
connected to the group, a batch setting to the group and the device connected to the line can
be conducted. When a predetermined operation is conducted so as to disconnect a line in
the designated group, no batch setting is conducted for the group or the device after the
2 5 disconnected line.
It is a matter of course that it is possible to conduct not only the span setting but
also a setting of the quality check item or a setting of a quality check period such as an
operation of the analysis device 2, or a setting of an allowable operation hours of a
component constituting the analysis device 2 by batch. At this time, grouping or a
hierarchical structure accompanying the grouping may be made different for each setting
content.
The present claimed invention is not limited to the above-mentioned embodiment.
For example, the group or the hierarchical structure is not limited to a unit of the
5 administrating device 7. For example, the analysis units 2 1 of the same kind incorporated in
different administrating devices 7 may be set as one group in view of the administration.
The display mode of the screen may be variously modified, and the above-mentioned
correction setting screen and the batch designation screen may be displayed simultaneously
on the display. In addition, this test system may be applied to a test of, for example, a
10 vehicle, and may be used for a test of an airplane or a ship, or its devices. As an object to be
e set is not limited to the analysis device 2 (device for test). In case that there are a plurality
of devices of the same k i d to be the object to be tested, the specification of the devices may
be set by batch. The present claimed invention may be variously modified without
departing from the spirit of the invention.
15