Description:Complete Specification:
The following specification describes and ascertains the nature of this invention and the manner in which it is to be performed:

Field of the invention:
[0001] The present disclosure relates a device and method to facilitate simulation of electrical errors for an electrical load.

Background of the invention:
[0002] Currently for LABCAR testing, electrical errors need to be manually simulated by a system engineer. The system engineer needs to manually go the test rig/setup, make the connections, and test for electrical errors and compile the outcome. This is repeated multiple times for different types of electrical errors which is very cumbersome and repetitive and thus prone to human error. A lab personnel is required to manually make connections between the battery and the actuator (for SCB- Short Circuit to Battery - errors) and between the actuator and the ground(for SCG- Short Circuit to Ground- errors).

[0003] According to a prior art DE102016110014 discloses a method and apparatus for testing a detection of errors of a lambda probe. It is an object of the prior art, in the case of checking whether from a motor controller related faults of an oxygen sensor may be detected, in order to prevent interfering influences. This object is achieved according to the invention, in the case of such a check sensor used a pumping cell and a Nernst cell, and a control device in such a manner that the controller Nernst voltage and the pumping cell, a pumping current is supplied. For the simulation of an error of the sensor by means of a simulator of the pumping cell is an electrical error simulation is supplied current so that checks can be made as to whether error of the oxygen sensor by means of the software/diagnostic functions of the control device of the internal combustion engine are detected. In accordance with the invention, by a supply of electrical current to the Nernst cell changes of the Nernst voltage during the simulation counteracted.

Brief description of the accompanying drawings:
[0004] An embodiment of the disclosure is described with reference to the following accompanying drawings,
[0005] Fig. 1 illustrates a block diagram of a device to facilitate simulation of first set of electrical errors for an electrical load, according to an embodiment of the present invention;
[0006] Fig. 2 illustrates the block diagram of the device to facilitate simulation of second set of electrical errors for the electrical load, according to an embodiment of the present invention;
[0007] Fig. 3 illustrates the block diagram of the device to facilitate simulation of second set of electrical errors for the electrical load, according to an embodiment of the present invention, and
[0008] Fig. 4 illustrates a flow diagram of a method for facilitating simulation of electrical errors of the electrical load, according to the present invention.

Detailed description of the embodiments:
[0009] Fig. 1 illustrates a block diagram of a device to facilitate simulation of first set of electrical errors for an electrical load, according to an embodiment of the present invention. The electrical load 124 is connected to a control unit 102. The device 110 comprises a group of relays 132 comprising, at least one pair of first relay 116, 120 and a second relay 118, 122, one end of both connectable across the electrical load 124, and other end of the first relay (116, 120) and the second relay (118, 120) connectable to a power supply line 106. A source relay 104 for a battery and a ground relay 108 are connected at the ends of the power supply line 106, and a controller 126 in electronic communication with the group of relays 132, and configured to simulate electrical errors by selective activation and deactivation of at least one within the group of relays 132. The power supply line 106 is connected between the battery as the source and ground. The ground is optionally connectable with a potentiometer to change the ground voltage as per requirement. Further, the device 110 uses internal battery for power or receives power via the control unit 102.

[0010] In accordance to an embodiment of the present invention, the device 110 comprises at least one third relay 112, 114 connectable between an Input/Output (I/O) pin of the control unit 102 and corresponding end of the electrical load 124. Further the device 110 is connectable to the I/O pins of the control unit 102 through the connector such as a Break-Out Box (BOB). Further, the device 110 is connected to High Side (HS) power stage and Low Side (LS) power stage of I/O pins of the control unit 102 through tapping as indicated with round ends of the connection across the electrical load 124.

[0011] According to an embodiment of the present invention, the error to be simulated are selectable from any one of a short circuit to battery error on the High Side (SCB-HS), a short circuit to battery error on the Low Side (SCB-LS), a short circuit to ground error on the Low Side (SCG-HS), a short circuit to ground error on the High Side (SCG-LS), a High Side-Low Side power stage error (HSLS) and an over load error (OL). The OL error is simulated through the at least one third relay 112, 114.

[0012] According to an embodiment of the present invention, the selective activation and deactivation of the group of relays is performed remotely through connectivity or Internet-of-Things (IOT). In other words, the controller 126 is configured to receive and transmit data to an external computer 134 through a transceiver 128. The device 110 is also connected to the control unit 102 to receive feedback of the simulated errors. The transceiver 128 is connected to the external computer 134 through at least one of wired or wireless means as known in the art such as through cables, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, ethernet, Universal Serial Bus (USB), and the like.

[0013] According to an embodiment of the present invention, the external computer 134 is at least one selected from a server, a cloud or a portable units such as laptop, tablet, smartphone connectable to the device 110 through any one of a wired and wireless means. An example of the wired means comprises the USB cable from the external computer 134 connected to a USB port of the device 110. An example of the wireless means comprises Bluetooth connection between the device 110 and the smartphone, or the like. The examples are just for clarification and other types well known in the art are equally usable.

[0014] According to an embodiment of the present invention, the device 110, (or the controller 126) connects to the external computer 134 through wireless or wired means, and allows controlling of the group of relays 132 for electrical error simulations. The device 110 processes the remote user request to test electrical faults by simulating the errors and retrieves the feedback from the control unit 102 through Controller Area Network (CAN), or LIN or the like. The test results are displayed to web page other user interfaces such that remote user could visualize live (or history) results from a lab/ service station.

[0015] According to an embodiment of the present invention, the electrical load 124 is at least one from an electrical actuator and an electrical valve. The electrical actuator and the electrical valve are selectable from a group comprising but not limited to a stepper motor for throttle/butterfly valve, a solenoid valve, an injector, a spark plug, a dosing valve, a pump, a lambda sensor, a NOx sensor, a horn, a wiper, a sunroof and other electrical loads 124 of a vehicle or other equipment.

[0016] In accordance to an embodiment of the present invention, the controller 126 is provided with necessary signal detection, acquisition, and processing circuits. The controller 126 is the one which comprises input/output interfaces having pins or ports, the memory element (not shown) such as Random Access Memory (RAM) and/or Read Only Memory (ROM), Analog-to-Digital Converter (ADC) and a Digital-to-Analog Convertor (DAC), clocks, timers, counters and at least one processor (capable of implementing machine learning) connected with each other and to other components through communication bus channels. The memory element is pre-stored with logics or instructions or programs or applications or modules/models and/or threshold values/ranges, system threshold, predefined/predetermined criteria/conditions, correction factor-based maps/table which is/are accessed by the at least one processor as per the defined routines. The internal components of the controller 126 are not explained for being state of the art, and the same must not be understood in a limiting manner. The controller 126 may also comprise communication units such as transceivers 128 to communicate through wireless or wired means such as Global System for Mobile Communications (GSM), 3G, 4G, 5G, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, Ethernet, serial networks, and the like. The controller 126 is implementable in the form of System-in-Package (SiP) or System-on-Chip (SOC) or any other known types. Examples of controller 126 comprises but not limited to, microcontroller, microprocessor, microcomputer, etc.

[0017] According to an embodiment of the present invention, the device 110 to facilitate simulation of electrical errors for the electrical load 124 is provided. The electrical load 124 is connected to the control unit 102. The device 110 comprises a group of relays 132 comprising, at least one pair of first relay 116, 120, and a second relay 120, 122, one end of both connectable across the electrical load 124, and other end of the first relay 116, 120 and the second relay 118, 120 connectable to the power supply line 106. The at least one third relay 112, 114 connectable between the I/O pins of the control unit 102 and the corresponding end of the electrical load 124. The source relay 104 (for the power source such as the battery) and the ground relay 108 are connected at the ends of the power supply line 106, and the controller 126 in electronic communication with the group of relays 132, and configured to simulate electrical errors by selective activation and deactivation of at least one within the group of relays 132. The power supply line 106 is connected between the battery as the source and ground. The controller 126 in electronic communication with the group of relays, and configured to simulate electrical errors by selective activation and deactivation of at least one within the group of relays. The device 110 is connected to High Side (HS) power stage and Low Side (LS) power stage I/O pins of the control unit 102 through tapping as indicated with round ends of the connection across the electrical load 124.

[0018] According to the present invention, a working of the device 110 and the controller 126 is provided. Consider the control unit 102 is an Engine control Unit (ECU) of a vehicle. The ECU is programmed with logics and instructions to control the various electrical load 124 in the vehicle. The ECU has to be checked for diagnosis functionality of the electrical loads 124 for any electrical error observed in real time in future. The device 110 enables the simulation of the errors for control unit 102 to verify the outcome. Consider, the electrical load 124 being tested is dosing valve. An operator connects the device 110 to the ECU which is already connected to the dosing valve through respective connection. The connection between the ECU and the dosing valve is tapped and connected to input terminals of the device 110. The connection may be done through the connector such as a Break Out Box or other type of connectors known in the art. The device 110 is also connected to the external computer 134, such as the laptop in the present case for example.

[0019] In Fig. 1, a first set of simulated errors are shown. A first circuit block 100, when seen from top to bottom, shows a first circuit where the device 110 adapted to simulate SCB-HS error and a second circuit which is open/inactive. The short circuit to battery error on the high side is simulated by directly shorting to battery, i.e. high side power stage eliminated. The controller 126 activates and closes the source relay 104, the first relay 116 and the third relay 114. The second circuit comprises the first relayis illustrated to depict the possibility of simulation of error for other load to the same control unit 102. A second circuit block 130 when seen from top to bottom, shows a third circuit where the device 110 adapted to simulate SCB-LS error and a fourth circuit which is inactive. The short circuit to battery error on the low side is simulated by directly shorting to low side power stage of the control unit 102, i.e. high side power stage, relay coil eliminated. The controller 126 activates and closes the third relay 114, and the second relay 118, whereas the first relay 116 is opened.

[0020] In both the first circuit block 100 and the second circuit block 130, two, i.e. one active circuit and one inactive circuit is shown. However, plurality of active circuits are possible depending on the I/O pins in the control unit 102. The controller 126 is instructed by the external computer 134, for example, the laptop through the transceiver 128 and the communication network therebetween. The laptop is either in the same location of the device 110 or someplace remote, in which case, the commutation network is established through Wi-Fi network or mobile network or other possible networks. Once the group of relays 132 are controlled, the electrical errors are simulated, and the result is saved along with the feedback from the control unit 102 about the errors diagnosed correctly and incorrectly. The controller 126 then transmits the collected data to the laptop for further analysis and reporting.

[0021] Fig. 2 illustrates the block diagram of the device to facilitate simulation of second set of electrical errors for the electrical load, according to an embodiment of the present invention. The second set of electrical errors are simulated by a third circuit block 200 and a fourth circuit block 210, each having one active circuit and inactive circuit. In the third circuit block 200 when seen from top to bottom, shows a fifth circuit and a sixth circuit. In the fifth circuit, the device 110 is adapted to simulate SCG-HS error, where low side power stage, relay coil eliminated. The controller 126 directly shorts to ground for which the third relay 114, the first relay 116 and the ground relay 108 are closed, whereas the source relay 104 are the second relay 118 are opened. Similarly, in the fourth circuit block 210, when seen from top to bottom, a seventh circuit and eight circuit are shown. In the seventh circuit, the device 110 is adapted to simulate SCG-LS error where low side power stage is eliminated. The controller 126 directly shorts to ground for which the third relay 114, the second relay 118 and the ground relay 108 are closed, whereas the source relay 104 and the first relay 116 are opened.

[0022] Now as explained in Fig. 1, the controller 126 simulates the errors, stores the data and transmits to external computer 134 for further analysis.

[0023] Fig. 3 illustrates the block diagram of the device to facilitate simulation of third set of electrical errors for the electrical load, according to an embodiment of the present invention. The third set of electrical errors are simulated by a fifth circuit block 300 and a sixth circuit block 310, each having one active circuit and inactive circuit similar to Fig. 1 and Fig. 2. In the fifth circuit block 300, when seen from top to bottom, the ninth circuit and tenth circuit are shown. In the ninth circuit, the device 110 is adapted to simulate HSLS error. The controller 126 directly shorts the high side and low side for which the third relay 114, the first relay 116 and the second relay 118 are closed, and both of the source relay 104 and the ground relay 108 are opened. Similarly, in the sixth circuit block 310, when seen from top to bottom, eleventh circuit and twelfth circuit are shown. In the eleventh circuit, the device 110 is adapted to simulate OL error by opening all the relay in the active circuit.

[0024] The device 110 is shown in dashed boxes for one of the circuit block in each Fig. 1, Fig. 2 and Fig. 3 just for simplicity of illustrations. The same must not be understood in limiting manner. Further, in each circuit block two circuits are separated by dotted line. The dotted line indicates that not just two, but plurality of circuits are possible. Further, all the circuit blocks shown in Fig. 1 through Fig. 3, are possible to be interfaced with single control unit 102 for different electrical loads 124.

[0025] Fig. 4 illustrates a flow diagram of a method for facilitating simulation of electrical errors of the electrical load, according to the present invention. The electrical load 124 is connected to the control unit 102. The method comprises plurality of steps of which a step 402 comprises selectively activating and deactivating at least one from a group of relays 132 comprising at least one pair of the first relay 116, 120, and the second relay 118, 122, one end of which connectable across the electrical load 124, and other end of both connectable to the power supply line 106. The source relay 104 for the battery and the ground relay 108 are connected at ends of the power supply line 106. A step 404 comprises simulating error on the electrical load 124 based on the selected and activated relays. A step 406 comprises storing the feedback of the simulated error in the memory element and transmitting to external computer 134. The method is executed by the controller 126 of the device 110 from remote instructions provided by the external computer 134.

[0026] According to the method, the at least one third relay 112, 114 is connectable between the I/O pin of the control unit 102 and corresponding end of the electrical load 124. The at least one third relay 112, 114 is either part of the device 110 or external to the device 110.

[0027] According to the method, the error to be simulated are selectable from any one of the Short circuit to Battery error on the high side (SCB-HS), the Short circuit to Battery error on the low side (SCB-LS), the Short circuit to Ground error on the low side (SCG-HS), the Short circuit to Ground error on the high side (SCG-LS), the High Side- Low Side power stage error (HSLS) and the Over load error (OL). The OL error is performed through the at least one third relay 112, 114.

[0028] According to the method of the present invention, the device 110 is interfaced to the I/O pins of the control unit 102 through the connector. The connector is the Break-Out Box (BoB). The control unit 102 is configured to receive and transmit data to an external computer 134 through a transceiver 128. In other words, the method is performed by an operator through the device 110 but using the external computer 134.

[0029] According to an embodiment of the present invention, an IOT based universal electrical error simulator (or the device 110) is provided. The process to automate the simulation of electrical error is provisioned. The need for manual intervention is eliminated and can be tested remotely. The electrical errors are implemented for circuits in which either one or both – high side power stage as well as low side power stage- are present. The entire design has been executed using group of relays 132 which have been remotely controlled through controller 126. The implementation of simulation is possible in dosing valves and backflow pumps and other known electrical loads 124 of the vehicle. Overall, the design is able to simulate upto twenty four electrical errors by turning ON/OFF the correct set of relays. The device 110 is implementable in all automotive system level test benches for electrical error diagnosis.

[0030] It should be understood that embodiments explained in the description above are only illustrative and do not limit the scope of this invention. Many such embodiments and other modifications and changes in the embodiment explained in the description are envisaged. The scope of the invention is only limited by the scope of the claims.
, Claims:We claim:
1. A device (110) to facilitate simulation of electrical errors for an electrical load (124), said electrical load (124) connected to a control unit (102), said device (110) comprises:
a group of relays (132) comprising,
at least one pair of first relay (116, 120) and a second relay (118, 122), one end of both connectable across said electrical load (124), and other end of said first relay (116, 120) and said second relay (118, 122) connectable to a power supply line (106);
a source relay (104) for a battery and a ground relay (108) are connected at ends of said power supply line (106), and
a controller (126) in electronic communication with said group of relays (132), and configured to simulate electrical errors by selective activation and deactivation of at least one within said group of relays (132).

2. The device (110) as claimed in claim 1 comprises at least one third relay (112, 114) connectable between an I/O pins of said control unit (102) and corresponding end of said electrical load (124), and wherein said device (110) is connectable to said I/O pins of said control unit (102) through a connector such as a Break-Out Box (BoB).

3. The device (110) as claimed in claim 2, wherein error to be simulated are selectable from any one of a short circuit to battery error on a High Side (SCB-HS), a short circuit to battery error on a Low Side (SCB-LS), a short circuit to ground error on the Low Side (SCG-LS), a short circuit to ground error on the High Side (SCG-HS), a High Side-Low Side (HSLS) power stage error and an over load error (OL), wherein said over load error is simulated through said at least one third relay (112, 114).

4. The device (110) as claimed in claim 1, wherein said electrical load (124) is at least one from an electrical actuator and an electrical valve, selectable from a group comprising a stepper motor for throttle/butterfly valve, a solenoid valve, an injector, a spark plug, a dosing valve, a pump, lambda sensor, a NOx sensor, a horn, a wiper, a sunroof, and other electrical loads (124) of a vehicle and other equipment.

5. The device (110) as claimed in claim 1, wherein said controller (126) configured to receive and transmit data to an external computer (134) through a transceiver (128).

6. A method for facilitating simulation of electrical errors for an electrical load (124), said electrical load (124) connected to a control unit (102), said method comprising the steps of:
selectively activating and deactivating at least one from a group of relays (132) comprising,
at least one pair of a first relay (116, 120) and a second relay (118, 122), one end of both connectable across said electrical load (124), and other end of said first relay (116, 120) and said second relay (118, 122) connectable to a power supply line (106), and
a source relay (104) for a battery and a ground relay (108) are connected at ends of said power supply line (106), and
simulating error based on said activated relay(s).

7. The method as claimed in claim 6 comprises at least one third relay (112, 114) connectable between an I/O pin of said control unit (102) and corresponding end of said electrical load (124).

8. The method as claimed in claim 7, wherein error to be simulated are selectable from any one of a short circuit to battery error on a High Side (SCB-HS), a short circuit to battery error on a Low Side (SCB-LS), a short circuit to ground error on the Low Side (SCG-LS), a short circuit to ground error on the High Side (SCG-HS), a High Side-Low Side (HSLS) power stage error and an over load error (OL), wherein said over load error is simulated through said at least one third relay (114, 112).

9. The method as claimed in claim 6, wherein said electrical load (124) is at least one from an electrical actuator and an electrical valve, selectable from a group comprising a stepper motor for throttle/butterfly valve, a solenoid valve, an injector, a spark plug, a dosing valve, a pump, lambda sensor, a NOx sensor, a horn, a wiper, a sunroof, and other electrical loads (124) of a vehicle and other equipment.

10. The method as claimed in claim 6, wherein said device (110) is connectable to said I/O pins of said control unit (102) through a connector such as a Break-Out Box (BoB), and wherein said control unit (102) is configured to receive and transmit data to an external computer (134) through a transceiver (128).