FORM 2
THE PATENTS ACT, 1970
(39 of 1970)
AND
THE PATENTS RULES, 2003
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION
(See section 10; rule 13)
TITLE
“TEST SYSTEM FOR TESTING A SEWING MACHINE”
APPLICANT
JABIL CIRCUIT INDIA PRIVATE LIMITED
of B-26, MIDC Industrial Area, Ranjangaon, Pune 412220, Maharashtra, India;
India
The following specification particularly describes the invention and the manner
in which it is to be performed

FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The disclosure relates to a test system, and more particularly to a test system for testing a sewing machine.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
A conventional test system for testing a sewing machine uses a pneumatic device and a foot controller for controlling operation speed of the sewing machine. This makes the conventional test system complicated, and difficult to maintain.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
Therefore, an object of the disclosure is to provide a test system that can alleviate the drawbacks of the prior art.
According to an aspect of the disclosure, the test system includes a control device. The control device has a plurality of output ports. Each of the output ports is for outputting an alternating current (AC) voltage with a predetermined amplitude and is assigned a respective location identifier (ID). One of the output ports is used to be coupled to a sewing machine under test. The controller device includes a zero-crossing detector, a relay circuit, a TRIAC circuit and a control circuit. The zero-crossing detector is for receiving an AC input voltage with the predetermined voltage and detects zero-crossing points of the AC input voltage to generate a detection result. The relay circuit is for receiving the AC input voltage. The TRIAC circuit is coupled to the relay circuit and the output ports. The control circuit is coupled to the zero-crossing detector for receiving the detection result therefrom, is coupled to the relay circuit and the TRIAC circuit, and is for receiving an input location ID and an input test type. The control circuit obtains a target duration based on the input test type

and enables the relay circuit to output the AC input voltage to the TRIAC circuit for the target duration. The control circuit obtains a target speed based on a test pattern that is repeatable and that defines speed versus time characteristic, and drives the TRIAC circuit based on the target speed and the detection result in such a way that the TRIAC circuit starts to output the AC input voltage to one of the output ports, the location ID of which is identical to the input location ID, at specific phases of alternating cycles of the AC input voltage.
According to another aspect of the disclosure, the test system includes a control device. The control device has an output port that is used to be coupled to a sewing machine under test, and includes a zero-crossing detector, a relay circuit, a TRIAC circuit and a control circuit. The zero-crossing detector is for receiving an AC input voltage and detects zero-crossing points of the AC input voltage to generate a detection result. The relay circuit is for receiving the AC input voltage. The TRIAC circuit is coupled to the relay circuit and the output port. The control circuit is coupled to the zero-crossing detector for receiving the detection result therefrom, is coupled to the relay circuit and the TRIAC circuit, and is for receiving an input test type. The control circuit obtains a target duration based on the input test type and enables the relay circuit to output the AC input voltage to the TRIAC circuit for the target duration. The control circuit obtains a target speed based on a test pattern that is repeatable and that defines speed versus time characteristic, and drives the TRIAC circuit based on the target speed and the detection result in such a way that the TRIAC circuit starts to output the AC input voltage to the output port at specific phases of alternating cycles of the AC input voltage.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
Other features and advantages of the disclosure will become apparent in the following detailed description of the embodiment with reference to the accompanying drawings, of which:
FIG. 1 is a block diagram illustrating an embodiment of a test system according to the disclosure;
FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram illustrating a graphical user interface of the embodiment;
FIG. 3 is a timing diagram illustrating a test pattern of the embodiment;
FIG. 4 is a timing diagram illustrating a selected alternating current (AC) input voltage, a pulse position modulation (PPM) signal and a voltage provided by a TRIAC circuit of the embodiment; and
FIG. 5 is a block diagram illustrating an exemplary implementation of a control device of the embodiment.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
Referring to FIG. 1, an embodiment of a test system according to the disclosure includes a control device 1, an interface device 2 and a server 3.
The control device 1 has a number (M) of first output ports 101 each for outputting an alternating current (AC) voltage with a first amplitude (e.g., 230V), and a number (N) of second output ports 102 each for outputting an AC voltage with a second amplitude (e.g., 110V), where M>1 and N>1. For illustration purposes, M=4 and N=4 in this embodiment. Each of the first and second output ports 101, 102 is assigned a respective location identifier (ID) (e.g., 2301-2304, 1101-1104). One of the first and second output ports 101, 102 (e.g., the first output port 101 with the

location ID “2301” (hereinafter referred to as the destination output port 101 for simplicity)) is used to be coupled to a sewing machine under test 4 assigned a serial number (e.g., 0012314E131).
The interface device 2 displays a graphical user interface as shown in FIG. 2, and is for receiving an input serial number, an input location ID and an input test type. In an application, a user inputs the serial number “0012314E131” of the sewing machine under test 4 to serve as the input serial number, inputs the location ID “2301” of the destination output port 101 to serve as the input location ID, and inputs the input test type (e.g., Semco-1) based on test time of the sewing machine under test 4.
The server 3 stores a plurality of voltage amplitudes, a plurality of machine serial numbers (including the serial number of the sewing machine under test 4) each corresponding to a corresponding one of the voltage amplitudes, a plurality of time durations, and a plurality of machine test types each corresponding to a respective one of the time durations. For each of the machine serial numbers, the corresponding one of the voltage amplitudes is an amplitude of an operation voltage of a sewing machine assigned the machine serial number. The server 3 further stores the first and second amplitudes, the location IDs of the first output ports 101 each corresponding to the first amplitude, and the location IDs of the second output ports 102 each corresponding to the second amplitude.
The control device 1 includes a zero-crossing detector (ZCD) 11, a relay circuit 12, a TRIAC circuit 14 and a control circuit 10. The control circuit 10 includes a driver 13 and a controller 15.
The zero-crossing detector 11 is for receiving a first AC input voltage with the first amplitude and a second AC input voltage with the second amplitude, and detects zero-crossing points of the first and second AC

input voltages to generate a detection result.
The relay circuit 12 is for receiving the first and second AC input voltages.
The TRIAC circuit 14 is coupled to the relay circuit 12, the driver 13 and the first and second output ports 101, 102.
The controller 15 is coupled to the interface device 2 for receiving the input serial number, the input location ID and the input test type therefrom, is coupled further to the zero-crossing detector 11 for receiving the detection result therefrom, and is coupled further to the server 3, the relay circuit 12 and the driver 13.
The controller 15 transmits the input serial number, the input location ID and the input test type to the server 3, and the server 3 transmits a target amplitude, a selected amplitude and a target duration to the controller 15 in response, where the target amplitude is one of the voltage amplitudes that corresponds to one of the machine series numbers which is identical to the input serial number, where the selected amplitude is one of the first and second amplitudes that corresponds to one of the location IDs of the first and second output ports 101, 102 which is identical to the input location ID, and where the target duration is one of the time durations that corresponds to one of the machine test types which is identical to the input test type. In the aforesaid application, the target amplitude is the amplitude of the operation voltage of the sewing machine under test 4, the selected amplitude is the amplitude of the AC voltage which the destination output port 101 is for outputting, and the target duration is the test time of the sewing machine under test 4.
The controller 15 determines whether the target amplitude is equal to the selected amplitude. In the aforesaid application, an affirmative result of the determination means that the connection of the destination output

port 101 to the sewing machine under test 4 is proper.
When the result of the determination is affirmative, the controller 15 performs the following: (a) enabling the relay circuit 12 to output a selected AC input voltage to the TRIAC circuit 14 for the target duration, where the selected AC input voltage is one of the first and second AC input voltages that has the target amplitude; (b) obtaining a target speed based on a test pattern that is repeatable and that defines speed versus time characteristic, where, in an example as shown in FIG. 3, the test pattern is 15 seconds long, and includes 2.5 seconds of speed acceleration, 5 seconds of full speed and 7.5 seconds of zero speed; and (c) controlling, based on the target speed and the detection result, the driver 13 to drive the TRIAC circuit 14 in such a way that the TRIAC circuit 14 starts to output the selected AC input voltage to one of the first and second output ports 101, 102, the location ID of which is identical to the input location ID, at specific phases θ of alternating cycles of the selected AC input voltage as shown in FIG. 4. The specific phases θ are small when the target speed is high, and are large when the target speed is low. In addition, the TRIAC circuit 14 stops the output of the selected AC input voltage at the zero-crossing points of the selected AC input voltage as shown in FIG. 4. Therefore, in the aforesaid application, the TRIAC circuit 14 outputs the selected AC input voltage to the destination output port 101, and operation speed of the sewing machine under test 4 varies as time passes, and follows the test pattern repeatedly.
In this embodiment, the controller 15 generates a pulse position modulation (PPM) signal (see FIG. 4) based on the target speed and the detection result, such that the PPM signal and the selected AC input voltage share same wave frequency, and such that the PPM signal has, for each period, two pulse positions, each of which relates to the target speed.

The driver 13 is for receiving the PPM signal from the controller 15, and drives the TRIAC circuit 14 to start the output of the selected AC input voltage upon appearances of pulses of the PPM signal.
FIG. 5 illustrates an exemplary implementation of the control device 1. In the exemplary implementation, the zero-crossing detector 11 includes a first ZCD section 111 and a second ZCD section 112, the relay circuit 12 includes a first relay section 121 and a second relay section 122, and the TRIAC circuit 14 includes a first TRIAC section 141 and a second TRIAC section 142. Each of the first ZCD section 111, the first relay section 121 and the first TRIAC section 141 performs operations of a corresponding one of the zero-crossing detector 11, the relay circuit 12 and the TRIAC circuit 14, which are related to the first AC input voltage. Similarly, each of the second ZCD section 112, the second relay section 122 and the second TRIAC section 142 performs operations of a corresponding one of the zero-crossing detector 11, the relay circuit 12 and the TRIAC circuit 14, which are related to the second AC input voltage. It should be noted that, in other implementations of the control device 1, each of the zero-crossing detector 11, the relay circuit 12 and the TRIAC circuit 14 may includes less or more sections.
Referring back to FIG. 1, it should be noted that, in this embodiment, up to a number (M+N) (i.e., eight in this embodiment) of sewing machines can be simultaneously and respectively connected to the first and second output ports 101, 102, and can be simultaneously tested by the test system.
In view of the above, the test system of this embodiment has the following advantages:
1. The test system does not require a pneumatic device and a foot controller for controlling the operation speed of the sewing machine under test 4, thereby alleviating the drawbacks of the conventional test system.

2. The TRIAC circuit 14 never outputs the selected AC input voltage when the target amplitude is determined to be not equal to the selected amplitude, thereby preventing possible damage to the sewing machine under test 4 caused by improper connection of the destination output port 101 to the sewing machine under test 4.
It should be noted that, in another embodiment, the control device 1 may only include a plurality of first output ports 101 or a plurality of second output ports 102, and operations of the test system that are related to the input serial number may be omitted. Moreover, in yet another embodiment, the control device 1 may only include a first output port 101 or a second output port 102, and operations of the test system that are related to the input serial number and the input location ID may be omitted. In addition, in still another embodiment, the interface device 2 may further receive a quit command; the controller 15 may further receive the quit command from the interface device 2, and may disable the relay circuit 12 from continuing the outputting of the selected AC input voltage to the TRIAC circuit 14 upon receipt of the quit command; and the controller 15 may inform the server 3 to store data about a test start time point, a test stop time point and a test result. The test start time point indicates a point at which the output of the selected AC input voltage by the relay circuit 12 to the TRIAC circuit 14 starts, and the test stop time point indicates a point at which the output of the selected AC input voltage by the relay circuit 12 to the TRIAC circuit 14 stops. The test result indicates that test is not completed when a difference between the test start time point and the test stop time point is shorter than the target duration, and indicates that test is completed otherwise.

WE CLAIM:
1. A test system characterized by:
a control device (1) having a plurality of output ports (101), each of said output ports (101) being for outputting an alternating current (AC) voltage with a predetermined amplitude and being assigned a respective location identifier (ID), one of said output ports (101) being used to be coupled to a sewing machine under test (4); said controller device (1) including
a zero-crossing detector (11) for receiving an AC input voltage with the predetermined voltage and detecting zero-crossing points of the AC input voltage to generate a detection result,
a relay circuit (12) for receiving the AC input voltage,
a TRIAC circuit (14) coupled to said relay circuit (12) and said output ports (101), and
a control circuit (10) coupled to said zero-crossing detector (11) for receiving the detection result therefrom, coupled to said relay circuit (12) and said TRIAC circuit (14), and for receiving an input location ID and an input test type,
said control circuit (10) obtaining a target duration based on the input test type and enabling said relay circuit (12) to output the AC input voltage to said TRIAC circuit (14) for the target duration,
said control circuit (10) obtaining a target speed based on a test pattern that is repeatable and that defines speed versus time characteristic, and driving said TRIAC circuit (14) based on the target speed and the detection result in such a way that said TRIAC circuit (14) starts to output the AC input voltage to one of said output ports (101), the location ID of which is identical to the input location ID, at specific phases of alternating cycles of the AC input voltage.

2. The test system as claimed in claim 1, wherein said control circuit (10)
includes:
a driver (13) coupled to said TRIAC circuit (14); and
a controller (15) coupled to said zero-crossing detector (11) for receiving the detection result therefrom, coupled to said relay circuit (12) and said driver (13), and for receiving the input location ID and the input test type;
said controller (15) obtaining the target duration based on the input test type, enabling said relay circuit (12) to output the AC input voltage to said TRIAC circuit (14) for the target duration, obtaining the target speed based on the test pattern, and controlling, based on the target speed and the detection result, said driver (13) to drive said TRIAC circuit (14).
3. The test system as claimed in claim 2, wherein:
said controller (15) generates a pulse position modulation (PPM) signal based on the target speed and the detection result, such that the PPM signal and the AC input voltage share same wave frequency, and such that the PPM signal has, for each period, two pulse positions, each of which relates to the target speed;
said driver (13) is for receiving the PPM signal from said controller (15), and drives said TRIAC circuit (14) to start the output of the AC input voltage upon appearances of pulses of the PPM signal.
4. The test system as claimed in claim 1, comprising a server (3) that is
coupled to said control circuit (10), and that stores a plurality of time
durations, and a plurality of machine test types each corresponding to a
respective one of the time durations;
wherein said control circuit (10) transmits the input test type to said

server (3), and said server (3) transmits the target duration to said control circuit (10) in response, the target duration being one of the time durations that corresponds to one of the machine test types which is identical to the input test type.
5. The test system as claimed in claim 1, comprising an interface device
(2) that is coupled to said control circuit (10), that displays a graphical
user interface, and that is for receiving the input location ID and the input
test type;
wherein said control circuit (10) receives the input location ID and the input test type from said interface device (2).
6. A test system characterized by:
a control device (1) having an output port (101) that is used to be coupled to a sewing machine under test (4), and including
a zero-crossing detector (11) for receiving an alternating current (AC) input voltage and detecting zero-crossing points of the AC input voltage to generate a detection result,
a relay circuit (12) for receiving the AC input voltage,
a TRIAC circuit (14) coupled to said relay circuit (12) and said output port (101), and
a control circuit (10) coupled to said zero-crossing detector (11) for receiving the detection result therefrom, coupled to said relay circuit (12) and said TRIAC circuit (14), and for receiving an input test type,
said control circuit (10) obtaining a target duration based on the input test type and enabling said relay circuit (12) to output the AC input voltage to said TRIAC circuit (14) for the target duration,
said control circuit (10) obtaining a target speed based on a test

pattern that is repeatable and that defines speed versus time characteristic, and driving said TRIAC circuit (14) based on the target speed and the detection result in such a way that said TRIAC circuit (14) starts to output the AC input voltage to said output port (101) at specific phases of alternating cycles of the AC input voltage.
7. The test system as claimed in claim 6, wherein said control circuit (10)
includes:
a driver (13) coupled to said TRIAC circuit (14); and
a controller (15) coupled to said zero-crossing detector (11) for receiving the detection result therefrom, coupled to said relay circuit (12) and said driver (13), and for receiving the input test type;
said controller (15) obtaining the target duration based on the input test type, enabling said relay circuit (12) to output the AC input voltage to said TRIAC circuit (14) for the target duration, obtaining the target speed based on the test pattern, and controlling, based on the target speed and the detection result, said driver (13) to drive said TRIAC circuit (14).
8. The test system as claimed in claim 7, wherein:
said controller (15) generates a pulse position modulation (PPM) signal based on the target speed and the detection result, such that the PPM signal and the AC input voltage share same wave frequency, and such that the PPM signal has, for each period, two pulse positions, each of which relates to the target speed;
said driver (13) is for receiving the PPM signal from said controller (15), and drives said TRIAC circuit (14) to start the output of the AC input voltage upon appearances of pulses of the PPM signal.

9. The test system as claimed in claim 6, comprising a server (3) that is
coupled to said control circuit (10), and that stores a plurality of time
durations, and a plurality of machine test types each corresponding to a
respective one of the time durations;
wherein said control circuit (10) transmits the input test type to said server (3), and said server (3) transmits the target duration to said control circuit (10) in response, the target duration being one of the time durations that corresponds to one of the machine test types which is identical to the input test type.
10. The test system as claimed in claim 6, comprising an interface device
(2) that is coupled to said control circuit (10), that displays a graphical
user interface, and that is for receiving the input test type;
wherein said control circuit (10) receives the input test type from said interface device (2).