System and method for vehicle inspection

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11745813-B2
Application number	US-202017109467-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 2, 2020
Priority date	May 13, 2020
Publication date	Sep 5, 2023
Grant date	Sep 5, 2023

Abstract

An automated vehicle inspection system includes a diagnostic terminal mounted in a vehicle and connected to an engine control unit (ECU) of the vehicle, sequentially operating individual electric components through the ECU based on stored electric component inspection items while the vehicle passes through a watertight booth and receiving individual operating currents measured to determine whether the electric components normally operate, a transceiver connecting to the diagnostic terminal and a wireless diagnostic communication network through an antenna disposed in the watertight booth process line, and an inspector recognizing a vehicle ID of a vehicle that enters the watertight booth, transmitting inspection items according to a vehicle type and specification of the vehicle ID to the diagnostic terminal through the diagnostic communication network, and recognizing a vehicle ID of a vehicle that leaves the watertight booth to collect inspection results determined in the diagnostic terminal.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. An automated vehicle inspection system utilizing a watertight booth process line of a manufacturing plant, the automated vehicle inspection system comprising:
a diagnostic terminal mounted in a vehicle and connected to an engine control unit (ECU) of the vehicle through a vehicle communication network, the diagnostic terminal sequentially operating individual electric components through the ECU based on a stored electric component inspection items while the vehicle passes through a watertight booth, and the diagnostic terminal receiving individual operating currents measured accordingly to determine whether the electric components normally operate;
a transceiver connecting to the diagnostic terminal and a wireless diagnostic communication network through an antenna disposed in the watertight booth process line; and
an inspector recognizing a vehicle ID of a vehicle that enters the watertight booth, the inspector transmitting inspection items according to a vehicle type and specification of the vehicle ID to the diagnostic terminal through the diagnostic communication network, and the inspector further recognizing a vehicle ID of a vehicle that leaves the watertight booth to collect inspection results determined in the diagnostic terminal.

2. The automated vehicle inspection system of claim 1 , wherein the diagnostic terminal is a wireless on-board diagnostics (OBD)-based terminal and is equipped with an electric load inspection program for inspecting an individual electric component based on the inspection items.

3. The automated vehicle inspection system of claim 1 , wherein the diagnostic terminal includes:
a vehicle communication module connected to the ECU through the vehicle communication network via a gateway of the vehicle;
a wireless diagnostic communication module connected to the antenna of the transceiver through the diagnostic communication network of a short-range wireless communication method;
a position recognition module measuring a position of the vehicle using at least one of differential global positioning system (DGPS) and an ultra-wideband (UWB);
a memory module storing an electric load inspection program for vehicle inspection, the inspection items, and the inspection results; and
a control module recognizing a position of the vehicle that enters the watertight booth through the position recognition module and controlling electric load inspection according to execution of the electric load inspection program.

4. The automated vehicle inspection system of claim 3 , wherein the vehicle communication module transmits an operating signal for each electric component according to the inspection items to the ECU through the vehicle communication network, and receives an operating current measured by a battery sensor according to an operation of a corresponding electric load from the ECU.

5. The automated vehicle inspection system of claim 3 , wherein the antenna comprises a first antenna provided on an entrance side of the watertight booth and a second antenna provided on an exit side of the watertight booth; and
wherein the wireless diagnosis communication module is connected to the first antenna through a first diagnostic communication network to receive the inspection items, and is connected to the second antenna through a second diagnostic communication network to transmit the inspection results.

6. The automated vehicle inspection system of claim 3 , wherein the position recognition module recognizes a watertight booth entry position, watertight booth internal position, and watertight booth exit position of the vehicle based on vehicle position information and map information of the watertight booth process line.

7. The automated vehicle inspection system of claim 3 , wherein the control module generates an inspection command message including an electric component identification code, an operating signal, and an operation time according to an inspection sequence based on the inspection items and transmits the generated inspection command message to the ECU.

8. The automated vehicle inspection system of claim 7 , wherein the control module sequentially transmits a left (LH) brake lamp inspection command message, a right (RH) brake lamp inspection command message, and a central brake lamp (high mounted stop lamp (HMSL)) inspection command message according to the inspection items through the vehicle communication network, and compares received individual operating currents with reference ranges set for the respective lamps to determine whether the individual operating currents are normal within upper and lower limits.

9. The automated vehicle inspection system of claim 1 , wherein the inspector recognizes the vehicle ID of the vehicle that enters the watertight booth through a first scanner (SC # 1 ) installed on an entrance side of the watertight booth, the inspector being connected to the diagnostic terminal through a first diagnostic communication network, and the inspector transmits the inspection items matched to the vehicle ID.

10. The automated vehicle inspection system of claim 1 , wherein the inspector recognizes the vehicle ID of the vehicle that leaves the watertight booth through a second scanner (SC # 2 ) installed on an exit side of the watertight booth, the inspector being connected to the diagnostic terminal through a second diagnostic communication, and the inspector collects inspection results matched to the vehicle ID.

11. The automated vehicle inspection system of claim 1 , further comprising:
a manufacturing execution system (MES) matching and managing the electric component inspection items applied to a vehicle according to a vehicle type and specification of the vehicle mass-produced in the manufacturing plant, an OBD ID of the diagnostic terminal mounted in the vehicle, and the vehicle ID, and providing the matched electric component inspection items, the OBD ID, and the vehicle ID to the inspector.

12. The automated vehicle inspection system of claim 11 , wherein the inspector inquires the MES about vehicle information by a vehicle ID recognized at each spot of the entrance and exit of the watertight booth to recognize a matched OBD ID, and is connected to the diagnostic communication network through authentication of the OBD ID of the diagnostic terminal requesting access from the antenna.

13. An automated vehicle inspection method utilizing a diagnostic terminal mounted in a vehicle completely assembled in a process line, the method comprising the following steps:
a) receiving electric component inspection items matched to a vehicle ID from an inspector when a first diagnostic communication network is connected through a first antenna provided on an entrance side of a watertight booth during transportation of the vehicle;
b) recognizing a position of the vehicle and initiating automated inspection according to an electric load inspection program when a watertight entry position is recognized;
c) sequentially operating individual electric components based on the inspection items while the vehicle is passing through the watertight booth, and inspecting corresponding individual operating currents to determine whether the individual electric components normally operate; and
d) transmitting the vehicle ID and determined inspection results to the inspector when a second diagnostic communication network is connected through a second antenna provided on an exit side of the watertight booth.

14. The automated vehicle inspection method of claim 13 , wherein step b) further includes:
causing the vehicle to enter an IG ON mode and supplying power to various electric loads;

Assignees

• Hyundai Motor Co Ltd
• Kia Motors Corp

Inventors

• Kwon Tae Sung
• Son Gun
• Yoon Kyungbae
• Choi Yeon Ji

Classifications

• B62D65/005 Primary

  Inspection and final control devices · CPC title

• B60J1/17

  vertically · CPC title

• B60Q1/44

  for indicating braking action {or preparation for braking, e.g. by detection of the foot approaching the brake pedal} · CPC title

• B60R16/0234

  related to maintenance or repairing of vehicles · CPC title

• B60R16/033

  characterised by the use of electrical cells or batteries (for propulsion puposes B60K1/04; supplying batteries to, or removing batteries from, vehicles B60S5/06; testing of charge state G01R31/36) · CPC title