Electronic system and method for testing capacitive circuit lines

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016252566-A1
Application number	US-201415029875-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Dec 9, 2014
Priority date	Dec 20, 2013
Publication date	Sep 1, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

The invention relates to an electronic system comprising a plurality of circuit lines and an error detection component for detecting errors on and between the plurality of circuit lines, wherein each circuit line having a voltage different to ground level, the error detection component being adapted to perform a test routine comprising the steps of: —selecting one circuit line out of the plurality of circuit lines; —determining the voltage of the selected circuit line and storing the voltage value; —discharging the selected circuit line to ground level; —iteratively repeating the aforementioned steps of selecting a circuit line, determining and storing its voltage and discharging for further circuit lines; —comparing the stored voltage values associated with the respective circuit lines with a threshold value; and —generating an error indicator if at least one stored voltage value is below the threshold value.

First claim

1 . Electronic system comprising a plurality of circuit lines and an error detection component for detecting errors on and between the plurality of circuit lines, wherein each circuit line has a voltage different from ground level, the error detection component being adapted to perform a test routine comprising the steps of:
selecting one circuit line out of the plurality of circuit lines; determining the voltage of the selected circuit line and storing the voltage value; discharging the selected circuit line to ground level; iteratively repeating the aforementioned steps of selecting a circuit line, determining and storing its voltage and discharging for further ones of the circuit lines; comparing the stored voltage values associated with the respective circuit lines with a threshold value; and generating an error indicator if at least one stored voltage value is below the threshold value.

2 . Electronic system according to claim 1 , wherein the circuit lines are lines comprising the inputs/outputs or a common output/input of a bidirectional multiplexer and the error detection component is adapted to select one certain circuit line by addressing the control inputs of the bidirectional multiplexer.

3 . Electronic system according to claim 1 , wherein the error detection component is adapted to perform an analog to digital conversion of the determined voltage value.

4 . Electronic system according to claim 1 , wherein the error detection component is adapted to discharge the selected circuit line by means of a pull-down transistor.

5 . Electronic system according to claim 1 , wherein the error detection component is implemented by a microcontroller, wherein the discharge of the selected circuit line is performed by setting a pin of the microcontroller to digital low level.

6 . Electronic system according to claim 1 , wherein the error detection component is adapted to perform a value range check for determining if the voltage of the selected circuit line lies within a predetermined range.

7 . Electronic system according to claim 6 , wherein the error detection component is adapted to perform the test routine iteratively at least two times in order to detect floating circuit lines.

8 . Electronic system according to claim 1 , wherein the steps of comparing the stored voltage values with a threshold value and discharging the selected circuit line to ground level are at least partially performed simultaneously.

9 . Domestic appliance comprising an electronic system according to claim 1 .

10 . Method for detecting errors on and between a plurality of circuit lines having a voltage different from ground level, the method comprising the following steps:
selecting one circuit line out of the plurality of circuit lines; determining the voltage of the selected circuit line and storing the voltage value; discharging the selected circuit line to ground level; iteratively repeating the aforementioned steps of selecting a circuit line, determining and storing its voltage and discharging for further ones of the circuit lines; comparing the stored voltage values associated with the respective circuit lines with a threshold value; and returning an error indicator if at least one stored voltage value is below the threshold value.

11 . A computer-readable storage medium comprising instructions that, when executed by at least one processor of an appliance, cause the appliance to perform an operation for detecting errors on and between a plurality of circuit lines having a voltage different from ground level, the operation comprising the following steps:
selecting one circuit line out of the plurality of circuit lines; determining the voltage of the selected circuit line and storing the voltage value; discharging the selected circuit line to ground level; iteratively repeating the aforementioned steps of selecting a circuit line, determining and storing its voltage and discharging for further ones of the circuit lines; comparing the stored voltage values associated with the respective circuit lines with a threshold value; and generating an error indicator if at least one stored voltage value is below the threshold value.

Assignees

• Electrolux Appliances AB

Inventors

• Knausenberger Martin
• Rigolle Thibaut
• Venturini Gianluca
• Hüther Henrike
• Beck Friedrich

Classifications

• G01R31/50

  Testing of electric apparatus, lines, cables or components for short-circuits, continuity, leakage current or incorrect line connections (testing of sparking plugs H01T13/58) · CPC title

• G01R31/2825 Primary

  in household appliances or professional audio/video equipment (testing LAN's H04L43/50; testing TV systems H04N17/00; testing loudspeakers H04R29/00) · CPC title

• G01R31/024

  Physics · mapped topic