Automated identification of generic module location per electrical signatures
AssigneeFord Global Technologies, LLC
InventorNelson Brock
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A database stored electrical signatures of mounting points for generic modules within a vehicle model. Software for programming each mounting point is mapped to the mounting points. For a production unit of the vehicle model, generic modules are placed at the mounting points without being programmed to perform a specific function. The generic modules measure the electrical signature of the mounting point at which they are mounted. The generic modules then coordinate with a server to identify a matching electrical signature in the database and programming the generic modules with corresponding software for performing specific functions.
Claims19
A method comprising:
- measuring first electrical signatures of first module mount points in a first wire layout in a first system;
- mapping the first electrical signatures to locations of the first module mount points;
- determining a location of each generic module of one or more generic modules at one or more second module mount points in a second wire layout in a second system having a design of the first system according to the mapping and one or more second electrical signatures of the one or more second module mount points;
- and
- programming, by a computer system, each generic module of the one or more generic modules with software mapped to the location of each generic module in a database.
A system comprising:
- a database storing a plurality of first electrical signatures for a plurality of module mount points in a plurality of wiring harnesses of a vehicle model;
- a computer system coupled to the database;
- a vehicle according to the vehicle model and including a plurality of generic modules mounted at the plurality of module mount points in the plurality of wiring harnesses of the vehicle;
- wherein each generic module of the plurality of generic modules is identically programmed to:
- measure a second electrical signature of a module mount point of the plurality of module mount points to which the each generic module is coupled;
- cooperate with the computer system to identify a first electrical signature of the plurality of first electrical signatures matching the second electrical signature;
- and
- cooperate with the computer system to program the each generic module with software corresponding to the first electrical signature of the plurality of first electrical signatures matching the second electrical signature.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.