# US 12,001,189 B2 · Systems and methods for improved manufacturing diagnostics

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- Number: US 12,001,189 B2
- Document ID: US12001189B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 17/021,534
- Filed: 2020-09-15
- Published: 2022-03-17
- Granted: 2024-06-04
- Earliest claimed: 2020-09-15
- Assignees: Steering Solutions IP Holding Corporation
- Applicants: Steering Solutions IP Holding Corporation
- Inventors: John F. Pressler
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12001189B2

## CPC

- G01M 17/007: Wheeled or endless-tracked vehicles (G01M17/08 takes precedence)
- G05B 19/406: characterised by monitoring or safety (G05B19/19 takes precedence)
- G01M 17/00: Testing of vehicles (testing fluid tightness G01M3/00; testing elastic properties of bodies or chassis, e.g. torsion-testing, G01M5/00; testing alignment of vehicle headlight devices G01M11/06; testing of engines G01M15/00)
- G05B 19/41875: {characterised by quality surveillance of production}
- G05B 2219/32368: Quality control
- Y02P 90/02: Total factory control, e.g. smart factories, flexible manufacturing systems [FMS] or integrated manufacturing systems [IMS]
- G01M: TESTING STATIC OR DYNAMIC BALANCE OF MACHINES OR STRUCTURES; TESTING OF STRUCTURES OR APPARATUS, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
- G05B: CONTROL OR REGULATING SYSTEMS IN GENERAL; FUNCTIONAL ELEMENTS OF SUCH SYSTEMS; MONITORING OR TESTING ARRANGEMENTS FOR SUCH SYSTEMS OR ELEMENTS (systems for controlling or regulating non-electric variables G05D; systems for regulating electric or magnetic variables G05F; control devices or systems insofar as characterised by mechanical features only G05G)
- Y02P: CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION TECHNOLOGIES IN THE PRODUCTION OR PROCESSING OF GOODS

## Abstract

A method for identifying potential component manufacturing issues identifying a first set of calibration values corresponding to a first component and flashing a controller associated with the first component with the first set of calibration values. The method also includes performing at least one diagnostic test on the first component and, in response to receiving at least one diagnostic flag resulting from the at least one diagnostic test, determining whether the at least one diagnostic flag includes a false positive response. The method also includes, in response to a determination that the at least one diagnostic flag includes a false positive response, selectively adjusting at least one calibration value of the first set of calibration values and, in response to a determination that the at least one diagnostic flag does not include a false positive response, flashing the controller associated with the first component with a first set of production calibration values.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A method for identifying potential component manufacturing issues, the method comprising:
identifying, for a first component, a first set of calibration values corresponding to the first component;
flashing, during a manufacturing phase, a controller associated with the first component with the first set of calibration values;
performing, during the manufacturing phase, at least one diagnostic test on the first component using an on-board diagnostic system of a controller associated with the first component, wherein the controller associated with the first component is disposed within a vehicle;
in response to receiving at least one diagnostic flag resulting from the at least one diagnostic test, determining whether the at least one diagnostic flag includes a false positive response;
in response to a determination that the at least one diagnostic flag includes a false positive response, selectively adjusting, during the manufacturing phase, at least one calibration value of the first set of calibration values;
in response to selectively adjusting the at least one calibration value of the first set of calibration values, performing at least one subsequent diagnostic test on the first component using the adjusted first set of calibration values;
in response to receiving at least one subsequent diagnostic flag resulting from the at least one subsequent diagnostic test, further adjusting, during the manufacturing phase and responsive to a determination that the at least one subsequent diagnostic flag includes a false positive response, the adjusted first set of calibration values; and
in response to a determination that the at least one diagnostic flag does not include a false positive response, flashing the controller associated with the first component with a first set of production calibration values, wherein a diagnostic sensitivity of the first set of calibration values is greater than the first set of production calibration values, wherein the first set of production calibration values are used during a production use of the first component, and wherein the production use of the first component occurs after the first component exits the manufacturing phase.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein selectively adjusting the at least one calibration value of the first set of calibration values, in response to the determination that the at least one diagnostic flag includes a false positive response, includes decreasing the diagnostic sensitivity of the at least one calibration value.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, further comprising, in response to a determination that the result of the at least one diagnostic test includes no diagnostic flags, selectively adjusting at least one calibration value of the first set of calibration values.

### Claim 4 (depends on 3)

The method of claim 3, wherein selectively adjusting the at last one calibration value of the first set of calibration values, in response to the determination that the result of the at least one diagnostic test includes no diagnostic flags, includes increasing the diagnostic sensitivity of the at least one calibration value.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the first component is associated with an electronic power steering system.

### Claim 6

A system for identifying potential component manufacturing issues, the system comprising:
a processor; and
a memory including instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to:
identify, for a first component, a first set of calibration values corresponding to the first component;
flash, during a manufacturing phase, a controller associated with the first component with the first set of calibration values;
perform, during the manufacturing phase, at least one diagnostic test on the first component using an on-board diagnostic system of a controller associated with the first component, wherein the controller associated with the first component is disposed within a vehicle;
in response to receiving at least one diagnostic flag resulting from the at least one diagnostic test, determine whether the at least one diagnostic flag includes a false positive response;
in response to a determination that the at least one diagnostic flag includes a false positive response, selectively adjust, during the manufacturing phase, at least one calibration value of the first set of calibration values;
in response to selectively adjusting the at least one calibration value of the first set of calibration values, perform at least one subsequent diagnostic test on the first component using the adjusted first set of calibration values;
in response to receiving at least one subsequent diagnostic flag resulting from the at least one subsequent diagnostic test, further adjust, during the manufacturing phase and responsive to a determination that the at least one subsequent diagnostic flag includes a false positive response, the adjusted first set of calibration values; and
in response to a determination that the at least one diagnostic flag does not include a false positive response, flash the controller associated with the first component with a first set of production calibration values, wherein a diagnostic sensitivity of the first set of calibration values is greater than the first set of production calibration values, wherein the first set of production calibration values are used during a production use of the first component, and wherein the production use of the first component occurs after the first component exits the manufacturing phase.

### Claim 7 (depends on 6)

The system of claim 6, wherein the instructions further cause the processor to selectively adjust, in response to the determination that the at least one diagnostic flag includes a false positive response, the at least one calibration value of the first set of calibration values by decreasing the diagnostic sensitivity of the at least one calibration value.

### Claim 8 (depends on 6)

The system of claim 6, wherein the instructions further cause the processor to, in response to a determination that the result of the at least one diagnostic test includes no diagnostic flags, selectively adjust at least one calibration value of the first set of calibration values.

### Claim 9 (depends on 6)

The system of claim 6, wherein the instructions further cause the processor to selectively adjust the at last one calibration value of the first set of calibration values, in response to the determination that the result of the at least one diagnostic test includes no diagnostic flags, by increasing the diagnostic sensitivity of the at least one calibration value.

### Claim 10 (depends on 6)

The system of claim 6, wherein the first component is associated with an electronic power steering system.

### Claim 11

An apparatus for identifying potential component manufacturing issues, the apparatus comprising:
a processor; and
a memory including instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to:
identify, for a first component, a first set of calibration values corresponding to the first component;
flash, during a manufacturing phase, a controller associated with the first component with the first set of calibration values;
perform, during the manufacturing phase, at least one diagnostic test on the first component using an on-board diagnostic system of a controller associated with the first component, wherein the controller associated with the first component is disposed within a vehicle;
in response to receiving at least one diagnostic flag resulting from the at least one diagnostic test, determine whether the at least one diagnostic flag includes a false positive response;
in response to a determination that the at least one diagnostic flag includes a false positive response, selectively decrease, during the manufacturing phase, a diagnostic sensitivity of at least one calibration value of the first set of calibration values;
in response to selectively decreasing the at least one calibration value of the first set of calibration values, performing at least one subsequent diagnostic test on the first component using the decreased first set of calibration values;
in response to receiving at least one subsequent diagnostic flag resulting from the at least one subsequent diagnostic test, further decreasing, during the manufacturing phase and responsive to a determination that the at least one subsequent diagnostic flag includes a false positive response, the decreased first set of calibration values;
in response to a determination that the at least one diagnostic flag does not include a false positive response, flash the controller associated with the first component with a first set of production calibration values, wherein a diagnostic sensitivity of the first set of calibration values is greater than the first set of production calibration values, wherein the first set of production calibration values are used during a production use of the first component, and wherein the production use of the first component occurs after the first component exits the manufacturing phase; and
in response to a determination that the result of the at least one diagnostic test includes no diagnostic flags, selectively increase the diagnostic sensitivity of at least one calibration value of the first set of calibration values and generate the first set of production calibration values based on the first set of calibration values.

### Claim 12 (depends on 11)

The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the first component is associated with the vehicle.

### Claim 13 (depends on 11)

The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the first component is associated with an electronic power steering system of the vehicle.