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EP-4462464-B1 - COMPUTER SYSTEM, VEHICLE, COMPUTER-IMPLEMENTED METHOD, COMPUTER PROGRAM PRODUCT AND COMPUTER-READABLE STORAGE MEDIUM FOR CONTACTOR DEVICE IDENTIFICATION

EP4462464B1EP 4462464 B1EP4462464 B1EP 4462464B1EP-4462464-B1

Inventors

  • LIDSTRÖM, Emil
  • RAY, DRIPTA

Dates

Publication Date
20260506
Application Date
20230511

Claims (12)

  1. A computer system comprising processing circuitry configured to: provide a control signal (70) to a vehicle contactor device control circuit (32) comprising a battery contactor (34), the vehicle contactor device control circuit (32) being configured to carry out a state switch (72) in response to receiving said control signal (70); receive a control signal response (74) from the vehicle contactor device control circuit (32) in response to said state switch (72); obtain one or more contactor device properties (76) based on the control signal response (74) to the control signal (70) by performing time series analysis on time series data included in the control signal response (74); compare the one or more contactor device properties (76) to baseline contactor device properties (80), being indicative of one or more predefined contactor device types, by: creating a response signature (78) of the one or more contactor device properties (76) based on the time series analysis; creating a baseline signature (88) of baseline time series data included in the baseline contactor device properties (80); and comparing said response signature (78) to the baseline signature (88), and based on said comparison, identify whether a type of said battery contactor (34) corresponds to said one or more predefined contactor device types.
  2. The computer system of claim 1, wherein the processing circuitry is further configured to create the baseline signature (88) based on an output from a contactor device model (82) being configured to process baseline contactor device properties (80) of a plurality of said one or more predefined contactor device types.
  3. The computer system of claim 1 or 2, wherein the processing circuitry is further configured to compare the response signature (78) to the baseline signature (88) by identifying deviations exceeding a predefined threshold value.
  4. The computer system of any of claim 1-3, wherein the processing circuitry is further configured to provide an identification report (90) in response to said identification of whether a type of said contactor (34) corresponds to one or more predefined contactor device types being performed.
  5. The computer system of any of the claims 1-4, wherein the time series data pertain to a time-to-close duration of a closing operation of the contactor (34), said time-to-close duration being initiated upon said control signal input (70) being provided and said time-to-close duration ending upon completing the state switch (72), wherein the processing circuitry is further configured to determine the one or more contactor device properties (76) as a function of a measured property of the control signal response (74) in relation to a predefined property of the control signal (70) during said closing operation.
  6. The computer system of any of the claims 1-4, wherein the time series data pertain to a time-to-open duration of an opening operation of the contactor (34) or a time-to-close duration of a closing operation of the contactor (34), said time-to-close or time-to-open duration being initiated upon said control signal (70) being provided, said time-to-close or time-to-open duration ending upon completing the state switch (72), wherein the processing circuitry is further configured to pulse-width modulate the control signal (70).
  7. The computer system of any preceding claim, wherein the one or more contactor device properties (76) are electrical properties (77) and/or physical properties (37) of the contactor (34).
  8. The computer system of any of the claims 1-7, wherein the time series data is obtained by one or more sensor units (28).
  9. A vehicle comprising the computer system of any of claims 1-8.
  10. A computer-implemented method (100) for vehicle contactor device identification, comprising: providing (110), by processing circuitry of a computer system, a control signal (70) to a vehicle contactor device control circuit (32) comprising a battery contactor (34), the vehicle contactor device control circuit (32) being configured to carry out a state switch (72) in response to receiving said control signal (70); receiving (120), by the processing circuitry, a control signal response (74) from the vehicle contactor device control circuit (32) in response to said state switch (72); obtaining (130), by the processing circuitry, one or more contactor device properties (76) based on the control signal response (74) to the control signal (70) by performing time series analysis on time series data included in the control signal response (74); comparing (140), by the processing circuitry, the one or more contactor device properties (76) to baseline contactor device properties (80), being indicative of one or more predefined contactor device types, by: creating a response signature (78) of the one or more contactor device properties (76) based on the time series analysis; creating a baseline signature (88) of baseline time series data included in the baseline contactor device properties (80); and comparing said response signature (78) to the baseline signature (88) and based on said comparison, identifying (150), by the processing circuitry, whether a type of said battery contactor (34) corresponds to said one or more predefined contactor device types.
  11. A computer program product comprising program code for performing, when executed by the processing circuitry, the method (100) of claim 10.
  12. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium comprising instructions, which when executed by the processing circuitry, cause the processing circuitry to perform the method (100) of claim 10.

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD The disclosure relates to identification of battery vehicle contactor device types. The disclosure can be applied to heavy-duty vehicles, such as trucks, buses, and construction equipment, among other vehicle types. Although the disclosure may be described with respect to a particular vehicle, the disclosure is not restricted to any particular vehicle. BACKGROUND Contactors device are arranged for switching control circuits on or off, and may be arranged in electrical devices. Such electrical devices include, for instance, charging systems, steering systems, motor systems, fuel systems, air conditioning systems, and other components. In the following disclosure, a contactor device is to be interpreted as an element capable of altering the flow of electricity in a circuit by a switching mechanism. To this end, a contactor device as used herein refers to contactors, switches or relays, etc. The number of contactor devices are continuously increasing. Given the sheer amount of contactor devices arranged in today's devices, there is a significant risk of said contactor devices being tampered with once they are out on the aftermarket. For example, vehicle workshops and other third parties are seeing great potential in providing counterfeit vehicle contactor devices by replacing, changing and/or to some extent modifying the existing vehicle contactor devices for their own winnings. In the example of vehicles, counterfeiting of vehicle contactor devices can lead to devastating losses, as the vehicle may continue to operate under unsafe operating conditions, according to the vehicle manufacturer's safety and regulatory standards, without the driver necessarily knowing about it. Such losses involve safety hazards for the driver and anyone being in the vicinity of the vehicle. Moreover, the performance of various electrical devices may be degraded as said vehicle contactor devices are no longer recognizable. It is therefore desired to identify the type of battery contactor devices. SUMMARY According to a first aspect of the disclosure, a computer system comprising processing circuitry is provided. The processing circuitry is configured to provide a control signal to a vehicle contactor device control circuit comprising a battery contactor. The contactor device control circuit is configured to carry out a state switch in response to receiving said control signal and to receive a control signal response from the contactor device control circuit in response to said state switch. The processing circuitry is further configured to obtain one or more contactor device properties based on the control signal response to the control signal and to compare the one or more contactor device properties to baseline contactor device properties. The baseline contactor device properties are indicative of one or more predefined contactor device types. The processing circuitry is further configured to, based on said comparison, identify whether a type of said battery contactor corresponds to said one or more predefined contactor device types. A technical benefit may include safe vehicle operating conditions and an increased performance of electrical devices of the vehicle. The processing circuitry is further configured to obtain the one or more contactor device properties by time series analysis on time series data included in the control signal response. The processing circuitry is further configured to compare the one or more contactor device properties to the baseline contactor device properties by creating a response signature of the one or more contactor device properties based on the time series analysis; creating a baseline signature of baseline time series data included in the baseline contactor device properties; and comparing said response signature to the baseline signature. A technical benefit may include a more accurate type identification. Optionally in some examples, including in at least one preferred example, the processing circuitry is further configured to create the baseline signature based on an output from a contactor device model being configured to process baseline contactor device properties of a plurality of said one or more predefined contactor device types. A technical benefit may include a more accurate type identification. Optionally in some examples, including in at least one preferred example, the processing circuitry is further configured to compare the response signature to the baseline signature by identifying deviations exceeding a predefined threshold value. A technical benefit may include being able to adjust the hit rate of the comparison against a threshold value such that more adaptability can be achieved in the comparison. Optionally in some examples, including in at least one preferred example, the processing circuitry is further configured to provide an identification report in response to said identification of whether a type of said contactor corresponds to one or more predefin