US 12,443,499 B1
Contactor integration and performance validation with hardware-in-the-loop test bench
Pavitra Shukl, Bengaluru (IN); Avinash Dongare, Bangalore (IN); Manik Jalhotra, Bangalore (IN); and Murali Krishnan Raghupathy, Bangalore (IN)
Assigned to Caterpillar Inc., Peoria, IL (US)
Filed by Caterpillar Inc., Peoria, IL (US)
Filed on Apr. 16, 2024, as Appl. No. 18/636,862.
Int. Cl. G06F 11/26 (2006.01)
CPC G06F 11/261 (2013.01) 20 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A test system, comprising:
a hardware-in-the-loop (HIL) test bench comprising a test controller configured to generate a test signal based on a test simulation;
a battery management system (BMS) comprising an electronic control unit (ECU) configured to:
receive the test signal,
generate a switch control signal based on the test signal,
monitor a feedback path for a feedback response,
evaluate the feedback response relative to the test signal, and
detect a fault based on a mismatch between the test signal and the feedback response;
a contactor comprising a pair of fixed contacts, a contactor switch coupled to the feedback path, a main coil configured to receive an activation current, and a movable contact configured to, based on the main coil being energized by the activation current, make contact with the pair of fixed contacts and the contactor switch to generate a closed feedback signal as the feedback response; and
a relay switch configured to, based on the switch control signal, couple the main coil to a power supply for generating the activation current.