IP Library › Granted Patent US 12674848

Granted Patent B2

US 12674848 · App. 18/392,035 · Granted Jul 7, 2026

Method and device for short circuit detection in wiring harnesses

Inventors: Qi Zhu (Reutlingen, DE); Andreas Domdey (Reutlingen, DE); Vasanthapriyan Senguttuvan (Reutlingen, DE)

Assignee: ROBERT BOSCH GMBH

G01R31/52 G01R31/007

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Quick Facts

Patent No.: US 12674848
App. No.: 18/392,035
Granted: Jul 7, 2026
Kind: B2

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Abstract

A method for detecting a short circuit in a wiring harness that contacts an electric device. The method includes: carrying out a first and second test measurements, in which a first and second predefined electric current is applied to an electric device connected to a line to be monitored of the wiring harness and resulting first and second electric voltages are detected, the second electric current being greater than the first electric current; ascertaining a measurement current based on a predefined target electric voltage by interpolation from the first and second electric currents and the first and second electric voltages; and carrying out a measurement in which the measurement current is applied to the electric device connected to the line and a resulting electric measurement voltage is detected; wherein a short circuit is detected based on a comparison of the measurement voltage and the target voltage.

Claims (49)

1 . A method for detecting a short circuit in a wiring harness which contacts at least one electric device, comprising the following steps:

carrying out a first test measurement in which a first predefined electric current is applied to an electric device connected to a line to be monitored of the wiring harness, and a resulting first electric voltage is detected;

carrying out a second test measurement in which a second predefined electric current is applied to the electric device connected to the line to be monitored of the wiring harness, and a resulting second electric voltage is detected, wherein the second electric current is greater than the first electric current;

ascertaining a measurement current based on a predefined target electric voltage by interpolation from the first electric current and the second electric current and the first electric voltage and the second electric voltage; and

carrying out a measurement in which the measurement current is applied to the electric device connected to the line to be monitored of the wiring harness, and a resulting electric measurement voltage is detected;

wherein a short circuit is detected based on a comparison of the measurement voltage and the target voltage.

2 . The method according to claim 1 , wherein:

the step of carrying out the measurement is carried out repeatedly, and/or

the steps of carrying out the first test measurement and the second test measurement and of ascertaining the measurement current are carried out once or repeatedly with a lower repetition rate than the carrying out of the measurement.

3 . The method according to claim 1 , wherein the ascertaining of the measurement current is carried out based on linear interpolation.

4 . A non-transitory machine-readable storage medium on which is stored a computer program for detecting a short circuit in a wiring harness which contacts at least one electric device, the computer program, when executed by a computer, causing the computer to perform the following steps:

wherein a short circuit is detected based on a comparison of the measurement voltage and the target voltage.

5 . A control device of a vehicle, the control device comprising:

a switching device which can be connected to a wiring harness in order to be connected to an electric device via the wiring harness; and

a logic unit configured to control the switching device;

wherein the switching device is configured to:

receive a specification for an output current, and

apply the output current to the electric device connected to a line to be monitored of the wiring harness;

wherein the logic unit is configured to:

carry out a first test measurement in which, using the switching device, a first predefined electric current is applied to the electric device, and a resulting first electric voltage is detected,

carry out a second test measurement in which, using the switching device, a second predefined electric current is applied to the electric device, and a resulting second electric voltage is detected, wherein the second electric current is greater than the first electric current,

ascertain a measurement current based on a predefined target electric voltage by interpolation from the first electric current and the second electric current and the first electric voltage and the second electric voltage,

carry out a measurement in which, using the switching device, the measurement current is applied to the electric device and a resulting electric measurement voltage is detected, and

carry out a detection of a short circuit based on a comparison of the measurement voltage and the target voltage; and

wherein the switching device and/or the logic unit is configured to detect an electric voltage resulting from the application of the output current.

6 . The control device according to claim 5 , wherein the switching device is an application-specific integrated circuit.

7 . The control device according to claim 5 , wherein the logic unit is configured to:

to carry out the measurement repeatedly, and/or

carry out the first test measurement and second test measurement and the ascertaining of the measurement current once or repeatedly with a lower repetition rate than the carrying out of the measurement.

8 . The control device according to claim 5 , wherein the logic unit is configured to carry out the ascertaining of the measurement current based on linear interpolation.

9 . A vehicle, comprising:

a control device including a switching device and a logic unit;

a wiring harness connected to the switching device of the control device; and

an electric device connected to the wiring harness, wherein the electric device is a lambda sensor;

wherein the control device a logic unit configured to control the switching device;