Control module response testing systems and methods

1. A testing module comprising:

a first input where the testing module receives a throttle position signal from a throttle position sensor of a vehicle;

a decoder module that generates a first throttle position based on a length of at least one pulse in the throttle position signal;

an analog to digital (A/D) converter that generates a second throttle position based on the throttle position signal;

a second input where the testing module receives user input;

an output generator module that generates a test signal in a single edge nibble transmission (SENT) format based on the user input and one of the first and second throttle positions; and

an output where the testing module outputs the test signal to a control module of the vehicle.

2. A system comprising:

the testing module of claim 1 ; and

the control module that receives the throttle position signal from the throttle position sensor, that receives the test signal from the testing module, and that selectively diagnoses the presence of a plurality of faults based on the test signal.

3. The testing module of claim 1 wherein the output generator module generates a predetermined number of pulses in the test signal in the SENT format and selectively generates more than the predetermined number of pulses in the test signal in response to the user input.

4. The testing module of claim 1 wherein the output generator module generates a predetermined number of pulses in the test signal in the SENT format and selectively generates less than the predetermined number of pulses in the test signal in response to the user input.

5. The testing module of claim 1 wherein the output generator module generates a pulse in the test signal for greater than a predetermined minimum period in the SENT format and selectively generates the pulse in the test signal for less than the predetermined minimum period in response to the user input.

6. The testing module of claim 1 wherein the output generator module generates a pulse in the test signal for less than a predetermined maximum period in the SENT format and selectively generates the pulse in the test signal for greater than the predetermined maximum period in response to the user input.

7. The testing module of claim 1 wherein the output generator module changes a length of a pulse in the test signal by more than a predetermined amount between consecutive messages of the test signal in response to the user input.

8. The testing module of claim 1 wherein the output generator module changes a period between a pulse in consecutive messages of the test signal to greater than a predetermined period in response to the user input.

9. The testing module of claim 1 further comprising an error correcting code (ECC) module that determines a first ECC based on the one of the first and second throttle positions,

wherein the output generator module generates a pulse in the test signal based on second ECC that is different than the first ECC in response to the user input.

10. The testing module of claim 1 further comprising an error correcting code (ECC) module that determines a first ECC based on the one of the first and second throttle positions,

wherein the output generator module, in response to the user input, selectively:

(i) generates a first pulse in the test signal based on second ECC that is different than the first ECC;

(ii) generates more than a predetermined number of pulses in the test signal;

(iii) generates less than the predetermined number of pulses in the test signal;

(iv) generates a second pulse having less than a predetermined minimum period in the test signal;

(v) generates a third pulse having greater than a predetermined maximum period in the test signal;

(vi) changes a length of a fourth pulse in the test signal by more than a predetermined amount between consecutive messages of the test signal; and

(vii) changes a period between a fifth pulse in consecutive messages of the test signal to greater than a predetermined period.

11. A method comprising:

receiving a throttle position signal from a throttle position sensor of a vehicle at a first input of a testing module;

generating a first throttle position based on a length of at least one pulse in the throttle position signal using the testing module;

generating a second throttle position based on the throttle position signal using the testing module;

receiving user input at a second input of the testing module;

generating a test signal in a single edge nibble transmission (SENT) format based on the user input and one of the first and second throttle positions; and

outputting the test signal to a control module of the vehicle at an output of the testing module.

12. The method of claim 11 further comprising:

receiving the throttle position signal using the control module;

receiving the test signal using the control module; and

selectively diagnosing the presence of a plurality of faults based on the test signal using the control module.

13. The method of claim 11 further comprising:

generating a predetermined number of pulses in the test signal in the SENT format; and

selectively generating more than the predetermined number of pulses in the test signal in response to the user input.

14. The method of claim 11 further comprising:

generating a predetermined number of pulses in the test signal in the SENT format; and

selectively generating less than the predetermined number of pulses in the test signal in response to the user input.

15. The method of claim 11 further comprising:

generating a pulse in the test signal for greater than a predetermined minimum period in the SENT format; and

selectively generating the pulse in the test signal for less than the predetermined minimum period in response to the user input.

16. The method of claim 11 further comprising:

generating a pulse in the test signal for less than a predetermined maximum period in the SENT format; and

selectively generating the pulse in the test signal for greater than the predetermined maximum period in response to the user input.

17. The method of claim 11 further comprising changing a length of a pulse in the test signal by more than a predetermined amount between consecutive messages of the test signal in response to the user input.

18. The method of claim 11 further comprising changing a period between a pulse in consecutive messages of the test signal to greater than a predetermined period in response to the user input.

19. The method of claim 11 further comprising:

determining a first error correcting code (ECC) based on the one of the first and second throttle positions; and

generating a pulse in the test signal based on second ECC that is different than the first ECC in response to the user input.

20. The method of claim 11 further comprising:

determining a first error correcting code (ECC) based on the one of the first and second throttle positions; and,

in response to the user input, selectively:

(i) generating a first pulse in the test signal based on second ECC that is different than the first ECC;

(ii) generating more than a predetermined number of pulses in the test signal;

(iii) generating less than the predetermined number of pulses in the test signal;

(iv) generating a second pulse having less than a predetermined minimum period in the test signal;

(v) generating a third pulse having greater than a predetermined maximum period in the test signal;

(vi) changing a length of a fourth pulse in the test signal by more than a predetermined amount between consecutive messages of the test signal; and

(vii) changing a period between a fifth pulse in consecutive messages of the test signal to greater than a predetermined period.