Patent · US Expired

Microcomputer assisted electrical harness fabrication and testing system

US4218745A · kind A · utility

81Cited by
10References
20Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventor

Key dates

Filing dateSep 11, 1978
Grant dateAug 19, 1980
Priority date
Expiry dateSep 11, 1998

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC Y)Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
  • CPC primaryY10T29/53174
  • WIPO fieldMeasurement
  • WIPO sectorInstruments

Abstract

A microcomputer based system which provides a fast, error-free method of electrical harness fabrication and testing. Each connector into which the harness will be wired is mounted on a receptacle containing a multiplex transponder, a plurality of which are in turn connected in parallel through a common data cable to a controlling computer. A video display is provided for interaction between the operator and the computer. As each wire is connected between the appropriate connector pins, the computer, through the common cable and multiplex transponders, measures the connection resistance. Error messages and wiring information are displayed. Each multiplex transponder comprises a plurality of analog multiplexer/demultiplexer parts for connecting a common transmit data line in the connecting ribbon cable to any predetermined connector pin, and for connecting any connector pin to the common receive line of the connecting cable to allow testing the resistance between any electrical points. As a system initialization step, the computer automatically codes each multiplex transponder with a unique address so that a plurality of otherwise identical multiplex transponders on the formboard may…

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.