Monitoring Current Variation using Pattern Recognition Algorithm Implemented in Automotive DC Driving Servomechanism

In this paper the authors consider the problem monitoring of the drawn current by the main power rail that powers multiple consumers (servomechanisms, actuators, electromagnets, stepper or DC motors) present in cars, in order to protect the equipment present on board a car or to increase the reliability of electromechanical systems. The idea is to scan the supply current of a device connected to the main power rail using a very sensitive shunt and to store this data using a development board with a microcontroller and implementing maps of the currents that will be supplied to specific consumers. The board operates in two stages. The first stage involves memorizing the shape currents and storing the data in a memory zone. The second stage assists the current utilization of the equipment by using a software block to recognize the shape of the current. Recognition of the current shape and classification of the current event into nominal or faulty operation will be done using byte oriented comparisons initially and using a variable error filter afterwards using "running average" which will be presented below. Preliminary results were done on a 16-bit microcontroller.