OBD II-compliant diagnostic PC tablet and method of use
Contents
1. The computer may be configured to process the diagnostic data from the communications interface to obtain a diagnostic trouble code monitor status or other data correlated to the system status In one embodiment the communications inter face may be configured to establish an electronic communi cations link between the computer and an external database for transmitting the diagnostic trouble code s to the external database s After the diagnostic trouble code s and or other diagnostic data is sent to the external database s the external database s can each return a diagnostic summary in response to the received diagnostic data The diagnostic summary may include multiple information results correlated to the diag nostic data In an embodiment the communications interface may include an input node that is in communication with one or more input modules As such the input node may serve as a dedicated communication interface for the obtaining the diagnostic data from the input modules According to an aspect of the present invention a tablet may be operative to display diagnostic data from multiple input modules or current and prior data from the same sys tem simultaneously This advantageous feature may allow a user to compare and contrast the diagnostic data Further the diagnostic data may be from multiple systems or may be from an individual system and include current diagnostic data and prior or idealized diagnostic data2. the diagnostic summary 14 may be organized according to the external database or category from which a given information result 16 is retrieved The diagnostic summary 14 may be layered or divided into various categories or levels according to system 18 subsystem component or other classification Thus the user may readily evaluate the diagnostic data and diagnostic summary s 14 in order to decide which informa tion result s 16 to access as may be most helpful in solving a particular problem After reviewing the diagnostic summary 14 and deciding which information result s 16 to choose the user may select the chosen information result s 16 As noted above the dis play screen 22 may be a touch sensitive screen that is config ured to enable user selection of the information result 16 displayed in the diagnostic summary 14 As shown in FIGS 1 3 the tablet 10 may also include a stylet 46 for use with the touch sensitive screen in order to select the information result 16 and operate the tablet 10 The tablet 10 may also include other selection devices that allow the user to select a given information result 16 Once the user selects a given information result 16 the computer 28 is configured to download the selected informa tion result 16 in response to the user selection via the elec tronic communications link The information result 16 may be a document or file that includes a very detailed description of a given point of interes
3. In addition the tablet may be operative to overlay or otherwise display diag 20 25 35 40 45 50 55 60 65 4 nostic data from multiple input modules on a single display screen in order to facilitate ready comparison and use of the diagnostic data In addition a touch sensitive screen may be provided to facilitate user selection of the information result displayed in the diagnostic summary The computer may be configured to allow a user to download a selected information result or related external resource information in response to the user selection on the touch screen via the electronic communica tions link The tablet thus allows a mechanic to readily retrieve dis play and select information results from various databases that feature pertinent information for the systems and diag nostic data In this regard the diagnostic summary presented to the mechanic is organized and simplified in order to allow the mechanic to selectively access information results accord ing to the mechanic s own preferences and initiative the mechanic thus becomes the master of the information and may download and view only those information results that are deemed pertinent to the problem thereby mitigating inef ficiencies in the utilization of resources In one implementation the remote communications inter face may be configured to establish a wireless electronic communications link between the tablet and the external
4. 12 United States Patent Chen US008630765B2 US 8 630 765 B2 Jan 14 2014 10 Patent No 45 Date of Patent 54 75 73 Em Q1 Q2 65 51 52 58 56 OBD II COMPLIANT DIAGNOSTIC PC TABLET AND METHOD OF USE Inventor leon Chen Laguna Hills CA US Assignee Innova Electronics Inc Irvine CA US Notice Subject to any disclaimer the term of this patent is extended or adjusted under 35 U S C 154 b by 1557 days Appl No 11 601 158 Filed Nov 17 2006 Prior Publication Data US 2008 0119981 A1 May 22 2008 Int Cl G06F 7 00 2006 01 U S CI USPC auper 701 33 2 701 31 4 701 32 7 Field of Classification Search USPC aie 701 1 2 29 31 33 33 2 32 7 31 4 340 438 441 See application file for complete search history References Cited U S PATENT DOCUMENTS 5 758 300 A 5 1998 Abe m 455 424 5 916 286 A 6 1999 Seashore et al wee 701 29 6 225 898 B1 5 2001 Kamiya et al 340 505 6 263 322 B1 7 2001 Kirkevold et al 705 400 6 271 840 B1 8 2001 Finseth et al 715 236 6 285 932 B1 9 2001 de Bellefeuille et al 701 33 6 295 492 B1 9 2001 Lang etal 701 32 4 6 314 422 B1 11 2001 Barker et al 1 1 6 330 499 B1 12 2001 Chou et al 701 31 4 6 434 455 B1 8 2002 Snow et al wee 701 33 6 542 799 B2 4 2003 Mizutani et al
5. FIG 2 FIG 4 is a schematic representation of the tablet being in electrical communication with input modules a remote server and various databases according to an implementa tion of the present invention and FIG 5 is a flowchart illustrating exemplary steps in a diagnostic method according to an embodiment of the present invention DETAILED DESCRIPTION Referring now to the drawings wherein the showings are for purposes of illustrating preferred embodiments of the invention only and not for purposes of limiting the same FIGS 1 4 illustrate exemplary embodiments of a portable handheld diagnostic PC tablet 10 that may receive diagnostic data from an input module 12 and display the diagnostic data a diagnostic summary 14 and an information result s 16 related to at least one system 18 The system 18 may be of a vehicle 20 shown as an automobile According to an advantageous aspect of the present inven tion the tablet 10 may be used to display diagnostic data obtained from individual or multiple systems 18 In addition the tablet 10 may not only present the diagnostic data to alert the user as to any malfunctions or problems of a system 18 but the tablet 10 either alone or in concert with external resources may also be operative to present potential solutions associated with each of the malfunctions as explained below Embodiments of the present invention may thus be utilized to provide simultaneous analysis and review of
6. and may later be studied by a mechanic in order to diagnose the problem The experienced mechanic is able to use the computer control system to diagnose and solve vehicle problems The computer control system employs various sensors switches and actuators to monitor the vehicle s systems Each ofthese control devices may function in a cooperative relationship with each of the respective systems of the vehicle The elec tronic control devices send information to the on board com puter about such parameters such as temperature and density of the outside air the speed of the engine the amount of fuel delivered etc The on board computer may also scan for any potential problems using the sensors If a problem is detected the on board computer makes a record ofthe problem first trans lating the problem into a corresponding numeric code and then storing the numeric code which is often referred to as a diagnostic trouble code or a fault code in its memory for later retrieval Thus by retrieving the diagnostic trouble codes and other monitor status information collectively referred to as diagnostic information the mechanic may identify a particu lar problem detected by the control system and pursue and corresponding remedy in servicing the vehicle In recent 20 25 30 35 40 45 50 55 60 65 2 years a variety of hand held or portable code readers have been developed that troubleshoot faults or problems by d
7. computer 28 may electrically communicate with the remote communications interface 24 and or the input node to receive the diagnostic data therefrom The computer 28 may be configured to process the diagnostic data e g in order to obtain a diagnostic trouble code a trouble code descriptor monitor data or other data correlated to the received diagnos tic data As such the computer 28 may be able to reference the diagnostic data with an internally held database s Further as shown in FIG 4 the computer 28 may be in electrical communication with a remote server 32 via a hard wire elec trical communications link to the remote communications interface 24 The remote communications interface 24 may alternatively additionally be configured to establish a wire less electronic communications link such as between the remote server 32 and the computer 28 In this implementa tion the computer 28 may be configured to transmit an upload signal 34 to the remote server 32 which upload signal 34 includes information representative of the diagnostic data The remote server 32 may then use the diagnostic data to determine interpret or otherwise process the diagnostic trouble code or other data The analysis of the diagnostic data may then be transmitted by the remote server 32 to the tablet 10 via a download signal 36 Thus the remote server 32 may be operative analyze the diagnostic data and identify or otherwise analyze any prob lems or failures h
8. diagnostic data of individual or multiple systems 18 i e the display may an 0 a 5 25 30 40 45 55 6 include a split screen as shown in FIG 2 to enable simulta neous review of data from multiple systems 18 As mentioned above one ofthe drawbacks associated with contemporary vehicle maintenance and repair includes the inefficient use of resources In fact despite substantially detailed and specific information available a user such as an automotive mechanic may be unable to use his her own per sonal ability to meaningfully synthesize from a single site the vast amounts of information they are given As described below the tablet 10 provides the mechanic with a simple hand held tool that allows control over the information in order to make the diagnostic process more efficient Thus resources such as computational and informational resources may be economized and information and diagnos tic skill may be mated for efficiency Most modern vehicles 20 are now OBD II compliant Thus a vehicle device or system 18 may thus be compatible with OBD II devices As illustrated in FIG 4 each of these systems 18a 185 may provide the diagnostic data relative to the particular device or system For example such systems may include an ignition system an electrical system a gas analyzer system and others as are known in the art There fore the systems 18a 185 are in electrical communication with the input m
9. problems There is a need in the art for a apparatus that allows the mechanic to centralize relevant data from vehicular systems and sensors informational resources the TSB and third parties in order to allow the mechanic to efficiently review and utilize such data to diagnose and solve the vehicle s problem BRIEF SUMMARY In accordance with the present invention a handheld diag nostic device such as an OBD II compliant diagnostic PC tablet and method for automotive diagnosis are provided The tablet permits the accessing and displaying diagnostic data and a selected information from local or remote data bases correlated to select diagnostic data from a vehicle on board systems The tablet allows the mechanic to access vehicle data from the on board computer and sensors and to access and use only the information pertinent to the problem As such the mechanic need not sift through vast amounts of information or wait for others to do the same The tablet may also enable the simultaneous display of diagnostic data from multiple vehicle systems According to an embodiment of the present invention the tablet includes a display screen a communications interface and a computer or processor The display screen is preferably a touch sensitive display screen The communications inter face may electrically communicate with the input module for obtaining diagnostic data therefrom The diagnostic data may be representative of a system status
10. supplemental information according to system 18 sub system component or other classification in order to facili tate ready access and understanding by the user The diagnos tic summary 14 may serve as a top level summary of data in a data organization structure Accordingly the user may also be able to access additional linked levels or bottom levels of data by clicking in or selecting a given information result 16 as discussed below According to an aspect of the present invention one ofthe external databases that may be accessed via touch screen selection on a segment ofthe diagnostic summary 14 is a raw database 40 In such case the raw data result may include information related to system specifications manufacturer information and or system descriptions The raw database 40 may provide information on a general level such as general information about a given system 18 In the case of an auto mobile the raw database 40 may provide make model engine specifications and specifications of all of the various systems 18 of the automobile Another external database that may be accessed via selec tion from information in the diagnostic summary 14 is a technical service bulletin TSB database 42 The TSB data base 42 may also provide a listing of common problems discovered in certain years and models of a given vehicle 20 as wellas the identified causes or solutions to those problems The TSB database may a
11. the mechanic is able to pro actively configure and develop the diagnostic solution pro cess The actions of the mechanic are no longer dictated by remote third parties and programs that allow the mechanic little or no control over the diagnostic solution process The tablet 10 therefore centralizes all information knowledge and data to the mechanic thus allowing the mechanic to efficiently diagnose and solve many types of vehicle 20 prob lems that may arise Accordingly embodiments of the present invention provide the user with substantially more control over access display and use of diagnostic information thus enhancing the efficiency of the diagnostic process After the diagnostic data and or information results have been displayed on the display screen 22 the user may then be enabled to remedy any malfunctions in any of the systems 18 by appropriate corrective action As mentioned above such corrective action may be suggested by the diagnostic data diagnostic summary 14 and or information results 16 In preferred embodiments the presentation of both malfunc tions and probably solutions may enable even inexperienced users to understand the necessary course for corrective action In accordance with yet another embodiment of the present invention as illustrated in FIG 5 a diagnostic method is also provided The method comprises the steps discussed above specifically receiving sensed diagnostic data from the system 18 processin
12. agnostic summary 14 and or information result 16 the computer 28 may use a variety of visually perceptible formats such as graphs charts tables and other such formats In this regard formats of pre sentation may depend upon the system 18 being analyzed The tablet 10 may be configurable to allow the user to switch between the various types of formats e g single screen dual screen etc according to the preferences of the user or oth erwise The objective in selecting appropriate formats of pre sentation is to ensure that the user is able to readily understand and analyze the diagnostic data diagnostic summary 14 and or information result 16 in a productive and meaningful way According to one of the unique aspects of the present invention it is contemplated that the diagnostic data diag nostic summary 14 and or information result 16 related to multiple systems 18 may be jointly presented and or com bined ina single format of presentation Thus as illustrated in FIGS 1 and 2 the display screen 22 should preferably be sized and configured to allow the visual display of several formats of diagnostic data that allows the user to thread compare and evaluate related data from various sources In some embodiments the tablet 10 should be configured to be at least 8 x10 in size The display screen 22 is preferably sized to occupy nearly an entire face of the tablet 10 Further a touch sensitive screen may allow the user to easily ha
13. atabases obtaining diagnostic summaries therefrom Thus the computer receives the diagnostic data vehicle system derives diagnostic infor mation therefrom and can use external databases to derive potential diagnostic solutions therefrom 26 Claims 4 Drawing Sheets US 8 630 765 B2 Sheet 1 of 4 Jan 14 2014 U S Patent 3 Mum Of RE ALL Nec f A4 i Ee H BM lt y VITE z SORR t MM eem 3 9 PARE 0 7 E d 2 je 8 7 7 U S Patent Jan 14 2014 Sheet 2 of 4 US 8 630 765 B2 FIG 3 46 FIG 2 Ann oo US 8 630 765 B2 Sheet 3 of 4 Jan 14 2014 U S Patent 3SVYBVIVO ASF AH 43AH3S 31038 d t p 8 TOOK tL AS ifdMl 4 u M 8867 421 X HISAS LW INGOA 3123 indNi 7 T DEL 9 7 2220000000 3 IGON ited FOAM SNOLVOINDAWOO 3i1o0R3H P Ua3indWo2 Ta gt 7 4 222 131894 eee dda dta ee ten cee eee U S Patent Jan 14 2014 Receive Diagnostic Data Transmit the Diagnostic Data to a PC Tablet Processing the Diagnostic Data to Obtain a Diagnostic Trouble Code Reference the Diagnostic Trouble Code with an External Database to Produce a Diagnostic Summary Display the Diagnostic Summary Select an Inf
14. ave been detected in the various systems 18 The remote server 32 may utilize OBD II system signals and other data as directed by the user to process and evaluate the diagnostic data In yet other embodiments it is contemplated that the remote server 32 may access other databases 40 42 44 as may be necessary The remote server 32 may be a centrally located server that provides individual access to users such as by subscription service Thus the user may not be required to have specific hardware or software that func tions as the remote server 32 itself 20 25 30 35 40 45 50 55 60 65 8 After the diagnostic trouble code or other data is sent to the external database the external database may provide the requested diagnostic analysis e g the diagnostic summary 14 to the computer 28 via the electronic communications link The diagnostic summary 14 may include one or more information result s 16 that are generated in response to receipt of the diagnostic trouble code and or other diagnostic data considered in isolation or in combination The diagnos tic summary 14 may be presented as a listing of information results 16 such as a line by line listing The diagnostic sum mary 14 may be presented and organized according to the external database or category from which a given information result 16 is retrieved For example the diagnostic summary 14 may be divided into various linked categories or levels of
15. bed herein Thus the scope of the claims is not to be limited by the illustrated embodiments What is claimed is 1 A diagnostic method comprising receiving in a hand held device sensed diagnostic data from a vehicle the diagnostic data being representative of a vehicle system status transmitting an upload signal including information repre sentative of the diagnostic data to at least one remote database to produce to diagnostic summary the diagnos tic summary including a plurality of selectable top level information results each top level information result being associated with a plurality of bottom level infor mation links each bottom level information link being associated with remotely located bottom level data including at least one of data functionally related to the diagnostic data and reference materials associated with the diagnostic data the plurality of bottom level infor mation links being accessible in response to selection of the respective top level information result the bottom level data being accessible in the hand held device in response to selection of the respective bottom level information link formatting the diagnostic summary for display at the hand held device in accordance with formatting instructions provided by a user displaying the diagnostic summary for review in the hand held device selecting a first one of the plurality of top level information results of the diagnostic summary disp
16. ccording to another embodiment of the method the dis playing the diagnostic summary step may include displaying the diagnostic summary for review on a display screen of the diagnostic PC tablet The diagnostic data displayed may include diagnostic data from multiple input modules simul taneously on a single display chart Furthermore the selecting the information result step may include using a touch sensitive screen to select the informa tion result of the diagnostic summary Finally the step of processing the diagnostic data may include transmitting an upload signal being representative of the diagnostic data to a remote server utilizing a remote database s on the remote server to analyze the diagnostic data from the upload signal and transmitting a download signal to the tablet from the remote server being representative of that analysis BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS These and other features and advantages of the various embodiments disclosed herein will be better understood with respect to the following description and drawings in which like numbers refer to like parts throughout and in which FIG 1 illustrates an exemplary embodiment ofa diagnostic PC tablet that may communicate with a system ofa vehicle in order to provide a detailed presentation of diagnostic data from the system FIG 2 is a front view of the tablet according to an imple mentation of the present invention FIG 3 is side view of the tablet shown in
17. database The input node of the tablet may be a wireless communications port that is operative to wirelessly commu nicate with the at least one input module to receive the diag nostic data therefrom The wireless communications port may be BlueTooth or WiFi compatible However it is con templated that various other wireless standards and technolo gies may be used In order to facilitate maximum functionality embodiments of the present invention may utilize various types of input modules Input modules may include vehicle on board device such as the vehicle onboard computer and sensor modules The input modules may also include separate diagnostic devices connected to the on board devices For example the input module may be an OBD II lump on cable module a DMM module an oscilloscope module a gas analyzer mod ule a battery tester module a sensor tester module an igni tion system tester module and other modules that may be utilized for diagnostic work such as for vehicles and auto mobiles Thus a plurality of input modules may be used According to another embodiment ofthe present invention aremote server s may be included wherein the remote server s is in communication with the tablet A preferred method of communication is wireless and such may be facilitated as described above and as known in the art In use the tablet may be configured to transmit an upload signal to the remote server which upload signal includes i
18. e display screen 22 for user review For example the tablet 10 may be operative to display US 8 630 765 B2 9 diagnostic data from multiple input modules 12 simulta neously which feature may allow the user to compare and contrast diagnostic data that may be useful alone or in com bination to assist in diagnosis of a vehicle condition A user may access and compare layers of information related to diagnostic data received from each module Further the diag nostic data may include prior and current diagnostic data from each module as discussed further below As each mod ule is selected the related data may be presented and links enabled to access further related data or support from mul tiple available sources In addition the tablet 10 may be operative to display diagnostic data from multiple input mod ules 12 on a single display chart in order to facilitate ready comparison and use of the diagnostic data As such the computer 28 may be configured as organize diagnostic data as desired by the mechanic to generate a diagnostic summary 14 or other data on the display screen 22 for user review The diagnostic summary 14 may be presented as a listing of information results 16 such as a line by line listing as illustrated in FIGS 1 and 2 The diagnostic sum mary 14 may be presented alongside other diagnostic data such as graphs charts and the like or may be presented on separate linked pages of layered data As discussed above
19. ed in claim 13 further comprising the step of displaying in the hand held device the real time diagnostic data from the vehicle system and diagnostic data previously received from the vehicle system substantially simultaneously 15 The method as recited in claim 14 further comprising the step of communicating instructions for remedying a vehicle condition to the vehicle system 16 The method of claim 1 wherein the reference materials associated with the diagnostic data includes warranty infor mation 17 The method of claim 1 wherein the supplemental infor mation includes supplemental vehicle system data 18 The method of claim 1 further comprising the step of processing the diagnostic data in the hand held device to obtain diagnostic information correlated to the vehicle sys tem status 19 The method ofclaim 1 wherein the step of receiving in the hand held device sensed diagnostic data from the vehicle includes receiving data from a vehicle onboard computer 20 The method of claim 19 further comprising the steps of selecting a second one of the plurality of top level infor mation results of the diagnostic summary and displaying the bottom level data associated with the second one of the top level information results simultaneously with the display ofthe bottom level data associated with the first one ofthe top level information results wherein the bottom level data associated with first one of the information results is represe
20. etecting the diagnostic trouble codes as provided by the computer control system These code readers are therefore configured to electronically communicate with a vehicle s on board computer control system in order to access the stored diagnostic trouble codes In order to obtain access to the computer control system s diagnostic trouble codes the vehicle is equipped with a connection point or data port which allows the code reader to interface with the computer control system OBD II compliant vehicles are configured to have an on board computer control system with a data port equipped to receive a sixteen pin data connector cable from the code reader The code reader typically includes a display for indicating received diagnostic trouble codes Often code readers may be used in connection with a booklet containing problem description data correlated to the diagnostic trouble codes or other diagnostic information Some code readers display the problem description data correlated to the diag nostic trouble codes stored in memory Code readers may incorporate user interfaces that may be navigated to access stored data Once the diagnostic trouble codes are retrieved the mechanic may utilize various sources of information to fix whatever problem has been detected For example the mechanic may have many volumes of books and other mate rials that provide detailed information on any given vehicle Other resources such as computer programs and onl
21. g the diagnostic data to obtain the diagnostic trouble code correlated to the system status referencing the diagnostic trouble code or other diagnostic data with the external database s to produce the diagnostic summary 14 the diagnostic summary 14 including the information result 16 being correlated to the diagnostic data displaying the diagnostic summary 14 for review selecting one or more information result s 16 of the diagnostic summary 14 down loading data related to the selected information result 16 to the diagnostic PC tablet 10 and displaying the data and or selected information result 16 for review FIG 5 also illustrates an implementation of the method wherein the referencing step may include referencing the diagnostic trouble code to a trouble code descriptor s stored in a local database in the tablet or remotely Alternatively the reference data may include diagnostic procedures repair pro cedures known problems notifications about parts either new and or improved warranty information and or service manual updates According to another embodiment of the method illus trated again in FIG 5 the displaying the diagnostic summary 14 step may include displaying the diagnostic summary 14 for review on the display screen 22 of the diagnostic PC tablet 10 as discussed above The displaying the selected informa tion result 16 step may include displaying the selected infor mation result s 16 on the display screen 22 of t
22. he diagnostic PC tablet 10 as also discussed above The displaying the diagnostic data step may include displaying the diagnostic data from multiple input modules 12 simultaneously and or displaying the diagnostic data from multiple modules 12 ona single display chart as also discussed above 20 25 30 35 40 45 50 55 65 12 Furthermore the selecting the information result 16 step may include using a touch sensitive screen to select the infor mation result 16 of the diagnostic summary 14 as discussed above Finally as shown in FIG 5 the step of processing the diagnostic data may include transmitting the upload signal 34 which is representative of the diagnostic data to the remote server 32 utilizing the remote database s 38 on the remote server 32 to analyze the diagnostic condition in response to the diagnostic trouble code and or other diagnos tic data from the upload signal 34 and transmitting the down load signal 36 to the tablet 10 from the remote server 32 being representative of that analysis The above description is given by way of example and not limitation Given the above disclosure one skilled in the art could devise variations that are within the scope and spirit of the invention disclosed herein Further the various features of the embodiments disclosed herein can be used alone or in varying combinations with each other and are not intended to be limited to the specific combination descri
23. ine manuals are also available Additionally online or telephonic resources such as experts other mechanics or technicians may be available to personally assist the mechanic and to answer any questions In some cases after receiving the diag nostic trouble codes a mechanic may simply pass on these diagnostic trouble codes and related information to a remote agency that diagnoses and solves the problem the agency then advises the mechanic how to solve the problem Further Technical Service Bulletins TSB s and web based resources provide listings of common problems discovered in certain years and models of a given vehicle and attempted solutions Such information may be highly useful to narrow the possible causes or solutions to certain vehicle problems Although these resources are helpful and may eventually provide the mechanic with the proper instructions on how to solve a vehicle problem there remains substantial inefficien cies in the diagnostic and solution process Indeed the pro cess of referring to diagnostic displays publications and telephonic service agencies is cumbersome and inefficient and well beyond the functionality of conventional code read ers As such the mechanic s actions may require coordinated or serial use of multiple tools and materials Ultimately the action taken may be wholly dictated by remote third parties and programs allowing the mechanic little or no input or control over the diagnostic and solutio
24. ing linking a handheld device to is vehicle system receiving in the handheld device diagnostic data from the vehicle system the diagnostic data being representative of a vehicle system status displaying the vehicle diagnostic data on the handheld device receiving at the handheld device diagnostic information from a plurality of diagnostic resource databases the diagnostic information including a diagnostic summary comprising a plurality of selectable top level inhumation results each top level information result being associ ated with a plurality of bottom level information links each bottom level information link being associated with remotely located bottom level data including at least one of data functionally related to the diagnostic data and reference materials associated with the diag nostic data the plurality of bottom level information links being accessible in response to selection of the respective top level information result the bottom level data being accessible in response to selection of the associated bottom level information link formatting the diagnostic summary for display at the hand held device in accordance with formatting instructions provided by a user displaying in the handheld device the diagnostic summary selecting a first one of the top level information results of the diagnostic summary displaying bottom level information links associated with the first one of the top level information resu
25. laying the bottom level information links associated with the one of the plurality of top level information results selecting one of the plurality of bottom level information links downloading the bottom level data associated with the selected first one ofthetop level information results and displaying the bottom level data associated with the selected first one of the top level information results for review in the hand held device simultaneously with dis play of the diagnostic summary 2 The method of claim 1 wherein the bottom level data includes at least one of system specifications manufacturer information and system descriptions 3 The method of claim 1 wherein the bottom level data includes a technical service bulletin to produce a TSB result 4 The method of claim 3 wherein the TSB result includes at least one of diagnostic procedures repair procedures US 8 630 765 B2 13 known problems notifications about parts warranty informa tion and service manual updates 5 The method of claim 2 further including the step of communicating diagnostic instructions to the vehicle system in response to the diagnostic information and the selected result s 6 The method of claim 1 limber comprising the step of transmitting a download signal to the hand held device from the at least one remote database the download signal being representative of the diagnostic summary 7 A method of diagnosing vehicle conditions compris
26. lso include diagnostic procedures repair procedures known problems notifications about parts either new and or improved warranty information and ser vice manual updates Other various external databases of information pertinent to the system s 18 and diagnostic data may also be similarly accessed and included in the diagnostic summary 14 Such other databases 44 may include electronic resources such as volumes of diagnostic manuals books and other materials providing detailed information on any given vehicle 20 or system problem or solution Yet other databases 44 such as computer programs vehicle data programming uploads and online manuals may also be available for reference and diag nostic purposes Additionally online or telephonic databases including experts other mechanics and or technicians may be available to personally assist the mechanic and to answer any questions e g by voice over internet protocol VOIP where the remote communications interface supports such communication Therefore the tablet 10 may access such databases as may be useful in order to provide an organized listing and presentation of the diagnostic summary 14 and information results 16 Referring to FIGS 1 2 and 4 the computer 28 1s in elec trical communication with the display screen 22 In accor dance with an implementation of the present invention the computer 28 may be configured to receive and to selectively transmit the diagnostic data to th
27. lts selecting a first one of the bottom level information link associated with the first one of the top level information results downloading the bottom level data associated with the selected first one of the bottom level information links to the hand held device and displaying the downloaded bottom level data associated with the selected first one of the bottom level informa tion links in the hand held device simultaneously with the display of the diagnostic summary 8 The method as recited in claim 7 wherein at least one of the diagnostic resource databases is disposed internal to the handheld device 9 The method as recited in claim 7 wherein each of the diagnostic resource databases is disposed external to the handheld device 10 The method as recited in claim 9 wherein each of the diagnostic resource databases is linked to the handheld device via the worldwide web 11 The method as recited in claim 7 wherein the vehicle diagnostic data and the diagnostic information are displayed simultaneously on the handhold device 12 The method as recited in claim 7 wherein the vehicle diagnostic data and the diagnostic information are displayed alternately on the handheld device 20 25 30 35 40 45 50 55 60 65 14 13 The method as recited in claim 7 further comprising the step of receiving and displaying in the hand held device real time diagnostic data from the vehicle system 14 The method as recit
28. n processes Thus the expertise of the mechanic is not well mated to the resources available to diagnose many vehicle problems While the resources are available to the mechanic the ability to access display link and correlate those resources with diagnostic data is a bottleneck in the diagnostic process Very little has been done to efficiently blend the skill and expertise of the mechanic with the vast amounts of raw and processed information now available Though the mechanic may obtain access to vast amounts of additional information the process and apparatus for selectively integrating informa tion from other sources is typically cumbersome time con suming and not easily adaptable to the requirements and preferences of the responsible mechanic For do it yourself US 8 630 765 B2 3 ers DIY or others not having access to means to integrate data and resources the bottleneck may substantially impair the diagnostic process Therefore there is a need in the art for a diagnostic device that effectively organizes relevant diagnostic information and data There is a need in the art for a diagnostic device that allows the mechanic orchestrate access to vehicle diagnostic information and access to related external resources Further there is a need in the art for a diagnostic device that not only presents a display of malfunctions and problems but also provides the user with associated solutions to each of the malfunctions and
29. ndle and manage presentation of the diagnostic data diagnostic summary 14 and or information result 16 Finally the com puter 28 may also be configured to use various types of computer programs such as operating systems compatible with standard computer systems in order to facilitate use transfer and printing of the diagnostic data diagnostic sum mary 14 and or information result 16 In addition the com puter 28 may be configured to allow for communicating the diagnostic data diagnostic summary 14 and or information results 16 to another computer 28 or peripheral According to yet another aspect of the present invention the tablet 10 may include a memory unit that is operative to store a prior diagnostic data for a given system 18 In one implementation the tablet 10 may display prior diagnostic data of a particular system 18 as well as a current diagnostic data for the same given system 18 in order to allow the user to compare the prior and current diagnostic data Thus the for mat of presentation may be variously configured in order to ensure that the diagnostic data of the various systems 18 are presented in an effective manner For example the display screen 22 may feature a partitioned presentation of data and be subdivided into multiple sections such as shown in FIGS 1 and 2 Each subdivision of the presentation may include at least one of a graph a chart or a table that presents the diagnostic data in an intelligible and
30. nformation representa tive of the diagnostic trouble code and or other diagnostic data The remote server s may also access a remote database s utilizable to analyze the diagnostic data from the upload signal and retrieve related vehicle data In accordance with yet another embodiment of the present invention a diagnostic method is provided In one implemen tation the method comprises receiving sensed diagnostic data from a system the diagnostic data being representative of some aspect of a system status referencing the diagnostic data with a database s to produce a diagnostic summary the diagnostic summary including one or more information results correlated to the diagnostic data displaying the diag nostic summary for review selecting one or more informa tion results of the diagnostic summary downloading data related to the selected information result to the diagnostic PC tablet and displaying the data and or selected information result for review US 8 630 765 B2 5 In one embodiment of the method the referencing step may include referencing a diagnostic trouble code with a trouble code descriptor stored in a local database in the tablet or remotely Alternatively the referenced data may include at least one of diagnostic procedures repair procedures known problems notifications about parts either new and or improved warranty information and service manual updates maintained locally or in a remote database s A
31. ntative of the data relatedto a first vehicle system and the bottom level data associated with the second one ofthe information results is representative of data related to a second vehicle sys tem 21 The method of claim 7 wherein the step of receiving in the handheld device sensed a diagnostic data from the vehicle includes receiving data from a vehicle onboard computer 22 The method ofclaim 21 further comprising the steps of selecting a second one of the plurality of top level infor mation results of the diagnostic summary displaying bottom level information links associated with the second one of the top level information results selecting a second one of the bottom level information links associated with the second on of the top level information results downloading bottom level data associated with the selected second one of the bottom level information links to the handheld device and displaying the downloaded bottom level data associated with the second one of the bottom level information links in the handheld device simultaneously with the display of the diagnostic summary wherein the bottom level data associated with the first one ofthe bottom level information links is representative of data related to a first vehicle system and the bottom level data associated with the second one of the information links is representative of data related to a second vehicle system 23 The method of claim 1 further comprising
32. odules 12a 125 which receive the diagnostic data and are operative to transmit the diagnostic data to the PC tablet 10 As illustrated in FIGS 1 4 according to an implementa tion of the present invention the tablet 10 includes a display screen 22 a communications interface 24 and a processing computer 28 These elements are preferably assembled to form a compact portable hand held unit that is durable and operative to enable a user to access the diagnostic data of various systems 18a 185 as shown in FIG 4 The diagnostic data is representative of a device or system status As dis cussed herein the data may correlate to any of a variety of systems including vehicle systems electronic systems com puter systems mechanical systems etc The data may pro vide information related to the functioning maintenance needs and or other readings from the system 18 The communications interface 24 is in electrical commu nication with the input module 12 in order to receive the diagnostic data from the input module 12 The input module 12 senses the diagnostic data from the systems 18a 185 and is operative to transmit the diagnostic data to the communi cations interface 24 ofthe diagnostic PC tablet The electrical communication between the remote communications inter face 24 and the input module 12 may be wireless or wired as respectively illustrated in FIGS 1 and 2 In an embodiment of the present invention a remote communications in
33. ormation Result of the Diagnostic Summary Download the Selected Information Result Display the Selected Information Result Display the Diagnostic Data on a Display Screen of the Tablet Sheet 4 of 4 eer Transmit an Upload Signal Including the Diagnostic Data to a Remote Server Determine Diagnostic Trouble Code Using Remote Database and Diagnostic Data Transmit Download Signal Including Diagnostic Trouble Code to the Tablet Reference the Diagnostic Trouble Code to a Raw Database 0 Reference the Diagnostic Trouble Code to a Technical Service Bulletin t a d eoo Display the Diagnostic Summary on a Display Screen of the Tablet Display the Selected Information Result on a Display Screen of the Tablet __ Display the Diagnostic Data from Multiple Modules Simultaneously Display the Diagnostic Data from Multiple Modules on a Single Chart US 8 630 765 B2 US 8 630 765 B2 1 OBD II COMPLIANT DIAGNOSTIC PC TABLET AND METHOD OF USE CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS Not Applicable STATEMENT RE FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH DEVELOPMENT Not Applicable BACKGROUND The present invention relates generally to automotive diag nostic equipment and more particularly to an OBD II com pliant diagnostic PC tablet One ofthe drawbacks associated with vehicle maintenance and repair includes the inefficient use of re
34. sources In fact despite the substantially detailed and specific information accessible to a mechanic the mechanic is typically limited in his her own personal ability to meaningfully synthesize the vast amounts of data and information they are given As described below the current diagnostic technologies fre quently relegate the mechanic to respond to the available information rather than directing access to a broader array of available information Thus with so much information avail able and yet so little control over the information the diag nostic process may be inefficient There is a need in the art to create an economy of resources to allow an efficient mating of information and diagnostic functions Partofthe increase in information availableto mechanics is due to the increasing sophistication of the computer control systems of modern motor vehicles often referred to as on board diagnostics or OBD Vehicle computer control sys tems monitor information from various vehicle sensors to optimize performance of the individual systems of the vehicle For example the computer control system may pro vide maximum engine performance with the least amount of air pollution and the best fuel efficiency possible Whenever the vehicle develops problems those problems are often reflected in information within or derived from the computer control system e g trouble codes monitor status and real time data This system alerts the driver
35. t module 12 may be configured to communicate with a plurality of systems 18 In order to facilitate maximum functionality embodiments of the present invention may be configured to receive diag nostic data from various types of input modules 12 either on board devices or external devices configured to test or other wise communicate with on board devices or systems For example the input module 12 may be an OBD II lump on cable module a DMM module a gas analyzer module a battery tester module a sensor tester module an ignition system tester module and other modules that may be utilized for diagnostic work such as for vehicles 20 and automobiles Thus a plurality of input modules 12 may be used or a single input module 12 may be used As illustrated in FIG 1 the tablet remote communications interface 24 and or the input node 26 may be configured as a wireless communications port 30 that is operative to wire lessly communicate with the input module 12 in order to wirelessly receive the diagnostic data therefrom The wireless connection may be facilitated by utilizing Bluetooth or Wi Fi connectivity Thus the wireless communications port 30 and the input modules 12 may each be Bluetooth or Wi Fi com patible In addition other wireless communication standards may be utilized It is also contemplated that the remote com munications interface 24 and or the input node may be in wired communication with the input module s 12 The
36. t related to the selected diagnostic data from a selected input module such as system specifica tions manufacturer information system descriptions make model engine specifications diagnostic procedures repair procedures known problems notifications about parts war ranty information and or service manual updates to name a few As discussed above just as the diagnostic summary 14 is typically a top level summary of data in a data organization structure the information result 16 may represent or link to bottom level data from the organizational information structure e g a very informative thorough and exhaustive explanation or description of a given subject Accordingly some information results 16 may be very short and concise due to their nature however other information results 16 may be substantially large files Information results 16 may include not only text but may also include audio and visual information such as charts pictures graphs drawings video etc which is illustratively shown in FIGS 1 and 2 Thus instead of being subject to the organization and presen 20 25 30 35 40 45 50 55 60 65 10 tation of other sources the user may thus use their own prerogative to advance through the diagnostic process The user may thus selectively access live data or download a given information result 16 as deemed pertinent to the user s work In displaying the diagnostic data di
37. terface 24 may include an input node that is in electrical communication with the vehicle input module 12 The input node may thus serve as a dedicated communication interface for the receiv ing the diagnostic data from the vehicle input module 12 The tablet 10 may be configured to include a single input node that communicates with a plurality ofinput modules 12 However it is also contemplated that a plurality of input nodes may be utilized to individually communicate with a plurality of respective input modules 12 Thus the tablet 10 may include various capabilities for receiving the diagnostic data from any and all input modules 12 related to one or more systems 18 For example the tablet 10 may be configured to receive diagnostic data from at least one input module 12 that is operatively linked to a vehicle diagnostic port The diagnostic port is frequently included in most modern vehicles and may beutilizedto transmit the diagnostic data as obtained from the individual systems 18 of the vehicle 20 The diagnostic port may be in electrical communication with at least one of the US 8 630 765 B2 7 systems 18 and is often in electrical communication with several if not all systems 18 Thus in some instances the input module 12 may be electrically connected to an existing diagnostic port of the vehicle 20 However the input modules 12 may have wireless communication capabilities as illus trated in FIG 1 As mentioned a single inpu
38. the step of formatting the bottom level data associated with the selected first one of the top level information results In accordance with formatting instructions provided by the user 24 The method of claim 1 further comprising the step of receiving formatting instructions from the user the format US 8 630 765 B2 15 ting instructions pertaining to the layout of information dis played on the hand held device 25 The method of claim 24 wherein the formatting instructions include displaying information on the hand held device in a split screen format 26 The method of claim 1 further comprising the step of resizing the display of the diagnostic summary to accommo date simultaneous display with the bottom level data associ ated with the selected first one of the top level information results 16
39. useful way This presen tation may make the diagnostic data more readily understood by the user In addition as mentioned above the presentation of diagnostic data may also be superimposed upon prior diag nostic data or upon other systems 18 in order to facilitate comparative analysis ofthe diagnostic data Furthermore the memory may also store diagnostic data diagnostic summary 14 and or information result 16 of the given system 18 for later review Thus as one of the innovative aspects of embodiments of the present invention the tablet 10 may retrieve a diagnostic trouble code related to the system 18 and use the diagnostic trouble code to retrieve germane and useful data from various databases The diagnostic summary 14 may then be presented US 8 630 765 B2 11 to the mechanic in an organized manner and simplified in order to allow the mechanic to selectively access information results 16 according to the mechanic s own preferences and initiative the mechanic thus becomes the master of the infor mation and may download and view only that information and data that he she deems pertinent to the problem thereby mitigating inefficiencies in the utilization of resources Upon review of the information and data the mechanic may selectively download the information result s 16 as he she determines to be useful in order to solve the vehicle 20 problem Thus instead of relying on external resources to diagnose or solve the problem
40. vee 701 33 6 556 904 B1 4 2003 Larson et al 701 29 6 6 941 203 B2 9 2005 Chen see 701 33 6 947 316 B2 9 2005 Chen 701 33 6 965 903 B1 11 2005 Agarwal et al 1 1 7 055 062 B2 5 2006 Shah etal 714 15 7 376 497 B2 5 2008 Chen 701 29 7 477 968 B1 1 2009 Lowrey et al wee 701 29 7 516 193 B2 4 2009 Motoyama et al 709 217 RE40 798 E 6 2009 Chen 701 33 7 734 390 B2 6 2010 Chen 701 33 2002 0156692 A1 10 2002 Squeglia et al 705 26 2005 0113991 Al 5 2005 Rogers et al 701 29 2006 0142910 A1 6 2006 Grier et al 701 29 2007 0294001 A1 12 2007 Underdal et al 701 29 2008 0177438 A1 7 2008 Chen et al 701 33 2009 0259358 A1 10 2009 Andreasen 701 33 cited by examiner Primary Examiner James Trammell Assistant Examiner Jerrah Edwards 74 Attorney Agent or Firm Stetina Brunda Garred amp Brucker 57 ABSTRACT An OBD II compliant diagnostic PC tablet and method are provided The tablet enables the simultaneous display of diagnostic data from multiple systems Further the tablet enables retrieval of potential solutions in response to the diagnostic data The tablet may be used to retrieve the diag nostic data from a given vehicle system The tablet features a display screen an input node and a processor The tablet may communicate with one or more remote d
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