Methods and systems for updating diagnostic and repair information

• US 10,332,319 B2
• Filed: 10/04/2016
• Issued: 06/25/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 10/04/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Snap-On Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Snap-On Incorporated
• Inventors: Merg, Patrick S., Brozovich, Roy S.
• Primary Examiner(s): Antonucci, Anne M
• Application Number:
  US15/284,698
• Publication Number:
  US 20180096539A1
• Time in Patent Office: 994 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/24564 Applying rules; Deductive queries
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/20 Administration of product repair or maintenance
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 5/008 communicating information to a remotely located station transmission systems for measured values G08C
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 5/02 Registering or indicating driving, working, idle, or waiting time only apparatus forming part of taximeters G07B13/00
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 5/0808 Diagnosing performance data testing of vehicles G01M17/00; testing of electrical installation on vehicles G01R31/005

Abstract

Methods and systems for updating diagnostic and repair information are disclosed. In an example system, a first request indicative of a vehicle repair issue for a vehicle is received. A diagnostic flowchart for identifying and resolving the vehicle repair issue is then sent. A second request for further technical assistance and vehicle condition data collected during execution of the diagnostic flowchart are received. The diagnostic flowchart and the vehicle condition data are then sent. Diagnostic assistance information and feedback data indicating whether the vehicle repair issue has been identified and resolved are then received, and the diagnostic flowchart is updated accordingly.

Claims

1. A method performed by a computing server, the method comprising:

receiving, from a diagnostic computing device, a first request indicative of a vehicle repair issue for a vehicle;

sending, to the diagnostic computing device, a diagnostic flowchart including a sequence of diagnostic steps for identifying and resolving the vehicle repair issue;

receiving, from the diagnostic computing device, (i) a second request for further technical assistance in identifying and resolving the vehicle repair issue, and (ii) vehicle condition data collected during execution of the diagnostic flowchart;

sending the diagnostic flowchart and the vehicle condition data to a technical assistance computing device;

receiving, from the technical assistance computing device, input data including (i) diagnostic assistance information that the technical assistance computing device sent to the diagnostic computing device based on the diagnostic flowchart and the vehicle condition data, and (ii) feedback data indicating whether the vehicle repair issue has been identified and resolved;

updating the diagnostic flowchart based on the input data to generate a modified diagnostic flowchart;

using the modified diagnostic flowchart for identifying and resolving the vehicle repair issue in other vehicles experiencing the vehicle repair issue; and

replacing the diagnostic flowchart with the modified diagnostic flowchart when the modified diagnostic flowchart is successful more than a threshold number of times in resolving the vehicle repair issue.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

in response to receiving the first request, initiating a diagnostic flowchart session; and

generating an identifier for the diagnostic flowchart session, wherein the second request further includes the identifier so as to facilitate identifying the diagnostic flowchart session.

3. The method of claim 2,

wherein the identifier facilitates the diagnostic computing device and the technical assistance computing device displaying common information simultaneously, and

wherein the common information comprises one or more of the diagnostic flowchart, the vehicle condition data, and the diagnostic assistance information.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the second request further includes contact information for a technician executing the diagnostic flowchart.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the vehicle condition data collected during execution of the diagnostic flowchart includes one or more of (i) odometer reading of the vehicle, (ii) a diagnostic trouble code (DTC), (iii) a symptom of a malfunction of the vehicle, (iv) Parameter IDs (PIDs) and PID values, (v) sensor data, and (vi) freeze frame data.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the diagnostic flowchart comprises one or more ordered and performable path elements, wherein each path element leads to one or more decision elements, and wherein each path element comprises one or more of the diagnostic steps.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the second request further includes at least one of:

(i) data indicative of execution of at least one path element of the diagnostic flowchart, (ii) one or more parameters obtained during the execution of the at least one path element, (iii) data indicative of a decision made for at least one decision element of the diagnostic flowchart, and (iv) data indicative of an input from a technician executing the at least one path element.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the input from the technician includes supplemental information received from an authorized entity, wherein the authorized entity is one of:

(i) a vehicle manufacturer, (ii) a vehicle part manufacturer, or (iii) a vehicle service information provider.

9. The method of claim 7, wherein the one or more parameters comprise at least one of:

(i) an experience level of the technician, and (ii) an execution time of the at least one path element.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the first request is further indicative of a geographic location related to a current or prior location of the vehicle, and wherein the method further comprises:

selecting the diagnostic flowchart based at least in part on the geographic location, wherein the diagnostic flowchart is specific to the vehicle repair issue as experienced by other vehicles at the geographic location related to the current or prior location of the vehicle.

11. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

periodically sending a notification to one or more of the diagnostic computing device and the technical assistance computing device until the feedback data is received.

12. A method performed by a diagnostic computing device, the method comprising:

interfacing with a vehicle electronic control module of a vehicle via a vehicle communication link to obtain information associated with a vehicle repair issue that the vehicle is experiencing;

displaying a user interface comprising selectable vehicle symptoms and characteristics;

based on the information obtained via the vehicle communication link and selected vehicle symptoms and characteristics from the user interface, generating a first request for assistance with diagnosis and resolution of the vehicle repair issue;

sending, to a computing server, the first request indicative of the vehicle repair issue for the vehicle;

receiving, from the computing server, a diagnostic flowchart including a sequence of diagnostic steps for identifying and resolving the vehicle repair issue;

sending, to the computing server, vehicle condition data collected during execution of the diagnostic flowchart;

sending a second request for further technical assistance in identifying and resolving the vehicle repair issue;

in response to the second request, receiving, from a technical assistance computing device that is in communication with the computing server, diagnostic assistance information based on the diagnostic flowchart and the vehicle condition data; and

sending feedback data indicating whether the vehicle repair issue has been identified and resolved based on the diagnostic assistance information.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein sending the second request comprises sending the second request to the computing server.

14. The method of claim 12, wherein based on the first request, a diagnostic flowchart session is initiated and an identifier for the diagnostic flowchart session is generated, wherein sending the second request comprises sending the second request including the identifier to the technical assistance computing device so as to enable the technical assistance computing device to retrieve the diagnostic flowchart and the vehicle condition data from the computing server based on the identifier.

15. The method of claim 14, further comprising:

displaying, simultaneously on a display at the diagnostic computing device and on a display at the technical assistance computing device, the diagnostic flowchart and the vehicle condition data during the diagnostic flowchart session.

16. A system comprising:

a computing server;

a vehicle repair database in communication with the computing server and including a plurality of diagnostic flowcharts associated with repairing vehicles;

a diagnostic computing device in communication with the computing server; and

a technical assistance computing device in communication with the computing server and the diagnostic computing device, wherein;

the diagnostic computing device sends to the computing server a first request indicative of a vehicle repair issue for a vehicle,

responsively, the computing server sends to the diagnostic computing device a diagnostic flowchart from the plurality of diagnostic flowcharts of the vehicle repair database, the diagnostic flowchart including a sequence of diagnostic steps for identifying and resolving the vehicle repair issue,

the diagnostic computing device sends to the computing server vehicle condition data collected during execution of the diagnostic flowchart,

the diagnostic computing device sends a second request for further technical assistance in identifying and resolving the vehicle repair issue,

the computing server sends the diagnostic flowchart and the vehicle condition data to the technical assistance computing device,

based on the diagnostic flowchart and the vehicle condition data, the technical assistance computing device sends diagnostic assistance information to the diagnostic computing device,

the diagnostic computing device sends to the technical assistance computing feedback data indicating whether the vehicle repair issue has been identified and resolved based on the diagnostic assistance information,

the technical assistance computing device sends to the computing server the feedback data and the diagnostic assistance information,

the computing server updates the diagnostic flowchart based on the diagnostic assistance information and the feedback data to generate a modified diagnostic flowchart,

using the modified diagnostic flowchart for identifying and resolving the vehicle repair issue in other vehicles experiencing the vehicle repair issue, and

replacing the diagnostic flowchart in the vehicle repair database with the modified diagnostic flowchart when the modified diagnostic flowchart is successful more than a threshold number of times in resolving the vehicle repair issue.

17. The system of claim 16, wherein the diagnostic computing device sends the second request to the computing server, and wherein in response to the second request, the computing server sends the diagnostic flowchart and the vehicle condition data to the technical assistance computing device.

18. The system of claim 16, wherein the computing server initiates a diagnostic flowchart session and generates an identifier for the diagnostic flowchart session based on the first request, wherein:

the diagnostic computing device receives the identifier from the computing server in response to sending the first request.

19. The system of claim 18, wherein the diagnostic computing device sends the second request to the technical assistance computing device such that the second request includes the identifier so as to enable the technical assistance computing device to retrieve the diagnostic flowchart and the vehicle condition data from the computing server based on the identifier.

20. The system of claim 19, further comprising:

a first display coupled to the diagnostic computing device; and

a second display coupled to the technical assistance computing device, wherein the diagnostic flowchart and information indicative of the vehicle condition data are simultaneously displayed on the first display and the second display after the technical assistance computing device retrieves the diagnostic flowchart and the vehicle condition data.

21. The system of claim 18, wherein the computing server determines a state of the diagnostic flowchart session, and wherein the state is one of at least three states:

a first state where the technical assistance computing device and the diagnostic computing device are communicating without providing the feedback data to the computing server,

a second state where the technical assistance computing device and the diagnostic computing device stopped communicating without providing the feedback data to the computing server,

a third state where the technical assistance computing device and the diagnostic computing device stopped communicating and the technical assistance computing device has provided the feedback data to the computing server.

22. The system of claim 21, wherein the computing server determines that the diagnostic flowchart session is in the second state, and responsively sends a notification to one or more of the technical assistance computing device and the diagnostic computing device requesting the feedback data.

23. The system of claim 22, wherein the computing server switches the state of the diagnostic flowchart session from the second state to the third state upon receiving the feedback data.

24. A diagnostic computing device comprising:

a network interface;

one or more processors in communication with the network interface; and

at least one computer-readable medium having stored thereon program instructions, that when executed by the one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to perform operations comprising;

interfacing with a vehicle electronic control module of a vehicle via a vehicle communication link to obtain information associated with a vehicle repair issue that the vehicle is experiencing;

displaying a user interface comprising selectable vehicle symptoms and characteristics;

based on the information obtained via the vehicle communication link and selected vehicle symptoms and characteristics from the user interface, generating a first request for assistance with diagnosis and resolution of the vehicle repair issue;

sending, through the network interface to a computing server, the first request indicative of the vehicle repair issue for the vehicle;

receiving, through the network interface from the computing server, a diagnostic flowchart including a sequence of diagnostic steps for identifying and resolving the vehicle repair issue;

sending, through the network interface to the computing server, vehicle condition data collected during execution of the diagnostic flowchart;

sending, through the network interface, a second request for further technical assistance in identifying and resolving the vehicle repair issue;

in response to the second request, receiving, through the network interface from a technical assistance computing device that is in communication with the computing server, diagnostic assistance information based on the diagnostic flowchart and the vehicle condition data; and

sending feedback data indicating whether the vehicle repair issue has been identified and resolved.

25. The diagnostic computing device of claim 24, wherein the operations further comprise:

in response to sending the first request, receiving, from the computing server, an identifier associated with an initiated diagnostic flowchart session, wherein sending the second request comprises;

sending the second request to the technical assistance computing device such that the second request includes the identifier so as to enable the technical assistance computing device to retrieve the diagnostic flowchart and the vehicle condition data from the computing server based on the identifier.

26. A technical assistance computing device comprising:

a network interface;

one or more processors in communication with the network interface; and

at least one computer-readable medium having stored thereon program instructions, that when executed by the one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to perform operations comprising;

receiving a request for technical assistance with identifying and resolving a vehicle repair issue, wherein the request includes an identifier of a diagnostic flowchart session conducted between a computing server and a diagnostic computing device, wherein during the diagnostic flowchart session, the computing server provided a diagnostic flowchart to the diagnostic computing device, wherein the diagnostic flowchart comprises a plurality of performable path elements, wherein each path element comprises one or more diagnostic steps,

retrieving, based on the identifier, the diagnostic flowchart and vehicle condition data generated during execution of the diagnostic flowchart at the diagnostic computing device;

displaying (i) information indicative of which path elements of the diagnostic flowchart have been performed, and (ii) the vehicle condition data associated with the path elements that have been performed;

based on the information displayed, the diagnostic flowchart and the vehicle condition data, sending diagnostic assistance information to the diagnostic computing device,

receiving feedback data indicating whether the vehicle repair issue has been identified and resolved based on the diagnostic assistance information, and

sending, to the computing server, the feedback data and the diagnostic assistance information.

27. The technical assistance computing device of claim 26, wherein the identifier facilitates the diagnostic computing device and the technical assistance computing device displaying common information simultaneously, and wherein the common information comprises the diagnostic flowchart, the vehicle condition data, and the diagnostic assistance information.

28. The technical assistance computing device of claim 26, wherein the operations further comprise:

generating a display of a reminder requesting sending the feedback data to the computing server.