Systems and methods of configuring vehicle service tools associated with display device based on operating condition of vehicle

• US 10,421,440 B2
• Filed: 01/18/2017
• Issued: 09/24/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 01/18/2017
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Snap-On Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Snap-On Incorporated
• Inventors: Merg, Patrick S., Foreman, Jacob G., Brozovich, Roy S., Covington, Joshua C., Cacabelos, Kahlil H.
• Primary Examiner(s): Mawari, Redhwan K
• Application Number:
  US15/408,910
• Publication Number:
  US 20180201236A1
• Time in Patent Office: 979 Days
• CPC Class Codes: B60S 5/00 Servicing, maintaining, repairing, or refitting of vehicles vehicles adapted to carry a workshop for servicing or maintenance B60P3/14; servicing rail locomotives B61K
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06 Resources, workflows, human or project management; Enterprise or organisation planning; Enterprise or organisation modelling
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 2205/02 using a vehicle scan tool
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 5/008 communicating information to a remotely located station transmission systems for measured values G08C
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 5/0808 Diagnosing performance data testing of vehicles G01M17/00; testing of electrical installation on vehicles G01R31/005
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 5/0825 using optical means
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/01 Protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/02 based on web technology, e.g. hypertext transfer protocol [HTTP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/06 specially adapted for file transfer, e.g. file transfer protocol [FTP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/12 specially adapted for proprietary or special-purpose networking environments, e.g. medical networks, sensor networks, networks in vehicles or remote metering networks

Abstract

Systems and methods for augmenting measurements with automotive repair information are described herein. A method may include a server storing a plurality of service scenarios defined for at least one display device. Each stored service scenario includes at least one setup instruction, and each setup instruction is based on at least one capability of at least one CVST. The method may further include the server receiving data indicating an operating condition of a vehicle from a first display device of the at least one display device. Based on the stored plurality of service scenarios and the received data, the server may determine that a first stored service scenario of the plurality of service scenarios matches the operating condition. The server may then determine a first CVST having a first capability that is associated with the first display device, and transmitting the first stored service scenario to the first display device.

Claims

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

storing a plurality of service scenarios defined for at least a first display device, wherein each stored service scenario comprises at least one setup instruction, and wherein each setup instruction is based on at least one capability of at least one configurable vehicle service tool (CVST);

receiving, from the first display device, data indicating an operating condition of a vehicle;

based on the stored plurality of service scenarios and the data indicating the operating condition of the vehicle, determining, by one or more processors of the server, that a first stored service scenario of the plurality of service scenarios matches the operating condition;

transmitting, by the server to the first display device, a first message including an identifier of a particular CVST capability and a request for information regarding the first display device;

determining, by the one or more processors of the server based on a second message the server receives in response to transmitting the first message, the first display device is associated with a first CVST having a first capability and availability to perform one or more instructions of the first stored scenario; and

transmitting the first stored service scenario to the first display device, wherein the first stored service scenario includes the one or more instructions, and wherein the one or more instructions include a first setup instruction that is based on the first CVST having the first capability.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

storing data in a database comprising model identifiers of a plurality of display devices and at least one capability identifier associated with each model identifier, and, for each capability identifier, data representing a capability of a given CVST;

wherein determining the first CVST having the first capability that is associated with the first display device comprises (i) determining a first model identifier of the first display device, (ii) requesting from the database the at least one capability identifier associated with the first model identifier, and (iii) determining a capability represented by the at least one capability identifier associated with the first model identifier.

3. The method of claim 1,

wherein the first stored service scenario further comprises a second setup instruction,

wherein the second setup instruction is based on a second capability of the first CVST, and

wherein the first stored service scenario defines an order of precedence with respect to performing the first setup instruction and the second setup instructions,

the method further comprising:

determining, by the one or more processors of the server, the order of precedence; and

providing, by the first display device to the first CVST, the first setup instruction and the second instruction for performance by the first CVST according to the order of precedence.

4. The method of claim 3, further comprising:

determining the second setup instruction has an earlier precedence in the order of precedence than the first setup instruction.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining, by the one or more processors of the server, a second CVST having the first capability that is associated with the first display device; and

wherein the first stored service scenario further comprises a second setup instruction that is based on the second CVST having the first capability.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the first setup instruction comprises an instruction to configure the first CVST for the first capability.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the first CVST comprises an oscilloscope, a digital-volt-ohm meter, or a vehicle scan tool arranged to receive vehicle data messages from the vehicle and to transmit vehicle data messages to the vehicle.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the first stored service scenario comprises manufacturer information, at least one location of a service flow chart associated with the manufacturer information, and a vehicle symptom associated with the manufacturer information.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the first display device comprises the first CVST.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the first display device comprises a mobile computing device.

11. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving, by the server from at least one of the first display device or the first CVST, service data produced by the first CVST and data indicating the first CVST was set up based on the first setup instruction when the service data was produced;

storing the service data received by the server; and

updating the stored plurality of service scenarios defined for at least one display device based on the stored service data received by the server.

12. The method of claim 1,

wherein the first CVST comprises a vehicle scan tool arranged to receive vehicle data messages from the vehicle and to transmit vehicle data messages to the vehicle,

wherein the first setup instruction comprises instructions to configure the first CVST to transmit one or more vehicle data messages to a particular electronic control unit within the vehicle,

wherein the first setup instruction comprises instructions to configure the first CVST to transmit, to the first display device, parameter values the first CVST receives from the vehicle in response to the one or more vehicle data messages,

wherein the first display device is arranged to transmit to the server the parameters values transmitted by the first CVST to the first display device, and

wherein the method further comprises:

receiving, by the one or more processors of the server, the parameter values transmitted by the first display device to the server;

determining, by the one or more processors of the server a diagnosis of the operating condition of the vehicle based on the parameter values received by the server; and

transmitting data indicative of the diagnosis of the operating condition of the vehicle to the display device.

13. A server comprising:

a non-transitory computer-readable medium having stored thereon a plurality of computer-readable service scenarios for at least a first display device, wherein each stored service scenario comprises at least one setup instruction, wherein each setup instruction is based on at least one capability of at least one configurable vehicle service tool (CVST);

a network interface configured for transmitting and receiving communications via at least one communication network; and

one or more processors coupled to the computer-readable medium and to the network interface, wherein the one or more processors are programmed to;

receive data indicating an operating condition of a vehicle from the first display device;

transmit, to the first display device, a first message including an identifier of a particular CVST capability and a request for information regarding the first display device;

determine, based on the stored plurality of service scenarios and the received data, a first stored service scenario of the plurality of service scenarios that matches the operating condition;

determine, based on a second message the server receives in response to transmitting the first message, the first display device is associated with a first CVST having a first capability and availability to perform one or more instructions of the first stored scenario; and

transmit the first stored service scenario via the network interface to the first display device,

wherein the first stored service scenario includes the one or more instructions, and wherein the one or more instructions include a first setup instruction that is based on the first CVST having the first capability.

14. The server of claim 13, further comprising:

the first display device; and

the at least one CVST.

15. The server of claim 13, further comprising instructions, wherein the one or more processors are further programmed to:

transmit a first message to the first display device, wherein the first message comprises a request for information to determine if the first display device is associated with the first CVST having the first capability; and

in response to transmitting the first message, receive a second message from the first display device, wherein the second message comprises a response to the request for information of the first message.

16. The server of claim 13, wherein the first stored service scenario further comprises a second setup instruction, wherein the second setup instruction is based on a second capability of the first CVST, and wherein the one or more processors are further programmed to:

determine an order of precedence in providing the first setup instruction and the second setup instruction, wherein the first stored service scenario defines the order of precedence; and

determine the second setup instruction has an earlier precedence in the order of precedence than the first setup instruction.

17. The server of claim 13, wherein the one or more processors are further programmed to:

determine a second CVST having the first capability that is associated with the first display device; and

wherein the first stored service scenario is further comprises a second setup instruction that is based on the second CVST having the first capability.

18. The server of claim 13, wherein the first setup instruction comprises an instruction to configure the first CVST for the first capability.

19. The server of claim 13, wherein the first stored service scenario comprises manufacturer information, at least one location of a service flow chart associated with the manufacturer information, and a vehicle symptom associated with the manufacturer information.

20. The server of claim 13, wherein the one or more processors are further programmed to:

receive, from at least one of the first display device or the first CVST, service data produced by the first CVST and data indicating the first CVST was set up based on the first setup instruction when the service data was produced;

store the service data received by the server; and

update the stored plurality of service scenarios defined for at least one display device based on the stored service data received by the server.

21. A non-transitory computer-readable medium having stored thereon program instructions executable by one or more processors to cause a server to perform functions comprising:

storing a plurality of service scenarios defined for at least a first one display device, wherein each stored service scenario comprises at least one setup instruction, and wherein each setup instruction is based on at least one capability of at least one configurable vehicle service tool (CVST);

receiving, from the first display device, data indicating an operating condition of a vehicle;

based on the stored plurality of service scenarios and the received data, determining a first stored service scenario of the plurality of service scenarios matches the operating condition;

transmitting, to the first display device, a first message including an identifier of a particular CVST capability and a request for information regarding the first display device;

determining, based on a second message the server receives in response to transmitting the first message, the first display device is associated with a first CVST having a first CVST has a first capability and availability to perform one or more instructions of the first stored scenario; and

transmitting the first stored service scenario to the first display device, wherein the first stored service scenario includes the one or more instructions, and wherein the one or more instructions include a first setup instruction that is based on the first CVST having the first capability.

22. The computer-readable medium of claim 21, wherein the program instructions executable by the one or more processors causes the server to perform functions further comprising:

transmitting a first message to the first display device, wherein the first message comprises a request for information to determine if the first display device is associated with the first CVST having the first capability; and

in response to transmitting the first message, receiving a second message from the first display device, wherein the second message comprises a response to the request for information of the first message.

23. The computer-readable medium of claim 21, wherein the first stored service scenario further comprises a second setup instruction, and wherein the second setup instruction is based on a second capability of the first CVST, and wherein the program instructions executable by the one or more processors causes the server to perform functions further comprising:

determining an order of precedence in providing the first setup instruction and the second setup instruction, wherein the first stored service scenario defines the order of precedence; and

determining the second setup instruction has an earlier precedence in the order of precedence than the first setup instruction.

24. The computer-readable medium of claim 21, wherein the program instructions executable by the one or more processors causes the server to perform functions further comprising:

determining a second CVST having the first capability that is associated with the first display device; and

transmitting the first stored service scenario to the first display device, wherein the first stored service scenario further comprises a second setup instruction that is based on the second CVST having the first capability.