Diagnostic system for engine

• US 20010049579A1
• Filed: 03/06/2001
• Published: 12/06/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 05/26/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Yamaha Marine Kabushiki Kaisha
• Original Assignee: Yamaha Marine Kabushiki Kaisha
• Inventors: Kato, Masahiko, Fujino, Kenichi, Nanami, Masayoshi, Motose, Hitoshi
• Granted Patent: US 6,691,023 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/114
• CPC Class Codes: G01M 15/04 Testing internal-combustion engines

Abstract

A diagnostic system is provided to aid a technician or engineer in diagnosing an internal combustion engine. The diagnostic system comprises an electronic control unit that is operatively coupled to a data storage device and to one or more engine sensors. The electronic control unit is configured to collect data from the one or more engine sensors and to store that data in the data storage device. A computer is selectively coupled to the data storage device. The computer program is configured to display specific sets of data stored in the data storage device in various formats.

Claims

1. A method for diagnosing a malfunction in a motor for a watercraft that comprises an engine and an electronic control unit that is operatively connected to a memory storage device, the method comprising:

collecting operational data from one or more engine sensors with an electronic control unit that is operatively connected to the one or more sensors,

storing the operational data from the one or more engine sensors in the memory storage device,

retrieving the operational data from the memory storage device with a computer that is operatively connected to the electronic control unit,

displaying a chosen set of operational data on a display screen.

2. A method as set forth in

claim 1

, further comprising sending at least some of the operational data from the computer to a display at a remote location and displaying the data on the remote display screen.

3. A method as in

claim 1

, wherein collecting operational data involves collecting data from a sensor that is disposed apart from an engine of the motor.

4. A method as in

claim 1

, wherein displaying the chosen set of operational data involves displaying the chosen set of data in a graphical format on the display screen.

5. A method as in

claim 1

, wherein displaying the chosen set of operational data involves displaying the chosen set of data in a tabular format on the display screen.

6. A method as in

claim 1

, wherein collecting the operational data involves collecting at least some of the data during regular intervals and storing the data involves storing at least some of the data collected during the regular intervals for a time period that is greater than the regular intervals and discarding data substantially older than the time period.

7. A method as in

claim 6

, further comprising determining if there is a failure from the one or more sensors and if there is a failure stopping collection of operational data and storing the operational data that has been collected in a non-volatile memory device.

8. A method as in

claim 1

, further determining if a record stop switch has been activated, and if the record stop switch has been activated stopping collection of the operational data storing the operational data that has been collected in a non-volatile memory device.

9. A method as in

claim 1

, wherein collecting the operational data involves collecting at least some of the data at substantially one minute intervals and storing the data involves storing at least some of the data for substantially thirteen minutes and discarding data substantially older than thirteen minutes.

10. A method as in

claim 1

, further comprising indicating engine type and displaying different types of data on the display screen depending upon engine type.

11. A method as in

claim 10

, further comprising comparing said displayed operational data to a set of comparison data which depends upon the indicated engine type.

12. A method as in

claim 1

, further comprising determining if the motor is operating above a predetermined speed, and only collecting operational data if the motor is operating above said predetermined speed.

13. A method as in

claim 1

, further comprising determining if the motor is operating below a predetermined speed, and if the motor is operating below the predetermined speed, stopping the collection of operational data.

14. A method as in

claim 1

, further comprising using one or more of said operational data to identify an operational condition.

15. A method as in

claim 1

, further comprising determining the accumulated operating time at the operational condition and storing the accumulated operating time in the memory storage device.

16. A method as in

claim 15

, wherein said operational condition is defined at least in part by an engine speed.

17. A method as in

claim 15

, wherein said operational condition is defined at least in part by a signal from a throttle valve sensor.

18. A method as in

claim 15

, wherein said operational condition is defined at least in part by a signal from an air/fuel ratio sensor.

19. A method as in

claim 15

, wherein said operational condition is defined at least in part by a signal from an exhaust back pressure sensor.

20. A method as in

claim 15

, wherein said operational condition is defined at least in part by a signal from an intake air pressure sensor.

21. A method as in

claim 1

, wherein said motor is an outboard motor.

22. A method as in

claim 21

, wherein said engine is a two cycle engine.

23. A method as in

claim 21

, wherein said engine is a four-cycle engine.

24. A method as in

claim 23

, wherein said one or more sensors comprises an lubrication pressure sensor and said operational data comprising a signal from said lubrication pressure sensor.

25. A method s in

claim 23

, wherein said engine comprises an induction system, which comprises a bypass passage with an idle speed control valve, said operational data comprising a position of said idle speed control valve.

26. A method as in

claim 1

, wherein said watercraft is a personal watercraft.

27. A method as in

claim 22

, wherein said operational data comprises at least in part a speed of the personal watercraft.

48. A method as in

claim 27

, wherein said watercraft is a personal watercraft.

49. A method as in

claim 22

, wherein said operational data comprises a speed of the personal watercraft.

28. A diagnostic system for aiding a technician or engineer in diagnosing an engine malfunction in a motor that comprises and engine and is associated with a watercraft, the diagnostic system comprising:

an electronic control unit operatively coupled to a data storage device and to one or more engine sensors, the electronic control unit configured to collect operational data from the one or more engine sensors and to store the collected operational data in said data storage device;

a computer with a computer processor operatively coupled to a memory, an interface device and a display monitor, said computer comprising a computer program stored in the memory and configured to retrieve operational data from the data storage device, the computer program further configured to display the operational data collected from the engine sensors.

29. A diagnostic system as set forth in

claim 28

, wherein said diagnostic system further comprises a second computer that is operatively connected to the first computer and the first computer is configured to transmit at least some of the operational data retrieved from the data storage device to the second computer.

30. A diagnostic system as in

claim 28

, wherein at least some of the engine sensors are disposed apart from the engine.

31. A diagnostic system as in

claim 28

, wherein the computer program is configured display at least some of the operational data in a graphical format.

32. A diagnostic system as in

claim 28

, wherein the computer program is configured display at least some of the operational data in a tabular format.

33. A diagnostic system as in

claim 28

, wherein electronic control unit is configured to collect operational data from the one or more engine sensors at intervals.

34. A diagnostic system as in

claim 33

, wherein said electronic control unit is configured to store said operational data from a time period comprising a set of most recent intervals in said data storage device.

35. A diagnostic system as in

claim 34

, further comprising a record stop switch that is operatively connected to said electronic control unit, the electronic control unit configured to stop collecting operational storage data when the record stop switch is activated and to store operational data from the time period in a non-volatile memory device.

36. A diagnostic system as in

claim 34

, wherein the electronic control unit is further configured to sense a failure and to stop collecting operational storage data when said failure is detected to store operational data from the time period in a non-volatile memory device.

37. A diagnostic system as in

claim 28

, wherein electronic control unit is configured to collect operational data from the one or more engine sensors at substantially one minute intervals.

38. A diagnostic system as in

claim 37

, wherein said electronic control unit is configured to store data from substantially the past thirteen minutes in said data storage device.

39. A diagnostic system as in

claim 28

, further comprising a record stop switch that is operatively connected to said electronic control unit, the electronic control unit configured to stop collecting operational storage data when the record stop switch is activated and to store operational data from the time period in a non-volatile memory device.

40. A diagnostic system as in

claim 28

, wherein said computer program is configured to receive an input indication of engine type and to display different types of data depending on the indicated engine type.

41. A diagnostic system as in

claim 28

, wherein said electronic control unit is further configured to determine to identify an operational condition from at least some of the operational data.

42. A diagnostic system as in

claim 41

, wherein said electronic control unit is further configured to determine an accumulated operating time at the operational condition and to store said accumulated operating time in said memory storage device.

43. A diagnostic system as in

claim 28

, wherein said engine is enclosed within a cowling.

44. A diagnostic system as in

claim 43

, wherein said engine is a two cycle engine.

45. A diagnostic system as in

claim 43

, wherein said engine is a four-cycle engine.

46. A diagnostic system as in

claim 43

, wherein said one or more sensors comprises an lubrication pressure sensor and said operational data comprising a signal from said lubrication pressure sensor.

47. A diagnostic system as in

claim 45

wherein said engine comprises an induction system, which comprises a bypass passage with an idle speed control valve, said operational data comprising a position of said idle speed control valve.

50. A method for diagnosing a malfunction in a motor for a watercraft that comprises an engine and an electronic control unit that is operatively connected to a first memory storage device and a second memory storage device, the method comprising:

defining an operational condition by dividing one or more operational data into groups,

defining a set of operational groups based upon said groups of operational data,

collecting the operational data from one or more engine sensors with an electronic control unit that is operatively connected to the one or more sensors,

identifying a current operational group,

storing the current operational group in the first memory storage device,

determining if a predetermined amount of time has passed,

adding the predetermined amount of time to an accumulated operating time for the current operational group so as to calculate a new accumulated operating time, if the predetermined amount of time has passed,

storing the new accumulated operating time in the second memory device.

51. The method as in

claim 50

, further comprising retrieving the new accumulated operating time from the second memory storage device with a computer that is operatively connected to the electronic control unit.

52. The method as in

claim 51

, further comprising displaying the new accumulated operating time on a display screen.

53. A method as set forth in

claim 51

, further comprising sending the new accumulated operating time to a second computer at a remote location and displaying the data on the remote display screen.

54. A method as in

claim 51

, wherein collecting operational data involves collecting data from a sensor that is disposed apart from an engine of the motor.