Fault reporting system for a motor vehicle

• US 20040036588A1
• Filed: 09/09/2003
• Published: 02/26/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 10/21/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Bayerische Motoren Werke AG
• Original Assignee: Bayerische Motoren Werke AG
• Inventors: Will, Peter
• Granted Patent: US 7,038,578 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/438
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 16/0232 for measuring vehicle parameters and indicating critical, abnormal or dangerous conditions

Abstract

The invention relates to a defect reporting system for a vehicle having at least one electronic control unit and a check-control module which is connected with the at least one control unit and receives a report from the latter, as well as an indicating device which is connected with the check-control module and by way of which at least one information can be indicated as a function of the transmitted report.

For expanding the variability of such a defect reporting system, it is suggested to construct the at least one control unit such that it can independently evaluate reporting conditions and, in the event of the presence of conditions, can emit a corresponding report to the check-control module; to provide a table in which the at least one information is filed for each report; and to connect the check-control module with the table, the at least one information assigned to the report being read out and being shown by way of the indicating device.

Claims

1. Defect reporting system for a vehicle having at least one electronic control unit (10 to 14) and a check-control module (15) which is connected with the at least one control unit (10 to 14) and receives a report from the latter, as well as an indicating device (17) which is connected with the check-control module (15) and by way of which at least one information can be indicated as a function of the transmitted report,

characterized

in that the at least one control unit (10 to 14) is constructed for independently evaluating reporting conditions and, in the event of the presence of conditions, for emitting a corresponding report to the check-control module (15,

in that a table (19) is provided in which the at least one information is filed for each report, and

in that the check-control module (15) is connected with the table (19) which reads the at least one information assigned to the report out of the table and shows it by way of the indicating device (17).

2. Defect reporting system according to claim 1, characterized in that the reports are present in a defined data format.

3. Defect reporting system according to claim 2,

characterized in that each data format contains a data format identifier and a report information.

4. Defect reporting system according to one of the preceding claims,

characterized in that the table (19) has filed texts, graphic information, control light activations and/or reporting action for each report.

5. Defect reporting system according to one of the preceding claims,

characterized in that a memory is provided in which the table (19) is filed in a machine-readable form.

6. Defect reporting system according to claim 5,

characterized in that the table (19) can be read into the memory.

7. Defect reporting system according to one of claims 1 to 4,

characterized in that a memory is provided in which the table (19) and a program controlling the check-control module (15) are jointly filed.

8. Defect reporting system according to claim 7,

characterized in that the table (19) and the program can jointly be read into the memory.

9. Defect reporting system according to one of claims 5 to 8,

characterized in that the memory is integrated in the check-control module.

10. Defect reporting system according to one of claims 5 to 8,

characterized in that the memory as well as the check-control module (15) are integrated in an instrument cluster (23).

11. Defect reporting system according to one of the preceding claims,

characterized in that the table (19) is prepared by means of a data bank (30).