Method and system for dynamically adjusting searches for diagnostic information

• US 20060101074A1
• Filed: 11/09/2004
• Published: 05/11/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 11/09/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Snap-On Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Snap-On Incorporated
• Inventors: Grier, Jeff, Cancilla, Jim J., Lewis, Brad, Krzystofczyk, Carl J.
• Granted Patent: US 8,005,853 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 5/0808 Diagnosing performance data testing of vehicles G01M17/00; testing of electrical installation on vehicles G01R31/005

Abstract

A diagnostic device receives a first set of search criteria related to a problem with a vehicle, and the diagnostic device stores the first set of search criteria. In response to receiving a second set of search criteria, the diagnostic device can compare it with the first set of search criteria in order to identify a pattern between the two sets of search criteria. The diagnostic device can then alter the second set of search criteria based on the pattern between the two sets of search criteria.

Claims

1. A method for searching vehicle diagnostic information, the method comprising:

receiving a first set of search criteria related to a problem with a vehicle;

performing a first search using the first set of search criteria;

caching the first set of search criteria;

receiving a second set of search criteria related to the problem with the vehicle;

identifying a pattern in the first and second sets of search criteria; and

performing a second search based on the pattern in the first and second sets of search criteria.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein performing the second search comprises:

based on the pattern in the first and second sets of search criteria, accessing an internal reference database to retrieve additional search criteria that are not included in the first set of search criteria or the second set of search criteria; and

using the additional search criteria retrieved from the internal reference database and at least part of the search criteria in the second set of search criteria to perform the second search.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein performing a second search comprises performing the second search using the second set of search criteria and additional search criteria derived from the pattern in the first and second sets of search criteria.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein performing the second search comprises:

from the pattern in the first and second sets of search criteria, deriving additional search criteria that are not in the first or second sets of search criteria;

creating an expanded set of search criteria from the second set of search criteria and the additional search criteria;

sending the expanded set of search criteria to a search engine; and

receiving from the search engine results to the second search.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein creating the expanded set of search criteria comprises performing a logical OR of the second set of search criteria and the additional search criteria.

6. The method of claim 4, wherein creating the expanded set of search criteria comprises performing a logical OR of one criterion in the second set of search criteria and the additional search criteria.

7. The method of claim 4, wherein sending the expanded set of search criteria to the search engine comprises sending the expanded set of search criteria at least in part via the Internet.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the method is performed by a diagnostic device, and wherein receiving the first set of search criteria comprises receiving the first set of search criteria from a user of the diagnostic device via an input mechanism for the diagnostic device.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the diagnostic device is a handheld device.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

displaying a list of results of the first query to a user of a diagnostic device;

receiving an indication from the user to view information for one of the results in the list;

storing an indication of the one of the results viewed by the user; and

prior to displaying a list of results of the second query to a user of the diagnostic device, reprioritizing the list of results of the second query based on the one of the results to the first query

12. A method for a diagnostic device to search vehicle diagnostic information, the method comprising:

receiving a first set of search criteria related to a problem with a vehicle;

performing a first search using the first set of search criteria, wherein the first search returns an ordered list of results to the first search;

displaying the ordered list of results to the first search on the diagnostic device;

receiving a request from a user of the diagnostic device to view one of the results in the ordered list of results to the first search;

storing an indication of the one result that was requested to be viewed;

receiving a second set of search criteria related to the problem with the vehicle;

performing a second search using a second set of search criteria, wherein the second search returns an ordered list of results to the second search;

based on the one result from the first search that was requested to be viewed, reordering the ordered list of results of the second search; and

displaying the reordered list of results to the second search on the diagnostic device.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein performing a first search using the first set of search criteria comprises:

sending the first set of search criteria to a search engine; and

receiving from the search engine the ordered list of results to the first search.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein performing the second search using the second set of search criteria comprises:

sending the second set of search criteria to the search engine; and

receiving from the search engine the ordered list of results to the second search.

15. The method of claim 12, wherein reordering the ordered list of results to the second search comprises:

determining that the one result that was viewed is included in the ordered list of results to the second search; and

moving the one result that was viewed to a lower position in the ordered list of results to the second search.

16. The method of claim 15, further comprising:

determining that at least one result in the ordered list of results of the first search that was not viewed is in the ordered list of results of the second search; and

moving the at least one result to a lower position in the ordered list of results to the second search.

17. The method of claim 12, further comprising caching the first set of search criteria to be used in performing a subsequent search.

18. The method of claim 12, wherein performing a second search using a second set of search criteria comprises:

modifying the second set of search criteria based on the first set of search criteria; and

;

performing the second search using the modified search criteria.

19. The method of claim 12, wherein the diagnostic device is a handheld device.

20. A method for a diagnostic device to search for vehicle diagnostic information, the method comprising:

receiving from a user of the diagnostic device a first search string for a first search;

initiating the first search using the first search string

receiving results to the first search;

displaying on the diagnostic device the results of the first search;

receiving from the user a request to view at least one of the results to the first search;

receiving from the user a second search string for a second search;

determining that at least one term in the first search string is related to at least one term in the second search string;

based on the results to the first search that were requested to be viewed by the user of the diagnostic device, altering the second search string to create an altered second search string; and

initiating the second search using the altered second search string.

21. The method of claim 20, wherein altering the second search string comprises using the logical NOT operator to exclude from the second search results that include one or more terms in the first search string.

22. The method of claim 20, wherein altering the second search string comprises adding at least one additional term to the second search string that was not in either the first search string or the second search string.

23. The method of claim 20, further comprising:

receiving a list of results to the second search;

reordering the list of results to the second search; and

displaying the reordered list of results to the second search on the diagnostic device.

24. The method of claim 23, wherein the results to the second search include at least one result that was also a result to the first search, and wherein the at least one result was previously viewed by the user, and wherein reordering the results to the second search comprises moving the at least one result to a lower position in the list of results to the second search.

25. The method of claim 23, reordering the list of results to the second search comprises:

determining a type of at least one of the results to the first search that were viewed by the user;

moving those results to the second search that have the same type as the at least one result to a lower position in the list of results to the second search.

26. A computer readable medium having stored therein instructions for causing a processor to perform the following steps:

receiving a first set of search criteria related to a problem with a vehicle;

performing a first search using the first set of search criteria;

caching the first set of search criteria;

receiving a second set of search criteria related to the problem with the vehicle;

identifying a pattern in the first and second sets of search criteria; and

performing a second search based on the pattern in the first and second sets of search criteria.

27. A computer readable medium having stored therein instructions for causing a processor to perform the following steps:

receiving from a user of the diagnostic device a first search string for a first search;

initiating the first search using the first search string

receiving results to the first search;

displaying on the diagnostic device the results of the first search;

receiving from the user a request to view at least one of the results to the first search;

receiving from the user a second search string for a second search;

determining that at least one term in the first search string is related to at least one term in the second search string;

based on the results to the first search that were requested to be viewed by the user of the diagnostic device, altering the second search string to create an altered second search string; and

initiating the second search using the altered second search string.