Method for diagnosing a leak related problem in a vehicle

• US 20070136088A1
• Filed: 10/25/2006
• Published: 06/14/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 10/25/2005
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: QST Holdings LLC
• Original Assignee: QST Holdings LLC
• Inventors: Farrel, Scott
• Application Number:
  US11/586,428
• Publication Number:
  US 20070136088A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 73/861.180
• CPC Class Codes: G01M 3/24 using infrasonic, sonic, or ultrasonic vibrations
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/016 After-sales

Abstract

The present disclosure generally pertains to a method for diagnosing a leak related problem for a vehicle. In accordance with one exemplary embodiment, the method comprises receiving, from a purchaser of a vehicle, a complaint about an operational performance of the vehicle, the vehicle having an abnormal leak; retrieving, in response to the complaint and based on a vehicle identifier identifying the vehicle, a set of data correlated with the vehicle identifier, the set of data defining a plurality of values indicative of an amount of acoustic energy sensed outside of the vehicle during a test performed on the vehicle prior to a sale of the vehicle to the purchaser, the acoustic energy emitted from at least one transducer disposed within the vehicle; analyzing the set of data retrieved in the retrieving step; and diagnosing an operational problem of the vehicle based on the analyzing step and the complaint.

Claims

1. A method for diagnosing a leak related problem in a vehicle, comprising the steps of:

emitting acoustic energy in a plurality of vehicles;

for each of the vehicles, sensing the acoustic energy emitted within the vehicle and generating a set of data indicative of the sensing step;

storing each set of data generated in the generating step;

correlating each set of data stored in the storing step with a respective vehicle identifier identifying a respective one of the vehicles corresponding with the correlated set of data;

selling one of the vehicles to a consumer after the sensing and generating steps, the one vehicle sold in the selling step having an abnormal leak;

after the selling step, receiving a complaint about an operational performance of the vehicle having the abnormal leak;

retrieving, in response to the complaint and based on the vehicle identifier identifying the vehicle having the abnormal leak, the set of data correlated with the vehicle identifier identifying the vehicle having the abnormal leak;

analyzing the set of data retrieved in the retrieving step; and

diagnosing an operational problem of the vehicle having the abnormal leak based on the analyzing step and the complaint.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the retrieving step comprises the step of transmitting, over a network, the vehicle identifier identifying the vehicle having the abnormal leak.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the diagnosing step comprises the step of pinpointing a location of the abnormal leak based on the analyzing step and the complaint.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the sensing step is performed by at least one sensor disposed outside of the vehicles.

5. A method for diagnosing leak related problems in vehicles, comprising the steps of:

receiving, from a purchaser of a vehicle, a complaint about an operational performance of the vehicle, the vehicle having an abnormal leak;

retrieving, in response to the complaint and based on a vehicle identifier identifying the vehicle, a set of data correlated with the vehicle identifier, the set of data defining a plurality of values indicative of an amount of acoustic energy sensed outside of the vehicle during a test performed on the vehicle prior to a sale of the vehicle to the purchaser, the acoustic energy emitted from at least one transducer disposed within the vehicle;

analyzing the set of data retrieved in the retrieving step; and

diagnosing an operational problem of the vehicle based on the analyzing step and the complaint.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the retrieving step comprises the step of transmitting the vehicle identifier over a network.

7. The method of claim 5, wherein the diagnosing step comprises the step of pinpointing a location of the abnormal leak based on the analyzing step and the complaint.