Wireless communication for diagnostic instrument

• US 20070156313A1
• Filed: 03/15/2007
• Published: 07/05/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 10/31/2003
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Autologic LLC (Applus Services SA), Snap-On Technologies Incorporated (Snap-On Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Autologic LLC (Applus Services SA), Snap-On Technologies Incorporated (Snap-On Incorporated)
• Inventors: Nicholson, William, Fudali, Thomas
• Application Number:
  US11/724,208
• Publication Number:
  US 20070156313A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/29
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 5/008 communicating information to a remotely located station transmission systems for measured values G08C

Abstract

A wireless interface for a diagnostic instrument is provided. The diagnostic instrument includes a communications interface having an external data port. A wireless adapter coupled to the external data port communicates diagnostic data with one or more computing devices. In a single user mode, a computing device can control several diagnostic instruments wirelessly. In broadcast mode, a diagnostic instrument can send a data stream wirelessly to many listening computing devices. Further features, such as safety warning messages, are provided.

Claims

1. A vehicle diagnostic system comprising:

a diagnostic instrument having an external data port; and

a wireless adapter coupled to the external data port and configured to send vehicle diagnostic information wirelessly to a computing device.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the wireless adapter communicates with the computing device by selectively using one of at least two data communications protocols.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the wireless adapter is further configured to receive a control command from the computing device.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the diagnostic instrument is further configured to generate a plurality of wireless data streams, the plurality of wireless data streams including vehicle diagnostic information.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the wireless adapter is further configured to receive a time base synchronization command from the computing device.

6. A method for wireless communication of vehicle diagnostic information using a diagnostic instrument including a wireless adapter, the method comprising steps of:

assembling a series of control commands;

sending, by a computing device, a first of the series of control commands to the wireless adapter; and

receiving, from the wireless adapter, an acknowledgement of the first control command.

7. The method of claim 6, further comprising:

sending, by the computing device, a second of the series of control commands responsive to the receiving step.

8. The method of claim 6, further comprising:

receiving, by a plurality of computing devices, the vehicle diagnostic information sent by the wireless adapter.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the receiving step further comprises:

listening for the vehicle diagnostic information before sending, to the diagnostic instrument, a request command for the vehicle diagnostic information.

10. The method of claim 8, further comprising:

relaying, by the diagnostic instrument, data from one of the plurality of computing devices to another of the plurality of computing devices.

11. The method of claim 6, further comprising:

displaying a warning on a display screen of the computing device before sending a control command to the diagnostic instrument.

12. The method of claim 6, further comprising:

sending vehicle diagnostic instrument status information the computing device.

13. The method of claim 12, further comprising:

displaying a warning on a display screen responsive to the status information.

14. A method for wireless communication of vehicle diagnostic information, the method comprising steps of:

generating, by at least one vehicle diagnostic instrument, a plurality of wireless data streams, the plurality of wireless data streams including vehicle diagnostic information; and

receiving, by at least one computing device, the plurality of wireless data streams.

15. The method of claim 14, further comprising:

placing the at least one computing device in a master mode; and

sending a command to the at least one vehicle diagnostic instrument responsive to the placing step.

16. The method of claim 14, further comprising:

parsing, by the at least one computing device, the plurality of wireless data streams to produce a data segment; and

assigning an identifier to the data segment.

17. A vehicle diagnostic instrument comprising:

a connection network configured to provide a communications path;

a data acquisition unit coupled to the connection network and configured to receive diagnostic information;

a processor coupled to the connection network and configured to process the diagnostic information;

a communications interface coupled to the connection network, the communications interface having an external data port; and

a wireless adapter coupled to the external data port and configured to send the diagnostic information wirelessly to a computing device.

18. The diagnostic instrument of claim 17, wherein the wireless adapter communicates with the computing device by selectively using one of at least two data communications protocols.

19. The diagnostic instrument of claim 17, wherein the communications interface provides a bidirectional serial protocol for the external data port and interfaces the bidirectional serial protocol to the connection network.

20. The diagnostic instrument of claim 17, wherein the wireless adapter is further configured to receive a control command from the computing device and to send the control command to the processor.

21. The diagnostic instrument of claim 20, wherein the processor is further configured to enable data capture by the data acquisition unit responsive to a start control command.

22. The diagnostic instrument of claim 20, wherein the processor is further configured to disable data capture by the data acquisition unit responsive to a stop control command.

23. The diagnostic instrument of claim 20, wherein the control command synchronizes the time base of the computing device and the vehicle diagnostic instrument.

24. (canceled)

25. (canceled)

26. (canceled)

27. (canceled)

28. (canceled)