Vehicle diagnostic tool with packet and voice over packet communications and systems incorporating such a tool

• US 20070244611A1
• Filed: 04/14/2006
• Published: 10/18/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 04/14/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Snap-On Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Snap-On Incorporated
• Inventors: Brozovich, Roy
• Granted Patent: US 7,769,508 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/29
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 2205/02 using a vehicle scan tool
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 5/008 communicating information to a remotely located station transmission systems for measured values G08C
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 5/0808 Diagnosing performance data testing of vehicles G01M17/00; testing of electrical installation on vehicles G01R31/005

Abstract

In an exemplary vehicle service facility that provides vehicle related sales, maintenance services or the like, a diagnostic tool has wireless packet data communication capabilities. To support voice communication, the tool also has one or more audible input/output transducers and a vocoder, and is configured to use VoIP technology or the like to enable wireless packet data transport of voice calls over the same wireless data links. The packet voice capability can support voice communications with technicians using other tools at the facility or with personnel in an office at the service facility. If the facility has a data link to a wide area packet network, like the Internet, the packet voice capability may also support voice communications with other parties having packet service. Examples are technicians at other locations or various personnel of technical support services for the tools or for different types of vehicles.

Claims

1. A vehicle diagnostic tool, comprising:

a diagnostic instrument, for obtaining diagnostic data from a vehicle;

a processor for processing vehicle diagnostic data obtained by the diagnostic instrument;

at least one audio transducer for audible input and output; and

a wireless data transceiver for wireless packet data communication,

wherein the wireless packet data communication by the transceiver supports;

data communications to or from the processor relating to at least one application of the diagnostic instrument, and

wireless packet transport of audible communication information for the at least one audio transducer for communication with a remote device.

2. The vehicle diagnostic tool of claim 1, wherein the diagnostic instrument comprises at least one instrument selected from the group consisting of:

an interface for receiving image data from an image sensor;

a data interface for scanner communication with one or more on-board controllers in the vehicle;

a gas analyzer;

a digital volt-ohm meter; and

a laboratory oscilloscope.

3. The vehicle diagnostic tool of claim 1, further comprising:

a housing for the diagnostic instrument, processor, at least one audio transducer and wireless data transceiver;

wherein the housing is configured to enable handheld operation of the tool for diagnostics and for voice communications.

4. The vehicle diagnostic tool of claim 3, further comprising a display and at least one user data input.

5. The vehicle diagnostic tool of claim 1, wherein the at least one audio transducer comprises:

a microphone for producing an outbound audio information signal responsive to the audible input; and

a speaker responsive to an inbound audio information signal for producing the audible output.

6. The vehicle diagnostic tool of claim 5, further comprising:

a voice coding and decoding circuit (vocoder) coupled to the microphone and speaker, wherein the vocoder is configured for;

converting the inbound audio information signal from the microphone into digital information for wireless packet data communication; and

converting the digital information signal derived from a received wireless packet data communication into the inbound audio information signal for the speaker.

7. The vehicle diagnostic tool of claim 6, wherein the vocoder is further configured for:

compressing the digital information for wireless packet data communication; and

decompressing the digital information signal derived from the received wireless packet data communication.

8. The vehicle diagnostic tool of claim 7, further comprising a system for encapsulating the compressed digital information for wireless packet data communication into packets and de-encapsulating a compressed digital information signal from received packets.

9. The vehicle diagnostic tool of claim 8, wherein:

the packets are Internet Protocol (IP) packets; and

the encapsulating and de-encapsulating conforms to a voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP).

10. The vehicle diagnostic tool of claim 8, wherein the encapsulating/de-encapsulating system comprises a program stored in memory in the tool for execution by the processor.

11. A vehicle diagnostic tool, comprising:

a diagnostic instrument for obtaining diagnostic data from a vehicle;

at least one audio transducer for audible input and output;

a vocoder for encoding audio signals coming from the at least one audio transducer and decoding received encoded audio signals for the at least one audio transducer;

a wireless packet data transceiver, for wireless packet data communication of data relating to operation of the diagnostic instrument and the encoded audio signals;

a processor for controlling operations of the vehicle diagnostic tool including communications via the wireless packet data transceiver;

a memory; and

programming stored in the memory for execution by the processor,

wherein the programming includes;

at least one vehicle diagnostic application relating to operation of the diagnostic instrument for obtaining diagnostic data from a vehicle and the communication of data relating to operation of the diagnostic instrument via the wireless packet data transceiver; and

a voice communication application relating to control of the vocoder and the wireless packet data transceiver, for wireless packet data communication of the encoded audio signals.

12. The vehicle diagnostic tool of claim 11, wherein the diagnostic instrument comprises at least one instrument selected from the group consisting of:

an interface for receiving image data from an image sensor;

a data interface for scanner communication with one or more on-board controllers in the vehicle;

a gas analyzer;

a digital volt-ohm meter; and

a laboratory oscilloscope.

13. The vehicle diagnostic tool of claim I 1, further comprising:

a housing for the diagnostic instrument, processor, memory, at least one audio transducer, vocoder and wireless packet data transceiver;

wherein the housing is configured to enable handheld operation of the tool for operation in accord with the at least one vehicle diagnostic application and for voice communication.

14. The vehicle diagnostic tool of claim 13, further comprising a display and at least one user data input.

15. A vehicle diagnostic method comprising the steps of:

obtaining a measurement of a parameter of a vehicle, using a vehicle diagnostic tool;

communicating diagnostic information to or from the vehicle diagnostic tool over a wireless packet data communication link; and

communicating voice information for a user of the vehicle diagnostic tool over the wireless packet data communication link.

16. A program product comprising instructions for causing a processor of the vehicle diagnostic tool to perform the steps of claim 15, embodied on a machine readable medium.

17. A vehicle diagnostic and communication system for a vehicle service facility, comprising:

a data communication network;

a computer for use by office personnel, having a packet data communication interface coupled to the data communication network, a first audible input/output mechanism, wherein the computer is configured to provide two-way communication of audio information to and from the first audible input/output means over the data communication network;

a wireless access point coupled to the data communication network;

a vehicle diagnostic tool comprising a diagnostic instrument for obtaining diagnostic data from a vehicle, a processor, a wireless packet data communication interface for data communication via the wireless access point, and a second audible input/output mechanism,

wherein the processor is configured to enable the tool to perform two-way packet communication over the data communication network via the wireless interface and the wireless access point, for communication of;

packet data for at least one vehicle diagnostic service involving operation of the diagnostic instrument; and

packetized audio information for the second audible input/output means, to enable voice communication for a user of the vehicle diagnostic tool with the office personnel via the data communication network.

18. The system of claim 17, further comprising at least one access server coupled to the data communication network of said system, for providing a two-way packet data communication link with a wide area data communication network for voice communication for the tool via the wide area data communication network.