Diagnostic test sequence optimization method and apparatus

• US 20070294000A1
• Filed: 06/14/2006
• Published: 12/20/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 06/14/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Bosch Automotive Service Solutions LLC (SPX Corporation)
• Original Assignee: SPX Corporation
• Inventors: Underdal, Olav M., Gilbert, Harry M., Portyanko, Oleksiy, Mayes, Randy L., Fountain, Gregory J., Wittliff, William W.
• Granted Patent: US 7,865,278 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/29
• CPC Class Codes: G06N 5/01 Dynamic search techniques; Heuristics; Dynamic trees; Branch-and-bound
• CPC Class Codes: G06N 5/02 Knowledge representation; Symbolic representation
• CPC Class Codes: G06N 7/00 Computing arrangements based on specific mathematical models

Abstract

A diagnostic test sequence optimizer includes a diagnostic test selector that determines a group of diagnostic test procedures related to a specific symptom and vehicle type from a pool of diagnostic procedures. A failure mode analyzer then selects one or more factors that can affect resolution of a vehicle operational problem and performs a failure mode analysis to quantify a comparative utility of the individual tests, and a factor weighter assigns a weight to each of the factors. A vehicle receiver receives information regarding the history of the test subject vehicle, and a sequence optimizer places the diagnostic test procedures in an optimized sequence in accordance with the comparative utilities of the individual diagnostic procedures, user preferences and a Failure Mode and Effects Analysis compiled by the manufacturer of the vehicle.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method of optimizing a diagnostic test sequence to diagnose a failure mode of a vehicle, comprising:

determining a group of diagnostic tests related to a symptom from a pool of diagnostic tests; and

selecting a first diagnostic test from the group based at least in part on a probabilistic failure mode analysis.

2. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, further comprising performing the failure mode analysis to quantify a comparative utility of an individual diagnostic test.

3. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the failure mode analysis is based at least in part on at least one factor selected from the following:

an estimated time required to perform the first diagnostic test, a difficulty of performing the first diagnostic test, an estimated time required to remove and replace a component, a difficulty of removing and replacing the component, and a level of expertise of a vehicle service technician.

4. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the failure mode analysis is based at least in part on at least one factor selected from the following:

an availability of a replacement component, an estimated cost of the component, an estimated cost per time unit of labor, empirical data regarding a probability that the failure mode exists given the existence of the symptom, an estimate of the probability that the failure mode exists given the existence of the symptom, a frequency of the failure mode, a vehicle mileage, a vehicle configuration, a vehicle modification, a vehicle maintenance record, a service center maintenance record, a manufacturer warranty record, a recommended maintenance schedule for the vehicle, and a technical service bulletin.

5. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, further comprising assigning a weight to each of a plurality of factors selected from the following:

an estimated time required to perform the first diagnostic test, a difficulty of performing the first diagnostic test, an estimated time required to remove and replace a component, a difficulty of removing and replacing the component, a level of expertise of a vehicle service technician, an availability of a replacement component, an estimated cost of the component, an estimated cost per time unit of labor, empirical data regarding a probability that the failure mode exists given the existence of the symptom, an estimate of the probability that the failure mode exists given the existence of the symptom, a frequency of the failure mode, a vehicle mileage, a vehicle configuration, a vehicle modification, a vehicle maintenance record, a service center maintenance record, a manufacturer warranty record, a recommended maintenance schedule for the vehicle, and a technical service bulletin, wherein the failure mode analysis is based at least in part on the weighted factors.

6. The computer-implemented method of claim 5, wherein the weight assigned to at least one of the factors is based at least in part on a user preference setting.

7. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the failure mode analysis is based at least in part on a Failure Mode and Effects Analysis compiled by a manufacturer of the vehicle.

8. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, further comprising receiving a history of the vehicle, wherein the step of selecting the first diagnostic test is further based at least in part on the history.

9. The computer-implemented method of claim 8, wherein the history comprises at least one selected from the following:

a vehicle mileage, a vehicle configuration, a vehicle modification, a vehicle maintenance record, a service center maintenance record, a manufacturer warranty record.

10. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the first diagnostic test has a highest probability of identifying a cause of the symptom in a least amount of time among the group based at least in part on the failure mode analysis.

11. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the first diagnostic test has a highest probability of identifying a cause of the symptom with a lowest cost among the group based at least in part on the failure mode analysis.

12. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, further comprising:

selecting a plurality of additional diagnostic tests from the group based at least in part on the failure mode analysis; and

ordering the additional diagnostic tests based at least in part on the failure mode analysis.

13. The computer-implemented method of claim 12, wherein the selection and ordering is further based on a decreasing probability of each of the additional diagnostic tests identifying a cause of the symptom in a least amount of time based on the failure mode analysis.

14. The computer-implemented method of claim 12, wherein the selection and ordering is further based on a decreasing probability of each of the additional diagnostic tests identifying a cause of the symptom with a lowest cost based on the failure mode analysis.

15. A computer program product for optimizing a diagnostic test sequence to diagnose a failure mode of a vehicle, including a computer-readable medium encoded with instructions configured to be executed by a processor in order to perform predetermined operations comprising:

determining a group of diagnostic tests related to a symptom from a pool of diagnostic tests; and

selecting a first diagnostic test from the group based at least in part on a probabilistic failure mode analysis.

16. The computer program product of claim 15, wherein the failure mode analysis is based at least in part on at least one factor selected from the following:

an estimated time required to perform the first diagnostic test, a difficulty of performing the first diagnostic test, an estimated time required to remove and replace a component, a difficulty of removing and replacing the component, and a level of expertise of a vehicle service technician.

17. The computer program product of claim 15, wherein the failure mode analysis is based at least in part on at least one factor selected from the following:

an availability of a replacement component, an estimated cost of the component, an estimated cost per time unit of labor, empirical data regarding a probability that the failure mode exists given the existence of the symptom, an estimate of the probability that the failure mode exists given the existence of the symptom, a frequency of the failure mode, a vehicle mileage, a vehicle configuration, a vehicle modification, a vehicle maintenance record, a service center maintenance record, a manufacturer warranty record, a recommended maintenance schedule for the vehicle, and a technical service bulletin.

18. The computer program product of claim 15, wherein the predetermined operations further comprise assigning a weight to each of a plurality of factors selected from the following:

an estimated time required to perform the first diagnostic test, a difficulty of performing the first diagnostic test, an estimated time required to remove and replace a component, a difficulty of removing and replacing the component, a level of expertise of a vehicle service technician, an availability of a replacement component, an estimated cost of the component, an estimated cost per time unit of labor, empirical data regarding a probability that the failure mode exists given the existence of the symptom, an estimate of the probability that the failure mode exists given the existence of the symptom, a frequency of the failure mode, a vehicle mileage, a vehicle configuration, a vehicle modification, a vehicle maintenance record, a service center maintenance record, a manufacturer warranty record, a recommended maintenance schedule for the vehicle, and a technical service bulletin, wherein the failure mode analysis is based at least in part on the weighted factors.

19. The computer program product of claim 18, wherein the weight assigned to at least one of the factors is based at least in part on a user preference setting.

20. The computer program product of claim 15, wherein the failure mode analysis is based at least in part on a Failure Mode and Effects Analysis compiled by a manufacturer of the vehicle.

21. The computer program product of claim 15, wherein the predetermined operations further comprise receiving a history of the vehicle, wherein the step of selecting the first diagnostic test is further based at least in part on the history.

22. The computer program product of claim 15, wherein the first diagnostic test has a highest probability of identifying a cause of the symptom in a least amount of time among the group based at least in part on the failure mode analysis.

23. The computer program product of claim 15, wherein the first diagnostic test has a highest probability of identifying a cause of the symptom with a lowest cost among the group based at least in part on the failure mode analysis.

24. The computer program product of claim 15, wherein the predetermined operations further comprise:

selecting a plurality of additional diagnostic tests from the group based at least in part on the failure mode analysis; and

ordering the additional diagnostic tests based at least in part on the failure mode analysis.

25. The computer program product of claim 24, wherein the selection and ordering is further based on a decreasing probability of each of the additional diagnostic tests identifying a cause of the symptom in a least amount of time based on the failure mode analysis.

26. The computer program product of claim 24, wherein the selection and ordering is further based on a decreasing probability of each of the additional diagnostic tests identifying a cause of the symptom with a lowest cost based on the failure mode analysis.

27. A diagnostic tool for optimizing a diagnostic test sequence to diagnose a failure mode of a vehicle, comprising:

a diagnostic test selector configured to determine a group of diagnostic tests related to a symptom from a pool of diagnostic tests; and

a sequence optimizer configured to select a first diagnostic test from the group based at least in part on a probabilistic failure mode analysis.

28. The diagnostic tool of claim 27, further comprising a failure mode analyzer configured to quantify a comparative utility of an individual diagnostic test.

29. The diagnostic tool of claim 28, wherein the failure mode analyzer is further configured to base the comparative utility at least in part on at least one factor selected from the following:

an estimated time required to perform the first diagnostic test, a difficulty of performing the first diagnostic test, an estimated time required to remove and replace a component, a difficulty of removing and replacing the component, and a level of expertise of a vehicle service technician.

30. The diagnostic tool of claim 28, wherein the failure mode analyzer is further configured to base the comparative utility at least in part on at least one factor selected from the following:

an availability of a replacement component, an estimated cost of the component, an estimated cost per time unit of labor, empirical data regarding a probability that the failure mode exists given the existence of the symptom, an estimate of the probability that the failure mode exists given the existence of the symptom, a frequency of the failure mode, a vehicle mileage, a vehicle configuration, a vehicle modification, a vehicle maintenance record, a service center maintenance record, a manufacturer warranty record, a recommended maintenance schedule for the vehicle, and a technical service bulletin.

31. The diagnostic tool of claim 28, further comprising a factor weighter configured to assign a weight to each of a plurality of factors selected from the following:

an estimated time required to perform the first diagnostic test, a difficulty of performing the first diagnostic test, an estimated time required to remove and replace a component, a difficulty of removing and replacing the component, a level of expertise of a vehicle service technician, an availability of a replacement component, an estimated cost of the component, an estimated cost per time unit of labor, empirical data regarding a probability that the failure mode exists given the existence of the symptom, an estimate of the probability that the failure mode exists given the existence of the symptom, a frequency of the failure mode, a vehicle mileage, a vehicle configuration, a vehicle modification, a vehicle maintenance record, a service center maintenance record, a manufacturer warranty record, a recommended maintenance schedule for the vehicle, and a technical service bulletin, wherein the failure mode analyzer is further configured to base the comparative utility at least in part on the weighted factors.

32. The diagnostic tool of claim 31, wherein the factor weighter is further configured to base the weight assigned to at least one of the factors at least in part on a user preference setting.

33. The diagnostic tool of claim 28, wherein the failure mode analyzer is further configured to base the comparative utility at least in part on a Failure Mode and Effects Analysis compiled by a manufacturer of the vehicle.

34. The diagnostic tool of claim 28, further comprising a history receiver configured to receive a history of the vehicle, wherein the failure mode analyzer is further configured to base the comparative utility at least in part on the history.

35. The diagnostic tool of claim 27, wherein the sequence optimizer is further configured to order a plurality of additional diagnostic tests from the group based at least in part on the failure mode analysis.

36. A diagnostic tool for optimizing a diagnostic test sequence to diagnose a failure mode of a vehicle, comprising:

a diagnostic test selector configured to determine a group of diagnostic tests related to a symptom from a pool of diagnostic tests;

a sequence optimizer configured to select a first diagnostic test from the group based at least in part on a probabilistic failure mode analysis;

a failure mode analyzer configured to quantify a comparative utility of an individual diagnostic test;

a factor weighter configured to assign a weight to each of a plurality of failure mode analysis factors; and

a history receiver configured to receive a history of the vehicle, wherein the failure mode analyzer is further configured to base the comparative utility at least in part on the history.