Interactive schematic generating method and apparatus for a vehicle diagnostic procedure

• US 20070294002A1
• Filed: 06/14/2006
• Published: 12/20/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 06/14/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: SPX Corporation
• Original Assignee: SPX Corporation
• Inventors: Underdal, Olav M., Portyanko, Oleksiy, Mayes, Randy L., Gilbert, Harry M., Fountain, Gregory J., Wittliff, William W.
• Granted Patent: US 7,636,622 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/29
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 5/08 Registering or indicating performance data other than driving, working, idle, or waiting time, with or without registering driving, working, idle or waiting time

Abstract

An interactive diagnostic schematic generator illustrates diagnostic test procedures for diagnosing failure modes of a vehicle. The schematic generator reads a schematic data file such as a wiring diagram from a computer memory, indicates a test subject in the schematic or illustrates a location where test equipment is to be connected, and formats the schematic for display on a display device. The schematic generator also receives feedback from a vehicle onboard computer, test equipment or user input indicating that the action has been performed, and removes the indication of the test subject in the schematic. The schematic generator further marks the test subject to indicate that the action has been performed with a marking style that is visually distinct from the indicating style, optionally indicating that the result has validated or invalidated the test subject.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method of dynamically generating an interactive diagnostic schematic to illustrate a diagnostic test procedure for a vehicle, comprising:

illustrating a diagnostic test sequence. comprising;

reading a unit of schematic data associated with the diagnostic test procedure from a memory;

preparing an interactive graphical representation of the schematic for display on a display device; and

indicating a first test subject in the schematic upon which a first action is required, wherein the first test subject is configured to be user selectable from directly within the schematic.

2. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the indicating further comprises one selected from the following:

changing a color of the test subject, surrounding the test subject with a highlight color, shading the test subject, fading the color of the test subject, graying out the test subject, zooming in on the test subject and animating the test subject.

3. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the schematic data is in a scalable vector graphics format.

4. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the illustrating further comprises illustrating a location of a test equipment connection in the schematic.

5. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the illustrating further comprises:

receiving a feedback indicating that the first action has been performed; and

removing the indication of the first test subject in response to the feedback.

6. The computer-implemented method of claim 5, wherein the feedback is received by way of direct manipulation of a graphical user interface.

7. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the illustrating further comprises:

marking the first test subject to indicate that the first action has been performed; and

preparing the schematic for display on the display device with the first test subject marked, wherein a marking style of the step of marking is visually distinct from an indicating style of the step of indicating.

8. The computer-implemented method of claim 6, wherein the marking further indicates one selected from the following:

that the result of the first action validates the first test subject and that the result of the first action invalidates the first test subject.

9. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the illustrating further comprises:

receiving a user input indicating a second test subject;

indicating the second test subject in the schematic in response to the user input;

preparing the schematic with the indicated second test subject for display on the display device; and

producing another diagnostic test procedure associated with the second test subject.

10. A computer program product for dynamically generating an interactive diagnostic schematic to illustrate a diagnostic test procedure for a vehicle, stored on a computer-readable medium encoded with instructions configured to be executed by a processor in order to perform predetermined operations comprising:

illustrating a diagnostic test sequence, comprising;

reading a unit of schematic data associated with the diagnostic test procedure from a memory;

indicating a first test subject in the schematic upon which a first action is required; and

preparing the interactive schematic for display on a display device with the first test subject indicated.

11. The computer program product of claim 10, wherein the indicating further comprises one selected from the following:

changing a color of the test subject, surrounding the test subject with a highlight color, shading the test subject, fading the color of the test subject, graying out the test subject, zooming in on the test subject and animating the test subject.

12. The computer program product of claim 10, wherein the reading further includes reading schematic data in a scalable vector graphics format.

13. The computer program product of claim 10, wherein the illustrating further comprises:

receiving a feedback indicating that the first action has been performed; and

removing the indication of the first test subject in response to the feedback.

14. The computer program product of claim 13, wherein the feedback is received by way of direct manipulation of a graphical user interface.

15. The computer program product of claim 10, wherein the illustrating further comprises:

marking the first test subject to indicate that the first action has been performed; and

preparing the schematic for display on the display device with the first test subject marked, wherein a marking style of the step of marking is visually distinct from an indicating style of the step of indicating.

16. The computer program product of claim 13, wherein the marking further indicates one selected from the following:

that the result of the first action validates the first test subject and that the result of the first action invalidates the first test subject.

17. A diagnostic tool for dynamically generating an interactive diagnostic schematic to illustrate a diagnostic test procedure for a vehicle, comprising:

a schematic reader configured to read a unit of schematic data associated with the diagnostic test procedure from a memory;

a test subject indicator configured to indicate a first test subject in the schematic upon which a first action is required wherein the first test subject is configured to be user selectable from directly within the schematic; and

a diagnostic schematic formatter configured to illustrate a diagnostic test sequence and to prepare an interactive graphical representation of the schematic for display on a display device with the first test subject indicated.

18. The diagnostic tool of claim 17, wherein the test subject indicator is further configured to indicate the first test subject by way of one selected from the following:

changing a color of the test subject, surrounding the test subject with a highlight color, shading the test subject, fading the color of the test subject, graying out the test subject, zooming in on the test subject and animating the test subject.

19. The diagnostic tool of claim 17, wherein the schematic data reader is further configured to read schematic data in a scalable vector graphics format.

20. The diagnostic tool of claim 17, further comprising a test equipment illustrator configured to illustrate a location of a test equipment connection in the schematic.

21. The diagnostic tool of claim 17, further comprising a feedback receiver configured to receive a feedback indicating that the first action has been performed, wherein the test subject indicator is further configured to remove the indication of the first test subject in response to the feedback.

22. The comp diagnostic tool of claim 21, wherein the feedback is received by way of direct manipulation of a graphical user interface.

23. The diagnostic tool of claim 17, wherein the test subject indicator is further configured to mark the first test subject to indicate that the first action has been performed using a marking style that is visually distinct from the indicating style used to indicate that the first action is required, and the diagnostic schematic formatter is further configured to prepare the schematic for display on the display device with the first test subject marked.