Data management method and system

• US 20080126598A1
• Filed: 07/26/2006
• Published: 05/29/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 07/26/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Bosch Automotive Service Solutions LLC (Robert Bosch GmbH)
• Original Assignee: SPX Corporation
• Inventors: Raichle, Kurt, Miller, Garret, Krampitz, Scott
• Granted Patent: US 8,850,083 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 710/20
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 5/008 communicating information to a remotely located station transmission systems for measured values G08C
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 5/085 using electronic data carriers

Abstract

A data management system includes a data gathering device and a host device. The data gathering device is configured to gather data regarding a target object and to transmit the data to the host device. The host device operates on the data to produce an output and transmits the output back to the data gathering device. Subsequent action, including the gathering of further data, may be taken on the target object in response to and upon receipt of the output. The data gathering device and host device may communicate via wire or wirelessly. The host device may also exchange information with a network.

Claims

1. A data management system, comprising:

a data gathering device; and

a host device,

wherein said data gathering device is configured to gather a data item regarding a target object and to transmit the data item to said host device, and wherein said host device is configured to operate on the data item to produce an output and to transmit the output to said data gathering device.

2. The data management system according to claim 1, wherein said data gathering device generates the data item as a result of testing an aspect of the target object.

3. The data management system according to claim 1, further comprising an output device in communication with said host device.

4. The data management system according to claim 3, wherein said output device is selected from the group consisting of a printer, a display, a modem, a wireless transmitter, a standalone computer, a networked computer, and a data storage device.

5. The data management system according to claim 1, wherein said data gathering device is further configured to test an aspect of the target object upon receipt of and in response to the output.

6. The data management system according to claim 1, wherein said host device is in direct communication with said data gathering device.

7. The data management system according to claim 1, wherein said host device communicates wirelessly with said data gathering device.

8. The data management system according to claim 1, wherein said host device is in further communication with a network, and wherein said network and said host device are configured to exchange information.

9. The data management system according to claim 1, wherein said data gathering device is a test device for testing a vehicle and components thereof.

10. The data management system according to claim 1, wherein said data gathering device is hand-portable.

11. A method of collecting and managing data regarding a target object, the method comprising:

gathering a first data item regarding the target object using a test device;

transmitting the first data item from the test device to a host device;

operating on the first data item in the host device to produce an output; and

transmitting the output from the host device to the test device.

12. The method according to claim 11, further comprising:

gathering a second data item regarding the target object using the test device, wherein the second data item is gathered in response to and upon receipt of the output; and

transmitting the second data item from the test device to the host device.

13. The method according to claim 11, wherein said transmitting steps involve direct communication between the test device and the host device.

14. The method according to claim 11, wherein said transmitting steps involve wireless communication between the test device and the host device.

15. The method according to claim 11, wherein gathering a first data item regarding the target object comprises:

testing an aspect of the target object using the test device; and

generating the first data item in the test device as a result of said testing step.

16. The method according to claim 11, further comprising:

connecting the host device to a network; and

exchanging information between the host device and the network.

17. The method according to claim 16, wherein exchanging information between the host device and the network comprises furnishing a system update to the host device, and further comprising installing the system update on one or more of the host device and the test device.

18. The method according to claim 11, further comprising transmitting the output to an output device in communication with the host device.

19. A data management system, comprising:

means for collecting data regarding a target object;

means for analyzing the data collected from the target object, said analyzing means being remote from said collecting means; and

means for transmitting information, including the data collected from the target object, between the collecting means and the analyzing means.

20. The data management system according to claim 19, wherein said collecting means comprises means for testing an aspect of the target object.