AUTOMOTIVE DIAGNOSTIC PROCESS

• US 20100174446A1
• Filed: 03/01/2010
• Published: 07/08/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 06/28/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Innova Electronics Corporation (Innova Telematics Solutions)
• Original Assignee: Innova Electronics Corporation (Innova Telematics Solutions)
• Inventors: Chen, Ieon, Andreasen, Keith, Madison, Robert
• Granted Patent: US 8,370,018 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/33
• 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

A method of processing vehicle diagnostic data is provided for identifying likely vehicle fix(s) associated with a diagnostic data, and identifying a repair procedure(s) for correcting the likely fix(s). The process receiving vehicle diagnostic data from a vehicle onboard computer at a remote diagnostic database, the database being arranged to map vehicle diagnostic data to possible vehicle fix(s). The possible vehicle fix(s) are prioritized in accordance with ranked matches of the received diagnostic data to combinations of diagnostic data stored in a prior experience database. The prior experience database having an identified fix associated with each stored combination of diagnostic data. The fix associated with the highest ranked combination of diagnostic data is identified as the most likely fix. The most likely fix is mapped to a vehicle repair database, the most likely fix being directly mapped to an associated repair procedure for repairing the most likely fix.

Claims

1. A method of processing vehicle diagnostic data to identify likely vehicle fix(s) associated with the diagnostic data, the process comprising:

receiving vehicle diagnostic data from a vehicle onboard computer at a remote diagnostic database, the database being arranged to map vehicle diagnostic data to possible vehicle fix(s); and

prioritizing the possible vehicle fix(s) in accordance with ranked matching of the received diagnostic data to combinations of diagnostic data stored in a prior experience database, the prior experience database having an identified fix associated with each stored combination of diagnostic data, the fix associated with the highest ranked combination of diagnostic data being identified as the most likely fix;

wherein the step of prioritizing possible vehicle fix(s) comprises comparing combinations of diagnostic trouble codes received from the vehicle onboard computer with stored combinations of diagnostic trouble codes in the prior experience database, and identifying the stored combination of diagnostic trouble codes ranked highest in relation to the diagnostic trouble codes received from the vehicle onboard computer.

2. The process as recited in claim 1 wherein the step of prioritizing possible vehicle fix(s) further comprises the step of identifying the stored combination(s) of diagnostic trouble codes having the greatest number of the diagnostic trouble codes that correspond to diagnostic trouble codes received from the vehicle onboard computer, and the stored combination(s) of diagnostic trouble codes having the least number of diagnostic trouble codes that do not correspond to diagnostic trouble codes received from the vehicle onboard computer.

3. The process as recited in claim 2 wherein the step of prioritizing possible vehicle fix(s) further comprises the step of identifying stored combination(s) of diagnostic trouble codes having the highest successful fix count associated therewith.

4. The process as recited in claim 3 wherein the step of prioritizing possible vehicle fix(s) further comprises the step of prioritizing stored combination(s) of diagnostic trouble codes having the lowest cost of repair associated therewith.

5. The process as recited in claim 1 further comprising the steps of:

i. accessing an automotive repair procedures database for repairing a range of automotive conditions;

ii. linking the most likely fix to a selected repair procedure(s) in the repair procedures database, the selected repair procedure(s) being effective to repair the most like fix; and

iii. accessing the selected repair procedure(s) effective to repair the most likely fix.

6. The process as recited in claim 1 further comprising the step of uploading the vehicle diagnostic data and vehicle identification information from a hand held scan tool to a personal computer and uploading the vehicle diagnostic data and vehicle identification information from the personal computer to the remote diagnostic database.

7. The process as set forth in claim 1 comprising the step of communicating the information concerning the most likely fix and the associated repair procedure to a remote user.