METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR REMOTE VEHICLE DIAGNOSIS

• US 20120053778A1
• Filed: 08/26/2011
• Published: 03/01/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 08/27/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Zonar Systems, Inc. (Continental AG)
• Original Assignee: Zonar Systems, Inc. (Continental AG)
• Inventors: McQuade, Charles Michael, Brinton, Brett, Colvin, Greg
• Granted Patent: US 10,665,040 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/29.4
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 41/22 Safety or indicating devices for abnormal conditions in air/fuel ratio feedback systems F02D41/1495, in electric control linkage F02D11/107, in purge control systems F02M25/0809
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/0739 in a data processing system embedded in automotive or aircraft systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/079 Root cause analysis, i.e. error or fault diagnosis in a hardware test environment G06F11/22; in a software test environment G06F11/36
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/061 Improving I/O performance
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0631 by allocating resources to storage systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/065 Replication mechanisms
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0656 Data buffering arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/067 Distributed or networked storage systems, e.g. storage area networks [SAN], network attached storage [NAS]
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/1097 Task assignment
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/20 Administration of product repair or maintenance
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0633 Lists, e.g. purchase orders, compilation or processing
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 5/006 Indicating maintenance
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 5/0816 Indicating performance data, e.g. occurrence of a malfunction
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 5/085 using electronic data carriers
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 19/00 Electric signal transmission systems G08C17/00 takes precedence

Abstract

Operational data generated and used in a vehicle to control various vehicular systems is temporarily stored in a data buffer in the vehicle. A processor in the vehicle is configured to detect anomalous conditions, which can be based on predefined fault codes or user defined conditions (based on a single parameter or a combination of parameters). Whenever such an anomaly is detected, a diagnostic log is conveyed from the vehicle to a remote location. Such a log will include the detected anomaly, and buffered operational data. In at least one embodiment, the diagnostic log includes buffered operational data collected both before and after the anomaly. The diagnostic log is analyzed at the remote location to diagnose the cause of the anomalous condition, so a decision can be made as to whether the vehicle requires immediate repair, or whether the repair can be scheduled at a later time.

Claims

1. A system for diagnosing vehicle faults, comprising:

(a) a vehicle comprising;

(i) a plurality of components for generating operational data during operation of the vehicle;

(ii) a data buffer in which the operational data is temporarily stored;

(iii) a data link for wirelessly conveying data from the vehicle to a remote location during operation of the vehicle; and

(iv) at least one vehicle processor configured to implement the following functions;

(1) detecting an anomalous condition; and

(2) in response to detecting the anomalous condition, using the data link to convey data defining the detected anomalous condition and buffered operational data generated at a time proximate to the detection of the anomalous condition to a remote location; and

(b) a computing device at a remote location, the computing device being configured to use the data defining the anomalous condition and buffered operational data generated at a time proximate to the detection of the anomalous condition to diagnose a cause of the anomalous condition while the vehicle is operating.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein at least one vehicle processor is configured to identify an anomalous condition corresponding to a fault code defined by the vehicle'"'"'s manufacturer.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein at least one vehicle processor is configured to identify a user defined anomalous condition, the user comprising at least one of an operator of the vehicle and an operator of the remote computing device.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein at least one vehicle processor is configured to receive instructions from the remote location defining the anomalous condition.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein at least one vehicle processor is configured to receive instructions from the remote location defining a quantity or type of buffered operational data to be conveyed to the remote location when the anomalous condition is detected.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein at least one vehicle processor is configured to convey buffered operational data generated before the occurrence of the anomalous condition to the remote location in response to detection of the anomalous condition.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein at least one vehicle processor is configured to convey buffered operational data generated after the occurrence of the anomalous condition to the remote location in response to detection of the anomalous condition.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the remote computing device is configured to send a request to the vehicle processor for additional buffered operational data, the additional buffered operational data being requested being a function of a diagnostic analysis performed by the remote computer.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein at least one vehicle processor is configured to detect the anomalous condition by analyzing the operational data as it is generated.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein the data buffer, the data link, and the processor are combined into a diagnostic device that is added to the vehicle.

11. A method for diagnosing an anomalous vehicle condition, the method comprising the steps of:

(a) generating operational data at a vehicle during operation of the vehicle;

(b) temporarily storing the operational data in a data buffer in the vehicle;

(c) analyzing vehicle status to detect an anomalous condition;

(d) wirelessly conveying data defining the detected anomalous condition and buffered operational data generated at a time proximate to detection of the anomalous condition to a remote location; and

(e) using the data defining the anomalous condition and the buffered operational data conveyed to the remote location to diagnose a cause of the anomalous condition while the vehicle is operating.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the data defining the detected anomalous condition comprises a fault code defined by a manufacturer of the vehicle.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein the data defining the detected anomalous condition comprises a fault code defined by an operator of the vehicle.

14. The method of claim 11, further comprising the step of enabling a user to remotely define one or more vehicle parameters whose presence corresponds to an anomalous condition.

15. The method of claim 11, further comprising the step of enabling a user to remotely define the proximate buffered operational data to convey to the remote location with the data defining the detected anomalous condition.

16. The method of claim 11, wherein the step of conveying the data defining the detected anomalous condition and the proximate buffered operational data to the remote location comprises the step of conveying buffered operational data generated before the detection of the anomalous condition.

17. The method of claim 11, wherein the step of conveying the data defining the detected anomalous condition and the proximate buffered operational data to the remote location comprises the step of conveying buffered operational data generated after the detection of the anomalous condition.

18. The method of claim 11, further comprising the step of requesting additional buffered operational data from the vehicle in response to analyzing the data defining the detected anomalous condition and the proximate buffered operational data at the remote location, to facilitate determining the cause of the anomalous condition.

19. A non-transitory memory medium having machine instructions stored thereon for diagnosing an anomalous vehicle condition, the machine instructions, when implemented by a processor, carrying out the functions of:

(a) remotely analyzing data defining the anomalous condition and vehicle operational data generated proximate to an occurrence of the anomalous condition to suggest a cause of the anomalous condition;

(b) identifying additional vehicle operational data that would confirm the cause;

(c) wirelessly communicating with the vehicle to acquire the additional vehicle operational data; and

(d) using the additional vehicle operational data acquired from the vehicle to confirm the cause of the anomalous condition.

20. The non-transitory memory medium of claim 19, wherein the machine instructions, when implemented by a processor remote from the vehicle, further carry out the function of scheduling a repair of the anomalous condition based on the diagnosed cause.

21. The non-transitory memory medium of claim 19, wherein the machine instructions, when implemented by a processor remote from the vehicle, further carry out the function of ordering parts required to repair the anomalous condition based on the diagnosed cause.

22. The non-transitory memory medium of claim 19, wherein the machine instructions, when implemented by a processor remote from the vehicle, further carry out the function of directing an operator of the vehicle to a repair facility authorized to repair the vehicle based on the diagnosed cause.