DIAGNOSTIC APPARATUS USING A MICROPHONE

• US 20120143431A1
• Filed: 06/30/2011
• Published: 06/07/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 12/06/2010
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: CS Technology, Hyundai Motor Company (Hyundai Motor Group), Kia Motors Corporation (Kia Corp.)
• Original Assignee: CS Technology, Hyundai Motor Company (Hyundai Motor Group), Kia Motors Corporation (Kia Corp.)
• Inventors: Kim, Sang Ki, Rho, Suk Young, Lee, Don Hyoung, Hwang, Jeong Hwan, Kim, Jeong Yeol, Kim, Seong Il
• Application Number:
  US13/173,461
• Publication Number:
  US 20120143431A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/29.1
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 23/0216 Human interface functionality, e.g. monitoring system providing help to the user in the selection of tests or in its configuration

Abstract

The present invention provides a diagnostic apparatus using a microphone. More specifically, the diagnostic apparatus utilizes a first microphone, a second microphone, a first unit, a controller and second unit. The first microphone is positioned within an engine compartment and the second microphone is positioned within an interior of a vehicle to receive the noise. The second unit records the noise inputted through the first microphone or the second microphone or both and the controller analyzes and diagnoses a vehicle utilizing the noise recorded by the first unit to determine if a failure in the vehicle has occurred. When a vehicle failure is detected by the controller, the second unit then notifies a user of the location of a failed part in the vehicle.

Claims

1. A diagnostic apparatus comprising:

a first microphone positioned within an engine compartment to receive a noise;

a second microphone positioned within an interior of a vehicle to receive the noise;

a recordation unit configured to record the noise inputted through the first microphone or the second microphone;

a controller configured to diagnose a vehicle breakdown by analyzing the noise recorded by the recordation unit; and

a user notification unit configured to, when a vehicle breakdown is detected by the controller, notify the user of a location of a failed part.

2. The diagnostic apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the user notification unit is configured to notify a service station based on the location of the failed part.

3. The diagnostic apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the recordation unit is configured to record the noise when the noise inputted through the first microphone or the second microphone has a predetermined level or higher.

4. The diagnostic apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the recordation unit is configured to record the noise according to a user choice.

5. The diagnostic apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising:

a wireless transmission unit configured to transmit the noise recorded by the recordation unit to a telematics server.

6. The diagnostic apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the telematics server is configured to analyze the transmitted noise to perform a diagnosis of the vehicle.

7. The diagnostic apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the controller is configured to receive a diagnosis result analyzed by the telematics server through the wireless transmission unit to notify a user of the diagnosis result through the user notification unit.

8. The diagnostic apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the user notification unit is configured to reproduce the noise recorded by the recordation unit.

9. A diagnostic apparatus that communicates with a telematics server, the diagnostic apparatus comprising:

a first microphone positioned within an engine compartment to receive a noise;

a second microphone positioned within an interior of a vehicle to receive the noise;

a recordation unit configured to record the noise inputted through the first microphone or the second microphone; and

a wireless transmission unit configured to transmit the noise recorded by the recordation unit to the telematics server.

10. The diagnostic apparatus according to claim 9, wherein the recordation unit is configured to record the noise when the noise inputted through the first microphone or the second microphone has a predetermined level or higher.

11. The diagnostic apparatus according to claim 9, wherein the recordation unit records the noise according to a user choice.

12. The diagnostic apparatus according to claim 9, wherein the telematics server is configured to analyze the transmitted noise to perform a diagnosis of the vehicle.

13. The diagnostic apparatus according to claim 12, wherein a diagnosis result analyzed by the telematics server is provided to a user through the user notification unit.

14. The diagnostic apparatus according to claim 9, further comprising:

a user notification unit configured to reproduce the recorded noise.

15. A method comprising

detecting a noise within a vehicle via either a first microphone positioned within an engine compartment to receive a noise or a second microphone positioned within an interior of a vehicle to receive the noise or both;

recording, by a first unit, the noise inputted through the first microphone or the second microphone or both;

analyzing, by a controller, the noise recorded by the first unit to detect and diagnose a failure in the vehicle; and

notifying, by a second unit, the user of a location of a failed part in response to the failure in the vehicle.