MULTIPLEXING DEVICE WITH PROVISION FOR EXPANSION

• US 20120226408A1
• Filed: 03/04/2011
• Published: 09/06/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 03/04/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Bosch Automotive Service Solutions LLC (Robert Bosch GmbH)
• Original Assignee: SPX Corporation
• Inventors: Miller, Garret, Zande, Eric Vande, Gentner, Adam, De Schepper, Ray, Wiffliff, William W. III
• Granted Patent: US 8,626,375 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/31.5
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 16/02 electric constitutive elements
• 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: H01R 13/70 with built-in switch
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 29/00 Coupling parts for selective co-operation with a counterpart in different ways to establish different circuits, e.g. for voltage selection, for series-parallel selection, programmable connectors

Abstract

An apparatus and method are provided that allow a diagnostic tool to communicate with a data link connector in a vehicle and place the vehicle in a desired state for diagnostic testing. A cable that can automatically multiplex its connections in order to make the appropriate connections between the diagnostic tool and the data link connector based on a communication protocol of the vehicle under test. A connector allowing for selective switching of pins of the connector to jump connect the selected pins. This allows the vehicle to be placed in the proper state for diagnostic testing and the diagnostic tool to communicate with the data link connector regardless of the pins being used by the communication protocol of the vehicle.

Claims

1. An adaptive cable for use with a vehicle diagnostic tool, comprising:

a complex programmable logic device adapted to receive instructions from the vehicle diagnostic tool;

a multiplexer adapted to receive instructions from the complex programmable logic device to configure the multiplexer connections for a vehicle communication protocol and for a jump connection of cable pins;

a first cable to connect the adaptive cable to the vehicle diagnostic tool at a first end and to communicate with the complex programmable logic device at a second end;

a second cable to connect to a data link connector in a vehicle at a first end, the first end having the cable pins for the jump connection, and to communicate with the multiplexer at a second end;

a housing that houses the multiplexer, a portion of the first cable, a portion of the second cable, and the complex programmable logic device; and

a plurality of switches on a surface of the first end of the second cable, the each of the plurality of switches paired to the corresponding cable pin.

2. The adaptive cable of claim 1, wherein the cable pins are configured to contact with complementary connector pins on the data link connector, and wherein when the multiplexer creates the jump connection on the cable pins, a desired function in the vehicle is activated.

3. The adaptive cable of claim 2, wherein the multiplexer allows for only two connector pins on the data link connector to be jumped at a time.

4. The adaptive cable of claim 2, wherein the connector pins being jumped on the data linked connector correspond to the switches set on the adaptive cable.

5. The adaptive cable of claim 1, wherein the complex programmable logic device senses which switches of the plurality of switches are set so that the appropriate connection of the cable pins is made by the multiplexer.

6. The adaptive cable of claim 1 further comprising a communication protocol module that communicates in various communication protocols and communicates with the multiplexer.

7. The adaptive cable of claim 1, wherein the plurality of switches are activated when moved in a first direction and are inactivated when moved in a second direction.

8. An adaptive cable for use with a vehicle diagnostic tool, comprising:

a means for controlling that receives instructions from the vehicle diagnostic tool;

a means for multiplexing that receives instructions from the means for controlling to configure the means for multiplexing connections for a vehicle communication protocol and for a jump connection of cable pins;

a first means for transmitting that connects the adaptive cable to the vehicle diagnostic tool at a first end and to communicate with the means for controlling at a second end;

a second means for transmitting that connects to a data link connector in a vehicle at a first end, the first end having the cable pins for the jump connection, and to communicate with the means for multiplexing at a second end;

a means for housing the means for multiplexing, a portion of the first means for transmitting, a portion of the second means for transmitting, and the means for controlling; and

a plurality of means for switching on a surface of the first end of the second means for transmitting, each of the plurality of means for switching paired to the corresponding cable pin.

9. The adaptive cable of claim 8, wherein the cable pins are configured to contact with complementary connector pins on the data link connector, and wherein when the means for multiplexing creates the jump connection on the cable pins, a desired function in the vehicle is activated.

10. The adaptive cable of claim 9, wherein the means for multiplexing allows for only two connector pins on the data link connector to be jumped at a time.

11. The adaptive cable of claim 9, wherein the connector pins being jumped on the data linked connector correspond to the switches of the plurality of means for switching set on the adaptive cable.

12. The adaptive cable of claim 8, wherein the means for controlling senses which switches of the plurality of switches are set so that the appropriate connection of the cable pins is made by the means for multiplexing.

13. The adaptive cable of claim 8 further comprising a communication protocol module that communicates in various communication protocols and communicates with the means for multiplexing.

14. The adaptive cable of claim 8, wherein the plurality of means for switching are activated when moved in a first direction and are inactivated when moved in a second direction.

15. A method of placing a vehicle in a desired state for diagnostic testing, comprising the steps of:

receiving a communication protocol instruction from a diagnostic tool via a first cable of an adaptive device having a complex programmable logic device and a multiplexer;

sending configuration instructions from the complex programmable logic device to the multiplexer, wherein the multiplexer configures its connections based on the communication protocol instructions;

providing communication between the diagnostic tool and a data link connector with a communication protocol module, and the multiplexer via a second cable connected to the data link connector; and

shorting connector pins on the data link connector of the vehicle to place the vehicle in the desired state.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein shorting connector pins further comprises providing a connection between two cable pins of the second cable that connect to corresponding connector pins on the data link connector.

17. The method of claim 15, wherein shorting connector pins further comprises using the multiplexer to connect two cable pins of the second cable that connect to the corresponding connector pins on the data link connector.

18. The method of claim 15 further comprising the step of:

selecting the connector pins on the data link connector to be shorted with a plurality of switches that are paired with cable pins on the second cable that connects to the corresponding connector pins on the data link connector.

19. The method claim of claim 15 further comprising the step of:

receiving vehicle diagnostic data when the vehicle is in the desired state

20. The method of claim 15, wherein only two connector pins are shorted at a time.