MOBILE COMMUNICATION INTERFACE, SYSTEM HAVING A MOBILE COMMUNICATION INTERFACE, AND METHOD FOR IDENTIFYING, DIAGNOSING, MAINTAINING, AND REPAIRING A VEHICLE

• US 20140074344A1
• Filed: 01/09/2012
• Published: 03/13/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 02/16/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
• Original Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
• Inventors: Amirpour, Ramon, Nobis, Guenter, Malmsheimer, Roger
• Granted Patent: US 9,665,993 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/29.6
• 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 for identifying, diagnosing, maintaining, and repairing a vehicle in a repair shop, including the steps of connecting a mobile communication interface (VCI) to the vehicle and connecting a first vehicle inspection device at least to the VCI at a first work station; detecting identification data for the vehicle using the first vehicle inspection device and storing the identification data for the vehicle in the VCI; carrying out the first set of inspections of the vehicle using the first vehicle inspection device and/or the VCI; disconnecting the first vehicle inspection device from the vehicle; connecting a second vehicle inspection device to the vehicle, reading out the identification data from the VCI into the second vehicle inspection device at a second work station, and carrying out a second set of inspections of the vehicle using the second vehicle inspection device and/or the VCI connected to the vehicle.

Claims

1-8. -8. (canceled)

9. A method for identifying, diagnosing, maintaining, and repairing a vehicle (10) in a repair shop, the method comprising:

connecting a mobile communication interface to the vehicle and connecting a first vehicle inspection device at least to the mobile communication interface at a first work station;

detecting identification data for the vehicle using the first vehicle inspection device and storing the identification data for the vehicle in the mobile communication interface;

carrying out the first set of inspections of the vehicle using the first vehicle inspection device and/or the mobile communication interface;

disconnecting the first vehicle inspection device from the vehicle;

connecting a second vehicle inspection device to the vehicle and reading out the identification data from the mobile communication interface into the second vehicle inspection device at a second work station; and

carrying out the second set of inspections of the vehicle using the second vehicle inspection device and/or the mobile communication interface connected to the vehicle.

10. The method of claim 9, further comprising:

connecting a universal operating and display device to the vehicle and reading out the identification data from the mobile communication interface into the universal operating and display device; and

carrying out other inspections of the vehicle using the universal operating and display device and the mobile communication interface connected to the vehicle at a third work station.

11. The method of claim 9, wherein the first vehicle inspection device and/or the second vehicle inspection device and/or the universal operating and display device has/have a standardized diagnostic server device for establishing a communication with the mobile communication interface and through the mobile communication interface with the electronic control units installed in the vehicle.

12. The method of claim 9, wherein at the first and the second work stations, identification data of vehicles located in mobile communication interfaces of the repair shop are displayed to the user of the particular first or second vehicle inspection device.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the display of identification data at the particular first or second work station takes place as a function of the proximity of the particular vehicle, having the mobile communication interface connected to it, to the work station.

14. A mobile communication interface for identifying a vehicle and for communicating with the electronic control units installed in the vehicle in a repair shop, comprising:

a connecting device which is configured to connect a vehicle in a repair shop to the mobile communication interface;

a memory device which is configured to store identification data of the vehicle to be identified and connected; and

a communication device which is configured to relay the identification data to the vehicle inspection devices and to exchange information between the electronic control units installed in the vehicle and the vehicle inspection devices at different work stations in the repair shop.

15. The mobile communication interface of claim 14, wherein the mobile communication interface is configured to be moved along with the vehicle to be connected in the repair shop.

16. A system for identifying, diagnosing, maintaining, and repairing a vehicle in a repair shop, comprising:

a mobile communication interface for identifying a vehicle and for communicating with the electronic control units installed in the vehicle in a repair shop, including;

a connecting device which is configured to connect a vehicle in a repair shop to the mobile communication interface;

a memory device which is configured to store identification data of the vehicle to be identified and connected; and

a communication device which is configured to relay the identification data to the vehicle inspection devices and to exchange information between the electronic control units installed in the vehicle and the vehicle inspection devices at different work stations in the repair shop; and

a plurality of vehicle inspection devices, each including;

a diagnostic server device for establishing a communication with the mobile communication interface and through the mobile communication interface with the electronic control units installed in the vehicle;

an operating and display device for controlling the vehicle inspection device and the mobile communication interface; and

different vehicle inspection modules which are configured to carry out inspection-device specific vehicle inspections of the vehicle based on the unambiguous identification data.