UNIVERSAL VEHICLE INPUT/OUTPUT TRANSCEIVER AND METHOD OF OPERATION THEREOF

• US 20140129079A1
• Filed: 01/14/2014
• Published: 05/08/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 05/20/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH, Bosch Automotive Service Solutions LLC (SPX Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Bosch Automotive Service Solutions LLC (SPX Corporation)
• Inventors: Raichle, Kurt, Chinnadurai, Manokar, McGee, Phillip, Brun, Marco Le
• Granted Patent: US 9,183,682 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/33.2
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2209/823 where the data is sent when the measured values exceed a threshold, e.g. sending an alarm
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 9/00 Arrangements in telecontrol or telemetry systems for selectively calling a substation from a main station, in which substation desired apparatus is selected for applying a control signal thereto or for obtaining measured values therefrom

Abstract

A vehicular diagnostic tool configured to interface with a plurality of vehicular computing systems that each utilize a different communications protocol. The tool includes a transceiver that itself includes a voltage threshold controller and a current threshold controller. Also, a method of using a single vehicular diagnostic tool to communicate with a plurality of vehicular computing systems that each utilize a different communications protocol.

Claims

1. A vehicular diagnostic tool, comprising:

an interface configured to be communicatively connected to a vehicular computing system via a communication protocol selected from a plurality of communication protocols;

a transceiver electronically connected to the interface;

a voltage threshold controller configured to adjust a voltage threshold within the vehicular diagnostic tool to within a predetermined set of configurations based at least in part on the communication protocol by controlling a number of a plurality of impedances and a number of a plurality of voltage levels of the transceiver, wherein the transceiver is configured to automatically detect the communication protocol with the voltage threshold controller by passively reading one or more bit patterns from the vehicular computing system;

a plurality of switches connected to the voltage threshold controller, the plurality of impendences, and a plurality of reference voltage, where the plurality of switches is used to control a voltage at a vehicle'"'"'s communication bus.

2. The vehicular diagnostic tool of claim 1, wherein the transceiver further comprises:

a current threshold controller electronically connected to the voltage threshold controller.

3. The vehicular diagnostic tool of claim 1, further comprising:

a field programmable gate array electronically connected to the transceiver.

4. The vehicular diagnostic tool of claim 1, further comprising:

a transistor electronically connected to the voltage threshold controller.

5. The vehicular diagnostic tool of claim 4, wherein the transistor comprises a field effect transistor.

6. The vehicular diagnostic tool of claim 1, further comprising:

an amplifier electronically connected to the voltage threshold controller.

7. The vehicular diagnostic tool of claim 1, wherein the voltage threshold controller comprises:

a plurality of switches electronically connected to the plurality of voltage levels.

8. The vehicular diagnostic tool of claim 2, wherein the current threshold controller comprises:

a plurality of switches electronically connected to the plurality of impedances.

9. The vehicular diagnostic tool of claim 1, wherein the transceiver further comprises:

a plurality of switches electronically connected to a plurality of reference voltages.