VEHICLE DIAGNOSTIC SYSTEMS AND METHODS

• US 20150121275A1
• Filed: 10/24/2014
• Published: 04/30/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 10/24/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: ALLDATA LLC (Autozone Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: ALLDATA LLC (Autozone Incorporated)
• Inventors: Marshall, Paul A., Lagges, Jeffery W.
• Granted Patent: US 9,513,789 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 715/771
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04817 using icons graphical or visual programming using iconic symbols G06F8/34
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04847 Interaction techniques to control parameter settings, e.g. interaction with sliders or dials
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0488 using a touch-screen or digitiser, e.g. input of commands through traced gestures
• 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: H04W 4/80 Services using short range communication, e.g. near-field communication [NFC], radio-frequency identification [RFID] or low energy communication

Abstract

A system for diagnosing and repairing vehicles is provided. An example apparatus includes a vehicle interface configured to transmit one or more instructions to an adaptor connected to a vehicle and retrieve an indication of one or more diagnostic trouble codes from the adaptor. The apparatus includes a communication module configured to transmit the diagnostic trouble codes to a remote server along with a user identifier or a vehicle identification number, and receive repair information from the remote server. The apparatus further includes a user interface configured to receive user requests for information and to display information regarding the adaptor, the vehicle information, the one or more diagnostic trouble codes, and/or the repair information. Finally, the apparatus includes a memory and a processor configured to control the vehicle interface, the communication module, the user interface, and the memory.

Claims

1. An apparatus for vehicle diagnosis and repair, the apparatus comprising:

a vehicle interface configured to

identify one or more adaptors with which the apparatus may communicate,

establish a connection between the apparatus and a first adaptor of the one or more adaptors, wherein establishing the connection is based on the first adaptor being located at a first physical location and connected to a vehicle,

send, via a Bluetooth™

transmission, one or more instructions to the first adaptor,

retrieve, from the first adaptor via a Bluetooth™

transmission, a vehicle identification number of the vehicle, and an indication of one or more diagnostic trouble codes;

a communication module configured to

transmit, to a remote server, the vehicle identification number of the vehicle or a user identifier associated with the apparatus,

receive, from the remote server, historical information regarding the vehicle or the user identifier,

transmit, to the remote server, the retrieved indication of the one or more diagnostic trouble codes and at least one of the user identifier or the vehicle identification number, and

receive, from the remote server, repair information based on the one or more diagnostic trouble codes, the user identifier, or the vehicle identification number;

a memory configured to store information received from the vehicle interface or the communication module;

a user interface configured to

display icons representing the one or more diagnostic trouble codes, and

receive, via touch screen selection of a displayed icon, a user request for information regarding a corresponding diagnostic trouble code,

display a portion of the repair information received from the remote server relating to the corresponding diagnostic trouble code; and

a processor configured to control the vehicle interface, the communication module, the memory, and the user interface.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the apparatus comprises a tablet computing device.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the communication module is further configured to receive, from the remote server, diagnostic predictions in response to transmission of the retrieved indication of the one or more diagnostic trouble codes and at least one of the user identifier or the vehicle identification number.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the communication module is further configured to:

transmit, to the remote server, an indication of a vehicle identification number or a user identifier; and

receive, from the remote server, historical information regarding a vehicle associated with the vehicle identification number or the user identifier.

5. The apparatus of claim 1,

wherein the user interface is further configured to

display one or more icons including descriptive information regarding the one or more adaptors, the descriptive information identifying the physical locations of each of the one or more adaptors,

receive, via touch screen selection of icon representing the first adaptor, a user request to establish a connection with the first adaptor based on the first adaptor being located at the first physical location.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the user interface is further configured to:

display information indicating a status of each of the one or more diagnostic trouble codes.

7. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the user interface is further configured to:

display information representing a set of recent vehicles;

receive an indication of user selection of one of the set of recent vehicles; and

display information regarding active diagnostic trouble codes and pending diagnostic trouble codes of the one of the set of recent vehicles.

18. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the vehicle interface is further configured to:

identify one or more adaptors with which the apparatus may communicate; and

establish a connection between the apparatus and the first adaptor based on the first adaptor being located at the first physical location and connected to the vehicle.

19. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the user interface is further configured to:

display information indicating a status of each of the one or more diagnostic trouble codes.

20. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the user interface is further configured to:

display information representing a set of recent vehicles;

receive an indication of user selection of one of the set of recent vehicles; and

display information regarding active diagnostic trouble codes and pending diagnostic trouble codes of the one of the set of recent vehicles.

8. A computer-readable storage device for vehicle diagnosis and repair, the computer-readable storage device storing computer program instructions that, when executed by a processor, cause a computing device to:

send a Bluetooth™

transmission including one or more instructions to a first adaptor connected to a vehicle;

retrieve, from the first adaptor, a Bluetooth™

transmission including an indication of one or more diagnostic trouble codes from the first adaptor;

retrieve, from the first adaptor, a Bluetooth™

transmission including a vehicle identification number of the vehicle;

transmit, to a remote server, the vehicle identification number of the vehicle or a user identifier associated with the computing device;

receive, from the remote server, historical information regarding the vehicle or the user identifier;

transmit, to the remote server, the retrieved indication of the one or more diagnostic trouble codes and at least one of the user identifier or the vehicle identification number;

receive, from the remote server, repair information based on the one or more diagnostic trouble codes, the user identifier, or the vehicle identification number;

display icons representing the one or more diagnostic trouble codes;

receive, via touch screen selection of a displayed icon, a user request for information regarding a corresponding diagnostic trouble code; and

display a portion of the repair information received from the remote server and relating to the corresponding diagnostic trouble code.

9. The computer-readable storage device of claim 8, wherein the computing device comprises a tablet computing device.

10. The computer-readable storage device of claim 8, wherein the computer program instructions, when executed by a processor, further cause the computing device to:

receive, from the remote server, diagnostic predictions in response to transmission of the retrieved indication of the one or more diagnostic trouble codes and at least one of the user identifier or the vehicle identification number.

11. The computer-readable storage device of claim 8, wherein the computer program instructions, when executed by a processor, further cause the computing device to:

transmit, to the remote server, an indication of a vehicle identification number or a user identifier associated with the vehicle; and

receive, from the remote server, historical information regarding the vehicle associated with the vehicle identification number or the user identifier.

12. The computer-readable storage device of claim 8, wherein the computer program instructions, when executed by a processor, further cause the computing device to, prior to transmitting the one or more instructions to the first adaptor:

identify one or more adaptors with which the apparatus may communicate, wherein the first adaptor comprises one of the one or more adaptors;

display icons representing each of the one or more adaptors;

receive, via touch screen selection of one of the icons representing the first adaptor, a user request to establish a connection with the first adaptor;

determine whether the one or more adaptors are connected to respective vehicles; and

in response to receiving the user request, establish a connection between the apparatus and the first adaptor.

13. The computer-readable storage device of claim 8, wherein the computer program instructions, when executed by a processor, further cause the computing device to:

display information indicating a status of each of the one or more diagnostic trouble codes.

14. The computer-readable storage device of claim 8, wherein the computer program instructions, when executed by a processor, further cause the computing device to:

display information representing a set of recent vehicles;

receive an indication of user selection of one of the set of recent vehicles; and

display information regarding active diagnostic trouble codes and pending diagnostic trouble codes of the one of the set of recent vehicles.

15. An apparatus for vehicle diagnosis and repair, the apparatus comprising:

a vehicle interface configured to

send, via a Bluetooth™

transmission, one or more instructions to a first adaptor, wherein the first adaptor is connected to a vehicle,

retrieve, from the first adaptor via a Bluetooth™

transmission, a vehicle identification number of the vehicle, and an indication of one or more diagnostic trouble codes;

a communication module configured to

transmit, to a remote server, the vehicle identification number of the vehicle or a user identifier associated with the apparatus,

receive, from the remote server, historical information regarding the vehicle or the user identifier,

transmit, to the remote server, the retrieved indication of the one or more diagnostic trouble codes and at least one of the user identifier or the vehicle identification number, and

receive, from the remote server, repair information based on the one or more diagnostic trouble codes, the user identifier, or the vehicle identification number;

a memory configured to store information received from the vehicle interface or the communication module;

a user interface configured to

display one or more icons including descriptive information regarding the one or more adaptors, the descriptive information identifying the physical locations of each of the one or more adaptors,

receive, via touch screen selection of icon representing the first adaptor, a user request to establish a connection with the first adaptor based on the first adaptor being located at the first physical location,

display icons representing the one or more diagnostic trouble codes,

receive, via touch screen selection of a displayed icon, a user request for information regarding a corresponding diagnostic trouble code, and

display a portion of the repair information received from the remote server relating to the corresponding diagnostic trouble code; and

a processor configured to control the vehicle interface, the communication module, the memory, and the user interface.

16. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the apparatus comprises a tablet computing device.

17. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the communication module is further configured to:

transmit, to the remote server, an indication of a vehicle identification number or a user identifier; and

receive, from the remote server, historical information regarding a vehicle associated with the vehicle identification number or the user identifier.