SMART PLUG AND PLAY AUTOMATIC OBD-II SYSTEM TESTER

• US 20160073211A1
• Filed: 09/04/2015
• Published: 03/10/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 09/09/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Panasonic Automotive Systems Company of America (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Panasonic Automotive Systems Company of America (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Inventors: ZAMAN, NAJAMUZ
• Granted Patent: US 9,781,527 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2499/13 Acoustic transducers and sound field adaptation in vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 29/00 Monitoring arrangements; Testing arrangements for hearing aids H04R25/30; detection of loudspeaker connection H04R5/04; sound-field adaptation dependent on speaker detection H04S7/308

Abstract

An audio system testing arrangement includes a controller coupled to a communication. bus of a motor vehicle. The controller runs test scripts via the communication bus. The test scripts are for testing features of an audio system within the vehicle. A fault of the audio system is determined dependent upon results of the test scripts, a display and/or speaker annunciates the determined fault of the audio system.

Claims

1. An audio system testing arrangement, comprising:

a controller configured to;

be coupled to a communication bus of a motor vehicle;

run a plurality of test scripts via the communication bus, the test scripts testing features of an audio system within the vehicle; and

determine a fault of the audio system dependent upon results of the test scripts; and

a display and/or speaker configured to annunciate the determined fault of the audio system.

2. The arrangement of claim 1 further comprising a microphone configured to sense audible sounds emitted by a speaker of the vehicle, the controller being configured to determine the fault of the audio system dependent upon a signal generated by the microphone.

3. The arrangement of claim 1 further comprising a temperature sensor configured to sense a temperature of the audio system, the controller being configured to determine the fault of the audio system dependent upon a signal generated by the temperature sensor.

4. The arrangement of claim 3 wherein the signal generated by the temperature sensor includes a temperature and a date and time stamp associated with the temperature.

5. The arrangement of claim 1 wherein the test scripts include a plurality of first test scripts that store information about an audio system of the vehicle and a plurality of second test scripts that diagnose the audio system.

6. The arrangement of claim 1 further comprising a first switch connected to the controller and a second switch connected to the controller, the first switch being configured to cause the controller to run a next said test script in response to the first switch being actuated, the second switch being configured to cause the controller to run a previous said test script in response to the second switch being actuated.

7. The arrangement of claim 1 wherein the controller is disposed within a portable module that is configured to be temporarily plugged into the motor vehicle.

8. An audio system testing method, comprising the steps of

coupling a controller to a signal bus of a motor vehicle;

using the controller to run a plurality of test scripts via the signal bus, the test scripts testing features of an audio system within the vehicle;

determining a fault of the audio system dependent upon results of the test scripts; and

annunciating the determined fault of the audio system.

9. The method of claim 8 wherein the determined fault is annunciated by a display screen and/or a loudspeaker.

10. The method of claim 8 further comprising:

sensing audible sounds emitted by a speaker of the vehicle; and

determining the fault of the audio system dependent upon the sensed audible sounds.

11. The method of claim 8 further comprising:

sensing a temperature of the audio system; and

determining the fault of the audio system dependent upon the sensed temperature.

12. The method of claim 11 further comprising generating and storing in memory a date and time stamp in association with the temperature.

13. The method of claim 8 wherein the test scripts include a plurality of first test scripts that store information about an audio system of the vehicle and a plurality of second test scripts that diagnose the audio system.

14. The method of claim 8 further comprising:

causing the controller to run a next said test script by actuating a first switch; and

causing the controller to run a previous said test script by actuating a second switch.

15. The method of claim 8 wherein the controller is disposed within a portable module, the method further comprising temporarily plugging the portable module into the motor vehicle.

16. An audio system testing arrangement, comprising:

a controller configured to;

run a plurality of test scripts via a communication bus of a motor vehicle, the test scripts including a plurality of first test scripts that store information about an audio system of the vehicle and a plurality of second test scripts that diagnose the audio system; and

determine a fault of the audio system dependent upon results of the test scripts; and

a display and/or speaker configured to annunciate the determined fault of the audio system.

17. The arrangement of claim 16 further comprising a microphone configured to sense audible sounds emitted by a speaker of the vehicle, the controller being configured to determine the fault of the audio system dependent upon a signal generated by the microphone.

18. The arrangement of claim 16 further comprising a temperature sensor configured to sense a temperature of the audio system, the controller being configured to determine the fault of the audio system dependent upon a signal generated by the temperature sensor.

19. The arrangement of claim 16 further comprising a first switch connected to the controller and a second switch connected to the controller, the first switch being configured to cause the controller to run a next said test script in response to the first switch being actuated, the second switch being configured to cause the controller to run a previous said test script in response to the second switch being actuated.

20. The arrangement of claim 16 wherein the controller is disposed within a portable module that is configured to be temporarily plugged into the motor vehicle.