Methods and Systems for Modifying Diagnostic Flowcharts Based on Flowchart Performances

• US 20180032909A1
• Filed: 08/01/2016
• Published: 02/01/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 08/01/2016
• Status: Active Application

• Current Assignee: Snap-On Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Snap-On Incorporated
• Inventors: Merg, Patrick S.
• Application Number:
  US15/225,806
• Publication Number:
  US 20180032909A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/00 Error detection; Error correction; Monitoring error detection, correction or monitoring in information storage based on relative movement between record carrier and transducer G11B20/18; monitoring, i.e. supervising the progress of recording or reproducing G11B27/36; in static stores G11C29/00

Abstract

Methods and system pertaining to modifying a diagnostic flowchart are described. A method can include (i) receiving, from a diagnostic computing device, a request indicative of a vehicle problem, (ii) selecting a first diagnostic flowchart associated with the vehicle problem from a plurality of diagnostic flowcharts. Each diagnostic flowchart includes one or more ordered and performable path elements, where each path element leads to one or more ordered decision elements, where each path element comprises one or more diagnostic steps. The method also includes (iii) sending the first diagnostic flowchart for performance at a diagnostic computing device, (iv) determining first feedback data associated with a performance of the first diagnostic flowchart at the diagnostic computing device, and (v) modifying the first diagnostic flowchart based at least on the first feedback data.

Claims

1. A method performed by a computing server, the method comprising:

receiving, from a diagnostic computing device, a request indicative of a vehicle problem;

selecting a first diagnostic flowchart associated with the vehicle problem from a plurality of diagnostic flowcharts, wherein each diagnostic flowchart comprises one or more ordered and performable path elements, wherein each path element leads to one or more decision elements, and wherein each path element comprises one or more diagnostic steps;

sending the first diagnostic flowchart for performance at the diagnostic computing device;

determining first feedback data associated with a performance of the first diagnostic flowchart at the diagnostic computing device; and

modifying the first diagnostic flowchart based at least on the first feedback data.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining aggregated feedback data based on;

(i) the first feedback data, (ii) feedback data determined from one or more other performances of the first diagnostic flowchart prior to being modified,

wherein modifying the first diagnostic flowchart based at least on the first feedback data includes modifying the first diagnostic flowchart based on the aggregated feedback data.

3. The method of claim 2, further comprising:

determining that a number of the one or more other performances of the first diagnostic flowchart and the performance of the first diagnostic flowchart is greater than a predetermined threshold of flowchart performances.

4. The method of claim 2,

wherein the request is associated with a geographic region,

wherein selecting the first diagnostic flowchart is based in part on the geographic region, and

wherein the first diagnostic flowchart is associated with the geographic region.

5. The method of claim 2, wherein the first feedback data comprises at least one of:

(i) data indicative of a performance of at least one path element of the first diagnostic flowchart, (ii) one or more parameters obtained during the performance of the at least one path element, (iii) data indicative of a decision made for at least one decision element of the first diagnostic flowchart, (iv) data indicative of whether the performance of the diagnostic flowchart at the diagnostic computing device resulted in a correct diagnosis of the vehicle problem, and (v) data indicative of an input from technician performing the at least one path element.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the input from the technician includes supplemental information received from an authorized entity, wherein the authorized entity is one of:

(i) a vehicle manufacturer, or (ii) a vehicle part manufacturer, or (iii) a vehicle service information provider.

7. The method of claim 5, wherein the one or more parameters comprise at least one of:

an experience level of the technician, an execution time of the at least one path element, and a measurement resulting from performance of the at least one path element.

8. The method of claim 1,

wherein the one or more path elements comprises at least two path elements in a first order, and

wherein modifying the first diagnostic flowchart comprises changing an order of the at least two path elements to a second order different than the first order.

9. The method of claim 1,

wherein the one or more path elements comprises at least two path elements in a first order, and

wherein modifying the first diagnostic flowchart comprises removing at least one path element of the at least two path elements.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein modifying the first diagnostic flowchart comprises:

adding at least one path element to the first diagnostic flowchart.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein modifying the first diagnostic flowchart comprises:

modifying a diagnostic step of at least one of the one or more path elements.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein modifying the first diagnostic flowchart comprises at least one of adding a decision element to the first diagnostic flowchart, and changing at least one of the one or more decision elements of the first diagnostic flowchart.

13. A method performed by a diagnostic computing device, the method comprising:

determining that a first input indicates a vehicle problem;

sending a first request indicative of the vehicle problem to a computing server;

receiving from the computing server a first diagnostic flowchart associated with the vehicle problem, wherein the first diagnostic flowchart comprises one or more ordered and performable path elements, wherein each path element leads to one or more ordered decision elements, wherein each path element comprises one or more diagnostic steps;

outputting the first diagnostic flowchart to be displayed on a graphical interface of a display at the diagnostic computing device;

determining a second input to the diagnostic computing device indicates an instruction to perform at least one path element of the first diagnostic flowchart;

performing the at least one path element;

determining first feedback data associated with the performed at least one path element; and

sending the first feedback data to the computing server.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the first feedback data comprises at least one feedback element selected from the group consisting of:

(i) data indicative of performance of at least one path element of the first diagnostic flowchart, (ii) one or more parameters obtained during performance of the at least one path element, (iii) data indicative of a decision made for at least one decision element of the first diagnostic flowchart, and (iv) data indicative of whether the performance of the diagnostic flowchart at the diagnostic computing device results in a correct diagnosis of the vehicle problem.

15. The method of claim 13, wherein performing the at least one path element comprises causing a measurement tool coupled to the apparatus to perform the at least one path element.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the first feedback data comprises a measurement performed by the measurement tool.

17. The method of claim 13, further comprising:

sending, to the computing server, a second request for a second diagnostic flowchart associated with the vehicle problem;

receiving the second diagnostic flowchart at the second diagnostic computing device; and

outputting the second diagnostic flowchart to be displayed simultaneously with the first diagnostic flowchart on the graphical interface of the display at the diagnostic computing device.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the second diagnostic flowchart is an original diagnostic flowchart, and wherein the first diagnostic flowchart is a modified diagnostic flowchart based on the original diagnostic flowchart.

19. An apparatus comprising:

a display device;

a network interface;

one or more processors; and

at least one computer-readable medium storing program instructions, that when executed by the one or more processors, cause a set of functions to be performed, the set of functions comprising;

determining that a first input indicates a vehicle problem;

sending a request indicative of the vehicle problem to a computing server;

receiving from the computing server a first diagnostic flowchart associated with the vehicle problem, wherein the first diagnostic flowchart comprises one or more ordered and performable path elements, wherein each path element leads to one or more decision elements, wherein each path element comprises one or more diagnostic steps;

outputting the first diagnostic flowchart to be displayed on a graphical interface of the display device;

determining that a second input indicates an instruction to perform at least one path element of the first diagnostic flowchart;

performing the at least one path element; and

determining first feedback data associated with the at least one performed path element.

20. The apparatus of claim 19,

wherein determining the first feedback data associated with the at least one performed path element comprises determining one or more elements of the feedback data, and

wherein the set of functions further comprise sending the one or more elements of the first feedback data to the computing server.

21. The apparatus of claim 19,

wherein performing the at least one path element comprises causing a measurement tool coupled to the apparatus to perform the at least one path element, and

wherein the first feedback data comprises measurement data obtained by the measurement tool during performance of the at least one path element.

22. The apparatus of claim 19,

wherein the apparatus is associated with a geographic region, and

wherein the first diagnostic flowchart is associated with the geographic region.

24. The apparatus of claim 19, further comprising:

a vehicle interface removably connectable to a vehicles wirelessly and/or by a wired communication link,

wherein the vehicle interface is configured to transmit a request for vehicle data from the vehicle to perform at least a portion of the first path element and to receive vehicle data from the vehicle in response to the request for vehicle data, and

wherein the first feedback data comprises vehicle data from the vehicle.

23. The apparatus 19, wherein the one or more elements comprise at least one of (i) data indicative of performance of at least one path element of the first diagnostic flowchart, (ii) one or more parameters obtained during performance of the at least one path element, (iii) data indicative of a decision made for at least one decision element of the first diagnostic flowchart, and (iv) data indicative of whether the performance of the first diagnostic flowchart at the diagnostic computing device results in a correct diagnosis of the vehicle problem.

25. A system comprising:

a computing server including one or more processors; and

at least one non-transitory computer readable medium containing program instructions executable by the one or more processors to;

determine that a first request indicates a vehicle problem;

select a first diagnostic flowchart associated with the vehicle problem from a plurality of diagnostic flowcharts, wherein each diagnostic flowchart comprises one or more ordered and performable path elements, wherein each path element leads to one or more ordered decision elements, wherein each path element comprises one or more diagnostic steps;

send the first diagnostic flowchart for performance at a diagnostic computing device;

determine first feedback data associated with a performance of the first diagnostic flowchart at the diagnostic computing device; and

modify the first diagnostic flowchart based at least on the first feedback data.

26. The system of claim 25, further comprising:

the diagnostic computing device,

wherein the further program instructions stored in the at least one non-transitory computer readable medium and executable by at least the one or more processors to;

determine that a first input indicates the vehicle problem;

send a request indicative of the vehicle problem to the computing server;

receive from the computing server the first diagnostic flowchart associated with the vehicle problem;

output the first diagnostic flowchart to be displayed on a graphical interface of a display device;

determine that a second input indicates an instruction to perform at least one path element of the first diagnostic flowchart;

perform the at least one path element; and

determine the first feedback data associated with the at least one performed path element.

27. The system of claim 25, wherein the plurality of diagnostic flowcharts are contained within the at least one non-transitory computer readable medium.

28. The system of claim 25, wherein the program instructions are executable by the one or more processors to:

determine aggregated feedback data based on the first feedback data and feedback data determined from one or more other occurrences of the first diagnostic flowchart being performed prior to being modified,

wherein modifying the first diagnostic flowchart based at least one the first feedback data includes modifying the first diagnostic flowcharted based on the aggregated feedback data.