Remote site engine test techniques
First Claim
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1. Apparatus for analyzing a first internal combustion engine located at a first site and a second internal combustion engine located at a second site displaced from the first site comprising:
- first data acquisition means located at the first site for generating, displaying and storing first condition data quantitatively defining a plurality of conditions of the first engine and for displaying first diagnostic data resulting from analysis of the first condition data based on first program instructions;
second data acquisition means located at the second site for generating, displaying and storing second condition data quantitatively defining a plurality of conditions of the second engine and for displaying second diagnostic data resulting from analysis of the second condition data based on second program instructions;
data processor means located at a third site displaced from the first and second sites for storing a data base defining engine condition specifications and for analyzing the first and second condition data by means of the data base in order to generate the first diagnostic data representing a diagnostic evaluation of the first engine and the second diagnostic data representing a diagnostic evaluation of the second engine;
first memory means located at the first site and dedicated to the storage of said first program instructions independent of the data processor means;
second memory means located at the second site and dedicated to the storage of said second program instructions independent of the data processor means;
terminal means for updating the data base; and
linking means for enabling the first and second condition data to be transmitted from the first and second data acquisition means, respectively, to the data processor means, for enabling the first and second diagnostic data to be transmitted from the data processor means to the first and second data acquisition means, respectively, and for enabling the first and second diagnostic data to be stored by the first and second data acquisition means, respectively, whereby acquisition and display of condition data representing engine conditions occurs at the sites of the engines, detailed analysis of the condition data is performed by the data processor means at the third site, and the results of the analysis are displayed at the sites of the engines, so that engines at displaced sites can be analyzed in detail by means of an up-to-date data base located at a remote site.
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Abstract
Digital condition data corresponding to a plurality of engine operating conditions of an internal combustion engine are generated and stored in a memory system for visual display to an operator mechanic. Particular data from the memory are converted from a parallel digital format to a serial digital format for transmission to a remote site computer across telephone lines. The remote site computer analyzes the data and returns the diagnostic results for visual display to the operator mechanic.
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Citations
23 Claims
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1. Apparatus for analyzing a first internal combustion engine located at a first site and a second internal combustion engine located at a second site displaced from the first site comprising:
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first data acquisition means located at the first site for generating, displaying and storing first condition data quantitatively defining a plurality of conditions of the first engine and for displaying first diagnostic data resulting from analysis of the first condition data based on first program instructions; second data acquisition means located at the second site for generating, displaying and storing second condition data quantitatively defining a plurality of conditions of the second engine and for displaying second diagnostic data resulting from analysis of the second condition data based on second program instructions; data processor means located at a third site displaced from the first and second sites for storing a data base defining engine condition specifications and for analyzing the first and second condition data by means of the data base in order to generate the first diagnostic data representing a diagnostic evaluation of the first engine and the second diagnostic data representing a diagnostic evaluation of the second engine; first memory means located at the first site and dedicated to the storage of said first program instructions independent of the data processor means; second memory means located at the second site and dedicated to the storage of said second program instructions independent of the data processor means; terminal means for updating the data base; and linking means for enabling the first and second condition data to be transmitted from the first and second data acquisition means, respectively, to the data processor means, for enabling the first and second diagnostic data to be transmitted from the data processor means to the first and second data acquisition means, respectively, and for enabling the first and second diagnostic data to be stored by the first and second data acquisition means, respectively, whereby acquisition and display of condition data representing engine conditions occurs at the sites of the engines, detailed analysis of the condition data is performed by the data processor means at the third site, and the results of the analysis are displayed at the sites of the engines, so that engines at displaced sites can be analyzed in detail by means of an up-to-date data base located at a remote site. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
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14. Apparatus for use in a system including a remote data processor capable of generating diagnostic data representing a diagnostic evaluation of condition data which quantitatively defines a plurality of conditions of an internal combustion engine, the diagnostic data and condition data being transmitted over linking means, said apparatus comprising:
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measurement means connectable to the internal combustion engine for generating a plurality of digital measurement signals corresponding to a plurality of engine conditions; memory means for storing the condition data and diagnostic data and for storing program instructions independent of the remote data processor; communication means for enabling the linking means to transmist the condition data to the remote data processor and for enabling the receipt of the diagnostic data from the linking means; display means for displaying condition numbers representing the value of the condition data and for displaying diagnostic characters in response to the diagnostic data; and acquisition processor means for (i) utilizing said digital measurement signals to produce said condition data quantitatively defining said engine conditions, (ii) storing said condition data in said memory means, (iii) enabling the display means to display the condition numbers in response to the condition data, (iv) enabling said communication means to establish communication with the linking means so that the condition data is transmitted to the remote data processor, and the diagnostic data is received from the remote data processor, and (v) enabling the display means to display the diagnostic characters in response to the diagnostic data, whereby acquisition of condition data representing engine conditions can occur at the site of the engine and diagnostic evaluation of the engine conditions can occur at a site remote from the engine. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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21. A method of analyzing a first internal combustion engine located at a first site by means of a first dedicated memory and analyzing a second internal combustion engine located at a second site displaced from the first site by means of a second dedicated memory, comprising the steps of:
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permanently storing first program instructions in the first dedicated memory and locating said memory at the first site; permanently storing second program instructions in the second dedicated memory and locating said memory at the second site; generating, displaying and storing, at the first site, first condition data quantitatively defining a plurality of conditions of the first engine based on said first program instructions; generating, displaying and storing, at the second site, second condition data quantitatively defining a plurality of conditions of the second engine based on said second program instructions; storing a data base defining engine condition specifications at a third site displaced from the first and second sites; transmitting the first and second condition data from the first and second sites, respectively, to the third site; analyzing, at the third site, the first and second condition data for diagnostically evaluating the first and the second engines respectively, said analyzing including utilizing the data base; generating, at the third site, first diagnostic data representing the diagnostic evaluation of the first engine and generating second diagnostic data representing the diagnostic evaluation of the second engine; transmitting the first and second diagnostic data from the third site to the first site and the second site, respectively; storing the first diagnostic data at the first site; storing the second diagnostic data at the second site; and displaying, at the first site, the first diagnostic data and displaying, at the second site, the second diagnostic data. - View Dependent Claims (22, 23)
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Specification