Fault diagnosis system for electronic devices on automobiles

• US 4,901,025 A
• Filed: 08/13/1987
• Issued: 02/13/1990
• Est. Priority Date: 08/13/1987
• Status: Expired

• Current Assignee: Mitsubishi Denki Kabushiki Kaisha (Mitsubishi Electric Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Mitsubishi Denki Kabushiki Kaisha (Mitsubishi Electric Corporation)
• Inventors: Maekawa, HIrotoshi, Hirano, Shigeaki
• Primary Examiner(s): Strecker, Gerard R.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Harvey, Jack B.
• Application Number:
  US07/084,841
• Time in Patent Office: 915 Days
• Field of Search: 324/537, 324/500, 324/503, 324/384, 324/73 AT, 324/73 R, 364/431.01, 364/431.11, 340/52 F
• US Class Current: 324/537
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 31/006 on road vehicles, e.g. automobiles or trucks testing of ignition installations peculiar to internal combustion engines F02P17/00

Abstract

A fault diagnosis system is provided for vehicles having a pluarlity of automotive electonic devices which output fault diagnoses according to one of a plurality of output signal schemes disposed thereon. A vehicle-side connector includes pins for carrying signal lines for signals representing the results of the fault diagnoses output from the plurality of of electronic devices. The vehicle-side connector also includes at least one pin for carrying at least one control line for a signal designating a selected output signaling scheme to the electronic devices. One of a plurality of testers displays the results of the fault diagnoses on the basis of the signals transmitted from the respective electronic devices. Each tester has a tester-side connector which connects to the vehicle-side connector to connect the output signals from each of the electronic devices and the control signal for designating the selective signaling scheme.

Claims

1. A fault diagnosis system for an automobile comprising:

at least one automotive electronic device mounted on an automobile which performs a fault diagnosis on the automobile, the electronic device having a signal line for outputting signals representing results of the fault diagnosis according to either one of a plurality of output signaling schemes and having a control line for inputting a signal selecting the output signal scheme;

a vehicle-side connector connected to the signal line and the control line;

a first tester adapted to a first one of the plurality of output signaling schemes and having a display for displaying results of the fault diagnosis transmitted from said electronic device in accordance with the first output signaling scheme, the first tester having a first tester-side connector which can be connected to said vehicle-side connector for linking the signal lines and the control line between said electronic device and said first tester, the first tester providing a first signal for designating the first output signaling scheme to said control line; and

a second tester adapted to a second one of the plurality of output signaling schemes and having a display for displaying results of the fault diagnosis transmitted from said electronic device in accordance with the second output signaling scheme, the second tester having a second tester-side connector which can be connected to said vehicle-side connector for linking the signal lines and the control line between said electronic device and said second tester, the second tester providing a second signal for designating the second output signaling scheme to said control line;

wherein either one of said tester-side connectors of said testers can be selectively connected to said vehicle-side connector.

2. A fault diagnosis system according to claim 1 wherein:

the first tester is wired to provide a floating voltage over the control line, and

the second tester is wired to connect the control line to a grounding point.