Diagnosis system for a motor vehicle

• US 5,003,478 A
• Filed: 02/02/1989
• Issued: 03/26/1991
• Est. Priority Date: 02/16/1988
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Fuji Heavy Industries Limited (Subaru Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Fuji Heavy Industries Limited (Subaru Corp.)
• Inventors: Abe, Kunihiro, Sakamoto, Masanori, Kobayashi, Tomoya
• Primary Examiner(s): NOT, DEFINED
• Application Number:
  US07/306,874
• Time in Patent Office: 782 Days
• Field of Search: 364/431.01, 364/551.01, 73/116, 73/117.2, 73/117.3, 73/119 R, 73/119 A
• US Class Current: 701/32
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 41/266 the computer being backed-up or assisted by another circuit, e.g. analogue
• CPC Class Codes: G01D 7/08 using a common indicating element for two or more variables
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 31/007 using microprocessors or computers
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 5/08 Registering or indicating performance data other than driving, working, idle, or waiting time, with or without registering driving, working, idle or waiting time
• 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: G07C 5/0858 wherein the data carrier is removable

Abstract

A system for diagnosing a motor vehicle has a diagnosis device including a computer having a central processing unit and a memory, the memory having a plurality of programs for diagnosing an electronic control system for controlling an engine. An indicator section and a display are provided. The diagnosis device has a control unit. The control unit receives input and output data of an element in the electronic control system and drives the indicator to indicate operating conditions of the element in accordance with the input and output data. On the other hand, the display displays an identification code of the element.

Claims

1. A system for diagnosing an electronic control system of an automotive engine mounted on a motor vehicle, the electronic control system having sensing means including switches for detecting operating conditions of the vehicle, means for storing output data from said sensing means and providing control data for controlling the vehicle via actuators, said output data and said control data constituting diagnosis data, the diagnosis system comprising:

a diagnosis device including a computer having a central processing unit and a memory connected to said processing unit including a code generating means for generating codes designating selected diagnosis data, the memory having a plurality of programs for diagnosing said electronic control system, and display means for displaying results of the diagnosis followed by said programs;

said display means comprising;

a plurality of indicators showing conditions of said data; and

crystal display means for displaying said codes corresponding to said diagnosis data and having a plurality of cells for storing said codes corresponding to said indicators; and

said diagnosis device further including driving means responsive to said codes and said diagnosis data for providing first signals to said indicators and providing second signals to said crystal display means so as to simultaneously display said codes corresponding to said diagnosis data.

2. The system according to claim 1, wherein

the plurality of indicators comprises a plurality of LEDs and the crystal display means is a liquid crystal cell.

3. In a diagnosis system for an electronic control system mounted on an engine driven motor vehicle having sensing means including switches for detecting operating conditions of the vehicle, and means for storing output data from said sensing means and providing control data for controlling the vehicle via actuators, the diagnosis system having diagnosis means responsive to at least one of said output data and control data for diagnosing said at least one data and for providing diagnosis data, display means for displaying said diagnosis data, a keyboard for inputting a mode code of a selected diagnosis mode into said diagnosis means and for producing a mode code select signal, a detachable memory cartridge detachably connected to said diagnosis means for storing a plurality of programs to diagnose said at least one data, communication means provided in said diagnosis means for transmitting said at least one data between said electronic control system and said diagnosis means, connecting means for connecting said diagnosis means with said electronic control system and said detachable memory cartridge which have different types of data signals being transmitted in response to a demand signal corresponding to said mode code select signal, the improvement in the diagnosis system, which includes a programmed computer, comprising:

table retrieval means responsive to said mode code select signal for reading out a row of a selected table corresponding to the selected diagnosis mode and for producing a corresponding output signal;

indicator selecting means responsive to said output signal and said diagnosis data from said communication means and for generating first driving signals;

display driving means responsive to said output signal and said diagnosis data for producing second driving signals corresponding to read out data in the selected table and said diagnosis data;

said display means comprises;

a plurality of indicators provided adjacent to said keyboard, said first driving signals flashing a corresponding combination of said indicators; and

a crystal display means provided adjacent to said indicators and responsive to said second driving signals for displaying identification codes corresponding to said diagnosis data so as to simultaneously and continuously display said diagnosis data corresponding to said different types of data signals without changing said detachable memory cartridge.