Self-diagnosis system for a motor vehicle

• US 5,034,894 A
• Filed: 04/04/1989
• Issued: 07/23/1991
• Est. Priority Date: 04/11/1988
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Fuji Heavy Industries Limited (Subaru Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Fuji Heavy Industries Limited (Subaru Corp.)
• Inventors: Abe, Kunihiro
• Primary Examiner(s): Gruber, Felix D.
• Application Number:
  US07/333,999
• Time in Patent Office: 840 Days
• Field of Search: 364/431.01, 364/424.03, 364/551.01, 73/116, 73/117.2, 73/117.3, 73/119 R, 73/119 A
• US Class Current: 701/99
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 41/22 Safety or indicating devices for abnormal conditions in air/fuel ratio feedback systems F02D41/1495, in electric control linkage F02D11/107, in purge control systems F02M25/0809
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 41/2406 using essentially read only memories
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/24054 Self diagnostic
• 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: Y02T 10/40 Engine management systems

Abstract

Various detectors are provided for detecting engine operating conditions and for continuously producing an operating condition signal during operation of an engine. A self-diagnosis device is responsive to the operating condition signal for detecting an abnormality in the signal and for producing a data signal. A nonvolatile memory is provided for storing the data signal. The data signal is indicated on a display on an outside computer.

Claims

1. A self-diagnosis system for diagnosing an electronic control system for a motor vehicle, the control system being connected to sensing means for detecting operation conditions of the vehicle and for generating an operating condition signal, and the control system having a calculator responsive to said operating condition signal for calculating output data to control the vehicle and for outputting a data signal, an improvement of the self-diagnosis system which comprises:

self-diagnosis means responsive to said operating condition signal and said data signal for automatically diagnosing said operating condition signal and said data signal so as to detect an abnormality and to retrieve a trouble code from a memory and for producing a trouble code signal;

trouble code output means responsive to said trouble code signal for indicating said trouble code by flashing a warning lamp;

nonvolatile memory means responsive to said trouble code signal for storing said trouble code and said output data corresponding thereto; and

trouble code display means responsive to said trouble code for displaying both said trouble code and said output data stored in the nonvolatile memory means so as to immediately and exactly indicate said output data when the abnormality occurred.

2. The system according to claim 1, wherein

said trouble code display means includes an outside diagnosis device having a display.

3. The system according to claim 2, wherein

said outside diagnosis device has a keyboard and produces a diagnosis data demand signal so as to transmit and display said code and said output data corresponding to said abnormality.

4. The system according to claim 1, wherein

said trouble code display means displays said trouble code and said output data in turns.

5. A self-diagnosing system for diagnosing an electronic control system for a motor vehicle, the control system being connected to sensing means for detecting operation conditions of the vehicle and for generating an operating condition signal, and the control system having a calculator responsive to said operating condition signal for calculating output data to control the vehicle and for outputting a data signal, an improvement of the self-diagnosis system which comprises:

self-diagnosis means responsive to said operating condition signal and said data signal for automatically diagnosing said operating condition signal and said data signal so as to detect an abnormality and to retrieve a trouble code from a memory and for producing a trouble code signal;

trouble code output means responsive to said trouble code signal for indicating said trouble code by flashing a warning lamp;

nonvolatile memory means responsive to said trouble code signal for storing said trouble code and diagnosing data used to determine the abnormality determined by said self-diagnosis means; and

trouble code display means responsive to said trouble code for displaying both said trouble code and said diagnosing data stored in the nonvolatile memory means when the abnormality occurred.