Diagnostic system for a motor vehicle

• US 5,050,080 A
• Filed: 09/22/1989
• Issued: 09/17/1991
• Est. Priority Date: 09/28/1988
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Fuji Heavy Industries Limited (Subaru Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Fuji Heavy Industries Limited (Subaru Corp.)
• Inventors: Abe, Kunihiro
• Primary Examiner(s): Chin, Gary
• Application Number:
  US07/411,553
• Time in Patent Office: 725 Days
• Field of Search: 364/424.03, 364/424.04, 364/431.01, 364/431.04, 364/431.11, 364/431.12, 364/550, 364/551.01, 73/117.2, 73/117.3, 340/438, 340/459
• US Class Current: 701/35
• 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: G01R 31/007 using microprocessors or computers
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 23/0213 Modular or universal configuration of the monitoring system, e.g. monitoring system having modules that may be combined to build monitoring program; monitoring system that can be applied to legacy systems; adaptable monitoring system; using different communication protocols
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 23/0264 Control of logging system, e.g. decision on which data to store; time-stamping measurements
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 2205/02 using a vehicle scan tool
• 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

A diagnostic system for diagnosing an electronic control system of a vehicle wherein the electronic control system has a first memory for storing data. The diagnostic system has a diagnostic device having a second memory storing diagnosis programs for diagnosing the electronic control system. A third memory provided in the electronic control system stores specific information necessary for diagnosing the electronic control system. The diagnostic device obtains the specific information from the electronic control system and diagnoses the electronic control system in accordance with the diagnosis programs based on the specific information.

Claims

1. In a diagnostic system for diagnosing an electronic control system of a motor vehicle, said electronic control system having sensing means for sensing operating conditions of said motor vehicle, control means for processing sensor data from said sensing means so as to calculate control data for controlling said vehicle, said first memory means for storing said sensor data and said control data, the diagnostic system having a diagnostic device and connecting means for connecting said diagnostic device with said electronic control system, said diagnostic device including a keyboard, a control unit for communicating with said electronic control system through said connecting means to read out said sensor data and said control data from said first memory means in response to a diagnosis mode inputted through said keyboard in accordance with programs stored in second memory means, and a display for displaying said sensor data and said control data read out by said control unit, the improvement in the diagnostic and electronic control systems which comprises:

third memory means provided in said electronic control system for storing address numbers of said first memory means storing said sensor data and said control data respectively; and

fourth memory means provided in said control unit of said diagnostic device, upon demand of transmission of said address numbers from said electronic control system, for storing said address numbers in said control unit when said diagnostic device is initialized, so as to enable immediate and accurate read out of said sensor data and said control data from said first memory means by designating one of said address numbers corresponding to said sensor data and said control data.

2. The system according to claim 1, wherein

said third memory means further stores a conversion rate for converting said sensor data to a physical value by said control unit in order to display said sensor data on said display.

3. The system according to claim 2, wherein

said third memory further stores an abbreviation and units for said sensor data for displaying said sensor data on said display.

4. The system according to claim 2, wherein

said control unit demands said transmission of said address numbers when a power switch of said control unit is turned on.

5. The system according to claim 1, wherein

said third memory means is a read only memory.

6. The system according to claim 1, wherein

said keyboard constitutes means for inputting a code representing designation of said one of said address numbers, and said control unit for sending a corresponding data demand signal corresponding to said code to said first memory means for said read out of corresponding of said sensor and control data and for storing said corresponding sensor and control data in said fourth memory means of said control unit.