Interactive diagnostic system for an automotive vehicle, and method
First Claim
1. For use in a diagnostic system for an automotive vehicle of the type having (i) network sensors and actuators for independently sensing and actuating a number of different functions within the vehicle (ii) an onboard computer for monitoring said sensors and controlling the operation of said actuators, and (iii) means for electrically connecting said onboard computer with said sensors and actuators, said connecting means including an auto-side connector having a series of auto-side plug-in terminals respectively connected with individual ones of said sensors and actuators and a computer-side connector disengageably connectable to said auto-side connector and having corresponding, complementary computer-side plug-in terminals connected to appropriate circuitry within the onboard computer, an arrangement for temporarily disconnecting a selected one or a combination of said auto-side terminals from corresponding computer-side terminals, whereby to temporarily disconnect a selected one or combination of specific sensors and/or actuators rom said outboard computer, said arrangement comprising:
- (a) a plurality of electronic switching circuits including a first network of such circuits individually connected between individual auto-side an computer-side terminals and a second network of such circuits connectable between an external computer arrangement and either individual auto-side or computer-side terminals, each of said switching circuits being designed to operated between a closed condition and an open condition for connecting and disconnecting its associated auto-side and computer-side terminals to and from one another and for connecting and disconnecting the external computer arrangement to an associated auto-side or computer-side terminal, said networks of circuits being designed for use with a particular make and/or model of said automotive vehicle in which its auto-side and computer-side terminals are connected with particular sensors and actuators in accordance with a specific connection scheme which differs from a different make and/or model vehicle.
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Reexamination
Accused Products
Abstract
An interactive diagnostic system is disclosed herein for use with an automotive vehicle of the type including a network of sensors and actuators for independently sensing and actuating a number of different functions within the vehicle and an onboard computer for monitoring the sensors and controlling the operation of the actuators. This system provides the automotive service professional with all of the tools necessary to provide precision diagnostic testing on todays computer-controlled cars. This is accomplished by providing the system with means including an external computer for controlling operation of one or more specific actuators independent of the onboard computer and for simulating the operation of specific sensors independent of the actual operation of these latter sensors. At the same time, the electronic data entering and exiting the onboard computer including the actual data associated with the network of sensors and actuators can be continuously monitored and analyzed by the external computer. In this way, the automotive service professional is able to quickly and easily test and trouble shoot the performance of a vehicle'"'"'s onboard computer and engine electronics down to the component level including specifically its entire network of sensors and actuators.
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Citations
32 Claims
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1. For use in a diagnostic system for an automotive vehicle of the type having (i) network sensors and actuators for independently sensing and actuating a number of different functions within the vehicle (ii) an onboard computer for monitoring said sensors and controlling the operation of said actuators, and (iii) means for electrically connecting said onboard computer with said sensors and actuators, said connecting means including an auto-side connector having a series of auto-side plug-in terminals respectively connected with individual ones of said sensors and actuators and a computer-side connector disengageably connectable to said auto-side connector and having corresponding, complementary computer-side plug-in terminals connected to appropriate circuitry within the onboard computer, an arrangement for temporarily disconnecting a selected one or a combination of said auto-side terminals from corresponding computer-side terminals, whereby to temporarily disconnect a selected one or combination of specific sensors and/or actuators rom said outboard computer, said arrangement comprising:
(a) a plurality of electronic switching circuits including a first network of such circuits individually connected between individual auto-side an computer-side terminals and a second network of such circuits connectable between an external computer arrangement and either individual auto-side or computer-side terminals, each of said switching circuits being designed to operated between a closed condition and an open condition for connecting and disconnecting its associated auto-side and computer-side terminals to and from one another and for connecting and disconnecting the external computer arrangement to an associated auto-side or computer-side terminal, said networks of circuits being designed for use with a particular make and/or model of said automotive vehicle in which its auto-side and computer-side terminals are connected with particular sensors and actuators in accordance with a specific connection scheme which differs from a different make and/or model vehicle.
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2. An interactive diagnostic system for an automotive vehicle of the type having (i) a network of sensors and actuators for independently sensing and actuating a number of different functions within the vehicle, (ii) an onboard computer for monitoring said sensors and controlling the operation of said actuators, and (iii) means for electrically connecting said onboard computer with said sensors and actuators, said connecting means including an auto-side connector having a series of auto-side plug-in terminals respectively connected with individual ones of said sensors and actuators and a computer-side connector disengageably connectable to said auto-side connector and having corresponding, complementary computer-side plug-in terminals connected to appropriate circuitry within the onboard computer, said diagnostic system comprising:
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(a) first means for temporarily disconnecting a selected one or combination of said auto-side terminals from corresponding computer-side terminals, whereby to temporarily disconnect a selected one or combination of specific sensors and/or actuators form said onboard computer, said first means including a network of switching circuits individually connected between auto-side and computer-side terminals, each of said switching circuits being designed to operate independent of but simultaneously with the other circuits in any selected combination between a closed condition and an open condition for connecting and disconnecting its associated auto-side and computer-side terminals to and from one another; (b) second means temporarily connectable with said one or combination of auto-side terminals when the latter are disconnected from their corresponding computer-die terminals for controlling the operation of said one or combination of specific actuators independent of said onboard computer; and (c) third means temporarily connectable with said one or combination of computer-side terminals when the latter are disconnected from their corresponding auto-side terminals for simulating the operation of said one or combination of specific sensors independent of the actual operation of these latter sensors. - View Dependent Claims (3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16)
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17. A diagnostic system for an automotive vehicle of the type having (i) a network of sensors and actuators for independently sensing and actuating a number of different functions within the vehicle (ii) an onboard computer for monitoring said sensors and controlling the operation of said actuators, and (iii) means for electrically connecting said onboard computer with said sensors and actuators, said connecting means including an auto-side connector having a series of auto-side plug-in terminals respectively connected with individual ones of said sensors and actuators and a computer-side connector disengageably connectable to said auto-side connector and having corresponding, complementary computer-side plug-in terminals connected to appropriate circuitry within the onboard computer, said diagnostic system comprising:
(a) monitoring means including a network of individual circuits disengageably connectable with and between said auto-side and computer-side terminals for independently and substantially simultaneously monitoring in real time individual electronic data entering and exiting said onboard computer through said individual circuits the individual data being associated with the individual sensors and actuators making up said network of sensors and actuators, said monitoring means also include an external computer arrangement separate from said onboard computer for analyzing said electronic data. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24)
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25. A method of diagnosing for an automotive vehicle of the type having (i) a network of sensors and actuators for independently sensing and actuating a number of different functions within the vehicle (ii) an onboard computer for monitoring said sensors and controlling the operation of said actuators, and (iii) means for electrically connecting said onboard computer with said sensors and actuators, said connecting means including an auto-side connector having a series of auto-side plug-in terminals respectively connected with individual ones of said sensors and actuators and a computer-side connector disengageably connectable to said auto-side connector and having corresponding, complementary computer-side plug-in terminals connected to appropriate circuitry within the onboard computer, said method comprising the steps of:
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(a) using an arrangement of independently actuatable switches disengageably connected with said auto-side and computer-side terminals, (i) temporarily and simultaneously disconnecting selected ones of said auto-side terminals from corresponding computer-side terminals arrangement, and (iii) connections elected ones of the disconnected auto-side terminals to an external computer arrangement, and (iii) connecting selected others of the disconnected computer-side terminals to said computer arrangement, in order to selectively and temporarily disconnect one or more specific sensors and/or actuators from said onboard computer; and (b) through said arrangement of switches, controlling the operation of said one or more specific disconnected actuators by said external computer arrangement through the selected, disconnected auto-side terminals, independent of said onboard computer and/or simulating operation of said one or more specific disconnected sensors by said external computer arrangement through the selected disconnected computer-side terminals, independent of the actual operation of those sensors. - View Dependent Claims (26, 27, 28, 29)
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30. A diagnostic system for an automotive vehicle of the type having (i) network of sensors and actuators for independently sensing and actuating a number of different functions with the vehicle (ii) an onboard computer for monitoring said sensors and controlling the operation of said actuators, and (iii) means for electrically connecting said onboard computer with said sensors and actuators, said connecting means including an auto-side connector having a series of auto-side plug-in terminals respectively connected with individual ones of said sensors and actuators and a computer-side connector disengageably connectable to said auto-side connector and having corresponding, complementary computer-side plug-in terminals connected to appropriate circuitry within the onboard computer, said diagnostic system comprising:
(a) controlling, simulating and monitoring means for (i) controlling the operation of one or a combination of said actuators independent of said onboard computer, (ii) for simulating the operation of one or a combination of said sensors independent of the actual operation of the latter sensors, and/or (iii) for continuously monitoring in real time electronic data entering and exiting said onboard computer, which data is associated with one, all or selectable combinations of said network of sensors and actuators, said controlling, simulating and monitoring means also including an external computer arrangement separate from said onboard computer for analyzing said electronic data. - View Dependent Claims (31, 32)
Specification