Automotive diagnostic communications interface
First Claim
1. An automotive vehicle diagnostic communications interface method for interfacing a diagnostic tool having a tool connector with an automotive vehicle having a vehicle connector to provide for diagnostic communications between the diagnostic tool and electronic devices on-board the automotive vehicle, comprising the steps of:
- establishing a schedule of predetermined diagnostic communication configurations having a plurality of elements each of the plurality of elements of the schedule corresponding to one of a plurality of automotive vehicle diagnostic classifications;
providing a connector adapter for each of the plurality as the connector adapter that is used as a diagnostic communications interface therewith;
selecting a connector adapter from the provided connector adapters as the connector adapter providing a diagnostic communications interface between the tool connector and the vehicle connector;
applying the selected connector adapter to the tool connector; and
activating the diagnostic tool whereby the diagnostic tool automatically establishes communications with the vehicle electronic devices via the applied connector adapter, by (a) detecting which connector adapter from the provided connector adapters has been applied to the diagnostic tool, (b) referencing the diagnostic communications configuration corresponding to the vehicle diagnostic classification for which the detected connector adapter has been applied, (c) configuring the diagnostic tool in accord with the referenced diagnostic communications configuration, and (d) providing diagnostic communications with the vehicle electronic devices under the diagnostic tool configuration.
1 Assignment
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Accused Products
Abstract
A diagnostic tool having a communications interface adapter for flexible diagnostic communications with automotive vehicle electronic devices automatically identifies, when connected to the adapter, the vehicle type associated with the adapter, and automatically establishes from stored communications information, the diagnostic communications format under which the electronic devices associated with the identified vehicle type communicate. Diagnostic tool communications hardware is then automatically initialized to prepare for diagnostic communications with minimum operator intervention.
164 Citations
11 Claims
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1. An automotive vehicle diagnostic communications interface method for interfacing a diagnostic tool having a tool connector with an automotive vehicle having a vehicle connector to provide for diagnostic communications between the diagnostic tool and electronic devices on-board the automotive vehicle, comprising the steps of:
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establishing a schedule of predetermined diagnostic communication configurations having a plurality of elements each of the plurality of elements of the schedule corresponding to one of a plurality of automotive vehicle diagnostic classifications; providing a connector adapter for each of the plurality as the connector adapter that is used as a diagnostic communications interface therewith; selecting a connector adapter from the provided connector adapters as the connector adapter providing a diagnostic communications interface between the tool connector and the vehicle connector; applying the selected connector adapter to the tool connector; and activating the diagnostic tool whereby the diagnostic tool automatically establishes communications with the vehicle electronic devices via the applied connector adapter, by (a) detecting which connector adapter from the provided connector adapters has been applied to the diagnostic tool, (b) referencing the diagnostic communications configuration corresponding to the vehicle diagnostic classification for which the detected connector adapter has been applied, (c) configuring the diagnostic tool in accord with the referenced diagnostic communications configuration, and (d) providing diagnostic communications with the vehicle electronic devices under the diagnostic tool configuration. - View Dependent Claims (2)
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3. An automotive vehicle diagnostic communications interface across which a diagnostic tool having a tool connector communicates with electronic devices of a predetermined plurality of automotive vehicle classes, wherein each of the predetermined plurality is characterized by a particular vehicle diagnostic connector, comprising:
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a plurality of connector adapters each of which plurality is particular to a one of the plurality of automotive vehicle classes for providing a diagnostic communication connection between the particular vehicle diagnostic connector characteristic of such class and the tool connector; sensing circuitry included with the diagnostic tool for sensing, when the diagnostic communication connection has been provided, the connector adapter providing the diagnostic communication connection; and a controller included with the diagnostic tool responsive to the sensed connector adapter for identifying the one of the predetermined plurality of automotive vehicle classes to which the sensed connector adapter is particular. - View Dependent Claims (4, 5, 6)
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7. An apparatus for identifying automotive vehicle electronic devices to be diagnosed by a diagnostic tool having a tool connector for diagnostic communications, comprising:
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a vehicle connector for diagnostic communications with the automotive vehicle electronic devices; a connector adapter for adapting the tool connector to the vehicle connector to provide for diagnostic communications between the automotive vehicle electronic devices and the diagnostic tool; an electrical element having a predetermined, electrically measurable value for identifying the automotive vehicle electronic devices, the electrical element disposed on the connector adapter; the diagnostic tool having measuring circuitry for measuring the predetermined, electrically measurable value of the electrical element when the connector adapter is connected to the diagnostic tool; a stored schedule of electronic device identification information sets, each set paired with an electrical element value; and a controller for referencing the electronic device identification information set corresponding to the measured electrical element value to identify the automotive vehicle electronic devices. - View Dependent Claims (8, 9, 10, 11)
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Specification