Apparatus for diagnosing and indicating operational failure in automobiles

• US 6,278,919 B1
• Filed: 12/20/1999
• Issued: 08/21/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 12/24/1998
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Yuiltech Company Limited
• Original Assignee: Yuiltech Company Limited
• Inventors: Hwang, Chang-sun, Kim, Do-hyoung
• Primary Examiner(s): Cuchlinski, Jr., William A.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Hernandez, Olga
• Application Number:
  US09/468,409
• Time in Patent Office: 610 Days
• Field of Search: 701/29, 701/1, 701/36, 701/34, 701/30, 307/9.1, 307/10.6, 307/425.5, 307/428, 307/500, 307/445
• US Class Current: 701/29
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 31/006 on road vehicles, e.g. automobiles or trucks testing of ignition installations peculiar to internal combustion engines F02P17/00

Abstract

An apparatus for diagnosing and indicating operational failure in automobiles includes a diagnostic circuit for receiving signals input through wiring at both ends of each fuse and wiring of a relay in a fuse box or junction box installed in an automobile and diagnosing operation failure by detecting a change in the logic value of the input signal, and an output device for receiving the result of diagnosis from the diagnostic circuit and outputting signals indicating the location of a defective fuse or relay. Thus, a driver having little knowledge on car maintenance can easily take actions for repair or an emergency measure of automobiles according to the result of diagnosis of operational failure of the automobile informed in an audio-visual manner. Also, automobile repair experts or shops can save time needed for diagnosing and performing accurate repair using the apparatus for diagnosing and indicating operational failure in automobiles according to the present invention.

Claims

1. An apparatus for diagnosing and indicating operational failure in automobiles, the apparatus comprising:

a diagnostic circuit receiving signals input through wiring at both ends of each fuse and wiring of a relay in a fuse box or junction box installed in an automobile and diagnosing operation failure by detecting a change in the logic value of the input signals; and

an output device for receiving the result of diagnosis from the diagnostic circuit and outputting signals indicating the location of a defective fuse or relay.

2. The apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the diagnostic circuit comprises a logic element for checking the change in electric potential at both ends of the fuse or relay and outputting a logic value and a gating element gated according to the logic value.

3. The apparatus as claimed in claim 2, wherein the logic element is a comparator for checking the change in voltages at both ends of the fuse or relay, including an exclusive NOR (EX-NOR) gate, a transistor element or a photocoupler.

4. The apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein an additional independent power circuit is connected to both ends of the fuse of relay to apply a voltage to the fuse.

5. The apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein, when the diagnostic circuit is a built-in type, the diagnostic circuit is arranged at space allowed on a single printed circuit board and connected to an external output device through a cable wire.

6. The apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein, when the diagnostic circuit is an external type, the diagnostic circuit is arranged on a single printed circuit board to be installed in an external box and is connected to the fuse box through a cable wire and to an internal or the external output device.

7. The apparatus as claimed in claim 6, wherein a fuse connector connected to the fuse is of a hermaphroditic body so that a female connector portion is connected to the fuse and a male connector portion is connected to the diagnostic circuit and also to a connector in a fuse insertion hole of the fuse box.

8. The apparatus as claimed in claim 6, wherein a relay connector connected to the relay is of a hermaphroditic body so that a female connector portion is connected to the relay and a male connector portion is connected to the diagnostic circuit and also to a connector in a relay insertion hole of the relay box.

9. The apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein, when the diagnostic circuit is an external type, the diagnostic circuit is arranged on a single printed circuit board, and a connector pin protruding from the board is formed of a cartridge type to be inserted in a contact point hole of each fuse in the fuse box.

10. The apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the diagnostic circuit and the output device are formed on a single printed circuit board or different printed circuit boards.

11. The apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the output device comprises a lamp circuit and lamp for indicating the location of a defective fuse or relay according to the result of diagnosis by the diagnostic circuit.

12. The apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the output device comprises a voice guide module and a speaker for indicating by voice the location of a defective fuse or relay according to the result of diagnosis by the diagnostic circuit.

13. The apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the output device comprises a text generating portion and a display for indicating the location of a defective fuse or relay according to the result of diagnosis by the diagnostic circuit.

14. The apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the output device comprises a lamp circuit and lamp for indicating the location of a defective fuse or relay according to the result of diagnosis by the diagnostic circuit and a voice guide module and a speaker for indicating by voice the location of a defective fuse or relay according to result of diagnosis by the diagnostic circuit.

15. The apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the output device comprises a lamp circuit and lamp for indicating the location of a defective fuse or relay according to the result of diagnosis by the diagnostic circuit, a voice guide module and a speaker for indicating by voice the location of a defective fuse or relay according to the result of diagnosis by the diagnostic circuit, and a text generating portion and a display for indicating the location of a defective fuse or relay according to the result of diagnosis by the diagnostic circuit.

16. The apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the output device comprises a lamp circuit and lamp for indicating the location of a defective fuse or relay according to the result of diagnosis by the diagnostic circuit and a text generating portion and a display for indicating the location of a defective fuse or relay according to the result of diagnosis by the diagnostic circuit.