Self-diagnosis system for vehicle and diagnosis method using same

• US 6,449,539 B1
• Filed: 05/19/2000
• Issued: 09/10/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 05/25/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Mitsubishi Jidosha Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
• Original Assignee: Mitsubishi Jidosha Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
• Inventors: Ohno, Yoshinori, Kume, Tateo
• Primary Examiner(s): ARTHUR JEANGLAUDE, GERTRUDE
• Application Number:
  US09/573,344
• Time in Patent Office: 844 Days
• Field of Search: 701/29, 701/31, 701/33, 701/32, 701/35, 701/66, 701/97, 340/439, 340/459, 340/825.15, 340/931
• US Class Current: 701/31
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 23/0229 knowledge based, e.g. expert systems; genetic algorithms
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 23/0272 Presentation of monitored results, e.g. selection of status reports to be displayed; Filtering information to the user

Abstract

A self-diagnosis system for a vehicle, with which it is possible, without requiring skill and practice, to realize running according to a running pattern and easily and certainly cause an ECU to execute a self-diagnosis. The self-diagnosis system comprises: a vehicle state detecting unit for detecting a vehicle state; a data processing unit for executing a diagnosis of a diagnosis object device on the basis of a predetermined running pattern preset in correspondence with the diagnosis object device and a vehicle state detected by the vehicle state detecting unit when running according to the running pattern is carried out; and a diagnosis data processing unit, data-transferably connected to the data processing unit, for obtaining and displaying data from the data processing unit, and under a condition that the diagnosis data processing unit is data-transferably connected to the data processing unit and the vehicle is run in a predetermined running pattern corresponding to a diagnosis object device in order to execute a diagnosis to the diagnosis object device, the diagnosis data processing unit displays that an execution condition is established when the execution condition of the diagnosis corresponding to the running pattern is established.

Claims

1. A self-diagnosis system for a vehicle for diagnosing states of devices mounted in the vehicle, comprising:

vehicle state detecting means for detecting a vehicle state;

data processing means for executing a diagnosis of a diagnosis object device on the basis of a predetermined running pattern preset in correspondence with the diagnosis object device and a vehicle state detected by the vehicle state detecting means when the vehicle is run according to the running pattern; and

diagnosis data processing means, data-transferably connected to the data processing means, for obtaining and displaying data from the data processing means,

wherein the diagnosis data processing means determines whether or not a diagnosis execution condition for the diagnosis object device corresponding to the running pattern is established and displays an indication of whether or not the execution condition is established.

2. A self-diagnosis system according to claim 1, wherein the execution condition is at least one of a cooling water temperature, an intake air temperature of the engine, and an air-conditioner operating state, these executing conditions being set for each device along with the running pattern.

3. A self-diagnosis system according to claim 1, wherein, when the diagnosis data processing means determines that the diagnosis execution condition is not established, the diagnosis data processing means displays a control operation for establishing the execution condition.

4. A self-diagnosis system according to claim 1, wherein the diagnosis data processing means obtains the diagnosis records of the diagnosis object device from said data processing means and determines an optimal diagnosis sequence for an undiagnosed device and displays the optimal diagnosis sequence.

5. A self-diagnosis system according to claim 4, wherein after the execution condition is established, the diagnosis data processing means determines whether an instruction to start a diagnosis has been inputted and, if so, displays instructions for the execution of the running pattern for diagnosis.

6. A self-diagnosis system according to claim 5, wherein the running pattern is set from engine start to engine stop, a preparation period for attaining a state that allows the diagnosis of the diagnosis object device and a diagnosis period for performing the diagnosis being set within the running pattern.

7. self-diagnosis system according to claim 6, wherein the diagnosis data processing means displays a running instruction from engine start to the end of the preparation period on the basis of the diagnosis records of the diagnosis object device from the data processing means.

8. A self-diagnosis system according to claim 6, wherein the diagnosis data processing means determines whether or not the present vehicle state and the running pattern of the diagnosis period match and, if not, displays a restoring instruction for bringing the vehicle state to match the running pattern of the diagnosis period.

9. A self-diagnosis system for a vehicle for diagnosing states of devices mounted in the vehicle, comprising:

vehicle state detecting means for detecting a vehicle state;

data processing means for executing a diagnosis of a diagnosis object device on the basis of a predetermined running pattern preset in correspondence with the diagnosis object device and a vehicle state detected by the vehicle state detecting means when the vehicle is run according to the running pattern; and

diagnosis data processing means, data-transferably connected to the data processing means, for obtaining and displaying data from the data processing means,

wherein the diagnosis data processing means determines an operating sequence for an undiagnosed device and displays the operating sequence necessary for realizing the running pattern associated with the undiagnosed device.

10. A self-diagnosis according to claim 9, wherein the diagnosis data processing means determines whether or not a diagnosis execution condition for the diagnosis object device corresponding to the running pattern is established and displays an indication of whether or not the execution condition is established.

11. A self-diagnosis method for a vehicle for diagnosing states of devices mounted in the vehicle, comprising:

a vehicle state detecting process of detecting a vehicle state;

a data processing process of, when the vehicle is run according to a predetermined running pattern preset in correspondence with a diagnosis object device, executing a diagnosis of the diagnosis object device on the basis of a vehicle state detected by the vehicle state detecting process; and

a diagnosis data processing process of, being data-transferably in cooperation with the data processing process, obtaining and displaying data used in the data processing process,

wherein the diagnosis data processing process determines whether or not a diagnosis execution condition for the diagnosis object device corresponding to the running pattern is established and displays an indication of whether or not the execution condition is established.

12. A self-diagnosis system according to claim 11, wherein the determining step of the diagnosis data processing process determines at least one of a cooling water temperature, an intake air temperature of the engine, and an air-conditioner operating state, these executing conditions being set for each device along with the running pattern.

13. A self-diagnosis method for a vehicle for diagnosing the state of a device mounted in the vehicle, comprising:

a vehicle state detecting process of detecting a vehicle state;

a data processing process of, when the vehicle is run according to a predetermined running pattern preset in correspondence with a diagnosis object device, executing a diagnosis of the diagnosis object device on the basis of a vehicle state detected by the vehicle state detecting process; and

a diagnosis data processing process of, being data-transferably in cooperation with the data processing process, obtaining and displaying data used in the data processing process,

wherein the diagnosis data processing process determines an operating sequence for an undiagnosed device and displays the operating sequence necessary for realizing the running pattern associated with the undiagnosed device.

14. A self-diagnosis method for a vehicle according to claim 13, wherein the diagnosis data processing process further includes the step of determining whether or not a diagnosis execution condition for the diagnosis object device corresponding to the running pattern is established and displaying an indication of whether or not the execution condition is established.