Vehicle diagnostic system

• US 6,493,615 B1
• Filed: 08/09/1999
• Issued: 12/10/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 08/09/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Johnston, Jeffrey
• Original Assignee: Johnston, Jeffrey
• Inventors: Johnston, Jeffrey
• Primary Examiner(s): Chin, Gary
• Application Number:
  US08/999,806
• Time in Patent Office: 1,219 Days
• Field of Search: 701/29, 701/30, 701/33, 701/34, 701/35, 340/425.5, 340/438, 340/439, 340/457, 340/457.1, 340/457.2, 340/457.3, 340/457.4, 340/459, 340/460
• US Class Current: 701/29
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 23/0227 Qualitative history assessment, whereby the type of data acted upon, e.g. waveforms, images or patterns, is not relevant, e.g. rule based assessment; if-then decisions

Abstract

The present invention includes a system for assisting the user in the diagnosis of vehicle repairs. The system includes a computer, software program, dat storage medium, CRT and user input devices which permit the user to select from displayed menus. The user can select various sounds to be produced so as to match the sound produced by the system with that the user'"'"'s vehicle is making. The system seeks to minimize the amount of time the service repairman must spend in diagnosing the problems with the user'"'"'s vehicle.

Claims

1. A system for assisting in the diagnosis of vehicles comprising:

means for storing a plurality of vehicular sounds;

means for receiving user input to select at least one of a plurality of said sounds; and

means for broadcasting said stored vehicular sounds, wherein said sounds are sounds associated with vehicular problems.

2. A method for diagnosing vehicle problems, comprising the steps of:

providing means for storing a plurality of vehicular sounds;

providing means for receiving user input to select at least one of a plurality of said sounds;

providing means for broadcasting said stored vehicular sounds, wherein

said sounds are sounds associated with vehicular problems; and

broadcasting a plurality of vehicular diagnostic sounds to a vehicle user whereby said vehicle user can compare actual vehicle sounds previously heard with said broadcast vehicle diagnostic sounds.