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Equipment service vehicle having on-board diagnostic system

  • US 6,553,290 B1
  • Filed: 02/09/2000
  • Issued: 04/22/2003
  • Est. Priority Date: 02/09/2000
  • Status: Expired due to Term
First Claim
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1. A diagnostic testing method for a military vehicle, the method comprising:

  • (A) providing the military vehicle with an on-board diagnostic system comprising a test control module, an operator interface, a test interface module, a sensor, a plurality of vehicle subsystems and a network communication link, the sensor being connected to the test interface module, the test interface module being connected to the test control module and at least some of the plurality of vehicle subsystems by way of the network communication link;

    (B) measuring a plurality of parameters that pertain to health and operation of the plurality of vehicle subsystems, including (1) measuring a speed of a crankshaft of an engine, (2) measuring cranking RPM of the engine, (3) measuring relative cylinder compression unbalance of the engine, (4) measuring a fuel pump supply pressure, (5) measuring a fuel pump return pressure, (6) measuring a voltage across a fuel solenoid, (7) measuring an air cleaner pressure drop, (8) measuring an outlet pressure of a turbocharger, (9) measuring an airbox pressure, (10) measuring an engine intake manifold vacuum, (11) measuring an engine intake manifold vacuum variation, (12) measuring an engine oil pressure, (13) measuring a pressure drop across an engine oil filter, (14) measuring an engine coolant temperature, (15) measuring a voltage at or near battery terminals, (16) measuring a voltage at or near engine starter terminals, (17) measuring a voltage drop introduced by a starter cable, (18) measuring a voltage present at or near a starter solenoid, (19) measuring a current through an engine starter motor, (20) measuring a peak initial starter current, (21) measuring a battery internal resistance, (22) measuring a starter circuit resistance, (23) measuring battery current, (24) measuring an output voltage of an alternator, and (25) measuring a voltage drop introduced by an alternator cable;

    (C) displaying a menu of test options to an operator using the operator interface;

    (D) receiving an operator input using the operator interface, the input being indicative of a menu selection made by the operator, the menu selection designating one of the measuring steps B(1)-B(25);

    (E) displaying measurement results to the operator using the operator interface, the measurement results pertaining to a parameter measured during the designated one of the measuring steps B(1)-B(25), the parameter being one of the plurality of parameters; and

    wherein the military vehicle is capable of travelling on unimproved terrain and through at least three feet of water; and

    wherein one of the measuring steps B(1)-B(25) is performed using the sensor, wherein the test interface module receives a request for information from the test control module, wherein the test interface module acquires the health and operation information from the sensor and transmits the health and operation information to the test control module by way of the network communication link.

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