Method of grouping message identification and parameter identifications for a diagnostic system

• US 6,708,092 B1
• Filed: 02/28/2003
• Issued: 03/16/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 11/11/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Eaton Intelligent Power Limited (Eaton Corporation PLC.)
• Original Assignee: Eaton Corp. (Wisconsin) (Eaton Corporation PLC.)
• Inventors: Melvin, Steven Louis, Starks, Matthew Wayne, Bidassie, Balmatee
• Primary Examiner(s): Camby, Richard M.
• Application Number:
  US10/376,718
• Time in Patent Office: 382 Days
• Field of Search: 701/1, 701/29, 701/30, 701/36, 701/31, 701/32, 701/33, 701/34, 701/35, 340/438, 340/439, 340/539, 340/825.69, 340/825.72, 340/10.1, 340/10.51, 702/57, 702/62, 702/183, 702/188
• US Class Current: 701/29
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 5/008 communicating information to a remotely located station transmission systems for measured values G08C

Abstract

A method of organizing parts of a data message that conform to a protocol, thereby providing an efficient manner to specify a vehicle component that is identified by a combination of data message parts. Specifically, individual Message Identification (MID) codes are organized into categories, while Parameter Identification (PID) codes are organized according to general function. Associations can then be established between the various codes and the categories or functions into which the codes are organized.

Claims

1. A method of organizing data defined by a protocol for a vehicle area network (VAN), comprising the steps of:

establishing a plurality of message identification (MID) categories, each of said MID categories representing a plurality of systems capable of communicating by said VAN;

assigning one or more MID codes defined by said protocol to one or more of said MID categories;

establishing parameter identification (PID) categories, each of said PID categories generally representing a logical function carried out by one or more of said plurality of systems capable of communicating by said VAN; and

assigning one or more PID codes defined by said protocol to one or more of said PID categories.

2. The method according to claim 1, further comprising the step of associating each of said one or more MID codes with one or more of said PID categories.

3. The method according to claim 2, wherein each of said one or more MID codes is associated with one or more of said PID categories based on whether a system, represented by said MID code, is capable of performing said logical function represented by said one or more PID categories.

4. The method according to claim 1, further comprising the step of associating one or more of said PID categories with one or more of said MID categories.

5. The method according to claim 4, wherein each of said one or more PID categories is associated with said one or more MID categories based on whether one or more of said plurality of systems, capable of performing said logical function represented by said one or more PID categories, interacts with one or more of said plurality of systems represented by said MID categories.

6. The method according to claim 1, wherein said protocol is defined by Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE) J1587 standard.

7. A method for monitoring a vehicle device by a diagnostic tool, said vehicle device connecting to a vehicle network and capable of communicating over said vehicle network according to a protocol, comprising the steps of:

connecting said vehicle diagnostic tool to said vehicle network;

selecting a parameter identification (PID) function carried out by one or more devices making up said vehicle, said PID function representing one or more PID codes;

selecting a message identification (MID) category associated with said selected PID function, said MID category representing one or more MID codes;

selecting a MID code from said one or more MID codes represented by said selected MID category; and

selecting one or more PID codes from one or more PID codes associated with said selected MID code.

8. A method of selecting a vehicle device for monitoring by a vehicle diagnostic tool, said vehicle device connecting to a vehicle network and capable of communicating over said vehicle network according to a protocol, comprising the steps of:

selecting a message identification (MID) category representing one or more MID codes;

selecting one or more MID codes represented by said selected MID category;

selecting a parameter identification (PID) function associated with said selected one or more MID codes, said PID function representing one or more PID codes; and

selecting one or more PID codes from said one or more PID codes represented by said selected PID function.

9. A system for monitoring a condition of a vehicle component, comprising:

a vehicle data network upon which said component transmits data, said data including message identification (MID) codes and parameter identification (PID) codes in accordance with a protocol; and

a diagnostic device capable of connecting to said vehicle data network;

wherein said system provides for the assignment of said MID codes into a plurality of MID categories, and for the assignment of said PID codes into a plurality of PID categories.