Engine diagnostic via PDA

• US 6,801,849 B2
• Filed: 03/08/2002
• Issued: 10/05/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 07/13/2001
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: BRP US Incorporated (Bombardier Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Bombardier Recreational Products Incorporated (Bombardier Incorporated)
• Inventors: Szukala, Les, Francis, Dell, Koerner, Scott
• Primary Examiner(s): Dolinar, Andrew M.
• Application Number:
  US10/092,717
• Publication Number:
  US 20030014179A1
• Time in Patent Office: 942 Days
• Field of Search: 701/114, 701/115, 701/32, 701/33
• US Class Current: 701/114
• CPC Class Codes: G01M 15/02 Details or accessories of testing apparatus
• CPC Class Codes: G01M 15/05 by combined monitoring of two or more different engine parameters

Abstract

An arrangement is provided for engine diagnostic via PDA. An engine diagnostic system, realized on a PDA, presents a menu to a user with a plurality of options related to engine diagnostic operations through a user graphical interface. The PDA is in connection with an engine management mechanism of an engine. The user makes a selection of an engine diagnostic operation to be performed with respect to the engine. The engine diagnostic system performs the selected engine diagnostic operation through the engine management mechanism of the engine.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

presenting, by an engine diagnostic system, a menu to a user with a plurality of options related to engine diagnostic operations through a user graphical interface displayed on a touch-responsive, handheld PDA on which the engine diagnostic system is realized wherein the PDA is in connection with an engine management mechanism of an engine;

receiving, from the user through interaction with the menu displayed on the touch-responsive, handheld PDA, a selected engine diagnostic operation to be performed with respect to the engine; and

performing, by the engine diagnostic system through the engine management mechanism of the engine, the selected engine diagnostic operation, wherein performing the selected engine diagnostic operation comprises executing a status review if the selected engine diagnostic operation is a status review operation, executing an engine testing if the selected engine diagnostic operation is an engine testing operation, and executing a replacement if the selected engine diagnostic operation is a replacement operation.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein presenting the menu includes presenting the menu in a preferred language specified by the user.

3. The method according to claim 2, wherein the preferred language includes at least one of:

English;

French;

Italian;

Spanish;

German;

Swedish;

Portuguese;

Finnish; and

Japanese.

4. The method according to claim 3, wherein the plurality of options related to engine diagnostic operations includes at least one of:

a status review operation;

a testing operation;

an adjustment operation; and

a replacement operation.

5. The method according to claim 4, wherein the status review operation includes at least one of:

a static status information review operation that queries static status information related to the engine; and

a dynamic status information review operation that queries dynamic status information related to the engine.

6. The method according to claim 5, wherein the static status information includes at least one of:

model of the engine;

serial number of the engine;

an engine map of the engine; and

hours of use of the engine.

7. The method according to claim 5, wherein the dynamic status information includes at least one of:

rotation per minute profile of the engine;

injector information associated with at least one cylinder of the engine;

timing information for the engine; and

powerhead break-in information for the engine.

8. The method according to claim 4, wherein the testing operation includes at least one of:

a static testing operation; and

a dynamic testing operation.

9. The method according to claim 8, wherein the static testing operation includes at least one of:

a fuel injector test;

an oil injector test;

a fuel pump test; and

an ignition firing test.

10. The method according to claim 8, wherein the dynamic testing operation includes at least one of:

a cylinder drop test; and

an injector adjustment test.

11. A method, comprising:

presenting, by an engine diagnostic system, a menu to a user with a plurality of options related to engine diagnostic operations through a user graphical interface displayed on a PDA on which the engine diagnostic system is realized wherein the PDA is in connection with an engine management mechanism of an engine;

receiving, from the user, a selected engine diagnostic operation to be performed with respect to the engine; and

performing, by the engine diagnostic system through the engine management mechanism of the engine, the selected engine diagnostic operation,

wherein presenting the menu includes presenting the menu in a preferred language specified by the user including at least one of English, French, Italian, Spanish, German, Swedish, Portuguese, Finnish, and Japanese,

wherein the plurality of options related to engine diagnostic operations includes at least one of a status review operation, a testing operation, an adjustment operation, and a replacement operation,

wherein the replacement operation include at least one of an engine map update operation, an injector replacement operation, and an engine management mechanism replacement operation, and

wherein performing the selected engine diagnostic operation comprises executing a status review if the selected engine diagnostic operation is a status review operation, executing an engine testing if the selected engine diagnostic operation is an engine testing operation, and executing a replacement if the selected engine diagnostic operation is a replacement operation.

12. The method according to claim 11, wherein executing the status review comprises:

obtaining the user'"'"'s selection of a type of status information to be reviewed via the user graphical interface;

querying the engine management mechanism for static status information of the engine if the user'"'"'s selection is a static status information review;

querying the engine management mechanism for dynamic status information of the engine if the user'"'"'s selection is a dynamic information review;

receiving queried information from the engine management mechanism; and

displaying the queried information on the user graphical interface in the preferred language.

13. The method according to claim 11, wherein executing the engine testing comprises:

obtaining the user'"'"'s selection of a type of test to be performed via the user graphical interface;

obtaining static engine testing parameters related to the type of static test to be performed on the engine if the user'"'"'s selection is static testing;

acquiring dynamic testing parameters related to the type of dynamic test to be performed on the engine if the user'"'"'s selection is dynamic testing; and

carrying out the type of test, selected by the user, via the engine management mechanism based on the testing parameters.

14. The method according to claim 11, wherein executing the replacement comprises:

obtaining the user'"'"'s selection of the type of replacement to be performed via the user graphical interface;

performing replacement of an engine map stored in the engine management mechanism if the user'"'"'s selection is to replace the engine map;

performing replacement of an injector if the user'"'"'s selection is to replace the injector; and

performing replacement of the engine management mechanism if the user'"'"'s selection is to replace the engine management mechanism.

15. The method according to claim 14, wherein performing the replacement of the engine map comprises:

retrieving, by the engine diagnostic system, a new engine map from an authorized location;

uploading the engine map from the engine management mechanism to the engine diagnostic system; and

downloading the new engine map to the engine management mechanism.

16. The method according to claim 14, wherein performing the replacement of injector comprises:

determining, by the user, an injector to be replaced via the user graphical interface;

obtaining, by the engine diagnostic system, new injector coefficients for the injector to be replaced; and

downloading the new injector coefficients to the engine management mechanism.

17. The method according to claim 14, wherein performing the replacement of the engine management mechanism comprises:

uploading engine operating parameters from the engine management mechanism to the engine diagnostic system;

installing a new engine management mechanism; and

downloading the engine operating parameters from the engine diagnostic system to the new engine management mechanism.

18. A method, comprising:

presenting, by an engine diagnostic system, a menu to a user with a plurality of options related to engine diagnostic operations through a user graphical interface displayed on a personal computer on which the engine diagnostic system is realized wherein the personal computer is in connection with an engine management mechanism of an engine;

receiving, from the user, a selected engine diagnostic operation to be performed with respect to the engine; and

performing, by the engine diagnostic system through the engine management mechanism of the engine, the selected engine diagnostic operation,

wherein the plurality of options related to engine diagnostic operations includes at least one of a status review operation, a testing operation, an adjustment operation, and a replacement operation,

wherein the replacement operation includes at least one of an engine map update operation, an injector replacement operation, and an engine management mechanism replacement operation, and

wherein performing the selected engine diagnostic operation comprises executing a status review if the selected engine diagnostic operation is a status review operation, executing an engine testing if the selected engine diagnostic operation is an engine testing operation, and executing a replacement if the selected engine diagnostic operation is a replacement operation.

19. The method according to claim 18, wherein presenting the menu includes presenting the menu in a preferred language specified by the user.

20. The method according to claim 18, wherein the status review operation includes at least one of:

a static status information review operation that queries static status information related to the engine; and

a dynamic status information review operation that queries dynamic status information related to the engine.

21. The method according to claim 18, wherein the testing operation includes at least one of:

a static testing operation; and

a dynamic testing operation.

22. The method according to claim 18, wherein executing the status review comprises:

obtaining the user'"'"'s selection of the type of status information to be reviewed via the user graphical interface;

querying the engine management mechanism for static status information of the engine if the user'"'"'s selection is static status information review;

querying the engine management mechanism for dynamic status information of the engine if the user'"'"'s selection is dynamic information review;

receiving queried information from the engine management mechanism; and

displaying the queried information on the user graphical interface in the preferred language.

23. The method according to claim 18, wherein executing the engine testing comprises:

obtaining the user'"'"'s selection of the type of test to be performed via the user graphical interface;

obtaining static engine testing parameters related to the type of static test to be performed on the engine if the user'"'"'s selection is static testing;

acquiring dynamic testing parameters related to the type of dynamic test to be performed on the engine if the user'"'"'s selection is dynamic testing; and

carrying out the type of test, selected by the user, via the engine management mechanism based on the testing parameters.

24. The method according to claim 18, wherein executing the replacement comprises:

obtaining the user'"'"'s selection of the type of replacement to be performed via the user graphical interface;

performing replacement of an engine map stored in the engine management mechanism if the user'"'"'s selection is to replace the engine map;

performing replacement of an injector if the user'"'"'s selection is to replace the injector; and

performing replacement of the engine management mechanism if the user'"'"'s selection is to replace the engine management mechanism.

25. A system, comprising:

an engine with a plurality of cylinders, each of which has an associated injector;

an engine management mechanism for managing the engine'"'"'s operating parameters that control the engine'"'"'s operations and for managing information related to the engine'"'"'s operational status;

an engine diagnostic system for providing engine diagnostic related functionalities through the engine management mechanism;

a user graphical interface for interacting with a user to allow the user to select a desired diagnostic functionality to be performed and to specify parameters used in performing the desired diagnostic function;

a status review mechanism for providing the functionality of reviewing static and dynamic status information of the engine, if the desired diagnostic functionality, selected by the user, is to review status information;

a testing mechanism for providing the functionality of performing static and dynamic testing on the engine, if the desired diagnostic functionality is to test the engine;

an adjustment mechanism for providing the functionality of adjusting the operating parameters of the engine, if the desired diagnostic functionality is to make adjustment of the engine'"'"'s operating parameters; and

a replacement mechanism for providing the functionality of replacing an existing part of the engine with a new part, if the desired diagnostic functionality is to replace the existing part.

26. The system according to claim 25, wherein the new part includes:

an injector;

an engine map; and

an engine management mechanism.

27. The system according to claim 25, the engine diagnostic system further comprising:

at least one language look up table for providing language look ups among different languages; and

an interface rendering mechanism for generating the user graphical interface in pre-specified preferred languages based on the at least one language look up table.

28. The system according to claim 27, further comprising:

a dealer port for facilitating the replacement mechanism to obtain a new engine map associate with an operation to replace an existing engine map with the new engine map.

29. The system according to claim 28, further comprising:

a printing mechanism for facilitating the generation of a status report in printing, and

an engine map storage for storing at least one engine map from where the dealer port accesses an updated engine map.

30. An engine diagnostic system, comprising:

a user graphical interface for interacting with a user to allow the user to select a desired diagnostic functionality to be performed on an engine through an engine management mechanism and to specify parameters used in performing the desired diagnostic function;

a status review mechanism for providing the functionality of reviewing static and dynamic status information of the engine, if the desired diagnostic functionality, selected by the user, is to review status information;

a testing mechanism for providing the functionality of performing static and dynamic testing on the engine, if the desired diagnostic functionality is to test the engine;

an adjustment mechanism for providing the functionality of adjusting the operating parameters of the engine, if the desired diagnostic functionality is to make adjustment of the engine'"'"'s operating parameters; and

a replacement mechanism for providing the functionality of replacing an existing part of the engine with a new part, if the desired diagnostic functionality is to replace the existing part.

31. The system according to claim 30, wherein the new part includes:

an injector;

an engine map; and

an engine management mechanism.

32. The system according to claim 30, further comprising:

at least one language look up table for providing language look ups among different languages; and

an interface rendering mechanism for generating the user graphical interface in pre-specified preferred languages based on the at least one language look up table.

33. The system according to claim 32, further comprising:

a dealer port for facilitating the replacement mechanism to obtain a new engine map associate with an operation to replace an existing engine map with the new engine map.

34. A machine-accessible medium encoded with data operable according to a method comprising:

presenting, by an engine diagnostic system, a menu to a user with a plurality of options related to engine diagnostic operations through a user graphical interface displayed on a PDA on which the engine diagnostic system is realized wherein the PDA is in connection with an engine management mechanism of an engine;

receiving, from the user, a selected engine diagnostic operation to be performed with respect to the engine; and

performing, by the engine diagnostic system through the engine management mechanism of the engine, the selected engine diagnostic operation,

wherein the plurality of options related to engine diagnostic operations includes at least one of a status review operation, a testing operation, an adjustment operation, and a replacement operation,

wherein the replacement operation includes at least one of an engine map update operation, an injector replacement operation, and an engine management mechanism replacement operation,

wherein performing the selected engine diagnostic operation comprises executing a status review if the selected engine diagnostic operation is a status review operation, executing an engine testing if the selected engine diagnostic operation is an engine testing operation, and executing a replacement if the selected engine diagnostic operation is a replacement operation.

35. The medium according to claim 34, wherein presenting the menu includes presenting the menu in a preferred language specified by the user.

36. The medium according to claim 34, wherein the status review operation includes at least one of:

a static status information review operation that queries static status information related to the engine; and

a dynamic status information review operation that queries dynamic status information related to the engine.

37. The medium according to claim 34, wherein the testing operation includes at least one of:

a static testing operation; and

a dynamic testing operation.

38. The medium according to claim 34, wherein executing the status review comprises:

obtaining the user'"'"'s selection of the type of status information to be reviewed via the user graphical interface;

querying the engine management mechanism for static status information of the engine if the user'"'"'s selection is static status information review;

querying the engine management mechanism for dynamic status information of the engine if the user'"'"'s selection is dynamic information review;

receiving queried information from the engine management mechanism; and

displaying the queried information on the user graphical interface in the preferred language.

39. The medium according to claim 34, wherein executing the engine testing comprises:

obtaining the user'"'"'s selection of the type of test to be performed via the user graphical interface;

obtaining static engine testing parameters related to the type of static test to be performed on the engine if the user'"'"'s selection is static testing;

acquiring dynamic testing parameters related to the type of dynamic test to be performed on the engine if the user'"'"'s selection is dynamic testing; and

carrying out the type of test, selected by the user, via the engine management mechanism based on the testing parameters.

40. The medium according to claim 34, wherein executing the replacement comprises:

obtaining the user'"'"'s selection of the type of replacement to be performed via the user graphical interface;

performing replacement of an engine map stored in the engine management mechanism if the user'"'"'s selection is to replace the engine map;

performing replacement of an injector if the user'"'"'s selection is to replace the injector; and

performing replacement of the engine management mechanism if the user'"'"'s selection is to replace the engine management mechanism.

41. The medium according to claim 40, wherein performing the replacement of the engine map comprises:

retrieving, by the engine diagnostic system, a new engine map from an authorized location;

uploading the engine map from the engine management mechanism to the engine diagnostic system; and

downloading the new engine map to the engine management mechanism.

42. The medium according to claim 41, wherein performing the replacement of injector comprises:

determining, by the user, an injector to be replaced via the user graphical interface;

obtaining, by the engine diagnostic system, new injector coefficients for the injector to be replaced; and

downloading the new injector coefficients to the engine management mechanism.

43. The medium according to claim 41, wherein performing the replacement of the engine management mechanism comprises:

uploading engine operating parameters from the engine management mechanism to the engine diagnostic system;

installing a new engine management mechanism; and

downloading the engine operating parameters from the engine diagnostic system to the new engine management mechanism.

44. A machine-accessible medium encoded with data operable according to a method comprising:

presenting, by an engine diagnostic system, a menu to a user with a plurality of options related to engine diagnostic operations through a user graphical interface displayed on a personal computer on which the engine diagnostic system is realized wherein the personal computer is in connection with an engine management mechanism of an engine;

receiving, from the user, a selected engine diagnostic operation to be performed with respect to the engine; and

performing, by the engine diagnostic system through the engine management mechanism of the engine, the selected engine diagnostic operation,

wherein the plurality of options related to the engine diagnostic operation includes at least one of a status review operation, a testing operation, an adjustment operation, and a replacement operation,

wherein the replacement operation includes at least one of an engine map update operation, an injector replacement operation, and an engine management mechanism replacement operation, and

wherein performing the selected engine diagnostic operation comprises executing a status review if the selected engine diagnostic operation is a status review operation, executing an engine testing if the selected engine diagnostic operation is an engine testing operation, and executing a replacement if the selected engine diagnostic operation is a replacement operation.

45. The medium according to claim 44, wherein presenting the menu includes presenting the menu in a preferred language specified by the user.

46. The medium according to claim 44, wherein the status review operation includes at least one of:

a static status information review operation that queries static status information related to the engine; and

a dynamic status information review operation that queries dynamic status information related to the engine.

47. The medium according to claim 44, wherein the testing operation includes at least one of:

a static testing operation; and

a dynamic testing operation.

48. The medium according to claim 44, wherein executing the status review comprises:

obtaining the user'"'"'s selection of the type of status information to be reviewed via the user graphical interface;

querying the engine management mechanism for static status information of the engine if the user'"'"'s selection is static a status information review;

querying the engine management mechanism for dynamic status information of the engine if the user'"'"'s selection is a dynamic information review;

receiving queried information from the engine management mechanism; and

displaying the queried information on the user graphical interface in the preferred language.

49. The medium according to claim 44, wherein executing the engine testing comprises:

obtaining the user'"'"'s selection of the type of test to be performed via the user graphical interface;

obtaining static engine testing parameters related to the type of static test to be performed on the engine if the user'"'"'s selection is static testing;

acquiring dynamic testing parameters related to the type of dynamic test to be performed on the engine if the user'"'"'s selection is dynamic testing; and

carrying out the type of test, selected by the user, via the engine management mechanism based on the testing parameters.

50. The medium according to claim 44, wherein executing the replacement comprises:

obtaining the user'"'"'s selection of the type of replacement to be performed via the user graphical interface;

performing replacement of an engine map stored in the engine management mechanism if the user'"'"'s selection is to replace the engine map;

performing replacement of an injector if the user'"'"'s selection is to replace the injector; and

performing replacement of the engine management mechanism if the user'"'"'s selection is to replace the engine management mechanism.