Enclosure with interface device for facilitating communications between an electronic device and a vehicle diagnostic system
First Claim
1. A secondary enclosure for facilitating communications between a hand held electronic device, which is housed in a separate enclosure, and a vehicle diagnostic system, the secondary enclosure comprising:
- a housing for removably receiving at least a portion of the hand held electronic device, and an OBD interface device at least partially enclosed in the housing;
the OBD interface device comprising, coupling circuitry configured to facilitate communications between the hand held electronic device and the OBD interface device, and connection circuitry configured to facilitate communications between the vehicle diagnostic system and the OBD interface device.
4 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
The present invention is protective enclosure that is configured to receive an electronic device, such as a pocket PC or a PDA. The protective enclosure includes an interface device capable of coupling with the electronic device and a vehicle diagnostic system, thereby placing the electronic device in circuit communication with a vehicle diagnostic system. A communications protocol is generated by the interface device to establish communications with the vehicle diagnostic system. The vehicle diagnostic information is received and the interface adapter is capable of communicating the diagnostic information to the electronic device.
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Citations
52 Claims
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1. A secondary enclosure for facilitating communications between a hand held electronic device, which is housed in a separate enclosure, and a vehicle diagnostic system, the secondary enclosure comprising:
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a housing for removably receiving at least a portion of the hand held electronic device, and an OBD interface device at least partially enclosed in the housing;
the OBD interface device comprising, coupling circuitry configured to facilitate communications between the hand held electronic device and the OBD interface device, and connection circuitry configured to facilitate communications between the vehicle diagnostic system and the OBD interface device. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16)
a processor in circuit communication with the coupling circuitry and the connection circuitry, the processor executing code to facilitate interfacing between the handheld electronic device and the vehicle diagnostic system.
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3. The secondary enclosure of claim 1 wherein the housing comprises:
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a first member, a second member, and an opening configured to allow access to the OBD interface device.
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4. The secondary enclosure of claim 1 wherein the housing comprises a transparent portion to permit a display of the hand held electronic device to be seen by a user while the hand held electronic device is at least partially received by the housing.
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5. The secondary enclosure of claim 4 wherein the transparent portion is pivotally connected to the housing for allowing access to a display on the electronic device.
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6. The secondary enclosure of claim 4 wherein the transparent portion is flexible permitting selective manipulation of a touch screen on the electronic device.
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7. The secondary enclosure of claim 3 wherein the first member and the second member are hingedly connected.
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8. The secondary enclosure of claim 3 wherein the first member and the second member are secured together by at least one screw.
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9. The secondary enclosure of claim 1 further comprising a foam insert in the housing, the foam insert tending to protect the hand held electronic device from an impact.
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10. The secondary enclosure of claim 1 wherein the coupling circuitry comprises a first communications port connector to link to the hand held electronic device.
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11. The secondary enclosure of claim 10 wherein the connection circuitry cobs a second communications port connector to link to the vehicle diagnostic system.
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12. The secondary enclosure of claim 11 wherein the second communication port connector is linked to the vehicle diagnostic system by a cable that has a data link connector configured link to the vehicle diagnostic system.
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13. The secondary enclosure of claim 1 further comprising a keypad in circuit communications with at least one of the hand held electronic device and the processor.
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14. The secondary enclosure of claim 1 further comprising a memory expansion slot, for receiving a memory expansion card, in circuit communications with the processor.
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15. The secondary enclosure of claim 1 wherein the electronic device is a PDA.
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16. The secondary enclosure of claim 1 wherein the electronic device is a Pocket PC.
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17. An adaptor for facilitating circuit communication between an electronic device and a vehicle diagnostic system comprising:
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an enclosure configured to retain at least a portion of the electronic device, and an OBD interface device at least partially housed in the enclosure comprising;
coupling circuitry capable of establishing communications with the electronic device, and connection circuitry capable of establishing communications with a vehicle diagnostic system. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25)
a first processor in circuit communication with memory, the coupling circuitry, and the connection circuitry.
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19. The adaptor of claim 17 wherein the enclosure comprising a transparent portion.
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20. The adaptor of claim 17 wherein the enclosure comprises a flexible portion to selectively operate the electronic device without opening the enclosure.
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21. The adaptor of claim 17 wherein the connection circuitry is capable of communicating with the vehicle diagnostic system via a cable that has a data link connector for connecting to the vehicle diagnostic system.
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22. The ator of claim 17 wherein the coupling circuitry comprises a USB port connector.
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23. The adaptor of claim 17 wherein the coupling circuitry comprises an infrared port.
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24. The adaptor of claim 17 wherein the enclosure further comprises a keypad in circuit communications with at least one of the processor and the electronic device.
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25. The adaptor of claim 17 wherein the enclosure further comprises a memory expansion slot, for receiving a, memory expansion card, in circuit communications with the processor.
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26. A protective enclosure for housing an electronic device comprising:
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a housing for removably receiving the electronic device, a SBC interface device at least partially enclosed in the housing;
the SBC interface device comprising,coupling circuitry configured to facilitate communications between the vehicle diagnostic system and the SBC interface device, and test circuitry configured to test at least one of a vehicle starter/charging system and a battery, wherein the SBC interface device is capable of communicating a result of the test.
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27. A device for retrieving information from a vehicle diagnostic system and for testing a starter/charging system comprising:
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a housing for removably receiving an electronic device, an interface device at least partially enclosed in the housing capable of communicating with the electronic device and configured to at least one of a. facilitate communications with a vehicle diagnostic system, b. perform a test on a started/charging system of a vehicle, and c. perform a test a battery, a connector for releasably receiving a cable, the cable configured to couple to one of a vehicle diagnostic system and a starter charger system.
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28. A device for retrieving information from a vehicle diagnostic system comprising:
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an electronic device, a housing for removably receiving at least a portion of the electronic device, and an OBD interface device at least partially enclosed in the housing;
the OBD interface device comprising, coupling circuitry configured to facilitate communications between the hand held electronic device and the OBD interface device, and connection circuitry configured to facilitate communications between the vehicle diagnostic system and the OBD interface device. - View Dependent Claims (29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40)
a processor in circuit communication with the coupling circuitry and the connection circuitry, the processor executing code to facilitate interfacing between the electronic device and the vehicle diagnostic system.
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30. The device of claim 28 wherein the housing comprises a transparent portion to permit a display of the electronic device to be seen by a user while the electronic device is at least partially received by the housing.
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31. The device of claim 30 wherein the transparent portion is pivotally connected to the first member for allowing access to a display on the electronic device.
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32. The device of claim 30 wherein the transparent portion is flexible permitting selective manipulation of a touch screen on the electronic device.
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33. The device of claim 28 wherein the coupling circuitry comprises a first communications port connector to link to the electronic device.
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34. The device of claim 33 wherein the connection circuitry comprises a second communications port connector to link to the vehicle diagnostic system.
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35. The device of claim 34 wherein the second communication port connector is linked to the vehicle diagnostic system by a cable that has a data link connector configured link to the vehicle diagnostic system.
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36. The device of claim 29 wherein the housing further comprises an input device in circuit communications with the electronic device to facilitate manipulation of the electronic device when the electronic device is at least partially retained in the housing.
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37. The device of claim 29 further comprising a memory expansion slot, for receiving a memory expansion card, in circuit communications with the processor.
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38. The device of claim 28 wherein the electronic device comprises a secondary housing.
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39. The device of claim 28 wherein the electronic device is a hand held device.
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40. The device of claim 28 wherein the electronic device is one of a PDA and a pocket PC.
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41. An enclosure for a hand hold electronic device comprising:
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a protective housing for protecting the electronic device, means for at least partially retaining the hand held electronic device, and means for establishing circuit communication between the hand held electronic device and a vehicle diagnostic system. - View Dependent Claims (42, 43, 44, 45, 46)
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47. A method of retrieving vehicle diagnostic information comprising:
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placing a hand held electronic device in an enclosure that at least partially retains an interface adaptor, establishing circuit communication between the hand held electronic device and the interface adaptor, establishing circuit communication between the and held electronic device and a vehicle diagnostic system, generating a communications protocol to communicate with the vehicle diagnostic system, and retrieving vehicle diagnostic information from the vehicle diagnostic system. - View Dependent Claims (48, 49, 50, 51, 52)
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Specification