Open-ended scan analysis with auto-identification of multi-platform gas analyzers
First Claim
1. A test instrument for acquiring and displaying motor vehicle data, comprising:
- a scan interface component permitting communication between said test instrument and a motor vehicle onboard diagnostic (OBD) computer;
an external device interface component permitting communication between said test instrument and an additional data acquisition device; and
a communication subsystem configured to scan the external device interface to determine a connection of said additional data acquisition device and in response to the determination of the connection of the additional data acquisition device, the communication subsystem attempts to establish a communications connection between said test instrument and said additional data acquisition device.
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0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A data display firmware improvement for a scan tool adds the capability to view in a single presentation data uploaded from a motor vehicle'"'"'s onboard diagnostic (OBD) computer synchronized with data from external test apparatus. The data display algorithms permit viewing of OBD data, including certain real-time oscilloscope-like waveforms, and allow viewing test results from compatible instruments, such as exhaust gas analyzers, including capturing realtime OBD signals, holding them until delayed events such as gas analyzer test results become available, then displaying the events on a common display as though available simultaneously in real time. The present invention further permits acquisition of communication links with external test equipment for which exact protocols and port configurations may not be uniquely specified. The firmware upgrade is downloadable to existing products.
67 Citations
33 Claims
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1. A test instrument for acquiring and displaying motor vehicle data, comprising:
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a scan interface component permitting communication between said test instrument and a motor vehicle onboard diagnostic (OBD) computer;
an external device interface component permitting communication between said test instrument and an additional data acquisition device; and
a communication subsystem configured to scan the external device interface to determine a connection of said additional data acquisition device and in response to the determination of the connection of the additional data acquisition device, the communication subsystem attempts to establish a communications connection between said test instrument and said additional data acquisition device. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22)
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23. A system for acquiring and displaying motor vehicle diagnostic data, said system comprising:
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means for acquiring data generated or stored within a motor vehicle computer;
means for communicating with an external test instrument;
means for scanning the means for communicating to determine the connection of said external test instrument;
means for establishing a communication connection with said external test instrument through repeated attempts to initialize a communication link with said external test equipment using differing protocols and port configurations; and
means for acquiring data from said external test instrument. - View Dependent Claims (24, 25, 26, 27)
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28. A method for acquiring and displaying motor vehicle diagnostic data comprising the steps of:
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obtaining data from a computer within a motor vehicle through a link to a scan tool;
scanning a communications port of the scan tool to determine a connection of an external test instrument;
in response the determination of the connection, establishing a communications connection between the scan tool and the external test instrument; and
obtaining data from the external test instrument. - View Dependent Claims (29, 30, 31, 32, 33)
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Specification