Common platform for use in automotive services
First Claim
1. A common platform for use with a host computer capable of controlling more than one type of equipment sensors, said common platform comprising:
- a host interface for communicating with said host computer;
a control interface for communicating with an equipment sensor;
a memory for storing bootloader software; and
a processor coupled to said memory, said host interface and said control interface;
said processor executing said bootloader software for performing the steps of;
automatically downloading extension software into said memory;
executing the downloaded extension software;
under the control of the downloaded extension software, determining the type of said equipment sensor;
responsive to a result of the determining step, downloading application software corresponding to the type of equipment sensor into said memory, wherein the application software is used for configuring the common platform for use with the equipment sensor; and
executing said application software.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A common platform is used in conjunction with a host computer to control various equipment sensors that perform different functions. In one aspect, the common platform is a micro-controller board, the host computer is a personal computer (PC), and the equipment sensors comprise an add-on card and a sensor for use in automotive services. A universal serial bus (USB) or an RS232 interface used for the common platform communicates with the host computer and with the equipment sensors. The common platform is a plug and play board that, once attached to the host computer, operates with little or no human intervention. The common platform is capable of accommodating various equipment sensors that are run by various appropriate application software. Further, the common platform can run under different operation power sources. In one aspect, these power sources include a power source embedded in the common platform, an RS232 power source, and a power source external to the common platform, such as a battery.
107 Citations
53 Claims
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1. A common platform for use with a host computer capable of controlling more than one type of equipment sensors, said common platform comprising:
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a host interface for communicating with said host computer;
a control interface for communicating with an equipment sensor;
a memory for storing bootloader software; and
a processor coupled to said memory, said host interface and said control interface;
said processor executing said bootloader software for performing the steps of;
automatically downloading extension software into said memory;
executing the downloaded extension software;
under the control of the downloaded extension software, determining the type of said equipment sensor;
responsive to a result of the determining step, downloading application software corresponding to the type of equipment sensor into said memory, wherein the application software is used for configuring the common platform for use with the equipment sensor; and
executing said application software. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
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14. A common platform for use with a host computer capable of controlling more than one type of equipment sensors, said common platform comprising:
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a host interface for communicating with said host computer;
a control interface for communicating with an equipment sensor;
a memory for storing bootloader software and application software; and
a processor coupled to said memory, said host interface and said control interface;
said processor configured for executing said bootloader software to perform the steps of;
automatically downloading extension software into said memory;
executing the downloaded extension software;
under the control of the downloaded extension software, determining the type of said equipment sensor;
under the control of the downloaded extension software, determining whether said application software stored in said memory matches the type of said equipment sensor;
if said application software matches said equipment sensor, then executing said application software;
if the application software does not match said equipment sensor, then downloading new application software corresponding to said equipment sensor into said memory, wherein the application software is used for configuring the common platform for use with the equipment sensor. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17)
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18. A method for preparing a common platform for use with a host computer capable of controlling more than one type of equipment sensors connected to said common platform, the method comprising the steps of:
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reading bootloader software stored in said common platform;
executing the bootloader software;
under the control of the bootloader software, automatically downloading extension software into said common platform;
executing the downloaded extension software;
under the control of the downloaded extension software, determining the type of equipment sensor connected to said common platform;
responsive to a result of the determining step, downloading application software corresponding to the type of said equipment sensor to said common platform; and
configuring said common platform to perform a predetermined function based on the downloaded application software. - View Dependent Claims (19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24)
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25. A method for preparing a common platform for use with a host computer capable of controlling more than one type of equipment sensors connected to said common platform, the method comprising the steps of:
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reading bootloader software stored in said common platform;
executing the bootloader software;
under the control of the bootloader software, automatically downloading extension software into said common platform;
executing the downloaded extension software;
under the control of the downloaded extension software, determining the type of equipment sensor connected to said common platform; and
determining whether application software stored in said common platform matches the type of said equipment sensor;
if said application software matches the type of said equipment sensor, then executing said application software;
if said application software does not match the type of said equipment sensor, then downloading new application software corresponding to said equipment sensor type into said common platform; and
configuring said common platform to perform a predetermined function based on the application software. - View Dependent Claims (26, 27, 28)
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29. A common platform for use with a host computer capable of controlling more than one type of equipment sensors, said common platform comprising:
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a host interface for communicating with said host computer;
a control interface for communicating with an equipment sensor;
a memory for storing bootloader software and application software; and
a processor coupled to said memory, said host interface and said control interface;
said processor configured for executing said bootloader software to perform the steps of;
automatically downloading extension software into said memory;
under the control of the downloaded extension software, identifying a type of said equipment sensor to said host computer;
under the control of the downloaded extension software, identifying the version of said application software stored in said memory to said host computer;
said host computer then determining whether said application software stored in said memory matches the type of said equipment sensor;
if said application software matches said equipment sensor, then causing said common platform to execute said application software; and
if said application software does not match said equipment sensor, then downloading new application software corresponding to said equipment sensor into said memory, wherein the application software is used for configuring the common platform for use with the equipment sensor. - View Dependent Claims (30, 31, 32)
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33. A common platform configured to detachably couple to a host computer of an automotive service system capable of controlling more than one type of equipment sensors, said common platform comprising:
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host interface means for communicating with said host computer;
control interface means for communicating with an equipment sensor, wherein the equipment sensor is configured to detachably couple to the common platform and to collect parameters related to a vehicle;
memory means for storing bootloader software; and
processor means, coupled to said memory, said host interface and said control interface, for executing said bootloader software to perform the steps of;
determining the type of said equipment sensor; and
responsive to a result of the determining step, downloading application software corresponding to the type of equipment sensor into said memory means, wherein the application software is used for configuring the common platform for use with the equipment sensor. - View Dependent Claims (34, 35, 36)
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37. A common platform configured to detachably couple to a host computer of an automotive service system capable of controlling more than one type of equipment sensors, said common platform comprising:
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host interface means for communicating with said host computer;
control interface means for communicating with an equipment sensor, wherein the equipment sensor is configured to detachably couple to the common platform and to collect parameters related to a vehicle;
memory means for storing bootloader software and application software; and
processor means, coupled to said memory, said host interface and said control interface, for executing said bootloader software to perform the steps of;
determining the type of said equipment sensor; and
determining whether said application software stored in said memory means matches the determined type of said equipment sensor;
if said application software matches said determined type of equipment sensor, then executing said application software; and
if the application software does not match said determined type of equipment sensor, then downloading new application software corresponding to said determined type of equipment sensor into said memory means, wherein the application software is used for configuring the common platform for use with the equipment sensor. - View Dependent Claims (38, 39, 40)
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41. A common platform for use in an automotive service system external to a vehicle, the common platform comprising:
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a host interface for detachably coupling the automotive service system;
a control interface configured to detachably receive an equipment sensor;
a memory for storing first software; and
a processor coupled to the memory, the host interface and the control interface;
wherein the processor, upon execution of the first software software, performs the steps of;
automatically downloading second software into the memory;
executing the downloaded second software;
under the control of the downloaded second software, determining the type of the equipment sensor; and
responsive to a result of the determining step, downloading third software corresponding to the type of equipment sensor into the memory, wherein the third software is used for configuring the common platform for use with the equipment sensor. - View Dependent Claims (42, 43, 44, 45, 46)
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47. A common platform for use in an automotive service system, the common platform comprising:
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a host interface for communicating with the automotive service system;
a control interface configured to communicate with an equipment sensor, wherein the control interface includes a programmable circuit;
a memory for storing bootloader software; and
a processor coupled to the memory, the host interface and the control interface;
wherein the processor, upon execution of the bootloader software, performs the steps of; determining the type of the equipment sensor;
responsive to a result of the determining step, downloading application software corresponding to the type of equipment sensor into the memory; and
programming the programmable circuit of the control interface based on the downloaded application software.
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48. An automotive service system external to a vehicle, the system comprising:
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an equipment sensor for collecting parameters of the vehicle;
a data processing system;
a common platform configured to detachably couple to the data processing system and to detachably receiving the equipment sensor, wherein the common platform including;
a host interface for communicating with the data processing system;
a control interface for communicating with the equipment sensor;
a memory for storing first software; and
a processor coupled to the memory, the host interface and the control interface;
wherein the processor, upon executing the first software, performs the steps of;
automatically downloading second software into the memory;
executing the downloaded second software;
under the control of the downloaded second software, determining the type of the equipment sensor; and
responsive to a result of the determining step, downloading third software corresponding to the type of equipment sensor into the memory, wherein the third software is used for configuring the common platform for use with the equipment sensor. - View Dependent Claims (49, 50)
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51. An automotive service system external to a vehicle, the system comprising:
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an equipment sensor for collecting parameters of the vehicle;
a data processing system;
a common platform configured to detachably couple to the data processing system and to detachably receive the equipment sensor, wherein the common platform includes;
a host interface for communicating with the data processing system;
a control interface for communicating with the equipment sensor, wherein the control interface includes a programmable circuit;
a memory for storing bootloader software; and
a processor coupled to the memory, the host interface and the control interface;
the processor, upon executing the bootloader software, performing the steps of;
determining the type of the equipment sensor;
responsive to a result of the determining step, downloading application software corresponding to the type of equipment sensor into the memory; and
programming the programmable circuit based on the downloaded application software.
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52. A common platform for use with a host computer capable of controlling more than one type of equipment sensors, said common platform comprising:
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host interface means for communicating with said host computer;
control interface means for communicating with an equipment sensor;
memory means for storing bootloader software; and
processor means, coupled to said memory, said host interface and said control interface, for executing said bootloader software to perform the steps of;
automatically downloading extension software;
executing the downloaded extension software;
under the control of the downloaded extension software, determining the type of said equipment sensor, and responsive to a result of the determining step, downloading application software corresponding to the type of equipment sensor into said memory means, wherein the application software is used for configuring the common platform for use with the equipment sensor.
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53. A common platform for use with a host computer capable of controlling more than one type of equipment sensors, said common platform comprising:
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host interface means for communicating with said host computer;
control interface means for communicating with an equipment sensor;
memory means for storing bootloader software and application software; and
processor means, coupled to said memory, said host interface and said control interface, for executing said bootloader software to perform the steps of;
automatically downloading extension software;
executing the downloaded extension software;
under the control of the downloaded extension software, determining the type of said equipment sensor; and
under the control of the downloaded extension software, determining whether said application software stored in said memory means matches the type of said equipment sensor;
if said application software matches said equipment sensor, then executing said application software; and
if the application software does not match said equipment sensor, then downloading new application software corresponding to said equipment sensor into said memory means, wherein the application software is used for configuring the common platform for use with the equipment sensor.
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Specification