Superimposing current or previous graphing data for anomaly detection

• US 7,254,469 B2
• Filed: 11/18/2004
• Issued: 08/07/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 11/18/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Snap-On Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Snap-On Incorporated
• Inventors: Robb, Michael J., Panko, James, Welch, William
• Primary Examiner(s): BEAULIEU, YONEL
• Application Number:
  US10/990,546
• Publication Number:
  US 20060106509A1
• Time in Patent Office: 992 Days
• Field of Search: 701/29, 701/33, 701/35, 701101-102, 701/115, 731/16, 307 1- 4, 702/71, 702/74
• US Class Current: 701/29
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 23/0216 Human interface functionality, e.g. monitoring system providing help to the user in the selection of tests or in its configuration
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 5/0808 Diagnosing performance data testing of vehicles G01M17/00; testing of electrical installation on vehicles G01R31/005

Abstract

A system and a machine-implemented method for rendering, on a display device, a first data graph concerning data received from a first data source. A second data graph concerning data received from a second data source is rendered on the display device, and superimposed onto the first data graph to generate a superimposed data graph.

Claims

1. A machine-implemented method for rendering diagnostic information, the method comprising:

rendering, on a display device, a first data graph concerning vehicular diagnostic data received from a first data source;

rendering, on the display device, a second data graph concerning vehicular diagnostic data received from a second data source; and

on the display, superimposing the second data graph onto the first data graph to generate a superimposed data graph.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

rendering, on the display device, additional data graphs, each of which concerns data received from an additional data source; and

superimposing the additional data graphs onto the first data graph.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the x-axis of the first data graph, the x-axis of the second data graph, and the x-axis of the superimposed data graph are each divided into increments having a common time unit value.

4. The method of claim 1, where the y-axis of the first data graph is divided into increments having a first increment unit value, the y-axis of the second data graph is divided into increments having a second increment unit value, and the y-axis of the superimposed data graph is divided into increments having both the first increment unit value and the second increment unit value.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein superimposing the second data graph includes:

repositioning the second data graph onto the first data graph to generate the superimposed data graph.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein superimposing the second data graph includes:

rendering a menu structure, on the display device, that allows the user to select the second data graph for superimposition onto the first data graph to generate the superimposed data graph.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising interfacing with an external control system that collects the data received from the first and second data sources.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the external control system is an electronic control unit of a motor vehicle.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein at least one of the data sources is a sensor incorporated into the motor vehicle.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

storing one or more of the data graphs on a data store.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the data store is a local data store.

12. The method of claim 10, wherein the data store is a remote data store.

13. The method of claim 10, further comprising:

retrieving one or more of the data graphs from the data store.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein:

the first data source is a baseline data file for a specific data sensor; and

the second data source is an actual data source from the specific data sensor.

15. The method of claim 14, further comprising:

retrieving the baseline data file from a data store.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the data store is a local data store.

17. The method of claim 15, wherein the data store is a remote data store.

43. The method of claim 1, wherein:

the first data graph is an ideal signal of a vehicle component; and

the second data graph is a measured signal of the vehicle component.

18. A computer program product residing on a computer readable medium having a plurality of instructions stored thereon which, when executed by the processor, cause that processor to:

render, on a display device, a first data graph concerning data received from a first data source;

render, on the display device, a second data graph concerning data received from a second data source; and

on the display device, superimpose the second data graph onto the first data graph to generate a superimposed data graph.

19. The computer program product of claim 18, further comprising instructions for:

rendering, on the display device, additional data graphs, each of which concerns data received from an additional data source; and

superimposing the additional data graphs onto the first data graph.

20. The computer program product of claim 18, wherein the x-axis of the first data graph, the x-axis of the second data graph, and the x-axis of the superimposed data graph are each divided into increments having a common time unit value.

21. The computer program product of claim 18, wherein the y-axis of the first data graph is divided into increments having a first increment unit value, the y-axis of the second data graph is divided into increments having a second increment unit value, and the y-axis of the superimposed data graph is divided into increments having both the first increment unit value and the second increment unit value.

22. The computer program product of claim 18, wherein the instructions for superimposing the second data graph include instructions for:

repositioning the second data graph onto the first data graph to generate the superimposed data graph.

23. The computer program product of claim 20, wherein the instructions for superimposing the second data graph include instructions for:

rendering a menu structure, on the display device, that allows the user to select the second data graph for superimposition onto the first data graph to generate the superimposed data graph.

24. The computer program product of claim 18, further comprising instructions for interfacing with an external control system that collects the data received from the first and second data sources.

25. The computer program product of claim 24, wherein the external control system is an electronic control unit of a motor vehicle.

26. The computer program product of claim 25, wherein at least one of the data sources is a sensor incorporated into the motor vehicle.

27. The computer program product of claim 18, further comprising instructions for:

storing one or more of the data graphs on a data store.

28. The computer program product of claim 27, wherein the data store is a local data store.

29. The computer program product of claim 27, wherein the data store is a remote data store.

30. The computer program product of claim 27, further comprising instructions for:

retrieving one or more of the data graphs from the data store.

31. The computer program product of claim 18, wherein:

the first data source is a baseline data file for a specific data sensor; and

the second data source is an actual data source from the specific data sensor.

32. The computer program product of claim 31, further comprising instructions for:

retrieving the baseline data file from a data store.

33. The computer program product of claim 32, wherein the data store is a local data store.

34. The computer program product of claim 32, wherein the data store is a remote data store.

44. The product of claim 18, wherein:

the first data graph is an ideal signal of a vehicle component; and

the second data graph is a measured signal of the vehicle component.

35. A machine-implemented method for rendering diagnostic information, the method comprising:

rendering, on a display device, a plurality of data graphs, each of which concerns vehicular diagnostic data received from a different data source;

receiving a user selection selecting a single data graph from the plurality of data graphs, and

on the display device, superimposing at least a portion of the remaining plurality of data graphs onto the selected single data graph to generate a superimposed data graph.

36. The method of claim 35, wherein superimposing the second data graph includes:

rendering a menu structure, on the display device, that allows the user to select the selected single data graph and the at least a portion of the remaining plurality of data graphs to generate a superimposed data graph.

37. A computer program product residing on a computer readable medium having a plurality of instructions stored thereon which, when executed by the processor cause that processor to:

render, on a display device, a plurality of data graphs, each of which concerns data received from a different data source;

receive a user selection selecting a single data graph from the plurality of data groups, and

on the display device, superimpose at least a portion of the remaining plurality of data graphs onto the selected single data graph to generate a superimposed data graph.

38. The computer program product of claim 37, wherein the instructions for superimposing at least a portion of the remaining plurality of data graphs include instructions for:

rending a menu structure, on the display device, that allows the user to select the selected single data graph and the at least a portion of the remaining plurality of data graphs to generate a superimposed data graph.

39. A superimposed system comprising:

a display device for displaying a first data graph concerning data received from a first data source, and a second data graph concerning data received from a second data source; and

a selection device for receiving a user selection requesting the superimposition of the second data graph onto the first data graph to generate a superimposed data graph on the display device.

40. The system of claim 39, wherein:

the display device is configured to display additional data graphs, each of which concerns data received from an additional data source; and

the selection device is configured to allow for the superimposition of the additional data graphs onto the first data graph.

41. The system of claim 39, further comprising:

an interface device for interfacing with an external control system that collects the data received from the first and second data sources.

42. The system of claim 39, further comprising:

a data store for storing one or more of the data graphs.