Method and system for monitoring, controlling, and locating portable devices performing remote diagnostic analysis of control network

• US 7,398,083 B2
• Filed: 01/25/2005
• Issued: 07/08/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 04/10/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: I/O Controls Corporation
• Original Assignee: I/O Controls Corporation
• Inventors: Ying, Jeffrey
• Primary Examiner(s): West; Lewis G
• Application Number:
  US11/043,447
• Publication Number:
  US 20050283285A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,260 Days
• Field of Search: 455/423, 455/67.11, 702/183, 702/62, 702/108, 702/122, 702/123, 702/182, 702/188
• US Class Current: 455/423
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 23/0208 characterized by the configuration of the monitoring system

Abstract

A system for monitoring, controlling, and locating portable computerized devices performing remote diagnostic analysis of control networks. The portable, wireless equipment includes computerized display device connected to a wireless intermediary device for allowing a wireless connection to be made to a control network. The computerized diagnostic device may be embodied as a personal digital assistant (PDA) having a graphical screen display, on which may be displayed the network nodes and connections of the control network presented against a backdrop of a transit vehicle or other facility shown in three-dimensional, rotatable images. The wireless equipment may allow the operator to force individual system components to output states, and provide for real time monitoring. The portable, wireless equipment is programmed with information pertaining to the connections and locations of the components in the control network, thereby simplifying diagnosis or testing by the operator. The portable, wireless equipment may be operated within a network of wireless communication cells, whereby transmitted messages between the portable, wireless equipment and the control networks may be monitored and the position of each device determined. Graphical images of the control networks may be displayed or rotated based upon the operator'"'"'s relative position and orientation within respect to the control network.

Claims

1. A system for facilitating diagnosis and maintenance of electronic control networks, comprising:

a wireless diagnostic device, said wireless diagnostic device comprising a transmitter and receiver for communicating over a wireless communication channel with a vehicle control network to be diagnosed, via a control network wireless interface; and

at least one wireless ground station, said at least one wireless ground station comprising a ground station receiver attuned to said wireless communication channel, whereby transmitted messages between said wireless diagnostic device and the vehicle control network over said wireless communication channel are monitored, and further comprising a user terminal; and

and wherein the wireless diagnostic device and wireless ground station are configured to provide interactive communication between a first user of the wireless diagnostic device and a second user at the user terminal of the wireless ground station.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein said wireless diagnostic device is portable and adapted to be manually carried.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein said vehicle control network is disposed on a motorized vehicle and controls or monitors functions of the motorized vehicle.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the control network wireless interface is integral with the vehicle control network.

5. A system for facilitating diagnosis and maintenance of electronic control networks, comprising:

a wireless diagnostic device, said wireless diagnostic device comprising a transmitter and receiver for communicating over a wireless communication channel with a control network to be diagnosed, via a control network wireless interface; and

at least one wireless ground station, said at least one wireless ground station comprising a ground station receiver attuned to said wireless communication channel, whereby transmitted messages between said wireless diagnostic device and the control network over said wireless communication channel are monitored;

wherein said wireless diagnostic device is portable and adapted to be manually carried;

wherein said control network is disposed on a motorized vehicle and controls or monitors functions of the motorized vehicle; and

wherein said wireless diagnostic device is configured to transmit a command to the vehicle control network, via said control network wireless interface, causing said vehicle control network to switch between a normal operating mode and a test mode having reduced operational functionality.

6. A system for facilitating diagnosis and maintenance of electronic control networks, comprising:

a wireless diagnostic device, said wireless diagnostic device comprising a transmitter and receiver for communicating over a wireless communication channel with a control network to be diagnosed, via a control network wireless interface; and

at least one wireless ground station, said at least one wireless ground station comprising a ground station receiver attuned to said wireless communication channel, whereby transmitted messages between said wireless diagnostic device and the control network over said wireless communication channel are monitored;

wherein said wireless diagnostic device is portable and adapted to be manually carried; and

wherein said control network is disposed on a motorized vehicle and controls or monitors functions of the motorized vehicle and

wherein said at least one wireless ground station is configured to automatically monitor the transmitted messages between said wireless diagnostic device and the control network over said wireless communication channel and track the identity of said wireless diagnostic device and its associated operator.

7. The system of claim 6, wherein the operator associated with said wireless diagnostic device is identified by log-in information manually entered by the operator at the wireless diagnostic device.

8. The system of claim 6, wherein said at least one wireless ground station is further configured to automatically monitor and track transmitted messages between one or more additional wireless diagnostic devices and one or more additional control networks within range of said at least one wireless ground station.

9. The system of claim 6, wherein said at least one wireless ground station is configured to automatically track diagnostic or test transactions performed using the wireless diagnostic device.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein said at least one wireless ground station is configured to automatically track a sequence of diagnostic and test transactions performed using the wireless diagnostic device.

11. The system of claim 9, wherein said at least one wireless ground station is configured to automatically track the starting and ending times of diagnostic and maintenance sessions performed using the wireless diagnostic device.

12. The system of claim 9, wherein information obtained from monitoring the transmitted messages between the wireless diagnostic device and the control network is displayed in real time on a display at a user terminal associated with the at least one wireless ground station, thereby allowing monitoring of diagnostic and maintenance operations at the at least one wireless ground station as those operations are being performed using said wireless diagnostic device.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein at least one of the control network and wireless diagnostic device locks out the user of the wireless diagnostic device in response to the termination command received from the at least one wireless ground station.

14. The system of claim 11, wherein said at least one wireless ground station is configured to terminate access to the control network by said wireless diagnostic device by sending a wireless termination command, in response to an instruction manually entered at the user terminal associated with the at least one wireless ground station.

15. A method for facilitating diagnosis and maintenance of electronic control networks, comprising the steps of:

wirelessly communicating between a portable wireless diagnostic device and a control network to be diagnosed, said portable wireless diagnostic device comprising a transmitter and receiver for communicating over a wireless communication channel with the control network via a control network wireless interface;

monitoring, at a wireless ground station, messages transmitted between said portable wireless diagnostic device and the control network over said wireless communication channel; and

displaying information derived from the monitored messages at a user terminal of the wireless ground station;

transmitting interactive communications over said wireless communication channel between respective users at the wireless ground station and the portable wireless diagnostic device.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the control network wireless interface is integral with the vehicle control network.

17. The method of claim 15, wherein said step of transmitting interactive communications over said wireless communication channel between respective users at the wireless ground station and the portable wireless diagnostic device further comprises the step of communicating technical information from a first user at a user terminal connected to the wireless ground station to the portable wireless diagnostic device in response to an inquiry from a second user operating the portable wireless diagnostic device.

18. The method of claim 15, wherein said portable wireless diagnostic device is adapted to be manually carried.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein said control network is disposed on a motorized vehicle and controls or monitors functions of the motorized vehicle.

20. A method for facilitating diagnosis and maintenance of electronic control networks, comprising the steps of:

wirelessly communicating between a portable wireless diagnostic device and a control network to be diagnosed, said portable wireless diagnostic device comprising a transmitter and receiver for communicating over a wireless communication channel with the control network via a control network wireless interface;

monitoring, at a wireless ground station, messages transmitted between said portable wireless diagnostic device and the control network over said wireless communication channel; and

displaying information derived from the monitored messages at a user terminal of the wireless ground station;

wherein said portable wireless diagnostic device is adapted to be manually carried;

wherein said control network is disposed on a motorized vehicle and controls or monitors functions of the motorized vehicle;

further comprising the step of transmitting a test mode command form said portable wireless diagnostic device to the control network of the motorized vehicle via said control network wireless interface, thereby causing said control network to switch between a normal operating mode and a test mode having reduced operational functionality.

21. A method for facilitating diagnosis and maintenance of electronic control networks, comprising the steps of:

wirelessly communicating between a portable wireless diagnostic device and a control network to be diagnosed, said portable wireless diagnostic device comprising a transmitter and receiver for communicating over a wireless communication channel with the control network via a control network wireless interface;

monitoring, at a wireless ground station, messages transmitted between said portable wireless diagnostic device and the control network over said wireless communication channel;

displaying information derived from the monitored messages at a user terminal of the wireless ground station;

wherein said portable wireless diagnostic device is adapted to be manually carried;

wherein said control network is disposed on a motorized vehicle and controls or monitors functions of the motorized vehicle; and

further comprising the step of automatically monitoring, at the wireless ground station, the transmitted messages between said portable wireless diagnostic device and the control network over said wireless communication channel, and to thereby track the identity of said portable wireless diagnostic device and its associated operator.

22. The method of claim 21, further comprising the step of identifying the operator associated with said portable wireless diagnostic device by log-in information manually entered by the operator at the portable wireless diagnostic device.

23. The method of claim 21, further comprising the step of automatically monitoring and tracking, at said wireless ground station, messages transmitted between one or more additional portable wireless diagnostic devices and one or more additional control networks within range of said wireless ground station.

24. The method of claim 21, wherein said wireless ground station is configured to automatically track diagnostic or test transactions performed using said portable wireless diagnostic device.

25. The method of claim 24, wherein said wireless ground station is further configured to automatically track a sequence of diagnostic and test transactions performed using said portable wireless diagnostic device.

26. The method of claim 24, wherein said wireless ground station is further configured to automatically track the starting and ending times of diagnostic and maintenance sessions performed using said portable wireless diagnostic device.

27. The method of claim 24, wherein the information displayed at said user terminal of said wireless ground station is displayed in real time, thereby allowing monitoring of diagnostic and maintenance operations at the wireless ground station as those operations are being performed using said portable wireless diagnostic device.

28. A system for facilitating diagnosis and maintenance of electronic control networks, comprising the steps of:

wirelessly communicating between a portable wireless diagnostic device and a control network to be diagnosed, said portable wireless diagnostic device comprising a transmitter and receiver for communicating over a wireless communication channel with the control network via a control network wireless interface;

monitoring, at a wireless ground station, messages transmitted between said portable wireless diagnostic device and the control network over said wireless communication channel; and

displaying information derived from the monitored messages at a user terminal of the wireless ground station,

further comprising the step of wirelessly transmitting a termination command in response to an instruction manually entered at the user terminal of said wireless ground station, whereby access to the control network by said portable wireless diagnostic device is terminated.

29. The method of claim 28, further comprising the step of locking out the user of said portable wireless diagnostic device from further test or diagnosis on the control network in response to the termination command received from the wireless ground station.