Diagnostic tree substitution system and method

• US 7,551,993 B1
• Filed: 07/25/2005
• Issued: 06/23/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 07/25/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Snap-On Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Snap-On Incorporated
• Inventors: Cancilla, Jim, Grier, Jeff, Reddy, Sunil, Krzystofczyk, Carl, Lewis, Brad, Trsar, Dale
• Primary Examiner(s): Jeanglaud; Gertrude Arthur
• Application Number:
  US11/188,919
• Time in Patent Office: 1,429 Days
• Field of Search: 701 29- 30, 701 32- 36, 340/425.5, 340/438, 340/439
• US Class Current: 701/29
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06 Resources, workflows, human or project management; Enterprise or organisation planning; Enterprise or organisation modelling
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 5/008 communicating information to a remotely located station transmission systems for measured values G08C

Abstract

A system and method for identifying and substituting procedures in an OEM diagnostic tree with alternate procedures analyzed by highly experienced technicians to eliminate the use of potentially unavailable equipment and make the diagnostic tree more accessible to a greater number of technicians. The system includes a diagnostic tree editor and a library.

Claims

1. A system for modifying diagnostic trees comprising:

an original diagnostic tree including procedures;

a library for storing at least one alternate procedure for obtaining a substantially same result as a procedure in the original diagnostic tree; and

a diagnostic tree editor that compares procedures of the original diagnostic tree to alternate procedures in the library, and substitutes an alternate procedure from the library for a matching procedure in the original diagnostic tree.

2. The system of claim 1 wherein the alternate procedure is created by an expert technician.

3. The system of claim 1 wherein the procedure requires the use of a specific tool from a category of tools.

4. The system of claim 3 wherein the alternate procedure requires the use of a generic tool from the category of tools.

5. The system of claim 1 wherein the procedure requires the use of a generic tool from a category of tools.

6. The system of claim 5 wherein the alternate procedure requires the use of a specific tool from the category of tools.

7. A method for modifying diagnostic trees comprising:

selecting a procedure in an original diagnostic tree;

identifying an alternate procedure for obtaining a substantially same result;

storing the alternate procedure in a library; and

replacing the procedure in the original diagnostic tree with a matching alternate procedure in the library to create a modified diagnostic tree.

8. The method of claim 7 wherein the procedure requires the use of a specific tool from a category of tools.

9. The method of claim 8 wherein the alternate procedure requires the use of a generic tool from the category of tools.

10. The method of claim 9 wherein replacing the procedure in the original diagnostic tree with a matching alternate procedure in the library comprises providing options for performing the procedure.

11. The method of claim 7 wherein the procedure requires the use of a generic tool from a category of tools.

12. The method of claim 11 wherein the alternate procedure requires the use of a specific tool from the category of tools.

13. The method of claim 7 further comprising repeating the process until the entire diagnostic tree is evaluated.

14. A method for modifying diagnostic trees comprising:

selecting a procedure in a first diagnostic tree;

identifying an alternate procedure for obtaining a substantially same result as the procedure;

storing the alternate procedure in a library;

receiving a second diagnostic tree for modification;

comparing a procedure in the second diagnostic tree to the procedure in the first diagnostic tree; and

replacing the procedure in the second diagnostic tree with the alternate procedure in the library if a match is found to create a modified diagnostic tree.

15. The method of claim 14 wherein the procedure requires the use of a specific tool from a category of tools.

16. The method of claim 15 wherein the alternate procedure requires the use of a generic tool from the category of tools.

17. The method of claim 16 wherein replacing the procedure in the original diagnostic tree with a matching alternate procedure in the library comprises providing options for performing the procedure.

18. The method of claim 14 wherein the procedure requires the use of a generic tool from a category of tools.

19. The method of claim 18 wherein the alternate procedure requires the use of a specific tool from the category of tools.

20. The method of claim 14 further comprising repeating the process until the entire diagnostic tree is evaluated.