Vehicle diagnostic tool with packet and voice over packet communications and systems incorporating such a tool

• US 7,769,508 B2
• Filed: 04/14/2006
• Issued: 08/03/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 04/14/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Snap-On Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Snap-On Incorporated
• Inventors: Brozovich, Roy Steven
• Primary Examiner(s): Tran; Khoi
• Assistant Examiner(s): PATTON, SPENCER D
• Application Number:
  US11/404,053
• Publication Number:
  US 20070244611A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,572 Days
• Field of Search: 701/29, 701/33, 701/35, 455/411
• US Class Current: 701/29
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 2205/02 using a vehicle scan tool
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 5/008 communicating information to a remotely located station transmission systems for measured values G08C
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 5/0808 Diagnosing performance data testing of vehicles G01M17/00; testing of electrical installation on vehicles G01R31/005

Abstract

In an exemplary vehicle service facility that provides vehicle related sales, maintenance services or the like, a diagnostic tool has wireless packet data communication capabilities. To support voice communication, the tool also has one or more audible input/output transducers and a vocoder, and is configured to use VoIP technology or the like to enable wireless packet data transport of voice calls over the same wireless data links. The packet voice capability can support voice communications with technicians using other tools at the facility or with personnel in an office at the service facility. If the facility has a data link to a wide area packet network, like the Internet, the packet voice capability may also support voice communications with other parties having packet service. Examples are technicians at other locations or various personnel of technical support services for the tools or for different types of vehicles.

Claims

1. An automotive vehicle diagnostic tool, comprising:

a diagnostic instrument configured to obtain diagnostic data from an automotive vehicle;

at least one audio transducer configured for audible input and output;

a vocoder configured to encode audio signals coming from the at least one audio transducer and to decode received encoded audio signals for the at least one audio transducer;

a wireless packet data transceiver, configured for wireless packet data communication of data relating to operation of the diagnostic instrument and the encoded audio signals;

a processor configured to control operations of the vehicle diagnostic tool including communications via the wireless packet data transceiver;

a memory; and

programming stored in the memory for execution by the processor,

wherein the programming includes;

at least one automotive vehicle diagnostic application to configure the processor to control operation of the diagnostic instrument to obtain diagnostic data from the automotive vehicle and to cause the processor to perform diagnostic functions of the vehicle diagnostic tool including data processing on the data obtained from the diagnostic instrument to help identify a vehicle problem and/or to propose a remedial action and to control the communication of data relating to operation of the diagnostic instrument via the wireless packet data transceiver; and

a voice communication application to configure the processor to control the vocoder and the wireless packet data transceiver for wireless packet data communication of the encoded audio signals; and

a housing for the diagnostic instrument, processor, memory, at least one audio transducer, vocoder and wireless packet data transceiver;

wherein the housing is configured to enable handheld operation of the tool for operation in accord with the at least one vehicle diagnostic application and for voice communication.

2. The vehicle diagnostic tool of claim 1, wherein the diagnostic instrument comprises at least one instrument selected from the group consisting of:

an interface configured to receive image data from an image sensor;

a data interface configured for scanner communication with one or more on-board controllers in the vehicle;

a gas analyzer;

a digital volt-ohm meter; and

a laboratory oscilloscope.

3. The vehicle diagnostic tool of claim 1, further comprising a display and at least one user data input.