Apparatus and method for remotely testing multiple communication channel inputs to a vehicle computer

• US 7,917,260 B2
• Filed: 05/23/2008
• Issued: 03/29/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 05/23/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ford Motor Company
• Original Assignee: Ford Motor Company
• Inventors: Ubik, Henry Thomas, Denomme, Gary M, Collins, James Smarr
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen; Tan Q
• Application Number:
  US12/126,624
• Publication Number:
  US 20090292416A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,040 Days
• Field of Search: 701/33, 701/29, 701/35, 701/136, 455/41.2, 455/425, 455/466
• US Class Current: 701/33
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 24/00 Supervisory, monitoring or testing arrangements

Abstract

An embodiment of the present invention includes an apparatus for remotely testing a plurality of communication channel inputs to an automobile computer. The apparatus may include a microprocessor electrically connected to a persistent memory. The memory may have stored therein communication channel test messages corresponding to each of two or more communication channel inputs to an automobile computer. At least one of the communication channels is a wireless communication channel. The microprocessor may be configured to output a test message over a selected communication channel to the automobile computer.

Claims

1. An apparatus for remotely testing a plurality of communication channel inputs to an automobile computer, the apparatus comprising:

microprocessor electrically connected to a persistent memory having stored therein communication channel test messages corresponding to each of two or more communication channel inputs to an automobile computer, at least one of which is a wireless communication channel, wherein the microprocessor is configured to output a test message over a selected communication channel to the automobile computer;

a wireless transceiver in communication with the microprocessor for wirelessly communicating at least one of the test messages to a wireless communication input to the automobile computer; and

one or more switches connected to the microprocessor which, upon operation, cause the microprocessor to (1) pair the wireless transceiver with the wireless communication input to the automobile computer, (2) select one of the two or more communication channel inputs and corresponding test messages for testing, and (3) output the corresponding test message over the selected communication channel input.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the wireless communication channel is a BLUETOOTH communication channel.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 additionally comprising one or more output indicators to identify which of the two or more communication channels has been selected for testing.

4. The apparatus of claim 3 wherein the output indicator is a light emitting diode.

5. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the communication channel test messages are stored in two or more different languages, and wherein operation of the one or more switches additionally cause the microprocessor to select the language of the test message for output over the selected communication channel.

6. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the two or more communication channels includes a universal serial bus.

7. The apparatus of claim 6 wherein a voltage differential on the universal serial bus provides power to the microprocessor.

8. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the persistent memory is flash memory.

9. The apparatus of claim 1 additionally comprising a digital-to-analog converter for converting digitally-encoded test messages into analog audio signals.

10. A method for remotely testing the operability of two or more communication channel inputs to a vehicle computer, the method comprising:

at a test tool remote from the vehicle computer, (1) receiving input selecting one of two or more communication channel inputs to the vehicle computer, at least one of which is a wireless communication channel, (2) pairing a wireless transceiver in the test tool with a wireless transceiver electrically connected to the vehicle computer, and (3) outputting over the selected communication channel a test message unique to that communication channel.

11. The method of claim 10 additionally comprising, at the vehicle computer, (1) receiving input selecting one of one of two or more communication channel inputs to the vehicle computer, (2) receiving input for pairing a wireless transceiver in communication with the vehicle computer with a wireless transceiver in the test tool, and (3) if the test message is received at the vehicle computer over the selected communication channel, outputting the message for playback over the vehicle audio system.

12. The method of claim 10 additionally comprising illuminating at the test tool an indicator identifying which communication channel has been selected for testing.

13. The method of claim 10 additionally comprising selecting a test message language from two or more languages at the test tool, and outputting the test message over the selected communication channel in the selected language.

14. The method of claim 13 additionally comprising illuminating at the test tool an indicator identifying which test message language has been selected.

15. The method of claim 10 additionally comprising receiving at the test tool input defining a multiple digit PIN number for pairing the wireless transceiver with the wireless transceiver electrically connected to the vehicle computer.

16. The method of claim 10 wherein the wireless communication channel is a BLUETOOTH communication channel.

17. The method of claim 10 additionally comprising establishing a universal serial bus communication connection between the test tool and the vehicle computer.

18. The method of claim 10 additionally comprising establishing an analog auxiliary communication connection between the test tool and an analog input to a vehicle entertainment system.

19. The method of claim 10 additionally comprising establishing a power connection between a power supply in the vehicle and the test tool.

20. The method of claim 10 additionally comprising illuminating an indicator at the test tool to indicate the state of a pairing mode for the wireless transceiver.