System and method for facilitating diagnosis and maintenance of a mobile conveyance
First Claim
1. A method for facilitating diagnosis, test or maintenance of a vehicle, comprising:
- providing a portable wireless handheld device adapted to be manually carried in or about a vehicle by an operator, said portable wireless handheld device comprising a screen display;
wirelessly receiving, at the portable wireless handheld device, locally generated indicia of position of the portable wireless handheld device relative to specific locations in or about the vehicle as the operator moves in or about the vehicle;
displaying, on the screen display of the portable wireless handheld device, vehicle-related information according to the relative position of the portable wireless handheld device in or about the vehicle to facilitate test or diagnosis at that position in or about the vehicle;
generating vehicle-related test or diagnostic data using the portable wireless handheld device based at least in part on selections entered into the portable wireless handheld device by the operator thereof; and
wirelessly transmitting the vehicle-related test or diagnostic data from the portable wireless handheld device to a remote vehicle database.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A system for facilitating diagnosis and maintenance of a control networks on a mobile conveyance comprises one or more wireless ground stations configured to communicate over a wireless communication channel with the control network. A local area computer network receives and responds to messages to or from the control network via the wireless ground stations. The local area computer network may have user terminals, a server computer, a database comprising diagnostic information relating to said control network, and a replacement parts database and/or job auction database. The local area network may also include a wide area network interface, allowing diagnostic information for the control network to be retrieved or parts to be ordered from remote vendor sites. The system may also include wireless handheld, portable equipment for allowing service personnel to perform diagnostic analysis, maintenance, and testing of the mobile conveyance control network.
78 Citations
57 Claims
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1. A method for facilitating diagnosis, test or maintenance of a vehicle, comprising:
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providing a portable wireless handheld device adapted to be manually carried in or about a vehicle by an operator, said portable wireless handheld device comprising a screen display; wirelessly receiving, at the portable wireless handheld device, locally generated indicia of position of the portable wireless handheld device relative to specific locations in or about the vehicle as the operator moves in or about the vehicle; displaying, on the screen display of the portable wireless handheld device, vehicle-related information according to the relative position of the portable wireless handheld device in or about the vehicle to facilitate test or diagnosis at that position in or about the vehicle; generating vehicle-related test or diagnostic data using the portable wireless handheld device based at least in part on selections entered into the portable wireless handheld device by the operator thereof; and wirelessly transmitting the vehicle-related test or diagnostic data from the portable wireless handheld device to a remote vehicle database. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
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14. A method for facilitating diagnosis, test or maintenance of a vehicle, comprising:
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providing a portable wireless handheld device adapted to be manually carried in or about a vehicle by an operator; automatically detecting, at the portable wireless handheld device, local indicia of position of the portable wireless handheld device relative to specific locations in or about the vehicle as the operator moves in or about the vehicle; generating diagnostic or test data using the portable wireless handheld device based at least in part on information entered into the portable wireless handheld device by the operator thereof; and wirelessly transmitting the diagnostic or test data from the portable wireless handheld device to a remote diagnostic database associated with a local area computer network; wherein said portable wireless handheld device is not connected by a wire or cable to the vehicle when operating to generate diagnostic or test data relating to the vehicle; and wherein said portable wireless handheld device comprises; a housing containing a processor and memory; a transmitter and receiver within said housing for communicating over a wireless communication link to the remote diagnostic database; an antenna coupled to said transmitter and receiver; a graphical screen display disposed on said housing; and an interactive user input mechanism. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26)
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27. A system for facilitating diagnosis, test or maintenance of a vehicle, comprising:
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a portable wireless handheld device adapted to be manually carried by an operator, said portable wireless handheld device configured to detect locally generated indicia of position of the portable wireless handheld device as the operator moves in or about a vehicle, and to generate vehicle-related data based at least in part on selections entered by the operator; a local area computer network including a diagnostic database; and at least one user terminal; wherein said portable wireless handheld device is not connected by a wire or cable to the vehicle when operating to generate vehicle-related data; wherein said portable wireless handheld device comprises a wireless unit for wirelessly transmitting the vehicle-related data to the diagnostic database of the local area computer network; and wherein the diagnostic database is configured to associate the vehicle-related data with the vehicle from which the data was generated, and, in response to a user request, to provide access to the vehicle-related data stored in the diagnostic database to the at least one user terminal. - View Dependent Claims (28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39)
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40. A system for facilitating diagnosis and maintenance of an electronic control network for a mobile conveyance, comprising:
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a portable wireless handheld device adapted to be manually carried by an operator, said portable wireless handheld device configured to automatically detect a plurality of local positions of the portable wireless handheld device relative to specific locations in or about a vehicle as the operator moves in or about the vehicle, and to generate vehicle-related diagnostic or test data based at least in part on selections entered by the operator; a local area computer network including a diagnostic database; and at least one user terminal; wherein said portable wireless handheld device comprises a wireless unit for wirelessly transmitting the vehicle-related diagnostic or test data to the diagnostic database of the local area computer network; and wherein the diagnostic database is configured to associate the vehicle-related diagnostic or test data with the vehicle from which the data was generated, and, in response to a user request, to provide access to the vehicle-related diagnostic or test data stored in the diagnostic database to the at least one user terminal. - View Dependent Claims (41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50, 51, 52)
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53. A method for facilitating diagnosis, test or maintenance of a vehicle, comprising:
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providing a portable wireless handheld device adapted to be manually carried in or about a vehicle by an operator; automatically detecting or deriving, at the portable wireless handheld device, local position information of the portable wireless handheld device relative to the vehicle when at a first specific position in or about the vehicle, based on a first local signal; automatically detecting or deriving, at the portable wireless handheld device, local position information of the portable wireless handheld device relative to the vehicle when at a second specific position in or about the vehicle different from the first position, based on a second local signal; generating vehicle-related diagnostic or test data using the portable wireless handheld device in response to information entered into the portable wireless handheld device by the operator thereof in connection with a sequence of test or diagnostic activities performed by the operator; and wirelessly transmitting the vehicle-related diagnostic or test data from the portable wireless handheld device to a remote diagnostic database associated with a local area computer network; wherein said portable wireless handheld device is not connected by a wire or cable to the vehicle when operating to generate vehicle-related diagnostic or test data. - View Dependent Claims (54)
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55. A method for facilitating diagnosis, test or maintenance of a vehicle, comprising:
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providing a portable wireless handheld device adapted to be manually carried in or about a vehicle by an operator; automatically detecting or deriving, at the portable wireless handheld device, local position information of the portable wireless handheld device relative to the vehicle when at a first specific position in or about the vehicle, based on a first local signal; automatically detecting or deriving, at the portable wireless handheld device, local position information of the portable wireless handheld device relative to the vehicle when at a second specific position in or about the vehicle different from the first position, based on a second local signal; generating vehicle-related diagnostic or test data using the portable wireless handheld device in response to information entered into the portable wireless handheld device by the operator thereof in connection with a sequence of test or diagnostic activities performed by the operator; and durably storing the vehicle-related diagnostic or test data in the portable wireless handheld device for later read-out;
wherein said portable wireless handheld device is not connected by a wire or cable to the vehicle when operating to generate or store vehicle-related diagnostic or test data. - View Dependent Claims (56, 57)
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Specification