Vehicle diagnostic tool—providing information on the operating condition of a power plant utilizing PID data

• US 8,135,508 B1
• Filed: 11/23/2009
• Issued: 03/13/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 06/08/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Bernie C. Thompson, Neal R. Pederson
• Original Assignee: Bernie C. Thompson, Neal R. Pederson
• Inventors: Thompson, Bernie C., Pederson, Neal R.
• Primary Examiner(s): Black, Thomas
• Assistant Examiner(s): Olsen, Lin B
• Application Number:
  US12/624,008
• Time in Patent Office: 841 Days
• Field of Search: 701/30, 701/31, 701/32
• US Class Current: 701/29
• CPC Class Codes: G01M 15/04 Testing internal-combustion engines
• CPC Class Codes: G01M 15/05 by combined monitoring of two or more different engine parameters
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 5/0808 Diagnosing performance data testing of vehicles G01M17/00; testing of electrical installation on vehicles G01R31/005

Abstract

An analysis tool which extracts all the available parameter identifications (i.e. PIDS) from a vehicle'"'"'s power train control module for diagnostic decisions. This is done by checking these PIDS and other information (e.g., calculated PIDS, Break Points, charts and algorithms) in three states; key on engine off, key on engine cranking, key on engine running. In all three modes the tool is comparing the live data from PIDS and voltage to the other information (e.g, Break Points). If any of this data are outside the programmed values a flag is assigned to the failure or control problem. The relationship between a particular PID and its associated preprogrammed value(s) may be indicated by a light. The depth of the problem (if any) is conveyed by the color of the light. Also included are tests/charts for fuel trim, engine volumetric efficiency, simulated injector, power, catalyst efficiency, and engine coolant range.

Claims

1. A method of providing information on the operating condition of a power plant of a vehicle, the information provided by diagnostic instrumentation including a microprocessor, the power plant including an engine and a powertrain control module, the method comprising the steps of:

a. providing the diagnostic instrumentation with at least one indicator which can indicate at least one condition;

b. programming the microprocessor to extract parameter identification data (hereinafter “

PID data”

) from the powertrain control module;

c. programming the microprocessor with at least one parameter against which PID data acquired from the powertrain control module can be compared;

d. programming the microprocessor with one or more algorithms which (1) compare the at least one programmed parameter and acquired PID data, (2) analyze the compared programmed parameter and acquired PID data, and (3) activate the at least one indicator once the at least one programmed parameter has been both compared with acquired PID data and the comparison analyzed;

e. acquiring PID data from the powertrain control module with the diagnostic instrumentation;

f. comparing acquired PID data with the at least one programmed parameter; and

g. activating the at least one indicator to indicate at least one condition based on a comparison of acquired PID data with the at least one programmed parameter and the associated analysis.

2. The method as set forth in claim 1, wherein:

the step of programming the microprocessor with at least one parameter includes programming a plurality of parameters;

the step of comparing includes the step of comparing PID data with the plurality of parameters;

the step of providing the microprocessor with at least one indicator includes providing a plurality of indicators each of which can indicate at least one condition; and

the step of activating includes activating one or more of the plurality of indicators based on the comparison of PID data with the plurality of programmed parameters.

3. The method as set forth in claim 2, wherein the step of providing a plurality of indicators includes providing a plurality of visual indicators.

4. The method as set forth in claim 1, wherein:

the step of programming the at least one parameter includes programming the microprocessor with at least one value in the form of a Break Point; and

the step of comparing includes comparing the at least one Break Point with acquired PID data.

5. The method as set forth in claim 4, wherein the power plant includes at least one O2 sensor, and wherein:

(1) the step of acquiring PID data includes acquiring O2 sensor PID data;

(2) the step of providing the at least one indicator includes providing a visual indicator which can be activated to indicate that the engine is running one of rich or lean;

(3) the step of comparing includes comparing O2 sensor PID data with the at least one Break Point to determine if the engine is running rich or lean; and

(4) the step of activating includes activating the visual indicator to indicate that the engine is running one of rich or lean when the comparison of the at least one Break Point with acquired O2 sensor PID data indicates that the engine is running one of rich or lean.

6. The method as set forth in claim 5, wherein the step of providing the at least one indicator includes providing a second visual indicator which can be activated to indicate that the engine is running the other of rich or lean, and further including the step of activating the second visual indicator to indicate that the engine is running the other of rich or lean when a comparison of the at least one Break Point with acquired O2 sensor PID data indicates that the engine is running the other of rich or lean.

7. The method as set forth in claim 4, wherein the step of providing the at least one Break Point includes providing first and second Break Points, the first Break Point being greater than the normal value associated with the PID data to which it is to be compared, the second Break Point being less than the normal value associated with such PID data.

8. The method as set forth in claim 4, wherein:

(1) the step of acquiring PID data includes acquiring fuel trim PID data; and

(2) the step of comparing includes comparing the fuel trim PID data with the at least one Break Point.

9. The method as set forth in claim 4, wherein the power plant includes at least one wide range O2 sensor, and wherein:

(1) the step of acquiring PID data includes acquiring wide range O2 sensor PID data;

(2) the step of providing the at least one indicator includes providing a visual indicator which can be activated to indicate that the engine is running one of rich or lean;

(3) the step of comparing includes comparing wide range O2 sensor PID data with the at least one Break Point to determine if the engine is running rich or lean; and

(4) the step of activating includes activating the visual indicator to indicate that the engine is running one of rich or lean when the comparison of the at least one Break Point with acquired wide range O2 sensor PID data indicates that the engine is running one of rich or lean.

10. The method as set forth in claim 1, wherein:

(1) the step of acquiring PID data includes acquiring fuel trim PID data; and

(2) the step of programming the microprocessor with at least one parameter includes programming a first range of values of +/−

A, programming a second range of values of +/−

A to +/−

B, programming a third range of values of +/−

B to +/−

C, and programming a fourth range of values of greater than +/−

C, wherein the absolute value of B is greater than the absolute value of A and the absolute value of C is greater than the absolute value of B.

11. The method as set forth in claim 10, wherein:

(1) the step of providing an indicator includes providing a visual indicator that can change color; and

(2) the step of activating includes changing the color of the visual indicator depending upon in which range of ranges of values the fuel trim PID data falls.

12. The method as set forth in claim 1, wherein the engine has first and second banks, wherein the step of acquiring PID data includes acquiring fuel trim PID data for both the first and second banks, and wherein the step of programming the microprocessor with at least one parameter includes providing a series of ranges of values, and further including the steps of:

determining the difference in fuel trim PID data between the first and second banks; and

associating the difference in fuel trim PID data between first and second banks with one range of the series of ranges of values.

13. The method as set forth in claim 12, wherein the step of providing a series of ranges of values includes providing a first range of values of +/−

A, providing a second range of values of +/−

A to +/−

B, providing a third range of values of +/−

B to +/−

C, and providing a fourth range of values of greater than +/−

C, wherein the absolute value of B is greater than the absolute value of A and the absolute value of C is greater than the absolute value of B.

14. The method as set forth in claim 1, wherein the power plant includes a manifold absolute pressure (hereinafter “

MAP”

) sensor and a starting system including a key, and wherein;

(1) the step of acquiring PID data includes acquiring MAP sensor PID data in at least one of the following states

when the key is in the on position and the engine is off (hereinafter “

KOEO”

),

when the key is in the on position and the engine is cranking (hereinafter “

KOEC”

), and

when the key is in the on position and the engine is running (hereinafter “

KOER”

);

(2) the step of programming the at least one parameter includes programming the microprocessor with barometric pressure; and

(3) the step of comparing includes comparing MAP sensor PID data in at least one of the KOEO, KOEC and KOER states with the barometric pressure to obtain engine pressure for the selected state.

15. The method as set forth in claim 14, wherein:

(1) the step of acquiring PID data includes acquiring MAP sensor PID data in at least two of the KOEO, KOEC and KOER states; and

(2) the step of comparing includes comparing the acquired MAP sensor PID data in each of the two selected states with the barometric pressure to obtain engine pressure in each of the two selected states.

16. The method as set forth in claim 15, wherein:

(1) the step of acquiring PID data includes acquiring MAP sensor PID data in all three of the KOEO, KOEC and KOER states; and

(2) the step of comparing includes comparing the acquired MAP sensor PID data in each of the three states with the barometric pressure to obtain engine pressure in each of the three states.

17. The method as set forth in claim 16, wherein the step of providing the at least one indicator includes:

(1) providing a visual indicator for the engine pressure in the KOEO state;

(2) providing a visual indicator for the engine pressure in the KOEC state; and

(3) providing a visual indicator for the engine pressure in the KOER state.

18. The method as set forth in claim 17, wherein each of the steps of providing visual indicators includes providing visual indicators which have at least two colors.

19. The method as set forth in claim 18, wherein each of the steps of providing visual indicators which have at least two colors includes providing visual indicators which can be illuminated red and can be illuminated green.

20. The method as set forth in claim 18, wherein each of the steps of providing visual indicators includes providing visual indicators which have at least two colors and a message, which message depends on the color.

21. The method as set forth in claim 1, wherein the step of acquiring PID data includes acquiring PID data that provides the monitor status.

22. The method as set forth in claim 21, wherein the step of providing the diagnostic instrumentation with an indicator includes providing a visual indicator.

23. The method as set forth in claim 22, wherein the step of providing the diagnostic instrumentation with an indicator includes providing a count selected from the group including the number of monitors which have run and the number of monitors which have not run.

24. The method as set forth in claim 23, wherein the visual indicator can be illuminated one or the other of two colors.

25. The method as set forth in claim 1, further including the step of comparing acquired PID data with at least one of the one or more algorithms.

26. The method as set forth in claim 25, wherein:

(1) the step of acquiring PID data includes acquiring data from at least two PIDS;

(2) the step of programming at least one parameter includes programming the microprocessor with at least one value in the form of a Break Point; and

(3) the step of comparing includes comparing data from one of the at least two PIDS with at least one of the one or more algorithms and comparing data from the other of the at least two PIDS with the at least one Break Point.

27. The method as set forth in claim 25, wherein the step of comparing acquired PID data with at least one of the one or more algorithms includes determining whether the fuel delivery system has either controlled the proper air/fuel ratio or failed to control the proper air/fuel ratio.

28. The method as set forth in claim 27, wherein the step of providing the at least one indicator includes providing a visual indicator, and the step of activating includes activating the visual indicator if the fuel delivery system has failed to control the proper air/fuel ratio.

29. The method as set forth in claim 25, wherein the step of acquiring PID data includes acquiring engine coolant temperature PID data.

30. The method as set forth in claim 29, wherein the step of comparing acquired PID includes comparing acquired engine coolant temperature PID data with the at least one of the one or more algorithms, which comparison includes the steps of:

a. monitoring the coolant temperature rate of change; and

b. monitoring the coolant temperature change.

31. The method as set forth in claim 1, wherein the step of programming the at least one parameter includes providing a counter.

32. A method of providing information on the operating condition of a power plant of a vehicle, the information provided by diagnostic instrumentation including a microprocessor, the power plant including an engine and a powertrain control module, the method comprising the steps of:

a. programming the microprocessor with one or more algorithms;

b. programming the microprocessor to extract parameter identification data (hereinafter “

PID data”

) from the powertrain control module;

c. acquiring PID data from the powertrain control module with the diagnostic instrumentation; and

d. utilizing one or more of the algorithms to process acquired PID data to create a calculated PID (hereinafter a CPID), which CPID provides data different from any of the PID data acquired from the powertrain control module.