Embedded vehicle data recording tools for vehicle servicing

• US 8,296,007 B2
• Filed: 05/05/2010
• Issued: 10/23/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 05/05/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Original Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Inventors: Swaminathan, Radhakrishnan, Shelcusky, Darren Peter, DeBorde, Timothy Brian, Dorony, Kenneth, Dwan, Patrick Joseph, Kamiske, James Eric
• Primary Examiner(s): Elchanti, Hussein A.
• Application Number:
  US12/774,008
• Publication Number:
  US 20110276219A1
• Time in Patent Office: 902 Days
• Field of Search: 701/29.1, 701/31.4
• US Class Current: 701/29.1
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 5/008 communicating information to a remotely located station transmission systems for measured values G08C
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 5/0858 wherein the data carrier is removable

Abstract

Various embodiments include tools for vehicle data recording for vehicle servicing. A methods, a computer for installation in a vehicle, and a computer program product may be provided for recording diagnostic vehicle data. An input may be received from memory including a plurality of vehicle data recording parameters which comprise a vehicle data recording configuration. A data recording trigger signal may also be received. Upon receipt of the trigger signal, diagnostic data may be received from one or more vehicle modules over a vehicle network communicating with the computer. The diagnostic data may be based on the vehicle data recording configuration. The diagnostic data may be stored in memory for diagnosing one or more vehicle concerns.

Claims

1. A vehicle data recording system comprising:

a computer for installation in a vehicle to record diagnostic vehicle data, the computer being configured to;

receive input from memory including a plurality of vehicle data recording parameters which comprise a vehicle data recording configuration;

receive from one or more manual vehicle inputs an occupant initiated data recording trigger signal;

upon receipt of the trigger signal, receive diagnostic data from one or more vehicle modules over a vehicle network communicating with the computer, the diagnostic data being based on the vehicle data recording configuration; and

store the diagnostic data in memory for diagnosing one or more vehicle concerns.

2. The system of claim 1 wherein the memory is portable memory.

3. The system of claim 2 wherein the portable memory is selected from the group consisting of a USB drive, a memory card, and an external hard drive.

4. The system of claim 3 wherein the computer is further configured to transmit the diagnostic data to the portable memory for storage.

5. The system of claim 1 wherein the memory is on a device selected from a personal computer, a mobile communication device, or a portable media player.

6. The system of claim 5 wherein the computer is further configured to transmit the diagnostic data to the device for storage and wherein the device is configured to output the stored diagnostic data to a user.

7. The system of claim 6 wherein the diagnostic data is transmitted to memory wirelessly.

8. The system of claim 6 wherein the output is a graphical output, textual output, audible output, or a combination of outputs.

9. The system of claim 1 wherein the vehicle data recording configuration comprise at least two vehicle data recording parameters.

10. The system of claim 9 wherein the at least two vehicle data recording parameters include an identification of the vehicle module, one or more diagnostic measurement units for the vehicle module, data recording time, and data for automatically triggering vehicle data recording.

11. The system of claim 1 wherein the memory further includes one or more vehicle data recording programs, wherein the computer is further configured to receive at least one vehicle data recording program from memory for installation to the computer.

12. The system of claim 11 wherein the vehicle data recording program is a transient program.

13. A method comprising:

receiving an input from memory including vehicle data recording parameters;

receiving an occupant initiated data recording trigger signal from a manual vehicle input;

receiving diagnostic data based on the vehicle data recording parameters over a vehicle network upon receipt of the trigger signal; and

storing the diagnostic data in memory for diagnosing vehicle concerns.

14. The method of claim 13 wherein the vehicle data recording parameters include an identification of a vehicle module for diagnosis, one or more diagnostic measurement units for the vehicle module, data recording time, and data for automatically triggering vehicle data recording.

15. The method of claim 13 wherein storing the diagnostic data in memory further includes buffering the diagnostic data.

16. The method of claim 13 wherein the trigger signal is a user activated trigger signal from a manual vehicle input selected from at least one of a voice input, a steering wheel input, a center stack input, a touchscreen input, or combinations thereof.

17. The method of claim 13 wherein the trigger signal is an automatic trigger signal received from at least one of a powertrain control module, an engine control module, a vehicle control module, or combinations thereof.

18. The method of claim 13 further comprising:

establishing a connection with a vehicle information server having a vehicle information database, the vehicle information database having diagnostic data definitions corresponding to the diagnostic data;

receiving the diagnostic data definitions; and

presenting the diagnostic data definitions for the corresponding diagnostic data.

19. A computer program product for vehicle data recording, the computer program product being embodied in a non-transitory computer readable medium in a computer for installation in a vehicle, the computer program product comprising instructions for:

establishing a connection with a device having memory, the memory including a plurality of vehicle data recording parameters which comprise a vehicle data recording configuration;

receiving over the connection the vehicle data recording configuration stored in memory;

receiving from one or more manual vehicle inputs an occupant initiated data recording trigger signal;

upon receipt of the trigger signal, receiving diagnostic data from one or more vehicle modules over a vehicle network communicating with the computer, the diagnostic data being based on the vehicle data recording configuration; and

transmitting the diagnostic data to memory, wherein the diagnostic data is stored in memory for diagnosing one or more vehicle concerns.

20. The computer program product of claim 19 wherein the connection is an Internet connection and transmitting the diagnostic data includes transmitting the diagnostic data over the Internet connection.