Method and system for retrieving diagnostic information

• US 8,315,760 B2
• Filed: 12/03/2008
• Issued: 11/20/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 12/03/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Mitchell Repair Information Company, LLC (Snap-On Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Mitchell Repair Information Company, LLC (Snap-On Incorporated)
• Inventors: Costantino, David
• Primary Examiner(s): Jayne, Darnell
• Assistant Examiner(s): HAWN, PATRICK D
• Application Number:
  US12/327,170
• Publication Number:
  US 20100138701A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,448 Days
• Field of Search: 701/29, 701 291- 344, 702/183
• US Class Current: 701/32.1
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 23/0272 Presentation of monitored results, e.g. selection of status reports to be displayed; Filtering information to the user
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/24573 using data annotations, e.g. user-defined metadata

Abstract

A system, method, and apparatus for retrieving trouble codes from an equipment under diagnosis and retrieving only relevant diagnostic information relative to the returned codes from one or more remote diagnostic libraries. An electronic diagnostic library contains diagnostic vehicle information tagged with trouble code identification ID'"'"'s at a first location, and a diagnostic tool at a second location requests only relevant diagnostic information from the electronic library that is tagged with trouble code identification ID'"'"'s corresponding to the retrieved trouble codes and information identifying the equipment under diagnosis. The diagnostic tool receives the specific diagnostic vehicle information at the first location and may store the specific vehicle information locally prior to displaying an index to the information to a repair technician.

Claims

1. A method for retrieving diagnostic information, the method comprising:

storing, at a diagnostic information portal, an electronic library of diagnostic information, wherein the diagnostic information comprises an article tagged with an article identifier (ID) and the diagnostic information comprises a plurality of information objects tagged with a respective object ID, wherein the article ID is associated with diagnosable equipment from which a diagnostic trouble code relative to a past or current error condition of the diagnosable equipment can be retrieved, and wherein each of the tagged information objects corresponds to a diagnostic trouble code that can be retrieved from the diagnosable equipment;

receiving, at the diagnostic information portal, an equipment identifier of the diagnosable equipment and information identifying a diagnostic trouble code retrieved from the diagnosable equipment;

cross-referencing, via the diagnostic information portal, the received equipment identifier and the received information identifying the diagnostic trouble code to determine the article ID that is associated with the diagnosable equipment and to determine the object IDs of a plurality of information objects that correspond to the diagnostic trouble code identified by the information identifying the diagnostic trouble code retrieved from the diagnosable equipment;

retrieving, via the diagnostic information portal from the electronic library, the plurality of information objects that correspond to the diagnostic. trouble code identified by the information identifying the diagnostic trouble code retrieved from the diagnosable equipment, wherein the retrieved information objects comprise for diagnosing the diagnostic trouble code; and

transmitting, from the diagnostic information portal to a diagnostic tool via the communication link, the plurality of retrieved information objects that correspond to the diagnostic trouble code identified by the information identifying the diagnostic trouble code retrieved from the diagnosable equipment.

2. The method of claim 1. further comprising:

displaying an index to the plurality of retrieved information objects on a display screen of the diagnostic tool that retrieved the diagnostic trouble code from the diagnosable equipment.

3. The method of claim 1,

wherein the electronic library is stored in a first electronic storage medium and is accessible via the Internet;

wherein the diagnostic tool (i) receives the retrieved diagnostic trouble code from a second electronic storage medium, and (ii) requests, from the electronic library via the Internet, diagnostic information for the retrieved diagnostic trouble code and the diagnosable equipment,

wherein the second electronic storage medium is contained within the diagnosable equipment; and

wherein the diagnostic tool receives the plurality of retrieved information objects transmitted via the communication link and stores the received information objects in a third electronic storage medium contained within the diagnostic tool.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the diagnostic tool also retrieves year, make, and model information or unique equipment identification number (EIN) information from the second electronic Storage medium within the diagnosable equipment, and sends the year, make, and model information Or EN information along with the retrieved diagnostic trouble code to the electronic library.

5. The method of claim 1,

wherein the diagnosable equipment is a motor vehicle or a portion of the motor vehicle, and

wherein the tagged information objects comprise diagnostic information regarding the motor vehicle.

6. The method of claim 1,

wherein receiving an equipment identifier of the diagnosable equipment and information identifying the diagnostic trouble code retrieved from the diagnosable equipment comprises the diagnostic information portal. receiving via the communication link a request comprising the equipment identifier and the information identifying the diagnostic trouble code, and

wherein the diagnostic tool connected to the diagnosable equipment generates the request and then transmits the request to the diagnostic information portal via the communication link.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

prior to the diagnostic information portal retrieving the information objects from the electronic library, the diagnostic information portal receiving, from a diagnostic tool that retrieved the diagnostic trouble code, (i) the article ID that is associated with the diagnosable equipment, and (ii) the object ID that corresponds to the diagnostic trouble code retrieved from the diagnosable equipment.

8. The method of claim 1,

wherein the article ID and the object ID tagged to each retrieved information object is a respective alpha-numeric character string.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein tagging of the tagged information objects is based on a Standard General Markup Language.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the article, tagged with the article ID that is associated with the diagnosable equipment, comprises information objects with diagnostic information for all diagnostic trouble codes related to the diagnosable equipment.

18. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

the diagnostic information portal retrieving at least one other information object from the electronic library, wherein each information object of the at least one other information object is tagged with an object ID that (i) is located within the article tagged with the article ID that is associated with the diagnosable equipment, and (ii) corresponds to the diagnostic trouble code retrieved from the diagnosable equipment.

19. The method of claim 18, further comprising:

displaying an index to the retrieved information objects and the at least one other information object on a display screen of the diagnostic tool.

20. The method of claim 18, further comprising:

the diagnostic information portal receiving a request for diagnostic information,

wherein retrieving the plurality of information objects and retrieving the at least one other information object are both carried out in response to the diagnostic information portal receiving the request for diagnostic information.

21. The method of claim 2, wherein the retrieved plurality of information objects further comprises one or more of the following information objects:

(i) a wiring diagram related to the diagnostic trouble code, (ii) a graphical connector view of a connector related to the diagnostic trouble code, (iii) graphical component locator view that illustrates where a component is located, (iv) instructions for removing and installing a component in diagnosing the diagnostic trouble code, and (v) specification data for a component being diagnosed in regard to the diagnostic trouble code.

23. The method of claim 21, wherein the retrieved plurality of information objects comprises a text description of the diagnostic trouble code.

25. The method of claim 1, wherein the retrieved plurality of information objects further comprises one or more of the following information objects:

(i) a wiring diagram related to the diagnostic trouble code, (ii) a graphical connector view of a connector related to the diagnostic trouble code, (iii) a graphical component locator view that illustrates where a component is located, (iv) instructions for removing and installing a component in diagnosing the diagnostic trouble code, (v) specification data for a component being diagnosed in regard to the diagnostic trouble code, and (vi) a text description of the diagnostic trouble code.

26. The method of claim 5, wherein the retrieved plurality of being diagnosed in regard to the diagnostic trouble code, and (vi) a text description of the diagnostic trouble code.

27. The method of claim 23, wherein the text description of the diagnostic trouble code comprises one or more of the following descriptors:

(i) a parameter identifier (PID) descriptor of the diagnostic trouble code, (ii) a failure mode identifier associated with the diagnostic trouble code, and (iii) a text summary that describes a reason the diagnostic trouble code is set as a current error condition.

28. The method of claim 27,

wherein the text description comprises the text summary that describes the reason the diagnostic trouble code sets as a current error condition, and

wherein the described reason includes most common reasons for the diagnostic trouble code to set as a current error condition.

11. A system for retrieving diagnostic information, the system comprising:

a processor, within a diagnostic information portal, for processing program instructions;

a data storage device comprising the program instructions and an electronic library of diagnostic information; and

a communication device that communicates with a diagnostic tool via a communication link,

wherein the diagnostic information comprises an article tagged with an article identifier (ID) and the diagnostic information comprises a plurality of information objects tagged with a respective object ID, wherein the article ID is associated with diagnosable equipment from which a diagnostic trouble code relative to a past or current error condition of the diagnosable equipment can be retrieved, wherein each of the tagged information objects corresponds to a diagnostic trouble code that can be retrieved from the diagnosable equipment,

wherein the communication device receives an equipment identifier of the diagnosable equipment and information identifying a diagnostic trouble code retrieved from the diagnosable equipment,

wherein the program instructions are executable by the processor to cross-reference the received equipment identifier and the received information identifying the diagnostic trouble code to determine the article ID that is associated with the diagnosable equipment and to determine the object IDs of a plurality of information objects that correspond to the diagnostic trouble code identified by the information identifying the diagnostic trouble code retrieved from the diagnosable equipment,

wherein the program instructions are executable by the processor to retrieve, from the electronic library, the plurality of information objects that correspond to the diagnostic trouble code identified by the information identifying the diagnostic trouble code retrieved from the diagnosable equipment and to cause the plurality of retrieved information objects to be transmitted away from the diagnostic information portal via the communication link, wherein the retrieved information objects comprise testing steps for diagnosing the diagnostic trouble code, and

wherein each of the retrieved information objects is tagged with a respective object ID that (i) is located within the article tagged with the article ID that is associated with the diagnosable equipment, and (ii) corresponds to the diagnostic trouble code retrieved from the diagnosable equipment.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein the diagnosable equipment is a motor vehicle or a portion of the motor vehicle, and the tagged information objects comprise diagnostic information regarding the motor vehicle,

13. The system of claim 12, wherein the portion of the motor vehicle comprises an engine control module contained within the motor vehicle.

14. The system of claim 11, further comprising:

the diagnostic tool, wherein the diagnostic tool retrieves, from the diagnosable equipment, (i) diagnostic trouble codes, and (ii) year, make, and model information regarding the diagnosable equipment or unique equipment identification number (EIN) information.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein the communication link comprises a wired link, a wireless link, or a combination thereof.

16. The system of claim 14, wherein the diagnostic tool comprises a display to display the retrieved information objects transmitted away from the diagnostic information portal via the communication link after the information objects are received at the diagnostic tool via the communication link.

17. The system of claim 11,

wherein the program instructions are executable by the processor to retrieve at least one other information object from the electronic library and to cause the at least one other information object, retrieved from the electronic library, to be transmitted away from the diagnostic information portal via the communication link, and

wherein each information object of the at least one other information object is tagged with an object ID that (i) is located within the article tagged with the article ID that is associated with the diagnosable equipment, and (ii) corresponds to the diagnostic trouble code retrieved from the diagnosable equipment.

22. The system of claim 12, wherein the retrieved plurality of information objects further comprises one or more of the following information objects:

(i) a wiring diagram related to the diagnostic trouble code, (ii) a graphical connector view of a connector related to the diagnostic trouble code, (iii) a graphical component locator view that illustrates where a component is located, (iv) instructions for removing and installing a component in diagnosing the diagnostic trouble code, and (v) specification data for a component being diagnosed in regard to the diagnostic trouble code.

24. The system of claim 22, wherein the retrieved plurality of information objects comprises a text description of the diagnostic trouble code.

29. The system of claim 24, wherein the text description of the diagnostic trouble code comprises one or more of the following descriptors:

(i) a parameter identifier (PID) descriptor of the diagnostic trouble code, (ii) a failure mode identifier associated with the diagnostic trouble code, and (iii) a text summary that describes a reason the diagnostic trouble code is set as a current error condition.

30. The system of claim 29,

wherein the text description comprises the text summary that describes the reason the information objects further comprises one or more of the following information objects:

(i) a wiring diagram related to the diagnostic trouble code, (ii) a graphical connector view of a connector related to the diagnostic trouble code, (iii) a graphical component locator view that illustrates where a component is located, (iv) instructions for removing and installing a component in diagnosing the diagnostic trouble code, (v) specification data for a component being diagnosed in regard to the diagnostic trouble code, and (vi) a text description of the diagnostic trouble code.

31. The system of claim 11, wherein the retrieved plurality of information objects further comprises one or more of the following information objects:

(i) a wiring diagram related to the diagnostic trouble code, (ii) a graphical connector view of a connector related to the diagnostic trouble code, (iii) a graphical component locator view that illustrates where a component is located, (iv) instructions for removing and installing a component in diagnosing the diagnostic trouble code, (v) specification data for a component being diagnosed in regard to the diagnostic trouble code, and (vi) a text description of the diagnostic trouble code.

32. The system of claim 16, wherein the retrieved plurality of information objects further comprises one or more of the following information objects:

(i) a wiring diagram related to the diagnostic trouble code, (ii) a graphical connector view of a connector related to the diagnostic trouble code, (iii) a graphical component locator view that illustrates where a component is located, (iv) instructions for removing and installing a component in diagnosing the diagnostic trouble code, (v) specification data for a component diagnostic trouble code sets as a current error condition, and

wherein the described reason includes most common reasons for the diagnostic trouble code to set as a current error condition.