Dynamic decision sequencing method and apparatus for optimizing a diagnostic test plan

• US 8,428,813 B2
• Filed: 08/19/2009
• Issued: 04/23/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 06/14/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Service Solutions US LLC
• Original Assignee: Service Solutions US LLC
• Inventors: Gilbert, Harry M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Beaulieu, Yonel
• Application Number:
  US12/543,641
• Publication Number:
  US 20100010702A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,343 Days
• Field of Search: 701/29.1, 701/29.2, 701/29.4, 701/34.4, 701/31.4, 701/32.1, 702182-185
• US Class Current: 701/31.4
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 1/025 concerning dedicated user interfaces, e.g. GUI, or dedicated keyboards G01R31/31912 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06N 5/04 Inference or reasoning models

Abstract

A diagnostic tool and a computer-implemented method for generating testing and diagnosis procedures for vehicle diagnosis include determining if a first procedure remains to be performed, if a first procedure remains to be performed, then determining whether: there is a second procedure dependent on the first procedure, or the first procedure can run in parallel to the second procedure, if there is a second procedure dependent on the first procedure, then performing the first procedure, if the first procedure can run in parallel to the second procedure, then performing the first procedure, and determining if the second procedure remains to be performed.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method for generating testing and diagnostic procedures for vehicle diagnosis, the method comprising:

determining if a first testing and diagnostic procedure remains to be performed;

if the first testing and diagnostic procedure remains to be performed, then determining whether;

there is a second testing and diagnostic procedure dependent on the first testing and diagnostic procedure;

or

the first testing and diagnostic procedure can run in parallel to the second testing and diagnostic procedure;

if the second testing and diagnostic procedure is dependent on the first testing and diagnostic procedure, then performing the first testing and diagnostic procedure;

if the first testing and diagnostic procedure can run in parallel to the second testing and diagnostic procedure, then performing the first testing and diagnostic procedure; and

determining if the second testing and diagnostic procedure remains to be performed.

2. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining if the first testing and diagnostic procedure should wait for a priority procedure to be completed before starting; and

if the first testing and diagnostic procedure should wait for the priority procedure to be completed, then determining if there is another procedure remaining to be performed.

3. The computer-implemented method of claim 2, further comprising:

selecting a highest priority remaining procedure to be performed first, wherein the highest priority remaining procedure is not waiting for a priority procedure to be performed.

4. The computer-implemented method of claim 3, further comprising:

receiving a history of the vehicle.

5. The computer-implemented method of claim 4, wherein the history comprises at least one of the following:

a vehicle mileage, a vehicle configuration, a vehicle modification, a vehicle make, a vehicle model, a vehicle manufacturer, a vehicle maintenance record, a service center maintenance record, and a manufacturer warranty record.

6. The computer-implemented method of claim 3, wherein the highest priority procedure has a highest probability of identifying a cause of a symptom in a least amount of time among a group of procedures.

7. The computer-implemented method of claim 3, wherein the first diagnostic test has a highest probability of identifying a cause of a symptom with a lowest cost.

8. The computer-implemented method of claim 3, wherein selecting a highest priority remaining procedure is based on a decreasing probability of each procedure identifying a cause of a symptom in a least amount of time.

9. The computer-implemented method of claim 3, wherein selecting a highest priority remaining procedure is based on a decreasing probability of additional diagnostic tests identifying a cause of a symptom with a lowest cost.

10. A diagnostic tool for generating testing and diagnostic procedures for vehicle diagnosis, the diagnostic tool comprising:

a sequencing module configured to optimize an order of a plurality of diagnostic test procedures, the sequencing module further configured to;

determine if a first diagnostic test procedure remains to be performed;

if the first diagnostic test procedure remains to be performed, then determine whether;

there is a second diagnostic test procedure dependent on the first diagnostic test procedure;

or

the first diagnostic test procedure can run in parallel to the second diagnostic test procedure;

if the second diagnostic test procedure is dependent on the first diagnostic test procedure, then perform the first diagnostic test procedure;

if the first diagnostic test procedure can run in parallel to the second diagnostic test procedure, then perform the first diagnostic test procedure; and

determine if the second diagnostic test procedure remains to be performed; and

a display module configured to format at least a step of the first diagnostic test procedure from among the plurality of diagnostic test procedures for display on a display device.

11. The diagnostic tool of claim 10, wherein the sequencing module is further configured to:

determine if the first diagnostic test procedure should wait for the priority procedure to be completed before starting; and

if the first diagnostic test procedure should wait for a priority procedure to be completed, then the sequencing module is further configured to determine if there is another procedure remaining to be performed.

12. The diagnostic tool of claim 11, wherein the sequencing module is further configured to select a highest priority remaining procedure to be performed first if the highest priority remaining procedure is not waiting for the priority procedure to be performed.

13. The diagnostic tool of claim 12, wherein, the sequencing module is further configured to receive a history of the vehicle.

14. The diagnostic tool of claim 13, wherein the history comprises at least one of the following:

a vehicle mileage, a vehicle configuration, a vehicle modification, a vehicle make, a vehicle model, a vehicle manufacturer, a vehicle maintenance record, a service center maintenance record, and a manufacturer warranty record.

15. The diagnostic tool of claim 12, wherein the selected highest priority procedure has a highest probability of identifying a cause of a symptom in a least amount of time among the group or at a lowest cost.

16. The diagnostic tool of claim 12, further comprising:

a state module configured to track a state of the vehicle, wherein the display module further formats a test preparation step required for the first diagnostic test procedure based on the tracked vehicle state for display on the display device.

17. The diagnostic tool of claim 12, further comprising a schematic module configured to generate an interactive diagnostic schematic to illustrate the first diagnostic test procedure.

18. The diagnostic tool of claim 12, further comprising an object module configured to produce an information object based on the diagnostic test procedure.

19. A diagnostic tool for generating testing and diagnostic procedures for vehicle diagnosis, the tool comprising:

means for determining if a first testing and diagnostic procedure remains to be performed;

means for determining if a first procedure remains to be performed, and whether;

there is a second testing and diagnostic procedure dependent on the first testing and diagnostic procedure;

or

the first testing and diagnostic procedure can run in parallel to the second testing and diagnostic procedure;

means for determining if there is a second testing and diagnostic procedure dependent on the first procedure, if so then performing the first testing and diagnostic procedure;

means for determining if the first testing and diagnostic procedure can run in parallel to the second testing and diagnostic procedure, if so then performing the first testing and diagnostic procedure; and

means for determining if the second testing and diagnostic procedure remains to be performed.

20. The diagnostic tool of claim 19, further comprising:

means for determining if the first testing and diagnostic procedure should wait for a priority procedure to be completed before starting; and

means for determining if the first testing and diagnostic procedure should wait for a priority procedure to be completed, then a sequencing module is further configured to determine if there is another procedure remaining to be performed.

21. A computer-implemented method for generating testing and diagnostic procedures for vehicle diagnosis, the method comprising:

determining, via a processor of a computer, if a first testing and diagnostic procedure remains to be performed;

if the first testing and diagnostic procedure remains to be performed, then determining, via the processor, whether;

there is a second testing and diagnostic procedure dependent on the first testing and diagnostic procedure;

or

the first testing and diagnostic procedure can run in parallel to the second testing and diagnostic procedure;

if the second testing and diagnostic procedure is dependent on the first testing and diagnostic procedure, then performing the first testing and diagnostic procedure;

if the first testing and diagnostic procedure can run in parallel to the second testing and diagnostic procedure, then performing the first testing and diagnostic procedure; and

determining if the second testing and diagnostic procedure remains to be performed.