System and method for integrating devices for servicing a device-under-service

• US 8,463,953 B2
• Filed: 10/27/2010
• Issued: 06/11/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 08/18/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Snap-On Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Snap-On Incorporated
• Inventors: Davis, Robert E., Alberry, Michel B., Ruther, Timothy G., Cichy, Anthony J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Nam, Hyun
• Application Number:
  US12/913,184
• Publication Number:
  US 20120047291A1
• Time in Patent Office: 958 Days
• Field of Search: 710/16, 701/29
• US Class Current: 710/16
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 13/10 Program control for peripheral devices G06F13/14 - G06F13/42 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 2205/02 using a vehicle scan tool
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 5/008 communicating information to a remotely located station transmission systems for measured values G08C
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 5/0825 using optical means

Abstract

A system comprising multiple devices that are operable when servicing a device-under service is described. A data acquisition (DAQ) device and a scanner device of the system are operable to acquire data from the device-under-service and to transmit the acquired data to a display device of the system. The DAQ device can operate in a local-control mode in which selection of DAQ mode for the DAQ device is carried out at the DAQ device. The DAQ device can operate in a remote-control mode in which selection of a DAQ mode for the DAQ device is carried out at the display device. The multiple devices may communicate with each other via one or more wireless network via one or more air interface protocols. Each device of the system may operate as a stand-alone device or in combination with multiple devices of the system.

Claims

1. A system comprising:

a data acquisition (DAQ) device including a first display, a first wireless transceiver, a mode-selector device configured to select whether the DAQ device operates in a local-control mode or in a remote-control mode and configured to select which DAQ mode of a plurality of DAQ modes the DAQ device will use to receive input signals from a device-under-service while the DAQ device operates in the local-control mode, and an input element configured to receive the input signals from the device-under-service; and

a display device including a second display and a second wireless transceiver,

wherein, when the DAQ device operates in the remote-control mode selected by the mode-selector device, the DAQ device operates in a DAQ mode selected from among the plurality of DAQ modes by the display device,

wherein the input element is configured to generate first data from input signals received from the device-under-service while the DAQ device operates in the local-control mode and to provide the first data to the first display for visual presentation of the first data via the first display,

wherein the input element is configured to generate second data from input signals received from the device-under-service while the DAQ device operates in the remote-control mode and to provide the second data to the first wireless transceiver,

wherein the first wireless transceiver is configured transmit the second data to an air interface for transmission to the second wireless transceiver, and

wherein the second wireless transceiver is configured to receive the second data from the air interface and to provide the second data to the second display for visual presentation of the second data via the second display.

2. The system of claim 1,

wherein the DAQ device further comprises a processor, and a first data storage device that contains computer-readable program instructions, and

wherein the computer-readable program instructions comprise program instructions executable by the processor to detect when the local-control mode is selected via the mode-selector device and to responsively cause the DAQ device to transition from the remote-control mode or an off mode to the local-control mode, and to detect when the remote-control mode is selected via the mode-selector device and to responsively cause the DAQ device to transition from the local-control mode or the off mode to the remote-control mode.

3. The system of claim 2,

wherein the computer-readable program instructions comprise program instructions that are executable by the processor to cause the first wireless transceiver to transition from a transceiver-off state to a transceiver-on state in response to the mode-selector device being used to select the local-control mode while the DAQ device operates in the remote-control mode, and

wherein the computer-readable program instructions comprise program instructions that are executable by the processor to cause the first wireless transceiver to transition from the transceiver-on state to the transceiver-off state in response to the mode-selector device being used to select the remote-control mode while the DAQ device operates in the local-control mode.

4. The system of claim 3, wherein the mode-selector device comprises a rotary switch.

5. The system of claim 1,

wherein the DAQ device comprises a non-wireless transmission path between the input element and the first display, and

wherein provision of the first data from the input element to the first display is carried out via the non-wireless transmission path between the input element and the first display.

6. The system of claim 1,

wherein the input signals received from the device-under-service while the DAQ device operates in the local-control mode and the input signals received from the device-under-service while the DAQ device operates in the remote-control mode comprise analog electrical signals,

wherein the input element comprises an analog-to-digital converter, and

wherein the analog-to-digital converter converts the input signals received from the device-under-service while the DAQ device operates in the local-control mode into the first data and converts the input signals received from the device-under-service while the DAQ device operates in the remote-control mode into the second data.

7. The system of claim 1, further comprising:

a vehicle scanner including a third wireless transceiver and a wired interface connectable to the device-under-service,

wherein the wired interface is configured to receive serial data from the device-under-service,

wherein the third wireless transceiver is configured to transmit the serial data received at the wired interface to an air interface for transmission to the second wireless transceiver, and

wherein the second wireless transceiver is configured to receive the serial data from the air interface and to provide the serial data to the second display for visual presentation of the serial data via the second display.

8. The system of claim 7,

wherein the input element of the DAQ device is connectable to an input signal acquisition point within the device-under-service, and

wherein the wired interface of the vehicle scanner is connectable to an on-board diagnostic (OBD) connector within the device-under-service.

9. The system of claim 1,

wherein the input element comprises multiple input channels and multiple input leads,

wherein each of the input leads is adapted for connection to and removal from input signal acquisition points within the device-under-service,

wherein the input element receives the input signals from the device-under-service while the DAQ device operates in the local-control mode while at least one of the input leads is connected to an input signal acquisition point within the device-under-service and the DAQ device operates in the local-control mode, and

wherein the input element receives the input signals from the device-under-service while the DAQ device operates in the remote-control mode while at least one of the input leads is connected to an input signal acquisition point within the device-under-service and the DAQ device operates in the remote-control mode.

10. The system of claim 1,

wherein the first display is configured to display the first data as a first numeric value, a first oscilloscope waveform, or a first histogram, and

wherein the second display is configured to display the second data as a second numeric value, a second oscilloscope waveform, or a second histogram.

20. The system of claim 10, wherein the first display comprises a liquid crystal display or a plasma display.

21. The system of claim 3, wherein the mode-selector device comprise a rotary switch and one or more push buttons.

11. A method comprising:

selecting a local-control mode via a mode-selector device of a data acquisition (DAQ) device, wherein the mode-selector device is configured to select whether the DAQ device operates in a local-control mode or in a remote-control mode and is configured to select which DAQ mode of a plurality of DAQ modes the DAQ device will use to receive input signals from a device-under-service while the DAQ device operates in the local-control mode;

generating, at an input element of the DAQ device, first data from input signals received from a device-under-service while the DAQ device is operating in a local-control mode;

visually presenting the first data at a first display while the DAQ device is operating in the local-control mode, wherein the first display is located at the DAQ device, and wherein the DAQ device includes a first wireless transceiver;

selecting the remote-control mode via the mode-selector device, wherein, when the DAQ device operates in the remote-control mode, the DAQ device operates in a DAQ mode selected from among the plurality of DAQ modes by a display device;

generating, at the input element of the DAQ device, second data from input signals received from the device-under-service while the DAQ device is operating in a remote-control mode;

transmitting, via the first wireless transceiver, the second data generated at the input element to an air interface for transmission to a second wireless transceiver at the display device that includes a second display; and

receiving the second data at the second wireless transceiver and providing the second data, received at the second wireless transceiver, to the second display for visual presentation of the second data via the second display.

12. The method of claim 11, further comprising:

storing computer-readable program instructions within a data storage device;

wherein the computer-readable program instructions comprise program instructions that are executable by a processor to detect when the local-control mode is selected via the mode-selector device and to responsively cause the DAQ device to transition from the remote-control mode or an off mode to the local-control mode, and to detect when the remote-control mode is selected via the mode-selector device and to responsively cause the DAQ device to transition from the local-control mode or the off mode to the remote-control mode, and

wherein the data storage device and the processor are located at the DAQ device.

13. The method of claim 11, further comprising:

receiving serial data at a wired interface connected to a serial data bus within the device-under service, wherein the wired interface is located at a vehicle scanner that includes a third wireless transceiver, and wherein the wired interface receives the serial data from the device-under-service,

transmitting, via the third wireless transceiver, the serial data received at the wired interface to an air interface for transmission to the second wireless transceiver; and

receiving the serial data at the second wireless transceiver and providing the serial data, received at the second wireless transceiver, from the second wireless transceiver to the second display for visual presentation of the serial data via the second display.

14. The method of claim 13,

wherein the first wireless transceiver, the second wireless transceiver, and the third wireless transceiver each comprise a respective Bluetooth transceiver,

wherein the DAQ device and the display device carry out a pairing process using the first wireless transceiver and the second wireless transceiver prior to the first wireless transceiver transmitting the second data generated at the input element to the air interface for transmission to the second wireless transceiver, and

wherein the vehicle scanner and the display device carry out a pairing process using the first wireless transceiver and the second wireless transceiver prior to the third wireless transceiver transmitting the serial data received at the wired interface to the air interface for transmission to the second wireless transceiver.

15. The method of claim 11,

wherein, when the DAQ device operates in the local-control mode, the first data visually presented at the first display is visually presented for a DAQ mode selected via the mode-selector device at the DAQ device, and

wherein, when the DAQ device is operating in the remote-control mode, the second data visually presented at the first display is visually presented for a DAQ mode selected via a mode-selection command transmitted to the DAQ device from the display device.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the DAQ mode selected via the mode-selection command is the same DAQ mode selected via the mode-selector device at the DAQ device.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the DAQ mode selected via the mode-selection command comprises a DAQ mode selected from the group consisting of (i) a volts DC measurement mode, (ii) a volts AC measurement mode, (iii) a resistance measurement mode, (iv) a diode test mode, (v) an electrical circuit continuity test mode, (vi) a capacitance measurement mode, (vii) a current measurement mode, (viii) an oscilloscope mode and (ix) an auxiliary mode.

18. The method of claim 11, wherein the input signals received from the device-under-service while the DAQ device is operating in the local-control mode comprise non-serial data signals having voltage levels that vary over time.

19. The method of claim 11,

wherein the second data received at the second wireless transceiver is encoded with data packets,

wherein the DAQ device encodes the second data into the data packets, and

wherein providing the second data from the second wireless transceiver to the second display for visual presentation of the second data via the second display includes removing the second data encoded within the data packets.