Diagnostic tool with advanced diagnostic capabilities

• US 8,571,750 B2
• Filed: 09/27/2010
• Issued: 10/29/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 04/04/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Bosch Automotive Service Solutions LLC (SPX Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Service Solutions US LLC
• Inventors: Namaky, Hamid, Gessner, Michael, Bertosa, Thomas J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Beaulieu, Yonel
• Application Number:
  US12/891,333
• Publication Number:
  US 20110015823A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,128 Days
• Field of Search: 701/29.7, 701/29.9, 701/31.4, 701/34.4, 701 291- 294, 701/33.2, 701/33.4, 702182-185, 702187-188
• US Class Current: 701/31.2
• 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

Abstract

A diagnostic tool for a vehicle, includes a signal translator communicating with the vehicle in at least one protocol, an input unit for inputting information, a processor controlling a software according to the input information and communication with the vehicle, the processor controlling a recording of diagnostic data of the vehicle through the signal translator, a memory storing a software including a database controlled by the processor, the memory storing baseline data of the vehicle and recorded diagnostic data in the database, the processor comparing the stored baseline data and recorded diagnostic data, and a display unit displaying information according to the comparison between the stored baseline data and recorded diagnostic data. The comparison can also be made on a separate computer storing the baseline data and receiving the recorded data from the diagnostic tool.

Claims

1. A method of checking a system of a vehicle comprising:

inputting vehicle information into a computer system;

inputting measured vehicle performance information into the computer system;

accessing a database containing baseline performance information for a vehicle corresponding to the inputted measured vehicle information;

comparing the inputted measured vehicle performance information with the baseline performance information;

indicating differences between the inputted measured vehicle performance information with the baseline performance information; and

selecting a tolerance to allow for tolerance differences between the measured vehicle performance information and the baseline performance information before indicating differences between the inputted measured vehicle performance information and the baseline performance information.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the computer system includes a personal computer (pc).

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the computer system includes a portable hand held tool.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the inputting the measured vehicle performance information includes:

operatively connecting the computer system to vehicle, operating the vehicle, starting recording the vehicle performance information, stopping recording the vehicle performance information, and saving the vehicle performance information.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising putting data in the database by at least one of the following ways:

downloading previously recorded data from a remote source, and inputting the data into the database by connecting the database to a vehicle computer and operating a vehicle believed to be operating correctly.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising selecting a performance parameter as a data item to be recorded and compared.

7. A diagnostic system, comprising:

a memory; and

a microprocessor, wherein the diagnostic system is configured to accomplish a method of checking a system of a vehicle including,

inputting vehicle information into a computer system,

inputting measured vehicle performance information into the computer system,

accessing a database having baseline performance information for a vehicle corresponding to the inputted vehicle information,

comparing the inputted measured vehicle performance information with the baseline performance information,

indicating differences between the inputted measured vehicle performance information and the baseline performance information, and

selecting a tolerance to allow for tolerance differences between the measured vehicle performance information and the baseline performance information before indicating differences between the inputted measured vehicle performance information and the baseline performance information.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein the memory and microprocessor are contained in at least one of either a personal computer (pc) and a portable handheld tool.

9. A diagnostic device for a vehicle having a microprocessor and a memory, the microprocessor configured to perform a method comprising:

linking the diagnostic device with a diagnostic computer of the vehicle through a data link connector of the vehicle;

communicating with said diagnostic computer of the vehicle in a communication protocol;

allowing a user to select among a plurality of parameters for recording;

recording raw diagnostic data of the vehicle at predetermined conditions by said diagnostic device according to the selected parameters;

accessing a database of stored baseline diagnostic data of a corresponding vehicle in a predetermined state;

recording the baseline diagnostic data by said diagnostic device of the corresponding vehicle under the predetermined conditions, where the predetermined conditions include conditions affecting an operation of the vehicle, the baseline recording at the predetermined state being when the vehicle is operating in certain predetermined normal levels;

comparing between the raw recorded diagnostic data and the stored baseline diagnostic data at the predetermined conditions; and

displaying the difference off the comparison between the raw recorded diagnostic data and the stored baseline diagnostic data.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein the method further comprises:

transferring the recorded raw diagnostic data to a personal computer for comparison with the stored base line diagnostic data of the vehicle.

11. The system of claim 9, wherein the method further comprises labeling the recorded raw diagnostic data through an input unit.

12. The system of claim 9, wherein the method further comprises manually initiating the recording of raw diagnostic data.

13. The system of claim 9, wherein the storing of baseline diagnostic data being on said diagnostic device and the comparison being made by the microprocessor of the diagnostic device.

14. The system of claim 9, wherein the method further comprises selecting a tolerance level for the comparison of the recorded raw diagnostic data and the baseline diagnostic data.

15. The system of claim 10, wherein the method further comprises comparing every data item from the recorded raw diagnostic data with the baseline diagnostic data.

16. The system of claim 9, wherein the method further comprises:

transferring the recorded raw diagnostic data to a separate computer; and

launching a program on said computer to compare the recorded raw diagnostic data with the baseline diagnostic data of the corresponding vehicle.

17. The system of claim 9, wherein the method further comprises:

selecting a tolerance level for the comparison on a separate computer; and

displaying on the computer all data items outside the selected tolerance.

18. The system of claim 9 wherein the system includes at least one of either a personal computer (pc) and a portable handheld tool.