Diagnostic tool with parts ordering system

• US 9,183,681 B2
• Filed: 07/31/2013
• Issued: 11/10/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 07/31/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Bosch Automotive Service Solutions, Inc. (Robert Bosch GmbH)
• Original Assignee: Bosch Automotive Service Solutions, Inc. (Robert Bosch GmbH)
• Inventors: Fish, James
• Primary Examiner(s): Tran, Dalena
• Application Number:
  US13/955,953
• Publication Number:
  US 20150039176A1
• Time in Patent Office: 832 Days
• Field of Search: 701/31.6, 340/500, 700/90, 705/30, 705/400, 705/16
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1626 with a single-body enclosure integrating a flat display, e.g. Personal Digital Assistants [PDAs]
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/00 Input arrangements for transferring data to be processed into a form capable of being handled by the computer; Output arrangements for transferring data from processing unit to output unit, e.g. interface arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0482 Interaction with lists of selectable items, e.g. menus
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/453 Help systems
• 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 5/0808 Diagnosing performance data testing of vehicles G01M17/00; testing of electrical installation on vehicles G01R31/005

Abstract

A graphical user interface is provided that can be used on a diagnostic too. The graphical user interface allows a technician to operate various functions of the diagnostic tool including searching for additional information on the Internet, receiving weather information that is relevant to certain diagnostic tests, and displaying in certain formats the retrieved vehicle data and when certain vehicles were last scanned or diagnosed. The graphical user interface alerts the technician that a part solution is available for a particular retrieved diagnostic trouble code and allows the technician to order a part.

Claims

1. A diagnostic tool with a part ordering system, comprising:

a processor configured to execute computing instructions;

a connector interface configured to connect with a connector in a vehicle and retrieve vehicle diagnostic data from the vehicle;

a touch screen display in communication with the processor configured to display diagnostic information and part solution information;

a wireless communication interface in communication with the processor and configured to communicate with a remote device having a database; and

a memory in communication with the processor, the memory containing instructions, that when executed by the processor causes the processor to;

retrieve vehicle diagnostic data including diagnostic trouble codes (DTCs);

generate, on the touch screen display, a first plurality of touch selectable icons corresponding to individual DTCs;

indicate on the touch screen display, if available, the part solution information for at least one DTC, wherein the indication of availability of the part solution includes indicating by change in color, flashing, bolding of letters, or a combination thereof;

generate, on the touch screen display, a list of top fixes based on the retrieved DTCs;

search for the part solution information including availability, price, and a part supplier; and

generate a second touch selectable icon configured to allow a user to purchase a part.

2. The diagnostic tool of claim 1 further comprising:

generate, on the touch screen display, the search result of the part solution information.

3. The diagnostic tool of claim 1, wherein the search for part solution information is based on a global positioning system determined location of the diagnostic tool.

4. The diagnostic tool of claim 1, wherein the first plurality of touch selectable icons include history information about the individual DTC.

5. The diagnostic tool of claim 4, wherein the history information includes failures since last clear, current code, or history code.

6. The diagnostic tool of claim 1, wherein the search for part solution information is based on a delivery time of the part or a preferred part supplier.

7. A non-transitory machine-readable storage medium comprising machine-readable instructions for causing a processor of a diagnostic tool to execute the method of:

retrieving, with the diagnostic tool, vehicle diagnostic data including diagnostic trouble codes (DTCs) from a vehicle;

generating, on a touch screen display of the diagnostic tool, a first plurality of touch selectable icons corresponding to individual DTCs;

indicating on the touch screen display, if available, part solution information for at least one DTC, wherein the indication of availability of the part solution includes indicating by change in color, flashing, bolding of letters, or a combination thereof;

generating, on the touch screen display, a list of top fixes based on the retrieved DTCs;

searching for part solution information including availability, price, and a part supplier; and

generating a second touch selectable icon configured to allow a user to purchase a part.

8. The non-transitory machine-readable storage medium of claim 7 further comprising:

generating, on the touch screen display, a search result of the part solution information.

9. The non-transitory machine-readable storage medium of claim 7, wherein the searching for part solution information is based on a global positioning system determined location of the diagnostic tool.

10. The non-transitory machine-readable storage medium of claim 7, wherein the first plurality of touch selectable icons includes history information about the individual DTC.

11. The non-transitory machine-readable storage medium of claim 7, wherein the searching for part solution information is based on a delivery time of the part or a preferred part supplier.

12. A computer-implemented method for ordering parts for a vehicle, the method comprising:

retrieving, with the diagnostic tool, vehicle diagnostic data including diagnostic trouble codes (DTCs) from a vehicle;

generating, on a touch screen display of the diagnostic tool, a first plurality of touch selectable icons corresponding to individual DTCs;

indicating on the touch screen display, if available, part solution information for at least one DTC, wherein the indication of availability of the part solution includes indicating by change in color, flashing, bolding of letters, or a combination thereof;

generating, on the touch screen display, a list of top fixes based on the retrieved DTCs;

searching for part solution information including availability, price, and a part supplier; and

generating a second touch selectable icon configured to allow a user to purchase the part.

13. The computer-implemented method of claim 12 further comprising:

generating, on the touch screen display, a search result of the part solution information.

14. The computer-implemented method of claim 12, wherein the searching for part information solution is based on a global positioning system determined location of the diagnostic tool.

15. The computer-implemented method of claim 12, wherein the first plurality touch of selectable icons includes history information about the individual DTC.

16. The computer-implemented method of claim 12, wherein the searching for part information solution is based on a delivery time of the part or a preferred part supplier.

17. The computer-implemented method of claim 12, wherein the searching for part information solution is based on a location other than the diagnostic tool'"'"'s location.