Method and system for enhanced scanner user interface

• US 9,330,508 B2
• Filed: 03/07/2014
• Issued: 05/03/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 03/14/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Snap-On Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Snap-On Incorporated
• Inventors: Hoevenaar, Robert
• Primary Examiner(s): Tran, Dalena
• Application Number:
  US14/201,481
• Publication Number:
  US 20140188330A1
• Time in Patent Office: 788 Days
• Field of Search: 701 291- 293, 701/32.2, 701/32.7, 701/1, 702/34, 702/182, 340/438
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 5/0816 Indicating performance data, e.g. occurrence of a malfunction
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 5/0825 using optical means

Abstract

A method and system for presenting vehicle information. A functional part of a vehicle is selected to be examined and information related to the selected function part is received. A vehicle model corresponding to the vehicle is retrieved. Based on the selected functional part and the vehicle model, a mode of operation is determined and used in presenting the vehicle model and the information so that a portion of the model corresponding to the functional part is visible and the information is presented with respect to the visible functional part of the presented model.

Claims

1. A method for presenting vehicle information, comprising the steps of:

receiving, by a receiver, information associated with a functional part of a vehicle;

retrieving a model for the vehicle;

determining, by a determining unit, a mode of operation of the functional part based on the model for the vehicle; and

presenting the model for the vehicle and the information associated with the mode of operation of the functional part by a rendering unit, so that a portion of the presented model for the vehicle that corresponds to the functional part is visible and the information is presented with respect to the visible functional part of the presented model.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the functional part is determined prior to the step of receiving information.

3. The method according to claim 2, wherein the vehicle is an automobile.

4. The method according to claim 1, wherein the model for the vehicle is a three-dimensional (3D) model.

5. The method according to claim 4, wherein the functional part is visible in the mode of operation that includes a presentation perspective defined with respect to a viewing direction perpendicular to a display screen on which the presentation is made.

6. The method according to claim 1, wherein the mode of operation includes a presentation mode that includes a parameter based on which the functional part of the model is presented differently compared to parts of the vehicle that are not selected as the functional part of the vehicle.

7. The method according to claim 6, wherein the functional part is presented using a different intensity than that used in presenting other parts of the vehicle.

8. The method according to claim 1, wherein the functional part is presented based on an operational status of the functional part.

9. The method according to claim 8, wherein the operational status of the functional part is presented using color.

10. The method according to claim 8, wherein the operational status of the functional part is controllable with respect to a control parameter of the function part.

11. The method according to claim 10, wherein the operational status of the functional part is adjustable via a graphical control.

12. The method according to claim 1, wherein the information includes data scanned from the vehicle and comprises at least one of inspection data and diagnostic data.

13. The method according to claim 1, wherein the information is split into at least one sub-group of information, each of which is presented separately.

14. The method according to claim 13, wherein information included in each sub-group is associated with a distinct component of the functional part and is presented nearby the component.

15. The method according to claim 13, wherein information included in each sub-group is associated with a distinct sub-function performed by the functional part.

16. The method according to claim 13, wherein the information in each sub-group is presented within a space.

17. The method according to claim 16, wherein a dimension of the space is determined based on availability of presentation space given the spatial relationship in the presentation space among different components of the functional part.

18. The method according to claim 16, wherein the information is presented in a scrollable window in the presentation space.

37. The method for presenting vehicle information of claim 1, wherein determining the mode of operation includes determining a presentation perspective and determining a presentation mode.

38. The method for presenting vehicle information of claim 1, further comprising scanning a vehicle with a scanning device to obtain the information associated with the functional part of the vehicle.

39. The method according to claim 1, wherein the mode of operation of the functional part is determined based on the functional part and the model for the vehicle.

19. A method for presenting scanned vehicle information, comprising the steps of:

receiving a first signal indicative of a selection of a functional part of a vehicle;

receiving, by a receiver, information associated with the functional part of the vehicle;

retrieving a model for the vehicle;

presenting the model for the vehicle and the information associated with the functional part of the vehicle by a rendering unit according to a mode of operation of the functional part so that a portion of the model for the vehicle that corresponds to the functional part is visible and the information is presented with respect to the visible functional part of the presented model, wherein the mode of operation of the functional part is determined by a determining unit.

20. The method according to claim 19, wherein the model for the vehicle is a three-dimensional (3D) model.

21. The method according to claim 19, wherein the mode of operation is determined based on the selected functional part and the model for the vehicle.

22. The method according to claim 19, wherein the mode of operation includes a presentation mode based on which the functional part of the model is presented differently so that the functional part is visually distinct compared to parts of the vehicle that are not selected as the functional part of the vehicle.

23. The method according to claim 19, wherein the functional part is presented based on an operational status of the functional part.

24. The method according to claim 23, wherein the operational status of the functional part is controllable via a graphical control with respect to a control parameter of the function part.

25. The method according to claim 19, wherein the information is split into at least one sub-group of information, each of which is presented separately.

26. The method according to claim 19, wherein the information is presented in a scrollable window.

40. The method according to claim 19, wherein the mode of operation of the functional part is determined based on the functional part and the model for the vehicle.

27. An apparatus for presenting vehicle information, comprising:

a receiver configured for receiving information associated with a functional part of a vehicle;

a data storage configured for storing a model for the vehicle;

a presentation mode determination unit configured for determining a mode of operation of the functional part based on the model for the vehicle; and

a rendering unit configured for presenting the model for the vehicle and the information associated with the functional part according to the mode of operation so that a portion of the model for the vehicle that corresponds to the functional part is visible and the information is presented with respect to the visible functional part of the presented model.

28. The apparatus according to claim 27, wherein the functional part of the model is presented differently so that the functional part is visually distinct compared to parts of the vehicle that are not selected as the functional part of the vehicle.

29. The apparatus according to claim 27, further comprising a graphical control unit configured for controlling an operational status of the functional part of the vehicle via a graphical unit.

30. The apparatus according to claim 27, further comprising a data division unit configured for splitting the information into one or more sub-groups of information, each of which is presented separately with respect to the functional part of the vehicle.

41. The apparatus according to claim 27, wherein the mode of operation of the functional part is determined based on the functional part and the model for the vehicle.

31. An apparatus for presenting vehicle information, comprising:

a receiver configured for receiving a selection of a functional part of a vehicle and for receiving information associated with the functional part of a vehicle;

a data storage configured for storing a model for the vehicle;

a rendering unit configured for presenting the model for the vehicle and the information associated with the functional part according to a mode of operation so that a portion of the model for the vehicle that corresponds to the functional part is visible and the information associated with the functional part is presented nearby the visible functional part of the presented model, wherein the mode of operation of the functional part is determined by a determining unit.

32. The apparatus according to claim 31, wherein the rendering unit presents the functional part of the model differently so that the functional part is visually distinct compared to parts of the vehicle that are not selected as the functional part of the vehicle.

33. The apparatus according to claim 31, further comprising a graphical control unit configured for controlling an operational status of the functional part of the vehicle via a graphical unit.

42. The apparatus according to claim 31, wherein the mode of operation of the functional part is determined based on the functional part and the model for the vehicle.

34. A system for presenting information in relation to a vehicle having at least one functional part contained therein, the system comprising;

a device configured for communicating with the vehicle to obtain and present information related to a functional part of the vehicle, wherein the device comprises;

a receiver configured for receiving the information associated with a functional part of the vehicle,

a data storage configured for storing a model for the vehicle, and

a rendering unit configured for presenting the model for the vehicle and the information associated with the functional part according to a mode of operation so that a portion of the model for the vehicle that corresponds to the functional part is visible and the information is presented with respect to the visible functional part of the presented model, wherein the mode of operation of the functional part is determined by a determining unit.

35. The system according to claim 34, wherein the device is configured for presenting the functional part of the model differently so that the functional part is visually distinct compared to parts of the vehicle that are not selected as the functional part of the vehicle.

36. The system according to claim 34, wherein the device further comprises a graphical control unit configured for controlling an operational status of the functional part of the vehicle via a graphical unit.