Apparatus and method for displaying diagnostic values

• US 20020077779A1
• Filed: 09/04/2001
• Published: 06/20/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 10/17/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: SPX Corporation
• Original Assignee: SPX Corporation
• Inventors: Liebl, Troy J., Hanson, Todd G.
• Granted Patent: US 7,089,096 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 702/183
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 31/319 Tester hardware, i.e. output processing circuits
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/04806 Zoom, i.e. interaction techniques or interactors for controlling the zooming operation
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0481 based on specific properties of the displayed interaction object or a metaphor-based environment, e.g. interaction with desktop elements like windows or icons, or assisted by a cursor's changing behaviour or appearance

Abstract

In a computerized analyzer linked to an onboard computer for complex machinery, a computer-readable binary pattern storage apparatus which has a plurality of binary patterns constituting an application program executable by the computerized analyzer. Sets of instructions in the application program are executable, in response to user input from a graphical user interface, to provide a variety of functions which include: monitoring and processing data received to provide groups of vertical and horizontal graphical coordinates suitable for graphing; displaying graphs on a visual display device from the graphical coordinates; rearranging and highlighting selected graph designations; providing a second horizontal scale to a selected portion of the horizontal graphical coordinates to give a selected graph a zoomed-in appearance; recording and displaying graphical time frames of the groups of graphical coordinates; and permitting the real-time and diagnostic-code-triggered collection, processing, and graphical display of data.

Claims

1. A diagnostic tool, comprising:

a data input port;

a microprocessor linked to said data input port;

a data storage device linked to said microprocessor wherein a diagnostic application program can be stored in said data storage device;

a graphical user interface linked to said microprocessor wherein said microprocessor receives diagnostic data from said data input port, stores said data to said data storage device, and provides output data to be displayed on said graphical user interface; and

wherein said output data is displayed on said graphical user interface as a list having an identification of each diagnostic value and the diagnostic value.

2. The diagnostic tool of claim 1 wherein the location of a diagnostic value in the list of diagnostic values is selectable by a user.

3. The diagnostic tool of claim 2 further comprising an input device for selecting diagnostic values in the list.

4. The diagnostic tool of claim 3 wherein said input device can be used to select a diagnostic value and move it to the top of the list.

5. The diagnostic tool of claim 4 wherein said input device can be used to change the font of an entry in the list of diagnostic values.

6. The diagnostic tool of claim 5 wherein said data input port links to and receives data from an onboard vehicle computer.

7. The diagnostic tool of claim 6 wherein said data storage device is a flash memory card and wherein said diagnostic application program is loaded on said flash memory card prior to inserting said flash memory card into said diagnostic tool.

8. The diagnostic tool of claim 6 wherein said data storage device is a hardware interface port module containing said diagnostic application program and wherein said diagnostic tool contains a hardware interface port for receiving said hardware interface port module.

9. The diagnostic tool of claim 8 wherein a plurality of hardware interface port modules having separate diagnostic application programs can be provided for connection, at different times, to said hardware interface port.

10. The diagnostic tool of claim 6 further comprising a transmitter connected to said microprocessor for wirelessly transmitting data.

11. The diagnostic tool of claim 10 wherein said transmitter is an infrared transmitter and wherein said data is wirelessly transmitted to a printer.

13. The method of claim 12 further comprising the steps of selecting a second diagnostic value and changing the font of said second selected diagnostic value.

14. The method of claim 12 further comprising the step of loading a diagnostic application program into a memory device of said diagnostic tool.

15. The method of claim 12 further comprising the step of storing a third diagnostic value into said memory device and displaying said third selected diagnostic value graphically.

16. The method of claim 15 further comprising the step of expanding one axis over a portion of said graphical display.

18. The diagnostic tool of claim 17 wherein the location of a diagnostic value in the list of diagnostic values is selectable by a user.

19. The diagnostic tool of claim 18 further comprising an input means for selecting diagnostic values in the list.

20. The diagnostic tool of claim 19 wherein said input device can be used to select a diagnostic value and move it to the top of the list.

12. A method of displaying diagnostic data, comprising the steps of:

displaying a list of diagnostic values on a graphical user interface of a handheld diagnostic tool wherein said list includes an identification of each diagnostic value;

selecting a first diagnostic value from the list of displayed values; and

changing the location of the first selected diagnostic value in the list.

17. A diagnostic tool, comprising:

a data input means for receiving data from sensors in a vehicle;

a data storage means for storing data received from said vehicle sensors and for storing a diagnostic application program;

a user interface means for providing user readable output;

a processor means for receiving data from said data input means, storing said data to said data storage means, and outputting data to be displayed on said user interface means; and

wherein said output data is displayed on said user interface means as a list having an identification of each diagnostic value and the diagnostic value.