Monitoring of vehicle health based on historical information

• US 20030208309A1
• Filed: 11/06/2002
• Published: 11/06/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 05/08/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ftasth Holdings Limited
• Original Assignee: Systech International LLC (Opus Group AB)
• Inventors: Triphathi, Pradeep R
• Granted Patent: US 6,836,708 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/29
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 5/085 using electronic data carriers

Abstract

A method and apparatus for detecting abnormal behaviour in a vehicle (8) with an engine having engine control module includes providing a database (20), and a vehicle analyser (12) having a communication device (16) and an interface (14) that links the communication device (16) to a vehicle (8). Engine parameters that are retrieved through the interface (14) during driving experience are uploaded to the database (20) using the communication device (16). The database (20) analyses the engine parameters from multiple driving experiences to establish historical data and determine normal operation of particular retrieved engine parameters based on the historical data. A vehicle (8) can be diagnosed by comparing its retrieved engine parameters with the database (20).

Claims

1. A method of detecting abnormal behavior in a vehicle having an engine with an engine control module, said method comprising:

providing a database, a communication device, and an interface to an engine control module;

retrieving engine parameters through said interface during a driving experience and uploading the retrieved engine parameter to said database using said communication device;

analyzing the uploaded engine parameters from multiple driving experiences at said database to establish historical data and determining normal operation of particular retrieved engine parameters based on the historical data; and

comparing engine parameters of a vehicle to be diagnosed with said normal operation of particular retrieved engine parameters to determine whether the vehicle to be diagnosed operates outside of the normal operation.

2. The method of detecting abnormal engine behavior of claim 1 wherein said analyzing includes retrieving engine parameters over multiple driving experiences, storing the data over multiple driving experiences into a database, and establishing statistical control limits for the particular engine parameters.

3. The method of detecting abnormal behavior of claim 2 including establishing statistical control limits for particular engine parameters during various driving conditions.

4. The method of detecting abnormal behavior of claim 3 wherein the various driving conditions include idle, steady cruise at various speeds, and various rates of acceleration and deceleration.

5. The method of detecting abnormal behavior in claim 1 wherein said particular engine parameters comprise critical engine parameters.

6. The method of detecting abnormal behavior in claim 1 wherein said historical data is based on engine parameters retrieved prior to said comparing from the vehicle to be diagnosed.

7. The method of detecting abnormal behavior in claim 1 wherein said uploading includes communicating over one of an Internet and an Intranet.

8. The method of detecting abnormal behavior in claim 1 wherein said uploading includes communicating via wireless communication.

9. The method of detecting abnormal behavior in claim 8 wherein said uploading includes communicating over a global network.

10. The method of detecting abnormal behavior in claim 9 wherein said uploading includes providing a wireless communication device that is adapted to connect with said database over said global network.

11. The method of detecting abnormal behavior in claim 10 wherein said communication device includes browser software.

12. The method of detecting abnormal behavior in claim 1 wherein said interface includes an onboard diagnostic interface.

13. A method of detecting abnormal behavior in a vehicle having an engine with an engine control module, said method comprising:

providing a database and multiple vehicle analyzers, each of said vehicle analyzers including a communication device and an interface with an engine control module;

retrieving engine parameters from multiple vehicles that are generally the same type as each other using said multiple vehicle analyzers and uploading the retrieved engine parameters to said database;

analyzing the uploaded engine parameters from the multiple vehicles to establish historical data and determining normal operation of particular retrieved engine parameters based on the historical data; and

comparing engine parameters of a vehicle generally of said same type with said normal operation of particular retrieved engine parameters to determine whether that vehicle operates outside of the normal operation.

14. The method of detecting abnormal behavior of claim 13 including retrieving engine parameters from multiple driving experiences from said multiple vehicles.

15. The method of detecting abnormal behavior of claim 14 wherein said vehicle analyzer includes an interface to an engine control module and a wireless communication module.

16. The method of detecting abnormal behavior of claim 15 wherein said uploading includes communicating over a global network.

17. The method of detecting abnormal behavior in claim 16 wherein said uploading includes providing a wireless communication device that is adapted to connect with said database over said global network.

18. The method of detecting abnormal behavior in claim 17 wherein said communication device includes browser software.

19. The method of detecting abnormal behavior in claim 13 wherein said analyzing includes retrieving engine parameters over multiple driving experiences, storing the data over multiple driving experiences into a database, and establishing statistical control limits for the particular engine parameters.

20. The method of detecting abnormal behavior of claim 19 including establishing statistical control limits for particular engine parameters during various driving conditions.

21. The method of detecting abnormal behavior of claim 20 wherein the various driving conditions include idle, steady cruise at various speeds, and various rates of acceleration and deceleration.

22. The method of detecting abnormal behavior in claim 13 wherein said particular engine parameters comprise critical engine parameters.

23. A system for detecting abnormal vehicle engine behavior of a vehicle having an engine with an engine control module, comprising:

a vehicle analyzer comprising a communication device and an interface scan tool that links said communication device to a vehicle engine control module;

a database system separate from said vehicle analyzer, said database system being programmed to receive data uploaded by said communication device, said database determines normal operation of particular engine parameters based on historical data;

wherein said vehicle analyzer retrieves data from the vehicle while the vehicle is driven to retrieve engine parameters and uploads the retrieved engine parameters to said database;

said database system compares the collected data to said normal operation of particular engine parameters to determine abnormal conditions of the vehicle.

24. The system for detecting abnormal vehicle engine behavior of claim 23 wherein said database determines normal operation of particular engine parameters from data retrieved from the vehicle being diagnosed over multiple previous driving experiences.

25. The system for detecting abnormal vehicle engine behavior of claim 23 wherein said communication device comprises a wireless communication device.

26. The system for detecting abnormal vehicle engine behavior of claim 25 wherein said wireless communication device comprises one of a cellular telephone and a personal digital assistant.

27. The system for detecting abnormal vehicle engine behavior of claim 25 wherein said wireless communication device comprises a radio frequency transmitter.

28. The system for detecting abnormal vehicle engine behavior of claim 23 wherein said vehicle analyzer includes a data port for uploading data to a computer for subsequent uploading to said database.

29. The system for detecting abnormal vehicle engine behavior of claim 23 wherein said communication device is adapted to operate on a global network.

30. The system for detecting abnormal vehicle engine behavior of claim 29 wherein said communication device includes browser software.

31. The system for detecting abnormal vehicle engine behavior of claim 23 wherein said database system establishes statistical control limits for particular engine parameters during various driving conditions.

32. The system for detecting abnormal behavior of claim 31 wherein the various driving conditions include idle, steady cruise at various speeds, and various rates of acceleration and deceleration.

33. The system for detecting abnormal behavior in claim 23 wherein said particular engine parameters comprise critical engine parameters.

34. A system for detecting abnormal vehicle engine behavior of a vehicle having an engine with an engine control module, comprising:

a database and a plurality of vehicle analyzers, each including a communication device and an interface that links that communication device to a vehicle, wherein said communication device is adapted to upload to said database engine parameters retrieved by said interface; and

said database is adapted to analyze the retrieved engine parameters uploaded from said plurality of vehicle analyzers to establish historical data among vehicles that are generally of the same type and to determine normal operation of particular retrieved engine parameters based on historical data;

wherein said database is further adapted to compare engine parameters of a vehicle generally of said same type with said normal operation of particular retrieved engine parameters to determine whether that vehicle operates outside of the normal operation.

35. The system for detecting abnormal vehicle engine behavior of claim 34 wherein said communication device comprises a wireless communication device.

36. The system for detecting abnormal vehicle engine behavior of claim 35 wherein said wireless communication device comprises one of a cellular telephone and a personal digital assistant.

37. The system for detecting abnormal vehicle engine behavior of claim 35 wherein said wireless communication device comprises a radio frequency transmitter.

38. The system for detecting abnormal vehicle engine behavior of claim 34 wherein said vehicle analyzer includes a data port for uploading data to a computer for subsequent uploading to said database.

39. The system for detecting abnormal vehicle engine behavior of claim 34 wherein said communication device is adapted to operate on a global network.

40. The system for detecting abnormal vehicle engine behavior of claim 39 wherein said communication device includes browser software.

41. The system for detecting abnormal vehicle engine behavior of claim 34 wherein said database system establishes statistical control limits for particular engine parameters during various driving conditions.

42. The system for detecting abnormal behavior of claim 41 wherein the various driving conditions include idle, steady cruise at various speeds, and various rates of acceleration and deceleration.

43. The system for detecting abnormal behavior in claim 34 wherein said particular engine parameters comprise critical engine parameters.