Test procedures using pictures

• US 20060142908A1
• Filed: 12/28/2004
• Published: 06/29/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 12/28/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Snap-On Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Snap-On Incorporated
• Inventors: Grier, Jeff, Reddy, Sunil, Cancilla, Jim J., Hoffmeister, Vaclav, Trsar, Dale
• Granted Patent: US 7,516,000 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/29
• 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 5/0825 using optical means

Abstract

A system for test procedures using pictures for a vehicle diagnostic system that includes a processor, a storage device in communication with the processor, a diagnostic routine that is executed by the processor, and a display device also coupled to the processor. The storage device may house a database that includes a library of vehicle information items. These vehicle information items include text items that may relate to several items, for example: 1) a fault that may be experienced by a vehicle under diagnosis; 2) a test that may be performed on the vehicle for the purpose of diagnosing the causes of the faults; or 3) a solution that may be used to correct the faults. Further, the vehicle information items may also include a library of picture items that correspond to the text items. The processor and its diagnostic routine function to examine the text items, access the data base of picture items, correlate the text items to the picture items, replace the text items with at least a portion of picture items, and then display an image on the display device which includes at least one picture item.

Claims

1. A vehicle diagnostic system comprising:

a processor,

a storage device in communication with the processor, the storage device storing a database including a library of vehicle information items,

i) the vehicle information items including text items relating to at least

a) a fault that may be experienced by a vehicle under diagnosis,

b) a test that may be performed on the vehicle for the purpose of diagnosing the causes of the faults, or

c) a solution that may be used to correct the faults,

ii) the vehicle information items also including a library of picture items corresponding to the text items;

a diagnostic routine executed by the processor for correlating text items with picture items, and replacing at least a portion of the text items selected with corresponding picture items; and

a display device coupled to the processor for displaying vehicle information items generated by execution of the diagnostic routine.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the diagnostic routine is operative to recognize text items and replace all text items with picture items selected from the library of picture items prior to the display of the text items.

3. The system of claim 1, further comprising a data input device coupled to the processor.

4. The system of claim 3, wherein the data input device and the display device are integrated into a handheld device.

5. The system of claim 3, wherein the picture items may be brought up by entering a command into the data input device.

6. The system of claim 3, wherein additional pictures may be downloaded to the library of pictures.

7. The system of claim 3, wherein the diagnostic routine is operative to permit a selection of whether any text items displayed from operation of the diagnostic routine should be replaced with pictures accessed from the library of pictures.

8. The system of claim 3, wherein the user may select to display pictures items simultaneously with text items.

9. The system of claim 3, wherein the user may toggle between displaying pictures items and displaying text items.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein the library of picture items includes colors, animations, factory procedure pictures, component pictures, symbols, characters, and sound items corresponding to the text items.

11. The system of claim 1, wherein the storage device further comprises a database of test results, wherein the test results are correspond to the solutions.

12. A vehicle diagnostic system comprising:

a processor;

a storage device in communication with the processor, the storage device storing a database including a library of vehicle information items,

i) the vehicle information items including text items relating to at least one

a) fault that may be experienced by a vehicle under diagnosis,

b) tests that may be performed on the vehicle for the purpose of diagnosing the causes of the faults, and

c) solutions that may be used to correct the faults,

ii) the vehicle information items also including a library of picture items corresponding to the text items;

vehicle analyzer hardware in communication with the processor;

a diagnostic routine executed by the processor for diagnosing vehicle faults and replacing at least a portion of the text items with corresponding picture items;

a data input device coupled to the processor; and

a display device coupled to the processor for displaying vehicle information items generated by execution of the diagnostic routine.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein the diagnostic routine is operable to recognize text items and replace all text items with picture items selected from the library of picture items.

14. The system of claim 12, wherein additional pictures items may be downloaded to the library of pictures.

15. The system of claim 12, wherein the picture items comprise colors, animations, factory procedure pictures, component pictures, symbols, characters, and sound items corresponding to the text items.

16. The system of claim 12, wherein the user may input commands into the data input device, causing the diagnostic routine to replace text items with picture items.

17. A vehicle diagnostic system comprising:

a processor;

a storage device in communication with the processor device storing a database including a library of vehicle information items, the vehicle information items including text items relating to solutions that may be used to correct a fault that may be experienced by a vehicle under diagnosis, the vehicle information items also including a library of picture items corresponding to the text items;

vehicle analyzer hardware in communication with the processor;

a diagnostic routine executed by the processor for diagnosing vehicle faults and replacing at least a portion of the text items with corresponding picture items; and

an input/output component coupled to the processor for displaying vehicle information items generated by the diagnostic routine.

20. The diagnostic system of claim 20, wherein picture items may be replaced by different picture items.

18. The diagnostic system of claim 20, wherein the input/output component comprises:

a display device coupled to the processor; and

a data input device coupled to the processor.

19. The diagnostic system of claim 20, wherein the input/output component is integrated into a handheld device.