Handheld Scan Tool with Fixed Solution Capability

• US 20130204485A1
• Filed: 08/06/2012
• Published: 08/08/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 04/14/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Innova Electronics Corporation (Innova Telematics Solutions)
• Original Assignee: Innova Electronics Corporation (Innova Telematics Solutions)
• Inventors: Chen, Ieon C., Madison, Robert, Andreasen, Keith
• Granted Patent: US 8,909,416 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/29.6
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 17/00 Digital computing or data processing equipment or methods, specially adapted for specific functions information retrieval, database structures or file system structures therefor G06F16/00
• 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 diagnostic scan tool is provided including a connect/configure module for establishing a communication link between the scan tool and a vehicle electronic control unit (ECU). A vehicle specification module operates to identify a vehicle under test in response to receipt of a vehicle identification number (VIN). A trouble code module receives digital trouble codes (DTCs) from the ECU. A freeze frame data module retrieves freeze frame data from the ECU, the retrieved freeze frame data being functionally associated with a highest priority DTC. A database lists possible vehicle defect solutions, indexed to the VIN and the DTCs. A digital signal processor is operative to derive the highest priority DTC from analysis of the retrieved freeze frame data. The digital signal processor further being operative to regulate selection of a most likely vehicle defect solution associated with the VIN and the highest priority DTC.

Claims

1. The diagnostic scan tool comprising:

a) a connect/configure module for establishing a communication link between the scan tool and a vehicle electronic control unit (ECU);

b) a vehicle specification module operative to identify a vehicle under test in response to receipt of a vehicle identification number (VIN) from the ECU;

c) a trouble code module for receiving digital trouble codes (DTC'"'"'s) from the ECU;

d) a database listing possible vehicle defect solutions indexed to DTC'"'"'s and the VIN;

e) a freeze frame data module for retrieving freeze frame data from the ECU, the retrieved freeze frame data being representative of the operation of a vehicle onboard device(s) associated with a DTC identified as the highest priority DTC; and

f) a digital signal processor in electrical communication with the ECU, the vehicle specification module, the database, the DTC module and the freeze frame data module, the digital signal processor being operative to derive the highest priority DTC from analysis of the retrieved DTC'"'"'s and the retrieved freeze frame data, and to regulate selection of a most likely vehicle defect solution associated with the VIN and the highest priority DTC.

2. The scan tool as recited in claim 1, wherein the retrieved freeze frame data is representative of the electrical signals that caused the highest priority DTC to be generated.

3. The scan tool as recited in claim 1, wherein the identification of the highest priority DTC is derivable from the freeze frame data.

4. The scan tool as recited in claim 2, wherein the database further includes nominal freeze frame data, indexed to the vehicle onboard devices, and wherein the digital signal processor is operative to compare the retrieved freeze frame data to the corresponding stored nominal freeze frame data to identify any anomaly(s) therebetween.

5. The scan tool as recited in claim 1, wherein the database further includes stored freeze frame data associated with the possible vehicle defect solutions, and wherein the digital signal processor is operative to compare the retrieved freeze frame data to the corresponding stored freeze frame data associated with the most likely defect solution to identify any anomaly(s) therebetween.

6. The scan tool as recited in claim 5, wherein the digital signal processor regulates selection of the most likely solution by excluding any possible defect solution for which the stored freeze frame data is beyond tolerance of the corresponding retrieved freeze frame data.

7. The scan tool as recited in claim 6, wherein the digital signal processor is further operative to regulate selection of the most likely defect solution by identifying an alternative most likely solution when the stored freeze frame data associated with the most likely defect solution is beyond tolerance of the corresponding retrieved freeze frame data.

8. The scan tool as recited in claim 7, wherein the digital signal processor is further operative to exclude a retrieved DTC from being identified as the highest priority DTC where the stored freeze frame data associated with each defect solution associated with the highest priority DTC is beyond tolerance of the corresponding retrieved freeze frame data.

9. The scan tool as recited in claim 1, further includes a display operative to display at least one of the received DTC'"'"'s, at least a portion of the retrieved freeze frame data, and the most likely defect solution.

10. The scan tool as recited in claim 6, wherein the scan tool is operative to identify the highest priority DTC in response to establishing a communication link between the scan tool and the ECU, independent of any further user input.

11. The scan tool as recited in claim 6 wherein the scan tool is operative to identify the most likely defect solution in response to establishing a communication link between the scan tool and the ECU, independent of any further user input.

12. The scan tool as recited in claim 6, wherein the database is disposed within the scan tool.

13. The scan tool as recited in claim 6, wherein the defect solution database is remotely located relative to the scan tool and the ECU.

14. The scan tool as recited in claim 12, wherein the scan tool is configured for communication with the remote database.

15. The scan tool as recited in claim 5, wherein the database includes an identification of communication protocols between the ECU and the vehicle onboard devices, indexed to the VIN.

16. The scan tool as recited in claim 1, wherein the trouble code module receives a combination of DTC'"'"'s from the ECU and the digital signal processor is operative to identify the most likely defect solution based on a probabilistic comparison of the received combination of DTC'"'"'s to stored combinations of DTC'"'"'s, each stored combination of DTC'"'"'s being associated with a particular defect solution, the defect solution that is associated with the highest ranked stored combination of DTC'"'"'s being identified as the most likely defect solution.

17. The scan tool as recited in claim 14, wherein the database includes an updatable flash memory unit.

18. The scan tool as recited in claim 1, wherein the said vehicle specification module is further operative to identity communication protocols between the ECU and a plurality of vehicle onboard device(s) from a stored protocol information database on the tool, indexed to the VIN.

19. The scan tool as recited in claim 1, wherein the connect/configure module is operative to poll the ECU to determine a proper connect protocol.

20. A method of diagnosing vehicular defects with a scan tool comprising:

a) placing the scan tool in communication with a vehicle electronic control unit (ECU);

b) configuring the tool in response to information derived from a vehicle identification number (VIN);

c) receiving digital trouble codes (DTC'"'"'s) and freeze frame data from the ECU;

d) deriving the highest priority DTC from analysis of the freeze frame data and the retrieved DTC'"'"'s; and

e) identifying a most likely defect solution based on the VIN and the highest priority DTC.

21. The process for diagnosing a vehicular defect as recited in claim 20, further comprises the steps of:

f) configuring the scan tool to retrieve freeze frame data associated with the mostly likely defect solution;

g) comparing the retrieved freeze frame data associated with the most likely solution to the stored freeze frame data associated with the most likely solution;

h) determining whether the retrieved freeze frame data associated with the most likely solution is within tolerance of the stored freeze frame data associated with the most likely solution; and

i) confirming the most likely solution when the retrieved freeze frame data associated with the most likely solution is within tolerance of the stored freeze frame data associated with the most likely solution.

22. The process of diagnosing a vehicular defect as recited in claim 21, further comprises the steps of:

j) where the retrieved freeze frame data associated with the most likely solution is outside tolerance of the stored freeze frame data associated with the most likely solution, then selecting an alternate most likely solution corresponding to the highest priority DTC;

k) configuring the scan tool to retrieve freeze frame data associated the with the alternate most likely defect solution; and

l) confirming the alternate most likely defect solution when the retrieved freeze frame data associated with the alternate most likely solution is within tolerance of the stored freeze frame data associated with the alternate most likely defect solution;

23. The process of diagnosing a vehicular defect as recited in claim 22, further comprises the steps of:

m) where the retrieved freeze frame data associated with the alternate most likely solution is outside tolerance of the stored freeze frame data associated with the alternate most likely solution, and an alternate most likely solution for the highest priority DTC is not available, then selecting an alternate highest priority DTC; and

n) identifying a most likely defect solution indexed by the VIN and the alternate highest priority DTC.

24. The process of diagnosing vehicular defects as recited in claim 23, further comprising the steps of:

o) where an alternate highest priority DTC is not available, comparing combinations of received DTCs to stored combinations of DTCs;

p) selecting the highest ranked stored combination of received DTCs; and

q) selecting a vehicle defect solution corresponding to the highest ranked combinations of DTCs.

25. The process as recited in claim 24, further comprising the steps of or retrieving freeze frame data associated with the selected vehicle defect solution corresponding to the highest ranked combination of DTCs;

r) excluding the selected vehicle defect solution corresponding to the highest ranked combination of DTCs where the retrieved freeze frame data associated with the selected vehicle defect solution is not within tolerance of the stored freeze frame data associated with the selected vehicle defect solution;

s) where the retrieved freeze frame data associated with the selected vehicle defect solution is within tolerance of the stored freeze frame data associated with the selected vehicle defect solution, confirming the selected solution corresponding to the highest ranked combinations of DTCs as the most likely solution; and

t) where the retrieved freeze frame data associated with the selected vehicle defect solution is not within tolerance of the stored freeze frame data associated with the selected vehicle defect solution, then selecting an alternate vehicle defect solution corresponding to the highest ranked combinations of DTCs

26. The method as recited in claim 25, further comprising the step of:

u) where no alternate vehicle defect solution corresponding with the highest ranked combination of DTCs is available, then selecting the nest highest ranked combinations of DTCs.