Automotive diagnostic interface device

• US 6,321,151 B1
• Filed: 05/12/2000
• Issued: 11/20/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 05/12/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Paul Shultz
• Original Assignee: Paul Shultz
• Inventors: Shultz, Paul
• Primary Examiner(s): Cuchlinski, Jr., William A.
• Assistant Examiner(s): To, Tuan C
• Application Number:
  US09/569,452
• Time in Patent Office: 557 Days
• Field of Search: 701/29, 701/33, 701/35, 364/424.04, 364/550, 364/424.03, 340/439
• US Class Current: 701/29
• CPC Class Codes: G01M 15/05 by combined monitoring of two or more different engine parameters

Abstract

An automotive diagnostic interface device for quickly determining engine problems from a remote location. The automotive diagnostic interface device includes includes a hand-held interface unit including a housing, a microprocessor disposed in the housing and having circuitry for interfacing with an engine management computer system and also having circuitry for transforming and transmitting data to a receiver/transmitter with the hand-held interface unit further including an input cable connected to the microprocessor and having an end, and an output cable connected to the microprocessor and having an end; and also includes an adapter plug securely connected to the end of the input cable and being adapted to be received in a diagnostic port of the engine management computer system; and further includes an acoustics coupler securely connected to the end of the output cable and being adapted to be connected to a telephone.

Claims

1. An automotive diagnostic interface device comprising:

a hand-held interface unit including a housing, a microprocessor disposed in said housing and having circuitry for interfacing with an engine management computer system and also having circuitry for transforming and transmitting data to a receiver/transmitter, said hand-held interface unit further including an input cable connected to said microprocessor and having an end, and an output cable connected to said microprocessor and having an end;

an adapter plug securely connected to said end of said input cable and being adapted to be received in a diagnostic port of the engine management computer system;

an acoustics coupler securely connected to said end of said output cable and being adapted to be connected to a telephone; and

wherein said acoustics coupler includes a flexible membrane adapted to detachably attach to the telephone over a mouthpiece of the telephone such that said flexible membrane is adapted for blocking external noises from being received by the telephone.

2. An automotive diagnostic interface device as described in claim 1, wherein said interface unit further includes a screen disposed in a wall of said housing for displaying data received from the engine management computer system.

3. An automotive diagnostic interface device as described in claim 2, wherein said interface unit also includes a plurality of keys disposed in said wall of said housing for controlling the receiving and transmitting of data through said microprocessor and to a remote diagnostic machine.

4. An automotive diagnostic interface device as described in claim 1, wherein said microprocessor is adapted to receive fault codes from the engine management computer system and is adapted to transmit said fault codes through said output cable to the remote diagnostic machine for immediate diagnosis of engine problems of a vehicle.

5. An automotive diagnostic interface device as described in claim 1, wherein said microprocessor includes a RS-232 interface.

6. An automotive diagnostic interface device as described in claim 1, wherein said flexible membrane of said acoustics coupler comprises a frusta conical perimeter wall with a perimeter edge adapted for engaging a surface of the mouthpiece of the telephone, said flexible membrane being adapted to create a suction condition between said flexible membrane and the mouthpiece of the telephone.

7. An automotive diagnostic interface device comprising:

a hand-held interface unit including a housing, a microprocessor disposed in said housing and having circuitry for interfacing with an engine management computer system and also having circuitry for transforming and transmitting data to a receiver/transmitter, said hand-held interface unit further including an input cable connected to said microprocessor and having an end, and an output cable connected to said microprocessor and having an end, said interface unit further including a screen disposed in a wall of said housing for displaying data received from the engine management computer system, said interface unit also including a plurality of keys disposed in said wall of said housing for controlling the receiving and transmitting of data through said microprocessor and to a remote diagnostic machine, said microprocessor being adapted to receive fault codes from the engine management computer system and being adapted to transmit said fault codes through said output cable to the remote diagnostic machine for immediate diagnosis of engine problems of a vehicle, said microprocessor including a RS-232 interface;

an adapter plug securely connected to said end of said input cable and being adapted to be received in a diagnostic port of the engine management computer system; and

an acoustics coupler securely connected to said end of said output cable and being adapted to be connected to a telephone, said acoustics coupler including a flexible membrane adapted to detachably attach by suction to the telephone including a cellular telephone such that said flexible membrane is adapted for blocking external noises from being received by the telephone.

8. A method of immediately diagnosing engine problems from a remote location includes the steps of:

providing a hand-held interface unit including a microprocessor having circuitry for interfacing with an engine management computer system and also having circuitry for transforming and transmitting data to a receiver/transmitter, said hand-held interface unit further including an input cable connected to said microprocessor and having an end, and an output cable connected to said microprocessor and having an end, and also providing an adapter plug securely connected to said end of said input cable, and further providing an acoustics coupler securely connected to said end of said output cable;

connecting said adapter plug to a diagnostic port of an engine management computer system;

connecting said acoustics coupler to a telephone, wherein said acoustics coupler includes a flexible membrane adapted to detachably attach by suction to the telephone such that said flexible membrane is adapted for blocking external noises from being received by the telephone;

receiving fault codes from the engine management computer system by said microprocessor; and

transmitting said fault codes through the telephone to a remote diagnostic machine where said fault codes are deciphered for determining the engine problems.