Method and system for monitoring, controlling, and locating portable devices performing remote diagnostic analysis of control network

• US 6,847,916 B1
• Filed: 06/12/2000
• Issued: 01/25/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 06/12/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: I/O Controls Corporation
• Original Assignee: I/O Controls Corporation
• Inventors: Ying, Jeffrey
• Primary Examiner(s): Hoff, Marc S.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Tsai, Carol S. W.
• Application Number:
  US09/593,170
• Time in Patent Office: 1,688 Days
• Field of Search: 702/62, 702/108, 702122-124, 702182-188, 702/FOR.103, 702/FOR.104, 702/FOR.134, 702/FOR.135, 702/FOR.170, 702/FOR.171, 701/29, 701/35, 701/24, 701/30, 701/33, 701/34, 701/36, 701/200, 701/1, 701/107, 340/438, 340/539, 340/825.31, 700/2, 700/3, 700/4, 700/244, 700/286, 700/292, 700/293, 455/423, 455/424, 455/67.1, 455/67.7
• US Class Current: 702/183
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 23/0208 characterized by the configuration of the monitoring system

Abstract

A system and method for monitoring, diagnosing and/or testing a control network using portable, wireless equipment includes computerized display device connected to a wireless intermediary device for allowing a wireless connection to be made to a control network. The computerized diagnostic device may be embodied as a personal digital assistant (PDA) having a graphical screen display, on which may be displayed the network nodes and connections of the control network presented against a backdrop of a transit vehicle or other facility shown in three-dimensional, rotatable images. The wireless equipment may allow the operator to force individual system components to output states, and provide for real time monitoring. The portable, wireless equipment is programmed with information pertaining to the connections and locations of the components in the control network, thereby simplifying diagnosis or testing by the operator.

Claims

1. A system for facilitating diagnosis and maintenance of electronic control networks, comprising:

a wireless diagnostic device adapted for manual transport, said wireless diagnostic device comprising a transmitter and receiver for communicating over a wireless communication channel with a control network to be monitored, diagnosed, or tested; and

at least one wireless ground station, said at least one wireless ground station comprising a ground station receiver attuned to said wireless communication channel, whereby transmitted messages between said wireless diagnostic device and the control network over said wireless communication channel are monitored;

wherein said wireless diagnostic device comprises a self-contained graphical display device physically connected to a self-contained wireless intermediary unit through a cable connection, said wireless intermediary unit containing said transmitter and receiver for communicating over said wireless communication channel with said control network.

2. The system of claim 1, further comprising a memory storage device connected to said at least one wireless ground station, for storing transmitted messages monitored by said wireless ground station over said wireless communication channel.

3. The system of claim 1, further comprising at least one user terminal connected to said wireless ground station, said user terminal comprising a graphical display whereby information relating to said transmitted messages is displayed.

4. The system of claim 3, wherein said user terminal comprises a user interface and wherein said wireless ground station comprises a ground station transmitter.

5. The system of claim 4, whereby instructions regarding diagnostic or test procedures are transmitted by said ground station transmitter over said wireless communication channel in response to commands entered via said user interface.

6. The system of claim 4, whereby an instruction to terminate a diagnostic session is transmitted by said ground station transmitter over said wireless communication channel in response to a command entered via said user interface, said instruction preventing further diagnostic activity by said wireless diagnostic device with respect to said control network.

7. The system of claim 1, further comprising a diagnostic and maintenance information database connected to said at least one ground station, whereby information relating to said control network is retrieved in response to a remote request received from said wireless diagnostic device.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein said information relating to said control network comprises graphical information relating to said control network, said graphical information being displayed on a screen display at said wireless diagnostic device.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein said wireless diagnostic device is configured to transmit, in response to an entered command, a forced output instruction to said control network over said wireless communication channel, and wherein said control network is configured to respond to said forced output instruction by selecting values for one or more inputs to a controlled electronic circuit such that an output of a control network element is forced to a predetermined state, in the absence of a fault condition.

23. The system of claim 1, wherein said control network resides in a vehicle and controls or monitors electronic functions of the vehicle.

25. The diagnostic and maintenance system of claim 1, wherein said control networks each reside in a vehicle and control or monitor electronic functions of the vehicles in which they reside.

10. A diagnostic and maintenance system, comprising:

a portable wireless diagnostic device, said wireless diagnostic device comprising a transmitter and receiver for communicating over a wireless communication channel with a control network to be monitored, diagnosed, or tested;

a plurality of wireless ground stations, at least one of said wireless ground stations comprising a receiver attuned to said wireless communication channel whereby transmitted messages between said portable wireless diagnostic device and the control network are monitored;

a ground station interface connected to said plurality of wireless ground stations; and

a local area computer network connected to said ground station interface, said local area computer network comprising one or more user terminals, said one or more user terminals each comprising a screen display whereby information relating to said transmitted messages is displayed;

wherein said portable wireless diagnostic device comprises a self-contained graphical display device physically connected to a self-contained wireless intermediary unit through a cable connection, said wireless intermediary unit containing said transmitter and receiver for communicating over said wireless communication channel with said control network.

11. The diagnostic and maintenance system of claim 10, further comprising a memory storage device connected to said local area computer network, for storing transmitted messages monitored by said at least one wireless ground station over said wireless communication channel.

12. The diagnostic and maintenance system of claim 10, whereby instructions regarding diagnostic or test procedures are transmitted by said at least one ground station over said wireless communication channel in response to commands entered via said user interface.

13. The diagnostic and maintenance system of claim 10, whereby an instruction to terminate a diagnostic session is transmitted by said at least one ground station over said wireless communication channel in response to a command entered via said user interface.

14. The system of claim 10, further comprising a diagnostic and maintenance information database connected to said local area computer network, whereby information relating to said control network is retrieved in response to a remote request received from said portable wireless diagnostic device.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein said information relating to said control network comprises graphical information relating to said control network, said graphical information being displayed on a screen display at said portable wireless diagnostic device.

24. The diagnostic and maintenance system of claim 10, wherein said control network resides in a vehicle and controls or monitors electronic functions of the vehicle.

16. A diagnostic and maintenance system, comprising:

a plurality of portable wireless diagnostic devices, each comprising a transmitter and receiver, said portable wireless diagnostic devices communicating wirelessly with one or more control networks to be diagnosed, monitored, or tested, each of said portable wireless diagnostic devices programmed to perform at least one diagnosis or test function relating to said one or more control networks; and

at least one wireless ground station, said at least one wireless ground.station comprising a ground station receiver attuned to at least one wireless communication channel utilized by said portable wireless diagnostic devices, whereby transmitted messages between said portable wireless diagnostic devices and said one or more control networks are monitored;

wherein each of said portable wireless diagnostic devices comprises a self-contained graphical display device connected to a self-contained wireless intermediary unit through a cable connection, said wireless intermediary unit containing said transmitter and receiver for wirelessly communicating with said one or more control networks.

17. The diagnostic and maintenance system of claim 16, further comprising a ground station interface connected to said at least one wireless ground stations, and a local area computer network connected to said ground station interface, said local area computer network comprising one or more user terminals, said one or more user terminals each comprising a screen display whereby information relating to said transmitted messages is displayed.

18. The diagnostic and maintenance system of claim 17, further comprising a memory storage device connected to said local area computer network, for storing transmitted messages monitored by said at least one wireless ground station.

19. The diagnostic and maintenance system of claim 17, whereby instructions regarding diagnostic or test procedures are wirelessly transmitted by said at least one ground station in response to commands entered via said user terminals.

20. The diagnostic and maintenance system of claim 17, whereby an instruction to terminate a diagnostic session is wirelessly transmitted by said at least one ground station in response to a command entered via one of said user terminals.

21. The system of claim 17, further comprising a diagnostic and maintenance information database connected to said local area computer network, whereby information relating to said one or more control networks may be retrieved in response to a remote request received from any of said portable wireless diagnostic devices.

22. The system of claim 21, wherein said information relating to said control network comprises graphical information relating to a control network, said graphical information being displayed on a screen display at the requesting portable wireless diagnostic device.

26. A system for facilitating diagnosis and maintenance of electronic control networks, comprising:

a portable diagnostic device, said portable diagnostic device comprising a transmitter and receiver for communicating over a wireless communication channel with an on-vehicle control network, said on-vehicle control network comprising a control network wireless interface for communicating with said portable diagnostic device over said wireless communication channel; and

at least one ground station, said at least one ground station comprising a ground station receiver attuned to said wireless communication channel, whereby said ground station monitors messages transmitted over said wireless communication channel between said portable diagnostic device and said on-vehicle control network;

wherein said portable diagnostic device comprises a self-contained graphical display device physically connected to a self-contained wireless intermediary unit, said wireless intermediary unit containing said transmitter and receiver for communicating over said wireless communication channel with said control network.

27. The system of claim 26, further comprising a memory storage device connected to said at least one wireless ground station, for storing transmitted messages monitored by said wireless ground station over said wireless communication channel.

28. The system of claim 26, further comprising at least one user terminal connected to said wireless ground station, said user terminal comprising a graphical display whereby information relating to said transmitted messages is displayed.

29. The system of claim 26, further comprising a diagnostic and maintenance information database connected to said at least one ground station, whereby information relating to said control network is retrieved in response to a remote request received from said wireless diagnostic device.

30. A method, comprising the steps of:

transmitting diagnostic messages between a portable diagnostic device and an on-vehicle control network over a wireless communication channel, said portable diagnostic device comprising a personal digital assistant, wherein said transmitting step comprises the step of transmitting messages between a self-contained wireless intermediary unit and the on-vehicle control network over said wireless communication channel; and

monitoring the transmitted diagnostic messages at a ground station, said ground station comprising a ground station receiver attuned to said wireless communication channel.

31. The method of claim 30, further comprising the step of storing, in a memory storage device connected to said wireless ground station, transmitted messages received by said wireless ground station.

32. The method of claim 30, further comprising the step of displaying information relating to said transmitted messages on a graphical display of a user terminal connected to said wireless ground station.

33. The method of claim 32, further comprising the step of transmitting instructions regarding diagnostic or test procedures by said ground station over said wireless communication channel in response to commands entered via a user interface at said user terminal.

34. The method of claim 33, further comprising the step of retrieving, in response to a remote request received from said portable diagnostic device, information relating to said on-vehicle control network from a diagnostic and maintenance information database connected to said ground station.