System and method for executing diagnosis of vehicle performance

• US 6,850,823 B2
• Filed: 04/11/2002
• Issued: 02/01/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 12/08/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Wi-LAN Technologies Inc. (Wi-LAN Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Electronics and Telecommunications Research Institute
• Inventors: Park, Dae-in, You, Moon-Hee, Sin, Cheon-Sig, Park, Jae-Woo, Jeong, Cheol-Oh, Lee, Seong-Pal, Eun, Jong-Won
• Primary Examiner(s): NGUYEN, TAN QUANG
• Application Number:
  US10/119,829
• Publication Number:
  US 20030107548A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,027 Days
• Field of Search: 701/29, 701/30, 701/33, 701/35, 455/423, 345/156
• US Class Current: 701/29
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/14 Digital output to display device ; Cooperation and interconnection of the display device with other functional units
• 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 system for executing diagnosis of vehicle performance using satellite telemetry technology includes a diagnostic unit for compiling telemetry data, transmitted in real-time, of an engine and various parts of a vehicle, comparing the telemetry data with specific values of the engine and various parts to determine if there are any abnormalities in vehicle performance, and monitoring diagnostic results of vehicle performance; and a communications unit for performing communications in real-time through a network with an external user requesting vehicle performance diagnostic results of the diagnostic unit. Accordingly, the driver or external user may easily determine if there are abnormalities in vehicle performance, take steps to cope with vehicle malfunctions before they occur, and know the precise location of any abnormal areas of vehicle performance.

Claims

1. A system for executing diagnosis of vehicle performance of a vehicle comprising:

a communications unit receiving through a communications network a call signal from a external user at a remote site requesting vehicle performance diagnostic results of an engine and various parts of the vehicle, and transmitting through the communication network the performance diagnostic results in real time to the external user in response to said call signal;

telemetry sensors installed in the engine and the various parts of the vehicle, the telemetry sensors recovering the information that is input from or measured/detected at the engine and at the various parts of the vehicle to telemetry data and then outputting said telemetry data;

a controller receiving the call signal from the communication unit to control operation of the telemetry sensors, said controller receiving the telemetry data from the telemetry sensors, comparing values of the received data with specific designated values for the engine and the various parts of the vehicle to determine if vehicle performance is normal or abnormal, and converting results data into function control signals and outputting said function control signals; and

a display for receiving the function control signals from the controller and displaying the diagnosis process of vehicle performance or the diagnosis results as requested by a driver of the vehicle, the display including a graphical user interface (GUI) technology through the driver interfaces with the system.

2. The system as in claim 1, wherein the remote site includes a computer that is connected to said communications unit to enable real-time communications of vehicle performance or safety states, and any additional information of the vehicle between said external user and the vehicle, wherein diagnostic results received from said vehicle through said communications network are displayed on said remote site computer in real time and regardless of whether said vehicle is being operated or is parked.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the controller includes a database for compiling and storing the telemetry data received from the telemetry sensors.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the function control signals of the controller include signals for providing various information to the user, that is, a function for providing notification of normal and abnormal states of vehicle performance, a function for displaying analysis results of vehicle malfunction states, a function for displaying assessment procedures for vehicle performance, a function for explaining each assessment procedure for vehicle performance that is displayed, a function for providing a warning with respect to a critical situation of vehicle performance, a function for adding new functions, and a function for providing additional information of vehicle states.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the controller comprises:

a data processor for performing conversion of the telemetry data transmitted in real-time from the telemetry sensors into data that can represent vehicle states;

a data search unit, which uses the vehicle state data converted by the data processor to perform procedures to assess vehicle performance for performing analysis of normal/abnormal states of vehicle performance; and

a data diagnostic unit for confirming normal/abnormal states of vehicle performance according to analysis results of the data search unit, and processing results of vehicle performance assessment procedures.

6. A method for executing diagnosis of vehicle performance using a system for transferring data real time from a vehicle to an external user at a remote site in response to a call signal received over a communications network, the method comprising the steps of;

(a) receiving the call signal from the external user at the remote site;

(b) compiling telemetry data, which is transmitted in real-time, of an engine and various parts of the vehicle; and

(c) comparing the telemetry data with specific designated values of the engine and various parts of the vehicle stored in the system to perform diagnosis of normal/abnormal states of vehicle performance, and monitoring diagnostic results of vehicle performance; and

(d) transmitting vehicle information including diagnostic information to said external user through said communications network in real time in response to said calls signal.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein step (c) comprises:

(i) processing the telemetry data into data that can represent vehicle states;

(ii) comparing the vehicle state data processed in step (i) with the specific designated values of the engine and various parts of the vehicle to perform assessment procedures of vehicle performance;

(iii) performing diagnosis of normal/abnormal states of vehicle performance according to the assessment of vehicle performance of step (ii), and generating function control signals with respect to diagnostic results; and

(iv) receiving the function control signals of step (iii) and displaying vehicle performance diagnostic procedures and diagnostic results as requested.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the vehicle performance assessment procedures of step (ii) include a procedure, since the telemetry data vary with time, of analyzing vehicle performance trends using the vehicle state data.

9. The method of claim 7, wherein in step (iii), the function control signals include data for analyzing and controlling malfunction states of the vehicle, data for analyzing abnormal states of vehicle performance, data for displaying assessment procedures for vehicle performance to the user, data for explaining each assessment procedure for vehicle performance as requested by the user, data for controlling a warning when the vehicle performance encounters a critical situation, data for adding new functions, and data including additional information of vehicle states.

10. The method as in claim 6, wherein in step (d), the diagnostic results of vehicle performance are transmitted via the communications network to a vehicle maintenance facility to allow checking of vehicle states, and to receive vehicle maintenance services including repair information.

11. The method as in claim 6, wherein the real-time transfer of data between the vehicle an the external user occurs whether the vehicle is being operated or is parked.