Serial data gauge
First Claim
1. A gauge for a vehicle equipped with an on board diagnostic system (OBD), the gauge comprising a scan tool processor operative to frequently access the OBD to retrieve rapidly changeable vehicle operating conditions and to less frequently access the OBD to retrieve less rapidly changeable vehicle operating conditions to simulate continual monitoring of monitored vehicle operating conditions without exceeding processing limitations of the OBD.
1 Assignment
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Accused Products
Abstract
An instrument is provided which is in electronic communication with an on board diagnostic system (OBD) of an automobile. The instrument selectively queries the OBD with batch requests for the purpose of reducing a processing load placed on the OBD PCM. The instrument obtains numerous operating conditions through the OBD, and displays the operating conditions in an intuitive format. The operating conditions may be grouped into five different modes, and the five most relevant operating conditions within each mode may be displayed on the monitor either by default or through customization by the user.
108 Citations
14 Claims
- 1. A gauge for a vehicle equipped with an on board diagnostic system (OBD), the gauge comprising a scan tool processor operative to frequently access the OBD to retrieve rapidly changeable vehicle operating conditions and to less frequently access the OBD to retrieve less rapidly changeable vehicle operating conditions to simulate continual monitoring of monitored vehicle operating conditions without exceeding processing limitations of the OBD.
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8. An instrument for a vehicle equipped with an on board diagnostic system (OBD), the instrument comprising:
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a. a monitor in electronic communication with the OBD for receiving vehicle operating conditions data, the monitor having displayed thereon data on at least two operating conditions of the vehicle received from the OBD; b. at least some of the operating conditions being associated with an alarm threshold and a different visual alarm is displayed for each operating condition that has exceeded the associated alarm threshold; c. a first port located on a longitudinal edge of the monitor; d. a second port located on a lateral edge of the monitor; and e. wherein the visual alarm is an external warning light engageable with either the first or second port wherein engagement of the light with the first port displays the vehicle operating conditions data horizontally and engagement of the light with the second port displays the vehicle operating conditions data vertically.
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9. An instrument for a vehicle equipped with an on board diagnostic system (OBD), the instrument comprising:
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a. a monitor in electronic communication with the OBD for receiving vehicle operating conditions data, the monitor having displayed thereon data on at least two operating conditions of the vehicle received from the OBD; b. at least some of the operating conditions being associated with an alarm threshold and a different visual alarm is displayed for each operating condition that has exceeded the associated alarm threshold; c. a port attached to the monitor; and d. wherein the visual alarm is an external warning light engageable with the port, the light having a pin uniquely positioned to contact respective pads of the port for setting a mode of the instrument.
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10. A method of transforming a device communicable with an on board computer diagnostic system (OBD) into a real time gauge without exceeding the processing limitations of the OBD, the method comprising the steps of:
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a. providing a set of first and second vehicle operating conditions, the first vehicle operating conditions being more rapidly changeable then the second vehicle operating conditions; b. requesting information concerning first vehicle operating conditions from the OBD at a first rate; and c. requesting information concerning second vehicle operating conditions from the OBD at a second rate, the first rate being more frequent then the second rate. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14)
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Specification