Programmable automotive computer system

• US 7,379,801 B2
• Filed: 10/31/2005
• Issued: 05/27/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 11/01/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hypertech, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Hypertech, Inc.
• Inventors: Heffington, Mark F.
• Primary Examiner(s): Black; Thomas
• Assistant Examiner(s): Behncke; Christine M
• Application Number:
  US11/264,568
• Publication Number:
  US 20060106510A1
• Time in Patent Office: 939 Days
• Field of Search: 701/29, 701/31, 701/33, 701/35, 73/10.8, 340/438, 340/439
• US Class Current: 701/33
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 16/0231 Circuits relating to the driving or the functioning of the vehicle monitoring tyres B60C23/00; indicating overspeed B60K31/00; for dash boards B60K37/00, B60Q3/10; for indicating emergencies B60Q1/52; brake control systems B60T; registering or indicating the working of vehicles G07C5/00; measuring distance G01C, e.g. combinations of speed and distance G01C23/00; engine indicators G01L; measuring speed or acceleration G01P
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 16/0232 for measuring vehicle parameters and indicating critical, abnormal or dangerous conditions
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 5/008 communicating information to a remotely located station transmission systems for measured values G08C
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 5/085 using electronic data carriers

Abstract

A device and corresponding method for enabling a user to accurately control, monitor, and evaluate performance of a vehicle. The system includes a portable programmable computer device that a user can readily install by plugging it into a diagnostic connector port of the vehicle for providing the controlling, monitoring, and evaluating functions. The present invention enables a user to perform performance tuning of the engine, provides dynamometer type functions such as horsepower and torque measurements, and provides a virtual drag strip function for accurately measuring acceleration data. According to an alternative embodiment, a monitor mode is provided for enabling the user to monitor selected characteristics of the vehicle and a diagnostics mode is provided for providing for the identification and display of diagnostic trouble codes (DTCs) with informative text descriptions. The present invention also enables the clearing of selected DTCs without requiring expensive customized equipment for that purpose.

Claims

1. A method for enabling a user to control, monitor, and evaluate performance of a vehicle via a portable device, the vehicle having an onboard diagnostic system for monitoring a set of operational characteristics of the vehicle and for enabling control of the vehicle'"'"'s engine computer and having a diagnostic port for enabling access to the engine computer and onboard diagnostic system and selected data accessible therefrom, comprising:

enabling the portable device to access said onboard diagnostic system and engine computer via said diagnostic port;

enabling selection by the user of a plurality of distinct device modes of operation provided via the portable device including;

a performance tuning mode for enabling the user to reprogram engine tuning calibration settings stored in a programmable memory of the engine computer of the vehicle via said diagnostic port;

a dynamometer mode for providing calculations and the display of horsepower and torque characteristics for the vehicle based on vehicle speed data read from said diagnostic port; and

a drag strip mode for enabling the calculation and selective display of times associated with driving the vehicle based on vehicle speed data read from said diagnostic port;

providing a touch screen user interface for enabling selection of the modes and operations of the portable device by the user; and

detecting via the portable device the start time of vehicle travel independent of said onboard diagnostic system to enable correction of errors in data generated by said onboard diagnostic system.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the times for the drag strip mode include the time to reach one or more predetermined speeds and the time to reach one or more predetermined distances.

3. The method of claim 1, further including enabling selection by the user of a monitor mode for enabling the user to monitor selected characteristics of the vehicle based on data read from said onboard diagnostic port.

4. The method of claim 1, further including enabling selection by the user of a diagnostics mode for enabling a user to selectively display diagnostic information based on diagnostic data read from said onboard diagnostic port.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein said diagnostic data includes diagnostic trouble codes (DTCs), further comprising the step of enabling said user to clear predetermined DTCs of said onboard diagnostic system via said diagnostic port.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the calculation and selective display of times are associated with driving the vehicle from an initial stopped position to another position over a user selected distance.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the touch screen is a Liquid Crystal Display (LCD).

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the portable device is a handheld device.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of enabling selective input by the user of personalized data regarding the user and regarding the vehicle via the touch screen.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the portable device selectively provides a keypad presenting a plurality of numeric keys on a touch screen for entry of numeric data by the user and selectively provides a keyboard presenting a plurality of alphabetical keys for selective entry of alphabetical data by the user.

11. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of obtaining the vehicle identification number (VIN) of the vehicle via said diagnostic port.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein the vehicle identification number (VIN) of said vehicle is not obtainable via the diagnostic port for the vehicle, further comprising the step of enabling the user to manually enter the vehicle identification number via the touch screen.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein the vehicle has an engine rpm limiter and top speed limiter and the performance tuning mode enables adjustment of the engine rpm limiter via the diagnostic port for faster acceleration and enables adjustment of the top speed limiter.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein the vehicle has tires having a predetermined speed rating and wherein the performance tuning mode enables adjustment of the top speed limiter via the diagnostic port to match the speed rating.

15. The method of claim 1, wherein the performance tuning mode further comprises enabling correction of speedometer/odometer readings of the vehicle via the diagnostic port to account for non-stock tire sizes and gear ratios, said enabling correction including enabling the user to change the tire size setting to a non-stock tire size setting and change the gear ratio setting to a new gear ratio setting via the diagnostic port.

16. The method of claim 1, wherein the vehicle has an automatic transmission and wherein the performance tuning mode enables adjustment of shifting firmness of the automatic transmission via the diagnostic port for improving acceleration and extending the life of the vehicle'"'"'s transmission.

17. The method of claim 1, wherein the vehicle has an automatic transmission and wherein the performance tuning mode enables the user to change shift points of the automatic transmission via the diagnostic port to improve performance.

18. The method of claim 1, wherein the vehicle has an electric cooling fan and wherein the performance tuning mode enables adjustment of the electric cooling fan'"'"'s on-off temperature via the diagnostic port.

19. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of receiving and storing tuning calibration settings of the vehicle via said diagnostic port before enabling reprogramming of the engine tuning calibration settings.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein the performance tuning mode enables the user to selectively replace reprogrammed engine calibration settings with the stored tuning calibration settings.

21. The method of claim 1, wherein the detecting via the portable device is by an accelerometer contained therein.

22. The method of claim 1, wherein the detecting via the portable device is by a mercury switch contained therein.

24. The method of claim 1, wherein said drag strip mode provides a visual display of an array of lights for providing a starting sequence for a drag strip run.

25. The method of claim 24, wherein said array of lights is arranged in a tree so as to provide a virtual drag strip tree corresponding to lights used for sequencing at an actual drag strip.

26. The method of claim 25, wherein said drag strip mode further enables said lights of said tree to be selectively turned on and off according to at least one predetermined sequence so as to enable said starting sequence to simulate a corresponding starting sequence at an actual drag strip.

27. The method of claim 26, wherein the method further comprises:

creating a time stamp for the instant in time when a last light in said sequence is lit; and

calculating reaction time as a function of said instant and the detected start time of vehicle travel.

28. The method of claim 24, wherein said array of lights comprises four lights positioned in a column including three lights of a first color positioned above one light of a second color.

23. An electronic portable device for enabling a user to control, monitor, and evaluate performance of a vehicle, the vehicle having an onboard diagnostic system for monitoring a set of operational characteristics of the vehicle and for enabling control of the vehicle'"'"'s engine computer and having a diagnostic port for enabling access to the engine computer and the onboard diagnostic system and selected data accessible therefrom, said device comprising:

an input/output port for coupling said device to said diagnostic port for accessing the onboard diagnostic system and the engine computer;

a microcontroller operative for providing a plurality of modes and operations of said device;

wherein said modes include;

a performance tuning mode for enabling the user to reprogram engine tuning calibration settings stored in a programmable memory of the engine computer of the vehicle via said diagnostic port;

a dynamometer mode for providing calculations and the display of horsepower and torque characteristics for the vehicle based on vehicle speed data read from said diagnostic port; and

a drag strip mode for enabling the calculation and selective display of times associated with driving the vehicle based on vehicle speed data read from said diagnostic port;

a memory for providing storage in said device of data associated with said modes and operations of said device;

a touch screen display for enabling user selection of said plurality of modes and said operations of said device; and

a start time detector for detecting the start time of vehicle travel independent of the onboard diagnostic system to enable correction of errors in data generated by the onboard diagnostic system.

29. The electronic portable device of claim 23, wherein the start time detector comprises an accelerometer.

30. The electronic portable device of claim 23, wherein the start time detector comprises a mercury switch.