Test procedures using pictures

• US 7,516,000 B2
• Filed: 12/28/2004
• Issued: 04/07/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 12/28/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Snap-On Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Snap-On Incorporated
• Inventors: Hoffmeister, Vaclav, Trsar, Dale, Grier, Jeff, Reddy, Sunil, Cancilla, Jim J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Hellner; Mark
• Application Number:
  US11/024,239
• Publication Number:
  US 20060142908A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,561 Days
• Field of Search: 701/28, 701/29, 701/32, 701/34, 701/35
• US Class Current: 701/29
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 5/0808 Diagnosing performance data testing of vehicles G01M17/00; testing of electrical installation on vehicles G01R31/005
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 5/0825 using optical means

Abstract

A system for test procedures using pictures for a vehicle diagnostic system that includes a processor, a storage device in communication with the processor, a diagnostic routine that is executed by the processor, and a display device also coupled to the processor. The storage device may house a database that includes a library of vehicle information items. These vehicle information items include text items that may relate to several items, for example: 1) a fault that may be experienced by a vehicle under diagnosis; 2) a test that may be performed on the vehicle for the purpose of diagnosing the causes of the faults; or 3) a solution that may be used to correct the faults. Further, the vehicle information items may also include a library of picture items that correspond to the text items.

Claims

1. A vehicle diagnostic system comprising:

a processor,

a storage device in communication with the processor, the storage device storing a database including a library of vehicle information items,

i) the vehicle information items including text items relating to at least

a) a fault experienced by a vehicle under diagnosis,

b) a test performed on the vehicle for the purpose of diagnosing the causes of the faults, or

c) a solution used to correct the faults,

ii) the vehicle information items also including a library of picture items corresponding to the text items;

a diagnostic routine executed by the processor for recognizing text items, correlating text items with picture items, replacing at least a portion of the text items selected with corresponding picture items, and displaying an image including at least one picture item; and

a display device coupled to the processor for displaying vehicle information items generated by execution of the diagnostic routine.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the diagnostic routine is operative to replace all text items with picture items selected from the library of picture items prior to the display of the text items.

3. The system of claim 1, further comprising a data input device coupled to the processor.

4. The system of claim 3, wherein the data input device and the display device are integrated into a handheld device.

5. The system of claim 3, wherein the picture items are brought up by entering a command into the data input device.

6. The system of claim 3, wherein additional pictures are downloaded to the library of pictures.

7. The system of claim 3, wherein the diagnostic routine is operative to permit a selection of which text items displayed from operation of the diagnostic routine should be replaced with pictures accessed from the library of pictures.

8. The system of claim 3, wherein a user may select to display pictures items simultaneously with text items.

9. The system of claim 3, wherein a user may toggle between displaying pictures items and displaying text items.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein the library of picture items includes colors, animations, factory procedure pictures, component pictures, symbols, and characters corresponding to the text items.

11. The system of claim 1, wherein the storage device further comprises a database of test results, wherein the test results correspond to the solutions.

12. A vehicle diagnostic system comprising:

a processor;

a storage device in communication with the processor, the storage device storing a database including a library of vehicle information items,

i) the vehicle information items including text items relating to at least one

a) fault experienced by a vehicle under diagnosis,

b) tests performed on the vehicle for the purpose of diagnosing the causes of the faults, and

c) solutions used to correct the faults,

ii) the vehicle information items also including a library of picture items corresponding to the text items;

vehicle analyzer hardware in communication with the processor;

a diagnostic routine executed by the processor for diagnosing vehicle faults recognizing text items, replacing at least a portion of the text items with corresponding picture items stored in the library of picture items, and displaying an image including at least one picture item;

a data input device coupled to the processor; and

a display device coupled to the processor for displaying vehicle information items generated by execution of the diagnostic routine.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein the diagnostic routine is operable to recognize text items and replace all text items with picture items selected from the library of picture items.

14. The system of claim 12, wherein additional pictures items are downloaded to the library of pictures.

15. The system of claim 12, wherein the picture items comprise colors, animations, factory procedure pictures, component pictures, symbols, and characters, and sound items corresponding to the text items.

16. The system of claim 12, wherein a user may input commands into the data input device, causing the diagnostic routine to replace text items with picture items.

17. A vehicle diagnostic system comprising:

a processor;

a storage device in communication with the processor device storing a database including a library of vehicle information items, the vehicle information items including text items relating to solutions that are used to correct a fault that is experienced by a vehicle under diagnosis, the vehicle information items also including a library of picture items corresponding to the text items;

vehicle analyzer hardware in communication with the processor;

a diagnostic routine executed by the processor for diagnosing vehicle faults, replacing at least a portion of the text items with corresponding picture items, and displaying at least one picture item; and

an input/output component coupled to the processor for displaying vehicle information items generated by the diagnostic routine.

18. The diagnostic system of claim 17, wherein the input/output component comprises:

a display device coupled to the processor; and

a data input device coupled to the processor.

19. The diagnostic system of claim 17, wherein the input/output component is integrated into a handheld device.

20. The diagnostic system of claim 17, wherein picture items are replaced by different picture items.