Automotive scan tool with enhanced audio, video and voice recognition functionality

• US 8,108,093 B2
• Filed: 12/23/2010
• Issued: 01/31/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 02/23/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: SPX Corporation
• Original Assignee: SPX Corporation
• Inventors: Bertosa, Thomas, Namaky, Hamid, Somos, Neil
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen, Tan Q
• Application Number:
  US12/977,241
• Publication Number:
  US 20110125366A1
• Time in Patent Office: 404 Days
• Field of Search: 701/29, 701/33, 701/35, 701/2, 340/438, 455/456
• US Class Current: 701/29
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 17/00 Digital computing or data processing equipment or methods, specially adapted for specific functions information retrieval, database structures or file system structures therefor G06F16/00
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 2205/02 using a vehicle scan tool
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 5/0808 Diagnosing performance data testing of vehicles G01M17/00; testing of electrical installation on vehicles G01R31/005

Abstract

A diagnostic tool for a vehicle, includes a signal translator communicating with the vehicle in at least one protocol, an input unit for inputting information, a processor controlling a software according to the input information from the input unit and communication with the vehicle from the signal translator, the processor controlling a reception of diagnostic data of the vehicle through the signal translator, an input and output unit receiving and transmitting audio and video signals controlled by the processor, a memory storing a software controlled by the processor, the memory storing audio and video information, and transferring the audio and video information through the input and output unit; and a display unit displaying information according to the received and processed audio and video signals stored in the memory.

Claims

1. A hands-free diagnostic tool, comprising:

at least one input interface to receive an instruction to perform a diagnostic task on an external device, the at least one input interface including an audio input interface to receive a verbal instruction;

a connector interface to communicate with the external device to provide the instruction to execute the diagnostic task on the external device and receive data resulting from the diagnostic task from the external device in an input format;

a signal translator to condition the data received through the connector interface by converting the data in the input format to a predetermined format; and

a processor to process the conditioned data in the predetermined format and output diagnostic information to a user via at least one output interface, the at least one output interface including an audio output interface.

2. The hands-free diagnostic tool according to claim 1, wherein

the signal translator includes a selector to select the input format from at least two selectable input formats based on a format of the external device.

3. The hands-free diagnostic tool according to claim 1, wherein the external device is a vehicle, and the at least one output interface is a vehicle audio system.

4. The hands-free diagnostic tool according to claim 1, wherein the at least one input interface includes a video input interface.

5. The hands-free diagnostic tool according to claim 1, wherein the at least one output interface includes a video output interface.

6. The hands-free diagnostic tool according to claim 1, further comprising a transducer to record and output audio signals processed by the processor.

7. The hands-free diagnostic tool according to claim 1, wherein the data received through the connector interface includes diagnostic trouble codes associated with the external device.

8. The hands-free diagnostic tool according to claim 7, wherein each of the diagnostic trouble codes corresponds to an audio output.

9. A hands-free diagnostic tool, comprising:

means for receiving an instruction, through at least one input interface, to perform a diagnostic task on an external device, the at least one input interface including an audio input interface to receive a verbal instruction;

means for interfacing with the external device to provide the instruction to execute the diagnostic task on the external device and receive data resulting from the diagnostic task in an input format;

means for conditioning the data received through the means for interfacing by converting the input format of the received data to a predetermined format; and

means for processing the conditioned data in the predetermined format to output diagnostic information to a user via at least one output interface, the at least one output interface including an audio output interface.

10. The hands-free diagnostic tool according to claim 9, wherein the means for conditioning the data includes means for selecting the input format from at least two selectable input formats based on a format of the external device.

11. The hands-free diagnostic tool according to claim 9, wherein the external device is a vehicle, and the at least one output interface is a vehicle audio system.

12. The hands-free diagnostic tool according to claim 9, wherein the at least one input interface includes a video input interface.

13. The hands-free diagnostic tool according to claim 9, wherein the at least one output interface includes a video output interface.

14. The hands-free diagnostic tool according to claim 9, wherein a transducer records and outputs audio signals processed by the means for processing.

15. The hands-free diagnostic tool according to claim 9, wherein the data received through the means for interfacing includes diagnostic trouble codes associated with the external device.

16. The hands-free diagnostic tool according to claim 15, wherein each of the diagnostic trouble codes is associated with an audio output.

17. A method for diagnosing a device with a remote diagnostic unit, comprising:

receiving an instruction at the remote diagnostic unit, through at least one user input interface, to perform a diagnostic task on the device, the at least one user input interface including an audio input interface to receive a verbal instruction;

transmitting the instruction from the remote diagnostic unit to the device to execute the diagnostic task on the device and receive data resulting from the diagnostic task from the device in an input format;

conditioning the data received from the device by converting the input format of the received data to a predetermined format; and

processing the conditioned data in the predetermined format to output diagnostic information from the diagnostic unit to a user via at least one output interface, the at least one output interface including an audio output interface.

18. The method according to claim 17, wherein

conditioning the data includes selecting the input format from at least two selectable input formats based on an output format of the device.

19. The method according to claim 17, wherein the device is a vehicle, and the at least one output interface is a vehicle audio system.

20. The method according to claim 17, wherein

the data received from the device includes diagnostic trouble codes, and

each of the diagnostic trouble codes is associated with an audio output.