Test requirement list for diagnostic tests

• US 8,239,094 B2
• Filed: 04/23/2008
• Issued: 08/07/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 04/23/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: SPX Corporation
• Original Assignee: SPX Corporation
• Inventors: Underdal, Olav M., Gilbert, Harry M., Portyanko, Oleksiy, Mayes, Randy L., Fountain, Gregory J., Wittliff, William W. III
• Primary Examiner(s): Zanelli, Michael J.
• Application Number:
  US12/108,126
• Publication Number:
  US 20090271239A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,567 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 701/33
• CPC Class Codes: G01M 17/007 Wheeled or endless-tracked vehicles G01M17/08 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/0631 Resource planning, allocation, distributing or scheduling for enterprises or organisations
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/20 Administration of product repair or maintenance
• 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 diagnostic system for a vehicle, including a memory receiving and storing vehicle specific information, and storing diagnostic test requirements of a plurality of diagnostic sequences, and a processor identifying the test requirements for a selected diagnostic sequence according to the vehicle specific information in advance of executing the diagnostic sequence.

Claims

1. A diagnostic system for a vehicle, comprising:

a remote database including diagnostic test requirements;

a memory separate from the remote database, wherein the memory receives and stores vehicle specific information, and stores diagnostic test requirements for each sequential step of a plurality of diagnostic sequences received from the remote database; and

a processor connected to the memory and identifies a list of diagnostic test requirements for a selected diagnostic sequence according to the vehicle specific information in advance of executing the selected diagnostic sequence.

2. The diagnostic system of claim 1, wherein the processor permits a repair facility to schedule certain testing and repairs based on an availability of the test requirements.

3. The diagnostic system of claim 1, further comprising a repair facility to allocate an inventory and environment for the selected diagnostic sequences in advance of diagnostic tests and repairs associated with the selected diagnostic sequences.

4. The diagnostic system of claim 1, further comprising a display device connected to the processor to display the diagnostic test requirements for certification of aptitude levels with regard to the diagnostic sequences.

5. The diagnostic system of claim 1, wherein the diagnostic test requirements being associated with a diagnostic or repair step in the diagnostic sequence.

6. The diagnostic system of claim 1, wherein the diagnostic test requirements include tools, parts, facilities and training.

7. The diagnostic system of claim 1, wherein the diagnostic test requirements includes a cost of a diagnostic test or location of the diagnostic test.

8. The diagnostic system of claim 1, further comprising a display device displaying the diagnostic test requirements, the diagnostic test requirements being a list of items that are required to perform a given diagnostic or repair procedure of the selected diagnostic sequence, the diagnostic test requirements being generated for any set of diagnostic sequences.

9. A method for a vehicle diagnostics, comprising:

storing a sequence of test or repair procedures in a database of a diagnostic tool;

correlating, with a processor of the diagnostic tool, the sequence of test or repair procedures with a list of test requirements for each sequential step of the sequence of test or repair procedures;

receiving vehicle specific information from an input device of the diagnostic tool;

identifying, with the processor, the list of test requirements according to the vehicle specific information and the correlated sequence of test or repair procedures; and

performing a diagnostic test or repair on the vehicle according to the vehicle specific information and the identified list of test requirements.

10. The method of claim 9, further comprising permitting a repair facility, via the processor, to schedule certain testing and repairs based on an availability of the test requirements.

11. The method of claim 9, further comprising allocating at a repair facility, an inventory and environment for performing the diagnostic sequence in advance of diagnostic tests and repairs.

12. The method of claim 9, further comprising displaying the test requirements for certification of aptitude levels with regard to the diagnostic sequence.

13. The method of claim 9, wherein the list of test requirements being associated with a diagnostic or repair step in the sequence of test or repair procedures.

14. The method of claim 9, wherein the list of test requirements includes tools, parts, facilities and training.

15. The method of claim 9, wherein the list of test requirements includes a cost of the test requirement.

16. The method of claim 9, wherein the list of test requirements further comprising a list of items that are required to perform a given diagnostic or repair procedure.

17. A vehicle diagnostics system, comprising:

means for storing a sequence of test or repair procedures in a database;

means for correlating the sequence of test or repair procedures with a list of test requirements for each sequential step of the sequence of test or repair procedures;

means for receiving vehicle specific information;

means for identifying a list of test requirements according to the vehicle specific information, and the correlated sequence of test or repair procedures; and

means for performing a diagnostic test or repair on the vehicle according to the vehicle specific information and the identified list of test requirements.

18. The diagnostic system of claim 17, further comprising means for permitting a facility to schedule certain testing and repairs based on an availability of the test requirements.

19. The diagnostic system of claim 17, further comprising a repair facility to allocate an inventory and environment for performing the diagnostic tests in advance of diagnostic tests or repairs.

20. The diagnostic system of claim 17, further comprising means for displaying connected to means for processing to display the list of test requirements for certification of aptitude levels with regard to the diagnostic tests.

21. The diagnostic system of claim 17, wherein the test requirements being associated with the diagnostic or repair step in the sequence of test or repair procedures.

22. The diagnostic system of claim 17, wherein the test requirements include tools, parts, facilities and training.

23. The diagnostic system of claim 17, wherein the test requirements include a cost of the test requirement.

24. The diagnostic system of claim 17, further comprising means for displaying a list of items that are required to perform a given diagnostic or repair procedure.