Automotive diagnostic server

• US 8,744,668 B2
• Filed: 05/09/2012
• Issued: 06/03/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 05/09/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Bosch Automotive Service Solutions LLC (SPX Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Bosch Automotive Service Solutions LLC (SPX Corporation)
• Inventors: Selkirk, Reed, Bertosa, Thomas, Chinnadurai, Manokar
• Primary Examiner(s): Marc, McDieunel
• Application Number:
  US13/467,523
• Publication Number:
  US 20130304306A1
• Time in Patent Office: 755 Days
• Field of Search: 701/1, 701/24, 701/29.4, 701/29.6, 701/31.5, 701/32.6, 701/32.7, 701/33.2, 701/33.4, 701/33.6, 701/34.3, 701/45, 701/101, 701/102, 701/115, 701/31.4, 701/29.3, 340/5.61, 340/5.72, 340/10.51, 340/438, 340/653, 340/870.01, 340/870.16, 340/439, 307/10.1, 307/10.2, 307/10.4, 307/10.5, 307/10.6, 735/97, 736/43, 736/55, 736/57, 736/60, 736/61, 180/282, 180/287, 342/51, 342/58, 342/61, 280/735, 702/183
• US Class Current: 701/31.4
• CPC Class Codes: G01M 15/04 Testing internal-combustion engines
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/08 Logistics, e.g. warehousing, loading or distribution; Inventory or stock management
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 2205/02 using a vehicle scan tool
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99931 Database or file accessing
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99934 Query formulation, input preparation, or translation

Abstract

A system and method for an automotive diagnostic server can provide a portable vehicle diagnostic tool to identify a failed vehicle component. It may also provide a remote information device to serve as a connecting intermediary between devices, and to allow remote control of the devices and to provide information to a user. A remote diagnostic device to analyze data and interpret information to aid the user in making, using, maintaining, and fixing a piece of equipment or product may also be included. Web server functionality may be incorporated into the portable vehicle diagnostic tool to allow dissemination of the diagnostic information resulting from the diagnostic testing, and the web server may be accessed by a web browser of the remote information device.

Claims

1. A method for communicating with a diagnostic tool, comprising the steps of:

retrieving vehicle diagnostic data from a vehicle with the diagnostic tool;

providing a web page via a web server module that is stored in a memory of the diagnostic tool;

receiving a connection request from a remote computing device to access the web page;

connecting the remote computing device to the diagnostic tool over a communication network via a communication interface of the remote computing device and the diagnostic tool;

receiving input signals from the remote computing device via the communication interface of the diagnostic tool;

performing a function on the diagnostic tool based on the input signals; and

sending information based on the function to the remote computing device.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising the step of:

receiving top fixes based on the vehicle diagnostic data by the remote computing device or by the diagnostic tool.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the performing the function step includes passing-through the vehicle diagnostic data from the diagnostic tool to the remote computing device.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the performing the function step includes determining a destination for the vehicle diagnostic data.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the performing the function step includes:

processing the vehicle diagnostic data; and

displaying the processed data on a display of the diagnostic tool.

6. A vehicle diagnostic tool, comprising:

a processor configured to execute program modules;

a memory configured to store the program modules;

a communication interface configured to connect with a connector in a vehicle and retrieve vehicle diagnostic data from the vehicle;

a display configured to display information; and

a communication device configured to communicate with a remote computing device over a communication network, wherein the program modules comprises a web server module configured to provide a web page on the display, the web page hosted on the vehicle diagnostic tool that is accessible by the remote computing device and a data analysis module configured, when instructed, to analyze the vehicle diagnostic data.

7. The tool of claim 6, wherein the remote computing device directs the vehicle diagnostic tool to perform a function through the web page.

8. The tool of claim 7, wherein the function is to retrieve top fixes from the remote computing device.

9. The tool of claim 7, wherein the function is to instruct the vehicle diagnostic tool to act as a pass-through device and pass through the vehicle diagnostic data.

10. The tool of claim 6 further comprising of a web browser module configured to view a web page on the remote computing device.

11. The tool of claim 6, wherein the web page displays vehicle diagnostic data.

12. The tool of claim 6, wherein the remote computing device instructs the vehicle diagnostic tool to analyze the vehicle diagnostic data.

13. The tool of claim 6, wherein the program modules further comprising a data formatting module configured to format the vehicle diagnostic data to a format recognized by the remote computing device.

14. A vehicle diagnostic tool, comprising:

means for processing configured to execute program modules;

means for storing configured to store the program modules;

means for displaying configured to display information;

means for interfacing with a connector in a vehicle and configured to retrieve vehicle diagnostic data from the vehicle; and

means for communicating with a remote computing device over a communication network, wherein the program modules comprises a web server module configured to provide a web page on the means for displaying, the web page hosted on the vehicle diagnostic tool that is accessible by the remote computing device and a data analysis module configured, when instructed, to analyze the vehicle diagnostic data.

15. The tool of claim 14, wherein the remote computing device directs the vehicle diagnostic tool to perform a function through the web page.

16. The tool of claim 15, wherein the function is to retrieve top fixes from the remote computing device.

17. The tool of claim 15, wherein the function is to instruct the vehicle diagnostic tool to act as a pass-through device and pass through the vehicle diagnostic data to the remote computing device.

18. The tool of claim 14 further comprising of a web browser module configured to view a web page on the remote computing device.

19. The tool of claim 14, wherein the web page displays vehicle diagnostic data.

20. The tool of claim 14, wherein the remote computing device instructs the vehicle diagnostic tool to analyze the vehicle diagnostic data.

21. A vehicle diagnostic tool, comprising:

a processor configured to execute program modules;

a memory communicatively linked to the processor and configured to store the program modules and software to operate the vehicle diagnostic tool;

a display configured to display information;

an input device configured to receive inputs;

a communication interface configured to connect with a connector in a vehicle and retrieve vehicle data from the vehicle; and

a communication device configured to communicate with a remote computing device over a communication network, wherein the program modules comprises a web server module configured to provide a web page on the display, the web page hosted on the vehicle diagnostic tool that is accessible by the remote computing device and a data analysis module configured, when instructed, to analyze the vehicle data.

22. The tool of claim 21, wherein the remote computing device directs the vehicle diagnostic tool to perform a function through the web page.

23. The tool of claim 22, wherein the function is to retrieve top fixes from the remote computing device.