System and method for extending communication range and reducing power consumption of vehicle diagnostic equipment

• US 9,304,062 B2
• Filed: 09/10/2013
• Issued: 04/05/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 08/18/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Snap-On Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Snap-On Incorporated
• Inventors: Ruther, Timothy G., Krzystofczyk, Carl J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Wilder, Hunter
• Application Number:
  US14/022,749
• Publication Number:
  US 20140019000A1
• Time in Patent Office: 938 Days
• Field of Search: 701/34.3, 455/522, 455/574
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 16/0315 using multiplexing techniques multiplexing for transmission of signals G08C15/00; multiplexing for electrical communication in general H04J
• CPC Class Codes: G01M 17/007 Wheeled or endless-tracked vehicles G01M17/08 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 5/008 communicating information to a remotely located station transmission systems for measured values G08C
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 5/0825 using optical means
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/92 Energy efficient charging or discharging systems for batteries, ultracapacitors, supercapacitors or double-layer capacitors specially adapted for vehicles

Abstract

Disclosed are systems and methods for transmitting obtained vehicle diagnostic data to a separate display device. The method includes a first vehicle diagnostic device obtaining vehicle diagnostic data via a vehicle interface to a diagnostic port of a vehicle, determining whether a direct wireless connection with one or more display devices is available, and determining whether an indirect wireless connection with the one or more display devices is available via a second separate vehicle diagnostic device. Responsive to a further determination, the vehicle diagnostic device may transmit the obtained diagnostic data to the one or more display devices via the second separate vehicle diagnostic device. The further determination may be based on one or more of wireless connectivity status, power level status, transmission power requirements, or other facts or determinations.

Claims

1. A method performed by a diagnostic device, the method comprising:

determining that a direct wireless connection between the diagnostic device and a display device is available and that an indirect wireless connection between the diagnostic device and the display device is available using a diagnostic apparatus as an intermediary;

determining that the diagnostic device is consuming power provided by a first battery of the diagnostic device and that the diagnostic apparatus is consuming power provided by a second battery of the diagnostic apparatus;

receiving vehicle data from a vehicle under test;

receiving, from the diagnostic apparatus, a communication indicating a second battery level of the second battery;

determining whether a first battery level of the first battery is greater than the second battery level based on the indicated second battery level;

selecting either the direct wireless connection or the indirect wireless connection for transmitting the received vehicle data to the display device based on determining whether the first battery level of the first battery is greater than the second battery level of the second battery; and

transmitting, to the display device, the received vehicle data using the selected wireless connection.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining that the first battery level is greater than the second battery level,

wherein selecting either the direct wireless connection or the indirect wireless connection comprises selecting the direct wireless connection.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining that the second battery level is greater than the first battery level,

wherein selecting either the direct wireless connection or the indirect wireless connection comprises selecting the indirect wireless connection.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining that a first transmission power level required to transmit the vehicle data to the display device using the direct wireless connection is less than a second transmission power level required to transmit the vehicle data to the display deice using the indirect wireless connection,

wherein selecting either the direct wireless connection or the indirect wireless connection comprises selecting the direct wireless connection based on determining that the first transmission power level is less than the second transmission power level.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining that a second transmission power level required to transmit the vehicle data to the display device using the indirect wireless connection is less than a first transmission power level required to transmit the vehicle data to the display device using the direct wireless connection,

wherein selecting either the direct wireless connection or the indirect wireless connection comprises selecting the indirect wireless connection based on determining that the second transmission power level is less than the first transmission power level.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

transmitting to the diagnostic apparatus and the display device at iteratively increasing transmission power levels until the diagnostic device receives an acknowledgment from the diagnostic apparatus and an acknowledgment from the display device;

determining a second transmission power level required to transmit the vehicle data to the display device using the indirect wireless connection after the diagnostic device receives the acknowledgment from the diagnostic apparatus; and

determining a first transmission power level required to transmit the vehicle data to the display device using the direct wireless connection after the diagnostic device receives the acknowledgment from the display device

wherein selecting either the direct wireless connection or the indirect wireless connection comprises selecting either the direct wireless connection or the indirect wireless connection based on the determined first transmission power level and the determined second transmission power level.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving, from the diagnostic apparatus, a first indication of a first received power level at which the diagnostic apparatus received a packet transmitted by the diagnostic device,

receiving, from the display device, a second indication of a second received power level at which the display device received a packet transmitted by the diagnostic device, and

determining, using the first indication and the second indication, a first transmission power level required to transmit the vehicle data to the display device using the direct wireless connection and a second transmission power level required to transmit the vehicle data to the display device using the indirect wireless connection,

wherein selecting either the direct wireless connection or the indirect wireless connection comprises selecting either the direct wireless connection or the indirect wireless connection based on the determined first transmission power level and the determined second transmission power level.

8. A diagnostic device comprising:

a processor; and

a non-transitory computer-readable medium storing program instructions executable by the processor to cause the diagnostic device to perform functions comprising;

determining that a direct wireless connection between the diagnostic device and a display device is available and that an indirect wireless connection between the diagnostic device and the display device is available using a diagnostic apparatus as an intermediary;

determining that the diagnostic device is consuming power provided by a first battery of the diagnostic device and that the diagnostic apparatus is consuming power provided by a second battery of the diagnostic apparatus;

receiving vehicle data from a vehicle under test;

receiving, from the diagnostic apparatus, a communication indicating a second battery level of the second battery;

determining whether a first battery level of the first battery is greater than the second battery level based on the indicated second battery level;

selecting either the direct wireless connection or the indirect wireless connection for transmitting the received vehicle data to the display device based on determining whether the first battery level of the first battery is greater than the second battery level of the second battery; and

transmitting, to the display device, the received vehicle data using the selected wireless connection.

9. The diagnostic device of claim 8, wherein the functions further comprise:

determining that the first battery level is greater than the second battery level,

wherein selecting either the direct wireless connection or the indirect wireless connection comprises selecting the direct wireless connection.

10. The diagnostic device of claim 8, wherein the functions further comprise:

determining that the second battery level is greater than the first battery level,

wherein selecting either the direct wireless connection or the indirect wireless connection comprises selecting the indirect wireless connection.

11. The diagnostic device of claim 8, wherein the functions further comprise:

determining that a first transmission power level required to transmit the vehicle data to the display device using the direct wireless connection is less than a second transmission power level required to transmit the vehicle data to the display device using the indirect wireless connection,

wherein selecting either the direct wireless connection or the indirect wireless connection comprises selecting the direct wireless connection based on determining that the first transmission power level is less than the second transmission power level.

12. The diagnostic device of claim 8, wherein the functions further comprise:

determining that a second transmission power level required to transmit the vehicle data to the display device using the indirect wireless connection is less than a first transmission power level required to transmit the vehicle data to the display device using the direct wireless connection,

wherein selecting either the direct wireless connection or the indirect wireless connection comprises selecting the indirect wireless connection based on determining that the second transmission power level is less than the first transmission power level.

13. The diagnostic device of claim 8, wherein the functions further comprise:

transmitting to the diagnostic apparatus and the display device at iteratively increasing transmission power levels until the diagnostic device receives an acknowledgment from the diagnostic apparatus and an acknowledgment from the display device;

determining a second transmission power level required to transmit the vehicle data to the display device using the indirect wireless connection after the diagnostic device receives the acknowledgment from the diagnostic apparatus; and

determining a first transmission power level required to transmit the vehicle data to the display device using the direct wireless connection after the diagnostic device receives the acknowledgment from the display device,

wherein selecting either the direct wireless connection or the indirect wireless connection comprises selecting either the direct wireless connection or the indirect wireless connection based on the determined first transmission power level and the determined second transmission power level.

14. The diagnostic device of claim 8, wherein the functions further comprise:

receiving, from the diagnostic apparatus, a first indication of a first received power level at which the diagnostic apparatus received a packet transmitted by the diagnostic device,

receiving, from the display device, a second indication of a second received power level at which the display device received a packet transmitted by the diagnostic device, and

determining, using the first indication and the second indication, a first transmission power level required to transmit the vehicle data to the display device using the direct wireless connection and a second transmission power level required to transmit the vehicle data to the display device using the indirect wireless connection,

wherein selecting either the direct wireless connection or the indirect wireless connection comprises selecting either the direct wireless connection or the indirect wireless connection based on the determined first transmission power level and the determined second transmission power level.

15. A non-transitory computer-readable medium storing program instructions executable by a diagnostic device to cause the diagnostic device to perform functions comprising:

determining that a direct wireless connection between the diagnostic device and a display device is available and that an indirect wireless connection between the diagnostic device and the display device is available using a diagnostic apparatus as an intermediary;

determining that the diagnostic device is consuming power provided by a first battery of the diagnostic device and that the diagnostic apparatus is consuming power provided by a second battery of the diagnostic apparatus;

receiving vehicle data from a vehicle under test;

receiving, from the diagnostic apparatus, a communication indicating a second battery level of the second battery;

determining whether a first battery level of the first battery is greater than the second battery level based on the indicated second battery level;

selecting either the direct wireless connection or the indirect wireless connection for transmitting the received vehicle data to the display device based on determining whether the first battery level of the first battery is greater than the second battery level of the second battery; and

transmitting, to the display device, the received vehicle data using the selected wireless connection.

16. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 15, wherein the functions further comprise:

determining that the first battery level is greater than the second battery level,

wherein selecting either the direct wireless connection or the indirect wireless connection comprises selecting the direct wireless connection.

17. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 15, wherein the functions further comprise:

determining that the second battery level is greater than the first battery level,

wherein selecting either the direct wireless connection or the indirect wireless connection comprises selecting the indirect wireless connection.

18. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 15, wherein the functions further comprise:

determining that a first transmission power level required to transmit the vehicle data to the display device using the direct wireless connection is less than a second transmission power level required to transmit the vehicle data to the display device using the indirect wireless connection,

wherein selecting either the direct wireless connection or the indirect wireless connection comprises selecting the direct wireless connection based on determining that the first transmission power level is less than the second transmission power level.

19. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 15, wherein the functions further comprise:

determining that a second transmission power level required to transmit the vehicle data to the display device using the indirect wireless connection is less than a first transmission power level required to transmit the vehicle data to the display device using the direct wireless connection,

wherein selecting either the direct wireless connection or the indirect wireless connection comprises selecting the indirect wireless connection based on determining that the second transmission power level is less than the first transmission power level.

20. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 15, wherein the functions further comprise:

transmitting to the diagnostic apparatus and the display device at iteratively increasing transmission power levels until the diagnostic device receives an acknowledgment from the diagnostic apparatus and an acknowledgment from the display device;

determining a second transmission power level required to transmit the vehicle data to the display device using the indirect wireless connection after the diagnostic device receives the acknowledgment from the diagnostic apparatus; and

determining a first transmission power level required to transmit the vehicle data to the display device using the direct wireless connection after the diagnostic device receives the acknowledgment from the display device,

wherein selecting either the direct wireless connection or the indirect wireless connection comprises selecting either the direct wireless connection or the indirect wireless connection based on the determined first transmission power level and the determined second transmission power level.

21. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 15, wherein the functions further comprise:

receiving, from the diagnostic apparatus, a first indication of a first received power level at which the diagnostic apparatus received a packet transmitted by the diagnostic device,

receiving, from the display device, a second indication of a second received power level at which the display device received a packet transmitted by the diagnostic device, and

determining, using the first indication and the second indication, a first transmission power level required to transmit the vehicle data to the display device using the direct wireless connection and a second transmission power level required to transmit the vehicle data to the display device using the indirect wireless connection,

wherein selecting either the direct wireless connection or the indirect wireless connection comprises selecting either the direct wireless connection or the indirect wireless connection based on the determined first transmission power level and the determined second transmission power level.