Methods and systems for displaying vehicle data parameters with a uniform cursor movement

• US 9,632,656 B2
• Filed: 11/03/2014
• Issued: 04/25/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 11/03/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Snap-On Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Snap-On Incorporated
• Inventors: Covington, Joshua, Reynald, April
• Primary Examiner(s): DANIELSEN, NATHAN ANDREW
• Application Number:
  US14/531,686
• Publication Number:
  US 20160124605A1
• Time in Patent Office: 904 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G01M 15/02 Details or accessories of testing apparatus
• CPC Class Codes: G01M 17/00 Testing of vehicles testing fluid tightness G01M3/00; testing elastic properties of bodies or chassis, e.g. torsion-testing, G01M5/00; testing alignment of vehicle headlight devices G01M11/06; testing of engines G01M15/00
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 31/005 Testing of electric installations on transport means
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 31/006 on road vehicles, e.g. automobiles or trucks testing of ignition installations peculiar to internal combustion engines F02P17/00
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 31/007 using microprocessors or computers
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/31318 Data analysis, using different formats like table, chart
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 23/0272 Presentation of monitored results, e.g. selection of status reports to be displayed; Filtering information to the user
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/04803 Split screen, i.e. subdividing the display area or the window area into separate subareas
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04812 Interaction techniques based on cursor appearance or behaviour, e.g. being affected by the presence of displayed objects
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0482 Interaction with lists of selectable items, e.g. menus
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04842 Selection of displayed objects or displayed text elements G06F3/0482 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04847 Interaction techniques to control parameter settings, e.g. interaction with sliders or dials
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04855 Interaction with scrollbars
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0486 Drag-and-drop
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04886 by partitioning the display area of the touch-screen or the surface of the digitising tablet into independently controllable areas, e.g. virtual keyboards or menus
• 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 5/06 in graphical form
• 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 5/12 in graphical form

Abstract

Methods and system pertaining to displaying vehicle data parameters (VDP) are described. A vehicle service tool (VST) with a display can receive vehicle data messages or signals from a vehicle to receive the VDP. Some of the VDP can be associated with a PID. The VST can display VDP thresholds and indicators when a received VDP has breached a VDP threshold. The VST can determine being changed from a landscape orientation to a portrait orientation or vice versa and responsively change the presentation of VDP graphs displayed by the display. The display can receive various inputs such as a drag-and-drop or pinch-and-expand input to alternatively change the presentation of the VDP graphs being displayed. Changing a VDP presentation of graphs can include resizing or repositioning one or more VDP graph windows including a VDP graph.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

displaying, by a display of a device, a plurality of vehicle data parameter (VDP) graphs within the display, wherein each VDP graph includes at least one cursor;

displaying, by the display, a cursor positioner within the display, wherein the cursor positioner is configured for a cursor positioner movement that causes a uniform movement of at least one cursor within each VDP graph;

determining, by the device, an occurrence of the cursor positioner movement;

moving uniformly, by the device, the at least one cursor within each VDP graph in response to determining the occurrence of the cursor positioner movement, and

displaying a vehicle operating condition bar within each VDP graph to indicate a location within each VDP graph that corresponds to a data value of another VDP breaching a VDP threshold.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

displaying, by the display, a digital value of at least one VDP within a VDP graph window without any VDP line graph,

wherein each of the VDP graphs of the plurality of VDP graphs includes a VDP line graph within a respective VDP line graph window.

3. The method of claim 2,

wherein displaying the digital value of the at least one VDP includes displaying the at least one digital value using a first color when the at least one VDP corresponds to a first data value at a cursor of a second VDP line graph pertaining to a second VDP that has not breached a VDP threshold associated with the second VDP,

wherein displaying the digital value of the at least one VDP includes displaying the at least one digital value using a second color when the at least one VDP corresponds to a second data value at the cursor of the second VDP line graph pertaining to the second VDP that has breached a VDP threshold associated with the second VDP, and

wherein the first color and the second color are different colors.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein a uniform movement of the at least one cursor within each VDP graph in response to determining the occurrence of the cursor positioner movement includes a movement of the cursor within each VDP graph window to a location within the VDP graph such that an amount of time represented within an area left of the cursor within the VDP graph window is equal to an amount of time represented within an area left of the cursor within each other VDP graph window.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein a uniform movement of the at least one cursor within each VDP graph in response to determining the occurrence of the cursor positioner movement includes moving the cursor positioner to a time segment that results in displaying at least one data value in each VDP graph that was previously displayed and then removed from being displayed in the VDP graph before occurrence of the current positioner movement.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

displaying a time-based indicator within the display,

wherein the cursor positioner is located within the time-based indicator.

7. The method of claim 6, further comprising:

determining the display has changed orientations from a landscape orientation to a portrait orientation or from the portrait orientation to the landscape orientation; and

repositioning the time-based segment and the cursor positioner within the display in response to the determined change in orientation of the display.

8. The method of claim 6,

wherein the time-based indicator includes at least two distinct time segments, and

wherein the at least two time segments include at least two of a currently-displayed time segment, a previously-displayed time segment, and a time segment for future-received VDP.

9. A method comprising:

displaying, by a display of a device, a plurality of vehicle data parameter (VDP) graphs within the display, wherein each VDP graph includes at least one cursor;

displaying, by the display, a cursor positioner within the display, wherein the cursor positioner is configured for a cursor positioner movement that causes a uniform movement of at least one cursor within each VDP graph;

determining, by the device, an occurrence of the cursor positioner movement; and

moving uniformly, by the device, the at least one cursor within each VDP graph in response to determining the occurrence of the cursor positioner movement,

displaying a time-based indicator within the display,

wherein the cursor positioner is located within the time-based indicator, and

wherein the time-based indicator indicates at least one of a percentage of frames including VDP displayed by the display relative to the amount of frames including VDP displayable by the display or a percentage of VDP data values displayed by the display relative to the amount of VDP data values displayable by the display.

10. A system comprising:

a display;

a processor; and

a computer-readable medium storing computer-readable program instructions,

wherein the display is configured to display a plurality of vehicle data parameter (VDP) graphs within the display,

wherein each VDP graph includes at least one cursor,

wherein the display is configured to display a cursor positioner that is configured for a cursor positioner movement that causes a uniform movement of at least one cursor within each VDP graph and a vehicle operating condition bar within each VDP graph to indicate a location within each VDP graph that corresponds to a data value of another VDP breaching a VDP threshold, and

wherein the program instructions are executable by the processor to determine an occurrence of the cursor positioner movement, and to move uniformly the at least one cursor within each VDP graph in response to determining the occurrence of the cursor positioner movement.

11. The system of claim 10,

wherein the display displays a time-based indicator, and

wherein the cursor positioner is located within the time-based indicator.

12. The system of claim 11,

wherein the computer-readable medium stores vehicle operating conditions that indicate an occurrence of a first vehicle operating condition resulting from a VDP breaching a VDP threshold, and

wherein the display displays a vehicle operating condition indicator pertaining to the first vehicle operating condition in proximity to the time-based indicator.

13. The system of claim 10, further comprising:

an orientation detector to provide a signal to the processor that the processor uses to determine a change in orientation of the display,

wherein the processor changes a display orientation in response to determining a change in orientation of the display, and

wherein the change in display orientation includes changing a positon of the cursor positioner within the display.

14. The system of claim 10,

wherein each VDP graph including at least one cursor includes a VDP line graph and is displayed within a VDP graph window.

15. The system of claim 10, further comprising:

at least one of a data link connector (DLC) connector and an input section to receive input signals from a vehicle to receive the multiple vehicle data parameters.

16. A computer-readable medium storing program instructions, that when executed by a processor, cause a set of functions to be performed, the set of functions comprising:

displaying, by a display of a device, a plurality of vehicle data parameter (VDP) graphs within the display, wherein each VDP graph includes at least one cursor;

displaying, by the display, a cursor positioner within the display, wherein the cursor positioner is configured for a cursor positioner movement that causes a uniform movement of at least one cursor within each VDP graph;

determining, by the device, an occurrence of the cursor positioner movement;

moving uniformly, by the device, the at least one cursor within each VDP graph in response to determining the occurrence of the cursor positioner movement; and

displaying a vehicle operating condition bar within each VDP graph to indicate a location within each VDP graph that corresponds to a data value of another VDP breaching a VDP threshold.

17. The computer-readable medium of claim 16,

wherein the set of functions further comprises displaying, by the display, a digital value of at least one VDP within a VDP graph window without any VDP line graph, and

wherein each of the VDP graphs of the plurality of VDP graphs includes a VDP line graph within a respective VDP line graph window.

18. The computer-readable medium of claim 16, wherein a uniform movement of the at least one cursor within each VDP graph in response to determining the occurrence of the cursor positioner movement includes moving the cursor positioner to a time segment that results in displaying at least one data value in each VDP graph that was previously displayed then removed from being displayed in the VDP graph before occurrence of the current positioner movement.

19. A computer-readable medium storing program instructions, that when executed by a processor, cause a set of functions to be performed, the set of functions comprising:

displaying, by a display of a device, a plurality of vehicle data parameter (VDP) graphs within the display, wherein each VDP graph includes at least one cursor;

displaying, by the display, a cursor positioner within the display, wherein the cursor positioner is configured for a cursor positioner movement that causes a uniform movement of at least one cursor within each VDP graph;

determining, by the device, an occurrence of the cursor positioner movement; and

moving uniformly, by the device, the at least one cursor within each VDP graph in response to determining the occurrence of the cursor positioner movement,

wherein the time-based indicator indicates at least one of a percentage of frames including VDP displayed by the display relative to the amount of frames including VDP displayable by the display or a percentage of VDP data values displayed by the display relative to the amount of VDP data values displayable by the display.

20. A system comprising:

a display;

a processor; and

a computer-readable medium storing computer-readable program instructions,

wherein the display is configured to display a plurality of vehicle data parameter (VDP) graphs within the display and a time-based indicator within the display,

wherein each VDP graph includes at least one cursor,

wherein the display is configured to display a cursor positioner that is configured for a cursor positioner movement that causes a uniform movement of at least one cursor within each VDP graph,

wherein the program instructions are executable by the processor to determine an occurrence of the cursor positioner movement, and to move uniformly the at least one cursor within each VDP graph in response to determining the occurrence of the cursor positioner movement,

wherein the cursor positioner is located within the time-based indicator, and

wherein the time-based indicator indicates at least one of a percentage of frames including VDP displayed by the display relative to the amount of frames including VDP displayable by the display or a percentage of VDP data values displayed by the display relative to the amount of VDP data values displayable by the display.