Mobile communication interface, system having a mobile communication interface, and method for identifying, diagnosing, maintaining, and repairing a vehicle

• US 9,665,993 B2
• Filed: 01/09/2012
• Issued: 05/30/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 02/16/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
• Original Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
• Inventors: Nobis, Guenter, Amirpour, Ramon, Malmsheimer, Roger
• Primary Examiner(s): Olszewski, John R
• Assistant Examiner(s): ZIAEIANMEHDIZADEH, NAVID
• Application Number:
  US14/000,023
• Publication Number:
  US 20140074344A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,968 Days
• Field of Search: None
• 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 method for identifying, diagnosing, maintaining, and repairing a vehicle in a repair shop, including the steps of connecting a mobile communication interface (VCI) to the vehicle and connecting a first vehicle inspection device at least to the VCI at a first work station; detecting identification data for the vehicle using the first vehicle inspection device and storing the identification data for the vehicle in the VCI; carrying out the first set of inspections of the vehicle using the first vehicle inspection device and/or the VCI; disconnecting the first vehicle inspection device from the vehicle; connecting a second vehicle inspection device to the vehicle, reading out the identification data from the VCI into the second vehicle inspection device at a second work station, and carrying out a second set of inspections of the vehicle using the second vehicle inspection device and/or the VCI connected to the vehicle.

Claims

1. A method for identifying, diagnosing, maintaining, and repairing a vehicle in a repair shop, the method comprising:

connecting a mobile communication interface to the vehicle and connecting a first vehicle inspection device at least to the mobile communication interface at a first work station, wherein the mobile communication interface and the first inspection device are separate devices which are configured to be (i) selectively attached to one another and (ii) subsequently detached again;

detecting identification data for the vehicle using the first vehicle inspection device and storing the identification data for the vehicle in the mobile communication interface;

carrying out a first set of inspections of the vehicle using the first vehicle inspection device, wherein the first vehicle inspection device has at least a first vehicle inspection module, which performs inspection-device specific vehicle inspections of the vehicle based on the unambiguous identification data;

communicating, by the mobile communication interface, the identification data to the first vehicle inspection device;

exchanging, by the mobile communication interface, information between the vehicle and the first vehicle inspection device;

disconnecting the first vehicle inspection device from the vehicle;

connecting a second vehicle inspection device to the vehicle and reading out the identification data from the mobile communication interface into the second vehicle inspection device at a second work station, wherein the mobile communication interface and the second inspection device are separate devices which are configured to be (i) selectively attached to one another and (ii) subsequently detached again;

carrying out a second set of inspections of the vehicle using the second vehicle inspection device, wherein the second vehicle inspection device has at least a second vehicle inspection module that carries out inspection-device specific vehicle inspections of the vehicle based on the unambiguous identification data;

communicating, by the mobile communication interface, the identification data to the second vehicle inspection device; and

exchanging, by the mobile communication interface, information between the vehicle and the second vehicle inspection device,

wherein at the first and the second work stations, identification data of vehicles located in mobile communication interfaces of the repair shop are displayed to a user of the first or second vehicle inspection device, and

wherein the display of identification data at the first or second work station takes place as a function of the proximity of the vehicle having the connected mobile communication interface to the work station.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

connecting a universal operating and display device to the vehicle and reading out the identification data from the mobile communication interface into the universal operating and display device; and

carrying out other inspections of the vehicle using the universal operating and display device and the mobile communication interface connected to the vehicle at a third work station.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein at least one of the first vehicle inspection device the second vehicle inspection device or the universal operating and display device has a standardized diagnostic server device for establishing a communication with the mobile communication interface and through the mobile communication interface with electronic control units installed in the vehicle.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least one of the first vehicle inspection device or the mobile communication interface connected to the vehicle carries out the first set of inspections of the vehicle, and wherein the at least one of the second vehicle inspection device or the mobile communication interface connected to the vehicle carries out the second set of inspections of the vehicle.

4. A mobile communication interface for identifying a vehicle and for communicating with electronic control units installed in the vehicle in a repair shop, comprising:

a connecting device that connects a vehicle in a repair shop to the mobile communication interface;

a memory device that stores identification data of the vehicle to be identified and connected; and

a communication device that relays the identification data to vehicle inspection devices and that exchanges information between the electronic control units installed in the vehicle and the vehicle inspection devices at different work stations in the repair shop, wherein the vehicle inspection devices have different vehicle inspection modules that carry out inspection-device specific vehicle inspections of the vehicle based on the unambiguous identification data, wherein the mobile communication interface and the inspection devices are separate devices which are configured to be (i) selectively attached to one another and (ii) subsequently detached again, and wherein the display of identification data at the work stations takes place as a function of the proximity of the vehicle having the connected mobile communication interface to a respective work station.

5. The mobile communication interface of claim 4, wherein the mobile communication interface is moved along with the vehicle to be connected in the repair shop.

6. A system for identifying, diagnosing, maintaining, and repairing a vehicle in a repair shop, comprising:

a mobile communication interface to identify a vehicle and to communicate with electronic control units installed in the vehicle in a repair shop, including;

a connecting device that connects a vehicle in a repair shop to the mobile communication interface;

a memory device that stores identification data of the vehicle to be identified and connected; and

a communication device that relays the identification data to the vehicle inspection devices and that exchanges information between the electronic control units installed in the vehicle and the vehicle inspection devices at different work stations in the repair shop; and

a plurality of vehicle inspection devices, each including;

a diagnostic server device that establishes communication with the mobile communication interface and the electronic control units installed in the vehicle;

an operating and display device that controls the vehicle inspection device and the mobile communication interface; and

different vehicle inspection modules that carry out inspection-device specific vehicle inspections of the vehicle based on the unambiguous identification data, wherein the mobile communication interface and the plurality of vehicle inspection devices are separate devices which are configured to be (i) selectively attached to one another and (ii) subsequently detached again,

wherein at the work stations, identification data of vehicles located in mobile communication interfaces of the repair shop are displayed to a user of a respective vehicle inspection device, and

wherein the display of identification data at the work stations takes place as a function of the proximity of the vehicle having the connected mobile communication interface to a respective work station.