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.

Abstract: A diagnostic tool for diagnosing a vehicle, includes a signal translator that communicates with the vehicle in at least one protocol, an input device that inputs information, a processor that controls a software according to the input information from the input device and communicates with the vehicle with the signal translator, the processor controls a reception of diagnostic data of the vehicle through the signal translator, the processor receives a selected instruction of the diagnostic tool through the input device and correlates the desired instruction information with the information stored in a memory, the processor processes the received diagnostic data according to the selected instructions information according to a hierarchy stored on the memory, the memory stores the software controlled by the processor, the memory stores a database of information for use by a hierarchical grouping of criteria and tests for diagnostics, the hierarchy including a first grouping and a second grouping, with each of t

Abstract: A diagnostic system for diagnosing a vehicle, includes a first memory storing in a database, dynamic sales of components of the vehicle, a signal translator that communicates with the vehicle in at least one protocol, an input device that inputs information, a processor that controls a software according to the input information from the input device and communicates with the vehicle with the signal translator, a second memory stores the software controlled by the processor, the second memory stores information transferred from the first memory including the dynamic sales data, the processor ranking a failure mode of the vehicle according to the sales data of the components of the vehicle, executing a diagnostic routine on the vehicle based on the rank order of the component, and a display unit that receives and displays diagnostic information according to ranked failure mode.

Abstract: A diagnostic system for a vehicle, includes a diagnostic tool including a first memory, receiving vehicle specific information and performing a diagnostic test on the vehicle, storing the test result in the first memory, and a second memory in communication with the diagnostic tool, storing the test result in the database, the second memory providing a feedback of the test result to the diagnostic tool by transferring the information on the database to the diagnostic tool, correlating the feedback information into the diagnostic test procedure of the diagnostic tool.

Abstract: A method of displaying a vehicle's information, includes measuring a set values of the vehicle, comparing the set of measured values with a set of related normal values of a vehicle of the same type as the vehicle being measured, and operating within a preset normal range, and displaying on a video image a graphical depiction of the measured set of values in comparison to the normal set of values of the same type of vehicle.

Abstract: A statistical waveform drawing routine includes forming an image, determining discrete points of the image, forming count totals of the number of discrete points of the image in a sweep of the discrete points in a first direction, and determining a statistical value according to the count totals of the discrete points.

Abstract: A vehicle diagnostic data collector/analyzer compiles historical vehicle diagnostic data, including measured operating parameters from a number of different vehicles operating under a variety of normal vehicle operating conditions and vehicle component failure conditions, and performs statistical analyses on various vehicle type/operating condition combinations to establish operating parameter ranges corresponding to normal operating conditions and various failure conditions. The diagnostic data collector/analyzer also measures real-time operating parameters on specific test-subject vehicles and evaluates similarities and differences between the measured operating parameters and the established ranges, and correlates the test data with known operating conditions in order to diagnose potential failure modes of vehicle components.

Abstract: A diagnostic information converter reads an existing static diagnostic procedure in the form of a tree graph and generates a diagnostic Failure Modes and Effects Analysis that can be used in the generation of a dynamic diagnostic test plan. The converter identifies the end nodes of the graph and associates a specific failure mode with each of the end nodes. In addition, the converter traces a unique path from each end node along successive branches through one or more intermediate nodes to the root node, and from each of the paths derives an initial failure mode test including the test steps corresponding to the root node, the intermediate nodes and the end node. The converter further identifies and annotates precondition nodes that correspond to a vehicle state or condition, rather than to an actual diagnostic test step and allows a user to edit the initial failure mode tests.

Abstract: A reverse failure analyzer determines a group of diagnostic test procedures related to a particular vehicle component from a pool of diagnostic procedures, and then identifies the specific failure modes of each of the diagnostic test procedures. The reverse failure analyzer further associates the specific failure modes with the respective vehicle component associated with each of the diagnostic test procedures, and the symptoms associated with each of the diagnostic test procedures to the correlated vehicle components and failure modes. In addition, the reverse failure analyzer can cross-reference various vehicle components that can be the root cause of a particular symptom or a vehicle operational problem. Furthermore, the reverse failure analyzer can receive observed symptoms regarding a particular test subject vehicle and correlate the observed symptoms to the vehicle components that can cause the symptoms based on the results of reverse failure analyses.

Abstract: An information object generator gathers and organizes information corresponding to an optimized static diagnostic test procedure from a diverse set of information sources and dynamically produces a static information object organized in a sequence or data structure that corresponds to the optimized diagnostic test procedure. The information object generator defines a vehicle component taxonomy, fault taxonomy, diagnostic taxonomy, repair taxonomy and information taxonomy. The information object generator then imports a diagnostic test sequence and associates relevant information to each test step or diagnostic procedure in the sequence to create an information object that corresponds to the diagnostic test sequence. The information object generator further instantiates the information object for presentation to a user while being guided through the diagnostic test sequence or independent of the diagnostic test sequence.

Abstract: An interactive diagnostic schematic generator illustrates diagnostic test procedures for diagnosing failure modes of a vehicle. The schematic generator reads a schematic data file such as a wiring diagram from a computer memory, indicates a test subject in the schematic or illustrates a location where test equipment is to be connected, and formats the schematic for display on a display device. The schematic generator also receives feedback from a vehicle onboard computer, test equipment or user input indicating that the action has been performed, and removes the indication of the test subject in the schematic. The schematic generator further marks the test subject to indicate that the action has been performed with a marking style that is visually distinct from the indicating style, optionally indicating that the result has validated or invalidated the test subject.

Abstract: A dynamic diagnostic plan generator arranges diagnostic test procedures related to a vehicle symptom or operational problem in a sequence based on a probabilistic Failure Mode and Effects Analysis (FMEA). The diagnostic plan generator also tracks a vehicle state, and provides instructions for test preparation steps and instructions for performing the diagnostic test procedures. The plan generator further generates schematic illustrations of the diagnostic test procedures, and creates a diagnostic data structure containing information related to the diagnostic test procedures. In addition, the diagnostic plan generator sends and receives information regarding actual failure mode occurrences, for example, to and from a central database. Furthermore, the diagnostic plan generator facilitates the creation of failure mode tests by an expert diagnostics author.

Abstract: A vehicle state tracker tracks the state of a vehicle during a diagnostic test sequence to eliminate redundant steps between diagnostic procedures. The vehicle state tracker maintains a list of preconditions required for each diagnostic procedure, reads a current vehicle state from a memory register and verifies the current setting of the vehicle state corresponding to a specific precondition. If the precondition is required and the current setting is not valid, the state tracker further formats a test preparation step corresponding to the precondition for display to instruct a vehicle technician to satisfy the precondition. Otherwise, if the precondition is not required and the corresponding setting is valid, the state tracker formats an instruction to reverse the corresponding vehicle condition. The state tracker additionally receives feedback indicating when a precondition has been satisfied or the corresponding vehicle condition has been reversed, and updates the vehicle state in memory.

Abstract: A diagnostic test sequence optimizer includes a diagnostic test selector that determines a group of diagnostic test procedures related to a specific symptom and vehicle type from a pool of diagnostic procedures. A failure mode analyzer then selects one or more factors that can affect resolution of a vehicle operational problem and performs a failure mode analysis to quantify a comparative utility of the individual tests, and a factor weighter assigns a weight to each of the factors. A vehicle receiver receives information regarding the history of the test subject vehicle, and a sequence optimizer places the diagnostic test procedures in an optimized sequence in accordance with the comparative utilities of the individual diagnostic procedures, user preferences and a Failure Mode and Effects Analysis compiled by the manufacturer of the vehicle.

Abstract: A waveform drawing routine is disclosed that includes receiving an array of predecessor image data points, wherein the predecessor image data points form a predecessor line that has a predecessor high end point and a predecessor low end point, receiving an array of successor image data points, wherein the successor image data points form a successor line having a successor high end point and a successor low end point, comparing the successor line to the predecessor line, and maintaining any portions of the predecessor line on a display that intersect with the successor line. The method described above for drawing each line segment that forms the waveform is repeated until a complete waveform is drawn on the display that consists of the concatenation of these individual lines.

Abstract: A waveform drawing routine is disclosed that includes receiving an array of predecessor image data points, wherein the predecessor image data points form a predecessor line that has a predecessor high end point and a predecessor low end point, receiving an array of successor image data points, wherein the successor image data points form a successor line having a successor high end point and a successor low end point, comparing the successor line to the predecessor line, and maintaining any portions of the predecessor line on a display that intersect with the successor line. The method described above for drawing each line segment that forms the waveform is repeated until a complete waveform is drawn on the display that consists of the concatenation of these individual lines.

Abstract: A method and system for sharing a common data set between a plurality of computer applications uses a shared data set containing two or more data elements. A first computer software application performs a storage operation to a data element within the data set, and the data set provides a signal to a second software application. The system may also include the delivery of acknowledgment signals back to the first software application. Also optionally, the data set may provide the signal to a plurality of software applications.

Abstract: A data driven, multi-dimensional diagnostic method that combines vehicle system test data, vehicle attributes, symptoms, and extrinsic data to produce vehicle system diagnostics. Data are combined according to predetermined equations to yield intermediate diagnostic results. Intermediate diagnostic results are combined recursively according to fixed expressions to produce final diagnostic results relating to the state of the vehicle system under diagnosis. Fixed expressions may be algebraic, Boolean, fuzzy logic, statistical, or relate to an expert system.