Vehicle diagnostic system and procedures with specialized data

Abstract

Vehicle diagnostic system compatible with a vehicle that has a vehicle communication interface (VCI) capable of generating a diagnostic code, wherein the vehicle diagnostic system comprises: a first diagnostic processor in data communication with the VCI; a first memory in data communication with the first diagnostic processor, wherein the first memory stores a first corpus of diagnostic data; a user interface in data communication with the first diagnostic processor; a second diagnostic processor in data communication with the first diagnostic processor, wherein the second diagnostic processor has a second memory which stores a second corpus of diagnostic data; and a special processor in data communication with the second diagnostic processor, wherein the special processor has a special memory which stores a special corpus containing diagnostic data, where the first diagnostic processor is designed to search within the first corpus for a vehicle diagnostic associated with the diagnostic code, The first diagnostic processor is designed to generate an initial request for vehicle diagnostics from the second diagnostic processor in response to the fact that the vehicle diagnostics are not found within the first corpus. The second diagnostic processor is designed to search for a vehicle diagnostic associated with the diagnostic code within the second corpus in response to the first request. The second diagnostic processor is designed to transmit a second request for vehicle diagnostics to the special processor in response to the vehicle diagnostics not being found within the second body, and wherein the special processor is designed to search for the vehicle diagnostics within the special body, wherein the special processor is further designed to transfer the vehicle diagnostics to the second diagnostic processor in response to the second request, and wherein the second diagnostic processor is further designed to transfer the vehicle diagnostics to the first diagnostic processor in response to the first request.

Description

Technical area

[0001] The present disclosure relates to the maintenance of a vehicle including diagnostic procedures. background

[0002] Vehicle diagnostic services are a critical component of modern vehicle maintenance. It is critical to accurately assess a vehicle's operating condition before performing any service, such as maintenance, calibration, or repair. An accurate assessment of the vehicle's condition can guide service personnel to perform the required service tasks efficiently and competently.

[0003] Accurate assessments of vehicle health can require extensive and specialized technical knowledge. Modern vehicles can provide insights into their operating status using electronic data communication. Electronic data can be generated that indicates the vehicle's operating status, such as diagnostic codes associated with the vehicle, a vehicle component, or one of the vehicle systems. Additionally, several factors can complicate the diagnostic process and subsequent repairs. Technicians must be able to obtain vehicle operating data from the vehicle, as well as vehicle identification data, as different manufacturers may use similar or identical operating data or diagnostic codes that have completely different meanings in the context of their respective vehicles.Vehicle operating data can vary from vehicle to vehicle, from component to component, and even from year to year for the same vehicle or components. Additionally, manufacturers may choose to restrict access to some data useful for performing a diagnostic service for privacy, security, or intellectual property reasons. This restricted access data may be desirable because it is intended for emerging technologies or for a newly released vehicle, component, or system. This diagnostic service is further complicated when considering aftermarket components and systems that may behave differently than stock models. Thus, a comprehensive diagnostic service can require both a broad and deep level of technical expertise, which can be expensive to acquire or maintain.

[0004] It would therefore be desirable to have a system that guides a technician or other service personnel and provides access to a wide range of diagnostic data corresponding to a wide spectrum of vehicle types, vehicle components, and vehicle systems that may be encountered. It may also be advantageous to provide the system in such a way that access to the desired diagnostic data can be achieved at a reduced cost. Summary

[0005] One aspect of this disclosure is directed to a vehicle diagnostic system comprising a first diagnostic processor, a first memory, a second diagnostic processor, a second memory, a special purpose processor, and a special purpose memory. The first diagnostic processor is in data communication with a vehicle communication interface (VCI) associated with a vehicle receiving service. The first diagnostic processor is further in data communication with the second diagnostic processor and is operable to retrieve a diagnosis from the second diagnostic processor if the diagnosis is not found in a first corpus associated with the first diagnostic processor. The second diagnostic processor is further in data communication with the special purpose processor and is operable to retrieve the diagnosis from the special purpose processor if the diagnosis is not found in a second corpus associated with the second diagnostic processor.In some embodiments, the first diagnostic processor and the VCI may be in wireless data communication. In some embodiments, a membership status associated with the first diagnostic processor may be used to determine whether access to the contents of the second corpus or a specialty corpus associated with the specialty processor is permitted.

[0006] Another aspect of this disclosure is directed to a method for vehicle repair certification, the method comprising the steps of establishing data communication between a first diagnostic processor and a VCI and searching for a vehicle diagnosis within a first corpus associated with the first diagnostic processor. If a diagnosis is not found within the first corpus, a request may be made to a second diagnostic processor associated with a second corpus to search for the vehicle diagnosis within the second corpus. If the vehicle diagnosis is not found within the second corpus, a request may be made to a special purpose processor associated with a special purpose corpus to search for the vehicle diagnosis within the special purpose corpus.Vehicle diagnostic data may be monitored during the process to determine when a repair related to the vehicle has been properly completed. In response to the proper completion of all repairs, a certification of the repair may be generated by a certification processor. In some embodiments, the certification may be used to initiate payment to the technicians performing the repairs from a third party, such as an insurance company.

[0007] Another aspect of this disclosure is directed to a computer-readable non-transitory storage medium having processor-executable instructions stored thereon that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to perform the steps of a method for vehicle repair certification. The vehicle repair certification method includes the steps of establishing data communication between a first diagnostic processor and a VCI and searching for a vehicle diagnosis within a first corpus associated with the first diagnostic processor. If a diagnosis is not found within the first corpus, a request may be made to a second diagnostic processor associated with a second corpus to search for the vehicle diagnosis within the second corpus.If the vehicle diagnosis is not found within the second corpus, a request may be made to a specialty processor associated with a specialty corpus to search for the vehicle diagnosis within the specialty corpus. Vehicle diagnostic data may be monitored during the process to determine when a repair related to the vehicle has been properly completed. In response to the proper completion of all repairs, a certification of the repair may be generated by a certification processor. In some embodiments, the certification may be used to initiate payment to the technicians performing the repairs from a third party, such as an insurance company.

[0008] The above aspects of this disclosure and other aspects are explained in more detail below with reference to the attached drawings. Short description of the drawings Fig. Figure 1 is a diagrammatic view of a vehicle diagnostic system. Fig. Figure 2 is a flowchart illustrating a vehicle diagnosis and repair certification procedure. Detailed description

[0009] The illustrated embodiments are disclosed with reference to the drawings. It should be understood, however, that the disclosed embodiments are intended to be merely examples that may be embodied in various and alternative forms. The figures are not necessarily to scale, and some features may be exaggerated or minimized to show details of particular components. The specific structural and functional details disclosed are not to be interpreted as limiting, but rather as a representative basis for teaching one skilled in the art how to practice the disclosed concepts.

[0010] Fig. 1 shows a diagrammatic illustration of a vehicle diagnostic system according to an embodiment of the invention. The vehicle diagnostic system is compatible with a vehicle 100 undergoing service. Service may include a diagnostic service, a maintenance service, a repair service, or a combination thereof. In the teachings herein, service is to be understood as including at least one diagnostic service for generating a diagnosis of a subject vehicle, such as vehicle 100, but other embodiments may include different or additional combinations of service without departing from the teachings disclosed herein. Vehicle 100 further includes a vehicle communications interface (VCI) 101. VCI 101 is configured to provide data communication between a processor associated with the vehicle and external devices, including diagnostic devices.In the illustrated embodiment, the VCI 101 may include a wireless connection port in data communication with a controller area network (CAN) bus of the vehicle 100. Other embodiments may include other suitable configurations, such as a wired connection to the CAN bus, a specialized head unit processor within the vehicle 100, a removable dongle conforming to an onboard diagnostic (OBD) protocol, or any other suitable interface for the vehicle 100 known to one of ordinary skill in the art without departing from the teachings disclosed herein.

[0011] The VCI 101 is operable to generate vehicle data useful for servicing the vehicle 100. The vehicle data may include vehicle ID data that identifies characteristics of the vehicle 100, such as the make, model, and year of manufacture. The vehicle data may further include additional operational data detailing the operating behavior of various components of the vehicle 100. The operational data may include diagnostic codes, with each generated diagnostic code associated with a particular condition of the vehicle 100. In the illustrated embodiment, the diagnostic codes may correspond to a diagnostic trouble code (DTC) protocol, but other embodiments may utilize different protocols without departing from the teachings disclosed herein.It is advantageous that the diagnostic data further includes the vehicle ID data, since similar or identical codes may be used by different vehicle manufacturers, and having the associated vehicle ID data advantageously uniquely defines the conditions of the vehicle 100.

[0012] The vehicle diagnostic system further includes a diagnostic device 102 in data communication with the VCI 101. The diagnostic device 102 can be used by a user when performing service. In the illustrated embodiment, the diagnostic device 102 can include a tablet computing device in wireless data communication with the VCI 101, but other embodiments can include other configurations without departing from the teachings disclosed herein.In some such embodiments, the diagnostic device 102 may be embodied as a mobile processing device, a smartphone, a laptop computer, a wearable computing device, a desktop computer, a personal digital assistant (PDA) device, a handheld processor device, a specialized processor device, a system of processors distributed over a network, a system of processors configured in wired or wireless communication, or any other embodiment known to one of ordinary skill in the art.

[0013] The diagnostic device 102 includes a first diagnostic processor 103 and a first memory 105. The first memory 105 may include a first corpus of diagnostic data suitable for use in diagnosing the condition of the vehicle 100 based on the generated vehicle data. The first corpus may include a set of general-purpose diagnostic data for comparison with the vehicle data. If a match is found for the vehicle data within the first corpus, the diagnostic device 102 may generate a message to a user describing an associated diagnosis of the vehicle and present it to the user via a human-machine interface (HMI) 107 of the diagnostic device 102. The HMI 107 includes outputs for the user to receive information from the diagnostic device 102 and inputs for the user to generate commands and requests for the system to use in operation.In the illustrated embodiment, the HMI 107 includes a combination of inputs including hardware buttons, soft keys, and a touchscreen display. Other embodiments may utilize additional inputs or other forms of input without departing from the teachings disclosed herein, such as voice input, haptic or pressure input, a computer mouse, keyboard, or any other form of processor input device known to one of ordinary skill in the art. In the illustrated embodiment, the HMI 107 includes a combination of outputs including the touchscreen display and auditory outputs such as speakers.Other embodiments may utilize additional outputs or other forms of output without departing from the teachings disclosed herein, such as external displays, wireless communication devices, audio transducers, haptic feedback components, or other output devices known to one of ordinary skill in the art.

[0014] In the illustrated embodiment, the first diagnostic processor 103 is in data communication with the VCI 101 via a wireless connection. This connection allows for the exchange of data and commands between the first diagnostic processor 103 and the VCI 101, such as the exchange of vehicle data and the results of the diagnostic operation of the first diagnostic processor 103. If a diagnostic result is not found within the first corpus, an error message may be generated and output via the HMI 107. In response to the diagnostic result not being found within the first corpus, the first diagnostic processor 103 may then initiate contact with external devices that may provide additional or different corpora of diagnostic data.

[0015] In the illustrated embodiment, the first corpus may consist of a broad set of diagnostic data suitable for general use in a service facility, but may include some restrictions. The restrictions of the first corpus may include incomplete information regarding certain vehicle makes, certain vehicle models, certain years of manufacture for some vehicle models, certain systems within the vehicle, specific DTCs, or proprietary information that generally cannot be obtained without special permits or licenses. In some embodiments, restrictions of the first corpus may be related to a membership status of the user associated with the diagnostic device 102, where active memberships or memberships of a certain level have direct access to certain sections of the first corpus that other users may not be allowed to access.The first memory 105 may include additional information indicating to the first diagnostic processor 103 any known limitations of the first corpus with respect to the diagnostic data stored thereon. This additional information may inform how the first diagnostic processor 103 should proceed in response to determining that the first corpus does not include a match for the vehicle data. In response to not successfully finding a vehicle diagnostic within the first corpus, the first diagnostic processor 103 may generate a first request to be transmitted to external devices to search for a suitable vehicle diagnostic outside the first corpus.

[0016] The first diagnostic processor 103 is in data communication with a wireless access point (WAP) 109. The WAP 109 is also in data communication with additional external devices and can act as a data waylay for the diagnostic device 102 and the external devices. In the illustrated embodiment, the WAP 109 can optionally be in wireless data communication with the VCI 101 or other components of the vehicle 100, but some embodiments may not include such connectivity without departing from the teachings disclosed herein.

[0017] The WAP 109 may be configured to communicate wirelessly via one or more of an RF (radio frequency) specification, cellular telephone channels (analog or digital), cellular data channels, a Bluetooth specification, a Wi-Fi specification, a satellite transceiver specification, infrared transmission, a Zigbee specification, a local area network (LAN), a wireless local area network (WLAN), or any other configuration, protocol, or standard known to one of ordinary skill in the art. In some embodiments, the WAP 109 may include a combination of wireless connectivity with some devices, such as the diagnostic device 102, but wired connectivity with other external devices.In some embodiments, this arrangement may optimize the stability of data communication between the WAP 109 and external devices, while also optimizing the usability of the diagnostic device 102 by the user within a facility. In some embodiments, the WAP 109 may instead be replaced by an access point that includes only wired connectivity and no wireless connectivity, without departing from the teachings disclosed herein.In any embodiments utilizing wired connectivity, the associated access point may be configured to communicate wirelessly via one or more of an RF (radio frequency) specification, cellular telephone channels (analog or digital), cellular data channels, a Bluetooth specification, a WiFi specification, a satellite transceiver specification, infrared transmission, a Zigbee specification, a local area network (LAN), a wireless local area network (WLAN), or any other configuration, protocol, or standard known to one of ordinary skill in the art.

[0018] In some embodiments, the diagnostic device 102 may be in direct data communication with external devices without relying on a WAP 109 without departing from the teachings disclosed herein.

[0019] In the illustrated embodiment, the WAP 109 is additionally in data communication with a diagnostic server 110, wherein the diagnostic server 110 includes a second diagnostic processor 111 and a second memory 113. The second memory 113 may include a second corpus of diagnostic data suitable for use in diagnosing the condition of the vehicle 100 based on the generated vehicle data. The second corpus includes at least some data stored therein that is distinct from data found within the first corpus. By way of example and without limitation, the second corpus may include specialized data associated with particular vehicle systems, particular vehicle makes, particular vehicle models, particular vehicle years, aftermarket components, proprietary data, or a combination thereof without departing from the teachings disclosed herein.

[0020] A vehicle diagnosis corresponding to the vehicle data may be searched within the second corpus in response to the first request generated by the first diagnostic processor 103, which transmits the first request to the second diagnostic processor 111 via the WAP 109. The second diagnostic processor 111 may search for a vehicle diagnosis within the second corpus in response to receiving the first request. If a vehicle diagnosis is found, it may be passed back to the diagnostic device 102 via the WAP 109. If no vehicle diagnosis is found within the second corpus, the second diagnostic processor 111 may generate an error message to be transmitted back to the diagnostic device 102 via the WAP 109 and output to the user via the HMI 107.

[0021] Some or all of the data within the second corpus may be restricted to a restricted access condition with membership requirements. Restricted access data may be authorized by a membership status associated with the diagnostic device 102 that originated the first request. The membership status is compared to one or more requirements that determine whether the diagnostic device 102 can access some or all of the diagnostic data within the second corpus. If the associated membership status of the diagnostic device 102 meets or exceeds the requirement or requirements, the data within the second corpus may be accessed.The membership status may be based on a payment status of a subscription, degree, or certification achieved by the user of the diagnostic device 102, a professional association with a particular third party (such as an insurance company), an authorization provided by the operator of the diagnostic server 110, or any other membership status known to one of ordinary skill in the art without departing from the teachings disclosed herein. In the illustrated embodiment, a user with insufficient membership status may receive a message from the diagnostic server 110 indicating their insufficient membership status to access the desired data in the second corpus. This message or another message may additionally offer the user an opportunity to upgrade their membership status to obtain the necessary data.In the illustrated embodiment, the membership status may be upgraded using a subscription model in which the user has access to the restricted data as long as a recurring payment is received. In the illustrated embodiment, the user may be provided with the option for ad-hoc authorization of the membership status upgrade, granting them immediate access to the restricted data with a limited term for a reduced cost compared to a regular ongoing subscription. By way of example and without limitation, the ad-hoc authorization may authorize the user to download the subsection of the second corpus specifically corresponding to the vehicle diagnostic associated with the first request from the second storage 113 to the first storage 105.This download may be a permanent addition to the first corpus or may be available only for review for a limited period after download, without departing from the teachings disclosed herein. The limited period may be based on an absolute measure of time (e.g., up to 72 hours after initiating the ad hoc upgrade), a limited number of accesses or downloads of the data (e.g., 10 downloads or 10 file accesses), or until another condition is met (e.g., access is available until a third party certifies that a repair associated with the first request has been properly completed for vehicle 100). After the limited period, the membership upgrade may expire, and additional access to the data may require another membership upgrade, either through subscription or ad hoc authorization.Ad hoc authorizations may grant access to the entire second corpus or only specific subsections thereof. In the illustrated embodiment, different ad hoc authorizations may be available to the user, providing different levels of access to the second corpus. In some embodiments, permanent access to subsections of the second corpus may be offered on a piecemeal or "à la carte" basis. Piecemeal authorization for access to the subsections of the second corpus may allow users to permanently download associated subsections to storage 105 for permanent inclusion in the first corpus, or may grant users a membership status that allows ongoing access to the respective subsections of the second corpus.In some embodiments, piecemeal access to the subsections of the second corpus may not involve any additional updates to the second corpus after a predetermined time from the date the piecemeal authorization is initiated. In the illustrated embodiment, all of these options for adjusting the membership status associated with the first diagnostic device 102 may be available to the user, but other embodiments may include other or different combinations of membership status options without departing from the teachings disclosed herein.

[0022] In practice, the second corpus may include less frequently used diagnostic data than that found in the first corpus. In such embodiments, the diagnostic server 110 may provide infrequent access to the second corpus for multiple diagnostic devices 102 using the WAP 109, or perhaps for multiple WAPs 109 located in separate facilities, with each of the WAPs 109 providing access to one or more diagnostic devices 102. In embodiments with multiple diagnostic devices 102, each first request will be associated with a particular one of the multiple diagnostic devices 102 that generated it, and the results of the vehicle diagnostic search will be returned from the diagnostic server 110 to the associated diagnostic device 102. In such embodiments, membership status data may be applied to individual users associated with a particular WAP 109 (e.g.,a specialized technician with specific certifications compared to other technicians working at the same facility), or the membership status may be shared membership statuses applied to some or all of the first diagnostic devices 102 associated with one or more of the WAPs 109 (e.g., a group license that allows multiple technicians working for the same company to operate their first diagnostic devices 102 at multiple locations without having their functions disrupted due to location changes). In the illustrated embodiment, shared membership statuses may be offered at a discount compared to the same number of individual membership statuses applied to each of the associated first diagnostic devices 102.In such embodiments, it is expected that fewer than all associated devices covered by the shared membership status will request the same diagnostic data from the second corpus simultaneously. In practice, a predetermined limited number of users may concurrently access the same subsection of the second corpus under the same shared membership status. If multiple users attempt to access the same subsection of the second corpus concurrently, the second diagnostic processor may create a queue of users associated with the subsection of the second corpus. Users may be added to the queue while accessing the data and may be removed from the queue after completing their access.If the queue of users exceeds the predetermined limit, any users added to the queue after the predetermined limit is reached will have restricted access until a previous user terminates their access to the data. In some embodiments, the second diagnostic processor 111 may generate a message for users requesting whether they wish to upgrade or adjust their shared membership status to expand the predetermined limit of concurrent users. Upgrading or adjusting the shared membership status may take the form of the subscription, ad hoc, or piecemeal access models disclosed above.In the illustrated embodiment, all of these options may be available to users, but other embodiments may include different or additional options or combinations of options without departing from the teachings disclosed herein.

[0023] In some cases, users may not be able to successfully locate the desired vehicle diagnostic in the second corpus. In such cases, the vehicle 100 may comprise a very new or experimental design with associated diagnostic data that is not generally available except from select specialized vendors. Such specialized vendors may be the original manufacturer of a vehicle, the original manufacturer of a specific vehicle component or system, an entity that holds an exclusive license to provide the particular vehicle diagnostic data, or perhaps a technical support service that specializes in rare or discontinued vehicles or components that are otherwise no longer supported by other service providers. In such cases, the desired vehicle diagnostic associated with the vehicle operating data may not even be available in the second corpus.In such cases, the second diagnostic processor 111 may generate a second request to one of a number of special purpose servers 114 associated with a particular special purpose provider. Each of the special purpose servers 114 includes at least one special purpose processor 115 and a special purpose memory 117, wherein each of the special purpose memories 117 includes a special purpose corpus with vehicle diagnostic data stored therein. The vehicle diagnostic data stored in a special purpose corpus may include data relating to very new, experimental, prototype, or development vehicles or components. Some special purpose corpora may consist partially or entirely of data protected with licenses or other legal restrictions. In practice, it is expected that each of the special purpose corpora can only be accessed based on a particular membership status specified by the operator of the associated special purpose server 114.

[0024] In such arrangements, the membership statuses required for accessing the special corpora may be arranged in one or more of the ways described above with respect to accessing the second corpus. In practice, the associated membership status may be associated with the diagnostic server 110 as well as with any individual diagnostic device 102. In arrangements where the membership status is associated with the diagnostic server 110, the diagnostic server 110 may "lease" its access to one or more of the special corpora to a diagnostic device 102 in exchange for a fee. This fee may be paid using one or more of the subscription, ad hoc, or piecemeal membership status models as described above with respect to the second corpus. Typically, access to the special corpora is expensive.When membership statuses are applied to the diagnostic server 110, the diagnostic server 110 may provide indirect access to the specialized corpora for the individual diagnostic devices 102 as part of a membership plan. In such a plan, the operators of the diagnostic server 110 may pay the expensive costs of continuous access to one or more specialized corpora and offer limited access to the one or more specialized corpora for users of the diagnostic devices 102 in exchange for a lower cost.In such situations, users of the diagnostic devices 102 benefit because they each pay lower costs in exchange for only the particular access to the second corpus or special corpora applicable to their work, while the operator of the diagnostic device benefits because the majority of users of the diagnostic device 102 effectively subsidize the costs of accessing the special corpora if their collective lower fees are higher than the combined fees associated with accessing each of the special corpora.

[0025] Access to the specialized corpora or subsections thereof may be restricted by the membership status associated with an individual diagnostic device 102 in the same manner as applied above with respect to access to the second corpus or subsections thereof. Adjustments and upgrades to the membership status may be made with respect to access to one or more specialized corpora in the same manner as applied above with respect to adjustments and upgrades to the membership status associated with access to the second corpus.Concurrent access to a special-purpose corpus, or a subset thereof, may be limited using user queues created by an associated special-purpose processor 115 in a similar manner as disclosed above with respect to queues created by the second diagnostic processor 111 to limit concurrent access to the second corpus. In the illustrated embodiment, any of these access limitations or restrictions may be implemented in combination, but other embodiments may include other combinations without departing from the teachings disclosed herein.

[0026] Once a vehicle diagnosis is found in either the second corpus or one of the special corpora, the vehicle diagnosis is returned to the diagnostic device 102 associated with the transmission of the associated first request. In the event that a vehicle diagnosis cannot be found in the second corpus or in any of the special corpora, a fault indication may be generated and transmitted to the associated diagnostic device 102 that generated the associated first request. In such cases, the associated diagnostic device 102 may present the fault indication to the user via the HMI 107.

[0027] In the illustrated embodiment, the diagnostic device 102 may be in regular or continuous communication with the VCI 101. In such cases, the associated vehicle data may be updated regularly or continuously in response to changes in the conditions of the vehicle 100. For example, the vehicle data may be updated to no longer contain a DTC in response to the completion of an associated service task. Service tasks may include one or more of a maintenance task, a repair task, a calibration task, a diagnostic task, or any other service intended to ensure proper and safe operation of the vehicle 100 or one or more of its associated components or systems.While the vehicle data is being updated in response to the completion of the service tasks, an external party may be contacted with information about the progress of the service tasks desired with respect to the vehicle 100. In the illustrated embodiment, the external party may include a certification server 119 in data communication with the diagnostic device 102. In the illustrated embodiment, the certification server 119 is in data communication with the diagnostic device 102 via the WAP 109, but other embodiments may include other arrangements without departing from the teachings disclosed herein.

[0028] In response to the completion of a service task, a diagnostic device 102 may transmit a work record comprising vehicle data, changes to the vehicle data, one or more vehicle diagnostics, or additional data to the certification server for verification of the service task. The additional data may include work logs, schematic diagrams, image data, audio data, or video data representing the operating state of the vehicle 100 before and after performing a service task associated with a vehicle diagnosis. In the illustrated embodiment, the additional data may represent the operating state of the vehicle 100 at one or more stages during service task performance without departing from the teachings disclosed herein. Once the work record has been transmitted to the certification server 119, the work record may be verified.The work record review may be performed by a human technical expert or may be performed autonomously by a processor that compares the vehicle data generated before and after the associated service task is performed. If the work record review is complete and the work is rated as satisfactory, the certification server 119 generates a certification indicator documenting the successful completion of the associated service task.

[0029] The certification server 119 may generate one or more of a number of different certification indicators, each of the certification indicators being associated with a particular service task. A repair certification indicator indicates successful completion of a repair task that restores proper functional operation of the vehicle, a component of the vehicle, or a system of the vehicle. A maintenance certification indicator indicates successful completion of a maintenance task that preserves proper functional operation of the vehicle, a component of the vehicle, or a system of the vehicle. A calibration certification indicator indicates successful completion of a calibration service task that restores or preserves proper functional operation of a component of the vehicle or a system of the vehicle.A diagnostic certification indicator indicates successful completion of a diagnostic service task that confirms the current functional operation of the vehicle, a vehicle component, or a vehicle system. A safety certification indicator indicates successful completion of a service task associated with a vehicle safety feature. A regulatory certification indicator indicates successful completion of a maintenance task associated with a vehicle function required by a government for the legal operation of the vehicle. Other certification indicators may be used in place of, or in combination with, one or more of these listed certification indicators without departing from the teachings disclosed herein.

[0030] Once generated, the one or more certification indicators may be transmitted from the certification server 119 to the diagnostic device 102. The one or more certification indicators may be used to document the operational status and service history of the vehicle 100. The operational status and service history of the vehicle 100 may be stored in a memory, such as the first memory 105 or any other memory, without departing from the teachings disclosed herein. The certification indicators may be used by local governments to document that the vehicle 100 meets the criteria for an emissions test, a safety inspection, or other vehicle functional evaluation necessary for legal operation on public roads.The certification indicators can be used by insurance companies to document the completion of service tasks before payment is transferred to service personnel working on the vehicle 100. The certification indicators can be compiled into a vehicle history that is useful to a person interested in selling or purchasing the vehicle 100. These cases are listed as examples and not as limitations, and other uses of the certification indicators can be implemented without departing from the teachings disclosed herein.

[0031] The transfer of vehicle data, vehicle diagnostics, work records, and other data between elements of the vehicle diagnostic system can involve large data files containing potentially sensitive information. Therefore, the transfer of this data may be implemented using specialized data protocols specifically designed for transferring these combinations of data. In the illustrated embodiment, the vehicle diagnostic system may utilize data communication conforming to a J2534 protocol. A J2534 protocol utilizes proprietary data formatting that optimizes packet size and also encrypts the data to help maintain the confidentiality of the data during transmission.A J2534 protocol may be specifically configured to optimize the search and transmission of vehicle diagnostic data within the first corpus, the second corpus, or one or more of the specialty corpora containing such data. In the illustrated embodiment, a J2534 protocol may be used for all transmissions between the diagnostic device 102 and the WAP 109, the WAP 109 and the diagnostic server 110, the diagnostic server 110 and any of the specialty servers 114, or the WAP 109 and the certification server 119. In the illustrated embodiment, a J2534 protocol may be used in at least some transmissions between the diagnostic device 102 and the VCI 101. In some embodiments, the diagnostic device 102 may not rely on the WAP 109 for data communication between the diagnostic server 110 or the certification server 119.In such embodiments, the diagnostic device 102 may utilize a J2534 protocol in at least some communications with the diagnostic server 110 and / or the certification server 119. In some embodiments, the system may allow users to optionally utilize a J2534 protocol. The optional use of a J2534 protocol may advantageously improve compatibility with legacy or specialized devices in data communications with one or more elements of the vehicle diagnostic system. In some embodiments, different exchanges of data within the system may utilize different transmission protocols in combination without departing from the teachings disclosed herein.

[0032] Fig. 2 is a flowchart illustrating a method for operating a vehicle diagnostic system. The illustrated method may be performed using one or more processors. In some embodiments, the method may be described as a series of processor-executable instructions stored on a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium that, when read by a processor, cause the processor to perform the steps of the method described herein. In the illustrated embodiment, the method generates a vehicle diagnostic for a vehicle having a vehicle communications interface (VCI) operable for data communication with the system performing the method. In the illustrated embodiment, the method may be implemented by the method described in Fig. 1, but other implementations may be implemented without departing from the teachings disclosed herein.

[0033] The method therefore begins at step 200, where data communication is established between a first diagnostic processor and the VCI. The first diagnostic processor may be embodied within a computing device, such as the first diagnostic device 102 (see Fig. 1), but other embodiments may include other implementations without departing from the teachings disclosed herein. The data communication may be established using a wireless connection or a wired connection without departing from the teachings disclosed herein. After data communication is established between the first diagnostic processor and the VCI, the method proceeds to step 202, where vehicle data is requested from the VCI. The requested vehicle data provides operational data indicating the operating condition of the vehicle, as well as vehicle ID data. The operational data may include diagnostic codes, such as diagnostic trouble codes (DTCs), that correspond to specific operating conditions of the vehicle, a component of the vehicle, or a system of the vehicle. The vehicle provides identification information of the vehicle, such as the make, model, and year of manufacture of the vehicle.The vehicle ID data may additionally provide identification data for aftermarket modifications or other customizations of the vehicle, its components, or its systems.

[0034] The first diagnostic processor is associated with a first corpus of vehicle diagnostics. The vehicle data from the VCI may be compared with the contents of the first corpus to search for a vehicle diagnostic with the first corpus at step 204. If a match is found at step 206, the method may proceed to step 208 and return the vehicle diagnostic to the user for output. The output may include a visual component, an audio component, a video component, a haptic component, or a combination thereof for output to the user via a human-machine interface (HMI). The user may interact with the HMI to determine the vehicle diagnostics applicable to the vehicle to successfully complete a service action.

[0035] If no vehicle diagnosis is found, the method instead proceeds to step 210, where the vehicle data is used to find a vehicle diagnosis in a second corpus having at least a portion thereof that differs from the contents of the first corpus. In the illustrated embodiment, at least some portions of the second corpus may include restricted access portions that require authorization tied to a membership status of the user. Before comparing the vehicle data to the second corpus, a membership status of the associated user is checked at step 212 to determine if the user has sufficient status to access the second corpus or required portions thereof. If the user does not have sufficient membership status, a message indicating this may be generated and returned to the user at step 214.The system may additionally offer an opportunity for the user to upgrade their membership status at step 216. Membership upgrades may be achieved according to any authorization method known in the art, such as those described above in . Fig. 1 with respect to access to the diagnostic server 110 or a special-purpose server 114. Other embodiments may include other authorization methods without departing from the teachings disclosed herein.

[0036] If the user declines the membership status upgrade, the method proceeds to step 218 and generates an indication that the diagnostic procedure returned an unsuccessful result. In this case, the indication may specify that the diagnosis was not obtained because the user is not authorized to access the additional information within the second corpus. As illustrated, the method ends upon reaching step 218. In the illustrated embodiment, steps 212, 214, and 216 form a first membership loop used to address insufficient membership status for accessing the second corpus. In the illustrated embodiment, the first membership loop is initiated after step 210, when the system first initiates access to the second corpus.Other embodiments may instead initiate the first membership loop before initiating contact with the second corpus at step 210 without departing from the teachings disclosed herein. Other embodiments may optionally omit the first membership loop without departing from the teachings disclosed herein.

[0037] If the user has or acquires sufficient membership status to access the second corpus, the method proceeds to step 220, where the contents of the second corpus are searched for a suitable vehicle diagnosis. If a suitable diagnosis is found, the method proceeds to step 208, where the vehicle diagnosis is returned to the user.

[0038] If no suitable vehicle diagnosis is found, the method proceeds to step 222, where the vehicle data is used to find a vehicle diagnosis in a specialized corpus having at least a portion thereof that differs from the contents of the first corpus and the second corpus. In the illustrated embodiment, at least some portions of the specialized corpus may include restricted access portions that require authorization tied to a membership status of the user. Before comparing the vehicle data with the second corpus, a membership status of the associated user is checked at step 224 to determine whether the user has sufficient status to access the specialized corpus or required portions thereof.If the user does not have sufficient membership status, a message indicating this may be generated and returned to the user at step 226. The system may additionally offer the user an opportunity to upgrade their membership status at step 228. Membership upgrades may be achieved according to any authorization method known in the art, such as those described above. Fig. 1 with respect to access to the diagnostic server 110 or a special-purpose server 114. Other embodiments may include other authorization methods without departing from the teachings disclosed herein.

[0039] If the user declines the membership status upgrade, the method proceeds to step 218 and generates an indication that the diagnostic procedure returned an unsuccessful result. In this case, the indication may specify that the diagnosis was not obtained because the user is not authorized to access the additional information within the special corpus. As illustrated, the method ends after reaching step 218. In the illustrated embodiment, steps 224, 226, and 228 form a second membership loop used to address insufficient membership status for accessing the special corpus. In the illustrated embodiment, the second membership loop is initiated after step 222, when the system first initiates access to the special corpus.Other embodiments may instead initiate the second membership loop before initiating contact with the special corpus at step 210 without departing from the teachings disclosed herein. Other embodiments may optionally omit the special membership loop without departing from the teachings disclosed herein.

[0040] If the user has or obtains sufficient membership status to access the second corpus, the method proceeds to step 230, where the contents of the special corpus are searched for a suitable vehicle diagnosis. If a suitable diagnosis is found, the method proceeds to step 208, where the vehicle diagnosis is returned to the user.

[0041] If a suitable diagnosis is still not found in step 230, the method proceeds to step 218 and generates an indication that the diagnostic method was unsuccessful because the vehicle data cannot be accommodated by the combined contents of the first corpus, the second corpus, and the special corpus. As shown, the method ends after reaching step 218.

[0042] In the illustrated embodiment, the method is presented with reference to a single special corpora associated with step 222. In some embodiments, multiple special corpora may be contemplated, each of the special corpora having a membership status requirement. In such embodiments, each of the special corpora may have a unique membership status requirement for access, or some or all of the special corpora may share a membership status requirement without departing from the teachings disclosed herein. In embodiments having a plurality of special corpora, selection of one or more special corpora comprising appropriate diagnostic data may be assisted at step 222 by analysis of the vehicle data.

[0043] In some embodiments, the method may end after reaching step 208. In other embodiments, such as the illustrated embodiment, the method may proceed to additional steps. In the illustrated embodiment, after returning the vehicle diagnostics to the first diagnostic processor at step 208, the method may proceed to step 234, where the vehicle data is updated and monitored while service tasks are performed for the vehicle by a user of the diagnostic device. Upon completion of a service task, the vehicle data may be updated, and step 234 may be initiated to determine if the vehicle data indicates that any remaining repairs or service tasks are required for the vehicle.If the updated vehicle data still includes a need for additional service tasks, the method returns to step 234 to perform another check for another update of the vehicle data in response to completion of an additional service task. If no additional service tasks are needed, the method may proceed to step 236, where a certification of completion of the service tasks may be generated. In the illustrated embodiment, the method ends after reaching step 236. In other embodiments, steps 234 and 236 may be optional or omitted without departing from the teachings of the method disclosed herein.

[0044] The certification generated at step 236 may be revoked by the user or external entities for reasons such as those described above with respect to the certification server 119 (see Fig.1) may be used. Other certification processes or results may be used in addition to, in combination with, or instead of those disclosed above without departing from the teachings disclosed herein.

[0045] Although exemplary embodiments are described above, these embodiments are not intended to describe all possible forms of the disclosed device and method. Instead, the words used in the specification are words of description rather than limitation, and it is understood that various changes may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the disclosure as claimed. The features of various implementing embodiments may be combined to form further embodiments of the disclosed concepts.

Claims

[1] A vehicle diagnostic system compatible with a vehicle having a vehicle communication interface (VCI) operable to generate a diagnostic code, the vehicle diagnostic system comprising: a first diagnostic processor in data communication with the VCI; a first memory in data communication with the first diagnostic processor, the first memory storing thereon a first corpus of diagnostic data; a user interface in data communication with the first diagnostic processor; a second diagnostic processor in data communication with the first diagnostic processor, the second diagnostic processor having a second memory storing thereon a second corpus of diagnostic data; and a special processor in data communication with the second diagnostic processor, the special processor having a special memory storing thereon a special corpus of diagnostic data, wherein the first diagnostic processor is configured to search for a vehicle diagnosis associated with the diagnostic code within the first corpus, the first diagnostic processor is configured to generate a first request for the vehicle diagnosis from the second diagnostic processor in response to the vehicle diagnosis not being found within the first corpus, the second diagnostic processor is configured to search for a vehicle diagnosis associated with the diagnostic code within the second corpus in response to the first request, the second diagnostic processor is configured to transmit a second request for the vehicle diagnosis to the special-purpose processor in response to the vehicle diagnosis not being found within the second corpus, and wherein the special purpose processor is configured to search for the vehicle diagnosis within the special purpose corpus, wherein the special purpose processor is further configured to transmit the vehicle diagnosis to the second diagnostic processor in response to the second request, and wherein the second diagnostic processor is further configured to transmit the vehicle diagnosis to the first diagnostic processor in response to the first request. [2] The vehicle diagnostic system of claim 1, wherein the second diagnostic processor is further configured to transmit a payment authorization request to the first diagnostic processor in response to the vehicle diagnostic not being found within the second corpus, and wherein the second diagnostic processor is configured to delay the second request until a payment authorization is generated by the user interface in response to the payment authorization request. [3] The vehicle diagnostic system of claim 1, wherein the special purpose processor is further configured to generate an error message and transmit the error message to the second diagnostic processor in response to the vehicle diagnosis not being found within the special purpose corpus, and wherein the second diagnostic processor is further configured to transmit the error message to the first diagnostic processor in response to receiving the error message from the special purpose processor. [4] The vehicle diagnostic system of claim 1, wherein the first memory includes a membership status stored thereon, the membership status indicating from which of the second corpus and the special corpus the first diagnostic processor is permitted to receive data. [5] The vehicle diagnostic system of claim 4, wherein the first diagnostic processor is further configured to generate a membership upgrade request and transmit the membership upgrade request to the user interface in response to the vehicle diagnostic not being found within the first corpus, and the membership status indicates that the first diagnostic processor is not permitted to receive data from the second corpus. [6] The vehicle diagnostic system of claim 4, wherein the first diagnostic processor is further configured to generate a membership upgrade request and transmit the authorization update request in response to the vehicle diagnostic not being found within the second corpus, and the membership status indicates that the first diagnostic processor is not permitted to receive data from the special corpus. [7] The vehicle diagnostic system of claim 1, further comprising a wireless access point, wherein data communication between the first diagnostic processor and the VCI is achieved using the wireless access point. [8] The vehicle diagnostic system of claim 7, wherein the VCI is in data communication with the second diagnostic processor using the wireless access point. [9] The vehicle diagnostic system of claim 1, wherein the data communication between the first diagnostic processor and the second diagnostic processor uses a J2534 protocol. [10] The vehicle diagnostic system of claim 1, further comprising a certification server in data communication with the first diagnostic processor and the VCI, wherein the first diagnostic processor is configured to generate a completion code in response to the completion of a repair on the vehicle that addresses the diagnostic code, the certification server is configured to receive the diagnostic code from the VCI, the certification server is further configured to receive the completion code, confirm that the VCI is no longer generating the diagnostic code, and generate a certification code indicating that the VCI is no longer generating the diagnostic code. [11] A vehicle repair certification procedure, the procedure comprising: Establishing data communication between a first diagnostic processor and a vehicle communication interface (VCI) of a vehicle; Requesting, by the first diagnostic processor, vehicle data from the VCI, wherein the vehicle data includes vehicle brand information and a diagnostic code; Transferring the vehicle data from the VCI to the first diagnostic processor; searching a vehicle diagnosis within a first corpus of diagnostic data associated with the first diagnostic processor; generating a first request from the first diagnostic processor to a second diagnostic processor in response to the vehicle diagnosis not being found within the first corpus, the first request comprising the vehicle data; searching the vehicle diagnosis within a second corpus of diagnostic data associated with the second diagnostic processor in response to the first request; generating a second request from the second diagnostic processor to a special purpose processor in response to the vehicle diagnostic not being found within the second corpus, the second request comprising the vehicle data; searching the vehicle diagnostic within a special purpose corpus of diagnostic data associated with the special purpose processor in response to the second request; Returning the vehicle diagnosis to the first diagnostic processor for output via a human-machine interface; Requesting, by the first diagnostic processor, updated vehicle data from the VCI in response to receiving a user input from the human-machine interface indicating completion of a repair associated with the vehicle diagnosis; and Generating a repair certification indicator associated with the diagnostic code in response to the updated vehicle data missing the diagnostic code. [12] The method for vehicle repair certification of claim 11, further comprising generating, by the special purpose processor, an error message and transmitting the error message from the special purpose processor to the first diagnostic processor in response to the vehicle diagnosis not being found within the special purpose corpus. [13] The vehicle repair certification method of claim 11, wherein generating a repair certification indicator further comprises transmitting the updated vehicle data to a certification processor. [14] The vehicle repair certification method of claim 11, further comprising initiating a payment transaction after generating the repair certification indicator, wherein the payment transaction is performed between a payment account associated with the certification processor and a receiving account associated with the first diagnostic processor. [15] The vehicle repair certification method of claim 11, wherein generating the first request further comprises searching for a membership status associated with the first diagnostic processor and generating a membership upgrade request in response to the membership status indicating that the first diagnostic processor is not permitted to receive data from the second corpus. [16] The vehicle repair certification method of claim 15, wherein generating the second request further comprises searching for a membership status associated with the first diagnostic processor and generating a membership upgrade request in response to the membership status indicating that the first diagnostic processor is not permitted to receive data from the special corpus. [17] The vehicle repair certification method of claim 15, wherein generating the second request further comprises searching for a membership status associated with the second diagnostic processor and generating a membership upgrade request in response to the membership status indicating that the second diagnostic processor is not permitted to receive data from the special corpus. [18] A computer-readable non-transitory storage medium having stored thereon processor-executable instructions which, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to perform the following steps: Establishing data communication between a first diagnostic processor and a vehicle communication interface (VCI) of a vehicle; Requesting, by the first diagnostic processor, vehicle data from the VCI, wherein the vehicle data includes vehicle brand information and a diagnostic code; Transferring the vehicle data from the VCI to the first diagnostic processor; searching a vehicle diagnosis within a first corpus of diagnostic data associated with the first diagnostic processor; generating a first request from the first diagnostic processor to a second diagnostic processor in response to the vehicle diagnosis not being found within the first corpus, the first request comprising the vehicle data; searching the vehicle diagnosis within a second corpus of diagnostic data associated with the second diagnostic processor in response to the first request; generating a second request from the second diagnostic processor to a special purpose processor in response to the vehicle diagnostic not being found within the second corpus, the second request comprising the vehicle data; searching the vehicle diagnostic within a special purpose corpus of diagnostic data associated with the special purpose processor in response to the second request; Returning the vehicle diagnosis to the first diagnostic processor for output via a human-machine interface; Requesting, by the first diagnostic processor, updated vehicle data from the VCI in response to receiving a user input from the human-machine interface indicating completion of a repair associated with the vehicle diagnosis; and Generating a repair certification indicator associated with the diagnostic code in response to the updated vehicle data missing the diagnostic code. [19] The computer-readable non-transitory storage medium of claim 18, further comprising processor-executable instructions stored thereon that, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to control the special purpose processor to generate and transmit from the special purpose processor to the first diagnostic processor an error message in response to the vehicle diagnostic not being found within the special purpose corpus.

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