Vehicle diagnostic operations

Abstract

The present disclosure provides a vehicle diagnostic system. A system includes a processor and a memory. The memory stores instructions executable by the processor to identify diagnostic conditions and specify operating modes for vehicle components based on a vehicle destination. The vehicle components include at least one of vehicle propulsion, braking, and steering. The memory stores instructions executable by the processor to operate the vehicle based on the vehicle components and the operating mode.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present disclosure relates to a system and method for vehicle diagnostic operations of vehicle components. Background Art

[0002] Vehicle components such as actuators, sensors, and controllers may become inoperable, which could impair vehicle operation. Vehicle computers can perform diagnostic operations to detect malfunctions or failures in vehicle components. However, vehicle diagnostic tests can be affected by the environment and / or vehicle conditions. Summary of the Invention

[0003] Disclosed herein is a system including a processor and a memory storing instructions executable by the processor to identify a diagnostic condition and a designated operating mode for a vehicle component based on a vehicle destination, and to operate the vehicle based on the vehicle component and the operating mode. The vehicle component includes at least one of vehicle propulsion, braking, and steering.

[0004] The operating modes may include maximum acceleration and minimum acceleration.

[0005] The instructions may also include instructions to operate the vehicle at an acceleration greater than the minimum acceleration and less than the maximum acceleration.

[0006] The operating modes may include a maximum yaw rate and a minimum yaw rate.

[0007] The operating mode may include a maximum speed and a minimum speed associated with the road type.

[0008] The instructions may also include instructions to determine a vehicle route based on the destination and the vehicle diagnostic condition.

[0009] The instructions may also include instructions to select the vehicle diagnostic condition from a plurality of possible vehicle diagnostic conditions based on an assigned priority of each of the possible diagnostic conditions.

[0010] The instructions may also include instructions to identify the vehicle diagnostic condition from a plurality of possible vehicle diagnostic conditions based on at least one of terrain data, vehicle occupancy data, and traffic data in addition to the vehicle destination.

[0011] The vehicle diagnostic conditions may include one or more of a substantially constant vehicle engine speed for a predetermined time, a deceleration caused by a fuel cut, exceeding a predetermined vehicle speed, and application of a predetermined brake pressure.

[0012] The instructions may also include instructions for performing a diagnostic operation when the diagnostic condition is met, wherein the diagnostic operation includes verifying whether a fault condition is met.

[0013] The instructions may also include instructions to adjust the designated operating mode upon determining that the vehicle is operating without a vehicle occupant.

[0014] Also disclosed herein is a method comprising: identifying a diagnostic condition and a designated operating mode of a vehicle component based on a vehicle destination, the vehicle component comprising at least one of vehicle propulsion, braking, and steering; and operating the vehicle based on the vehicle component and the operating mode.

[0015] The operating modes may include maximum acceleration and minimum acceleration.

[0016] The method may also include operating the vehicle at an acceleration greater than the minimum acceleration and less than the maximum acceleration.

[0017] The method may also include determining a vehicle route based on the destination and the vehicle diagnostic condition.

[0018] The method may further include selecting the vehicle diagnostic condition from a plurality of possible vehicle diagnostic conditions based on an assigned priority level for each of the possible diagnostic conditions.

[0019] The method may further include identifying the vehicle diagnostic condition from a plurality of possible vehicle diagnostic conditions based on at least one of terrain data, vehicle occupancy data, and traffic data in addition to the vehicle destination, wherein the vehicle diagnostic condition includes one or more of a substantially constant vehicle engine speed for a predetermined time, a deceleration caused by a fuel cutoff, exceeding a predetermined vehicle speed, and applying a predetermined brake pressure.

[0020] Also disclosed herein is a system comprising: a vehicle component that is one of vehicle propulsion, braking, and steering; a device for identifying a diagnostic condition and a designated operating mode of the vehicle component based on a vehicle destination; and a device for operating the vehicle based on the identified diagnostic condition and the identified operating mode.

[0021] In addition to being based on the vehicle destination, the identified diagnostic condition may also be based on at least one of terrain data, vehicle occupancy data, and traffic data.

[0022] The system may also include means for operating the vehicle at an acceleration greater than a minimum acceleration and less than a maximum acceleration, wherein the operating mode includes the maximum acceleration and the minimum acceleration.

[0023] Also disclosed is a computing device programmed to perform any one of the above method steps. Also disclosed is a vehicle comprising the computing device.

[0024] Also disclosed is a computer program product comprising a computer-readable medium storing instructions executable by a computer processor to perform any of the above method steps. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0025] Figure 1 is a diagram of an exemplary vehicle system.

[0026] Figure 2 Example graphs of diagnostic conditions, failure conditions, and diagnostic trouble code records are shown.

[0027] Figures 3A to 3B is a flow chart of an exemplary process for operating a vehicle while performing diagnostic operations. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0028] Figure 1 is a block diagram of a vehicle 100. Vehicle 100 can be powered in various known ways, such as by an electric motor and / or an internal combustion engine. Vehicle 100 can include a computer 110, one or more actuators 120, one or more sensors 130, and a human-machine interface (HMI 140), each of which will be discussed in more detail below.

[0029] The computer 110 includes a processor and memory, such as is known in the art. The memory includes one or more forms of computer-readable media and stores instructions executable by the computer 110 for performing various operations, including those disclosed herein.

[0030] The computer 110 may include programming to operate one or more of vehicle braking, propulsion (e.g., controlling acceleration of the vehicle by controlling one or more of an internal combustion engine, an electric motor, a hybrid engine, etc.), steering, climate control, interior and / or exterior lights, etc., as well as determine whether and when the computer 110, rather than a human operator, controls such operations.

[0031] The computer 110 can operate the vehicle 100 in an autonomous mode, a semi-autonomous mode, or a non-autonomous (or manual) mode. For the purposes of this disclosure, an autonomous mode is defined as one of the following: the computer 110 controls each of the propulsion, braking, and steering of the vehicle 100; in a semi-autonomous mode, the computer 110 controls one or both of the propulsion and braking of the vehicle 100; and in a non-autonomous mode, a human operator controls each of the propulsion, braking, and steering of the vehicle 100.

[0032] The computer 110 is typically arranged to communicate over a vehicle communication network (e.g., including a communication bus such as a controller area network (CAN)). The computer 110 may include or be communicatively coupled to one or more processors, such as controllers for monitoring and / or controlling various subsystems in the vehicle, such as the powertrain, braking, steering, etc., for example, via a vehicle communication bus as further described below.

[0033] The computer 110 can transmit messages to and / or receive messages from various devices in the vehicle 100 (e.g., controllers, actuators, sensors (including sensor 130), etc.) via the vehicle network. Alternatively or additionally, where the computer 110 actually includes multiple devices, the vehicle communication network can be used for communication between the devices represented as the computer 110 in this disclosure. In addition, as described below, various controllers and / or sensors 130 can provide data to the computer 110 via the vehicle communication network.

[0034] Alternatively, the computer 110 may be configured to communicate with a remote computer via a wireless communication network through a wireless communication interface. The communication network may be one or more wireless communication mechanisms, including any desired combination of wireless (e.g., cellular, wireless, satellite, microwave, and radio frequency) communication mechanisms and any desired network topology (or topology when multiple communication mechanisms are utilized). Exemplary vehicle-to-vehicle communication networks include cellular, Bluetooth, IEEE 802.11, dedicated short-range communications (DSRC), and / or wide area networks (WANs), including the Internet, that provide data communication services.

[0035] Sensors 130 may include various devices known to provide data via a vehicle communication bus. For example, sensors 130 may include one or more cameras, radars, and / or light detection and ranging (LIDAR) sensors disposed in vehicle 100 that provide data encompassing at least some of the vehicle's interior and / or exterior.

[0036] The actuator 120 typically includes circuits, chips, or other electronic components that can actuate various vehicle subsystems based on known, appropriate control signals. For example, the actuator 120 may include one or more relays, servo motors, and the like. Thus, the actuator 120 can be used to control the braking, acceleration, and steering of the vehicle 100. The control signals used to control the actuator 120 may be generated by the computer 110, a control unit located in the vehicle 100 (e.g., a brake controller), and the like. The vehicle 100 may include various components or subsystems, each of which includes one or more sensors 130, actuators 120, controllers, and the like. For example, the vehicle 100 may include a braking component comprising a brake sensor 130, a brake actuator 120, and / or other electronic, mechanical, or other components that stop the vehicle 100 based on commands received from a controller such as the computer 110. As another example, in addition to the engine, electric motor, and / or transmission, the vehicle 100 may also include a powertrain component or subsystem that may include one or more actuators 120, sensors 130, and the like.

[0037] The HMI 140 may be configured to receive user input, for example, during operation of the vehicle 100. As an example, the HMI 140 may include a touch screen, buttons, knobs, a keyboard, a microphone, etc. for receiving information from the user. In addition, the HMI 140 may include various interfaces for receiving information from the user and / or outputting information to the user, such as a touch screen display, a smartphone, etc.

[0038] A component of the vehicle 100 (e.g., actuators 120, sensors 130, electronic controllers included in the component, etc.) may have a fault. A fault is a condition in which a component fails to operate or operates outside of one or more predefined parameters (e.g., a predefined parameter may be a physical quantity such as temperature, torque, revolutions per minute, pressure, etc.). The computer 110 of the vehicle 100 may be programmed to determine whether a component of the vehicle 100 (e.g., propulsion, braking, steering, etc.) is in a fault condition based on data received from, for example, various sensors 130, actuators 120, etc. of the vehicle 100. For example, a fault may be determined by diagnostic operations, i.e., the computer 110 may be programmed to monitor a component of the vehicle 100 and determine whether a fault condition has occurred, e.g., whether a physical quantity is outside of a predefined range.

[0039] The computer 110 can be programmed to perform diagnostic operations when receiving and analyzing data to determine whether a diagnostic condition is met. In the context of the present disclosure, a "diagnostic condition" means a condition that must be met before a diagnostic operation can be performed. When it is determined that a diagnostic condition is met, the computer 110 can be programmed to verify whether a fault condition is met. For example, after the engine reaches a threshold temperature, a minimum output torque from the engine can be expected. Thus, in this example, the diagnostic condition can be "engine temperature exceeds a predefined temperature threshold" and the fault condition can be "engine torque output is less than an expected torque threshold." The computer 110 can be programmed to perform diagnostic operations, i.e., determine whether a fault condition is met only when it is determined that a diagnostic condition is met. The diagnostic operation can also include updating the diagnostic status when it is determined that a fault condition is met and / or a previously met fault condition is resolved (i.e., the fault condition no longer exists, such as replacing a defective component of the vehicle 100).

[0040] The diagnostic operation may also include recording a diagnostic status, for example, in a memory of the computer 110. Each diagnostic operation may be identified by a diagnostic trouble code (DTC), which is typically a unique numeric code specifying a particular fault condition that the computer 110 may receive via a network of the vehicle 100, such as a controller area network (CAN) communication bus. It should be understood that DTCs are discussed herein by way of example and not limitation; other fault identifiers or descriptors may be used in the context of the present disclosure. In one example, a DTC may be associated with a diagnostic condition, a diagnostic fault condition, a status, or the like. The computer 110 of the vehicle 100 may be programmed to perform various diagnostic operations associated with various vehicle 100 components. The status of a DTC typically includes an "active" and an "inactive" state. "Active" means that the DTC is recorded, while "inactive" means that the DTC is not recorded (e.g., a determination is made that there is no defect or that a recorded defect is deleted from the memory of the computer 110). Computer 110 may be programmed to update and store the diagnostic status associated with each of the diagnostic operations in a memory of computer 110 and / or transmit the diagnostic status to another computer (eg, a diagnostic tester) via the communication network of vehicle 100 .

[0041] Each DTC generally identifies a fault condition of a particular vehicle 100 component (e.g., a component associated with propulsion, steering, braking, etc. of the vehicle 100). Furthermore, each DTC can be associated with a diagnostic condition (or conditions), i.e., a condition that must be met before a diagnostic operation can be performed, such as a measured physical value (e.g., temperature) meeting or exceeding a threshold. For example, to perform a particular diagnostic operation on the steering of the vehicle 100, the computer 110 can be programmed to determine whether the diagnostic condition of "driving in a straight line for at least 10 seconds" is met. Thus, a particular component of the vehicle 100 (i.e., the steering) is associated with a diagnostic condition (i.e., driving in a straight line) that satisfies the diagnostic operation (detecting a fault condition of the steering component, such as its proper alignment).

[0042] Figure 2 An exemplary diagram of diagnostic conditions, fault conditions, and recorded DTCs is shown, presenting a simple example of these data during diagnostic operations. For example, a fault condition may exist for a period starting at time t1 but not result in a DTC being recorded (i.e., the DTC's status being set to "active") because the prerequisite diagnostic conditions to activate diagnostic operations to detect the fault condition were not met at time t1. At time t2, the diagnostic conditions are met, so diagnostic operations can be performed to detect the fault condition starting at time t3, resulting in the recording of a DTC.

[0043] In one example, the computer 110 can be programmed to record a DTC upon determining that a time d (e.g., 5 seconds) has elapsed since both the fault condition and the diagnostic condition were met. The time delay d can advantageously prevent the recording of a DTC if a transient effect, such as noise in the signal, has caused an unwanted temporary activation of the fault condition.

[0044] As discussed above, the computer 110 can be programmed to perform various diagnostic operations (e.g., resulting in a condition in which one or more DTCs are set), each diagnostic operation being associated with one or more of the components and / or operations of the vehicle 100, i.e., diagnosing a faulty or non-faulty condition of one or more of the components and / or operations of the vehicle. Diagnostic conditions can be specified based on specific components of the vehicle 100. For example, to diagnose a specific defect in the steering component of the vehicle 100, the diagnostic condition may be "the vehicle 100 moves in a straight line for at least a predetermined time (e.g., 10 seconds)." As another example, to diagnose the braking component of the vehicle 100, the diagnostic condition may be "a minimum amount of brake pressure is applied to the brake pads of the vehicle 100." Thus, a given diagnostic condition may or may not be satisfied during operation of the vehicle 100. For example, the exemplary steering diagnostic condition described above may not be satisfied when the vehicle 100 is traveling on a curved road.

[0045] The computer 110 may be programmed to determine diagnostic conditions and designated operating modes (defined below) for components of the vehicle 100 based on the destination of the vehicle 100. As described above, the components of the vehicle 100 may include propulsion, braking, and / or steering of the vehicle 100. The computer 110 may then operate the vehicle 100, for example, in an autonomous or semi-autonomous mode, based on the identified components and operating modes of the vehicle 100.

[0046] In the present disclosure, an “operating mode” is a collection of multiple data specifying physical parameters of the vehicle 100 (including speed, acceleration, yaw rate, altitude, body slope, vibration, etc.), and / or instructions sent by the computer 110 of the vehicle 100 to components of the vehicle 100, including instructions to plan a route to achieve a specific speed, acceleration, etc. The computer 110 can be programmed to manipulate the vehicle 100 to traverse the planned route by actuating the actuators 120 of the vehicle 100.

[0047] Table 1 shows an exemplary list of diagnostic operations for a system of an exemplary vehicle 100. Each diagnostic operation can include an identifier (e.g., a DTC code), a priority, a diagnostic condition, a fault condition, and a diagnostic state. Each diagnostic operation can be associated with one or more operating modes as discussed below. Thus, each row of Table 1 shows the diagnostic conditions that must be met before a diagnostic operation can be performed to determine the diagnostic state of the diagnostic operation shown in the corresponding row. For example, a diagnostic condition for DTC1 (for convenience, each diagnostic operation shown in Table 1 is represented herein by a subscript that indicates the identifier DTC code of each diagnostic operation in Table 1) indicates a steering component of the vehicle 100, while a diagnostic condition for DTC6 indicates that a diagnostic operation can be performed on each of the steering, propulsion, and braking components of the vehicle 100.

[0048] The diagnostic operation priority provides a level or ranking of importance for performing the diagnostic operation. In one example, the priority can be a predetermined level such as "low," "medium," and "high." Additionally or alternatively, the computer 110 can be programmed to determine the priority based on, for example, the distance traveled since the last diagnostic operation was performed. For example, the computer 110 can be programmed to increase the priority of a DTC when the distance traveled since the last execution of the corresponding DTC exceeds a distance threshold (e.g., 50 kilometers (km)).

[0049] Table 1 shows various exemplary diagnostic conditions: i) straight-line driving (DTC1), which may be determined based on the yaw rate of the vehicle 100 remaining less than a predetermined threshold; ii) the speed of the vehicle 100 exceeding a predetermined vehicle speed threshold (DTC2); iii) application of at least a predetermined braking pressure (DTC3); iv) deceleration of the vehicle 100 caused by fuel injection cutoff, which is sometimes also referred to as engine braking (DTC4); v) a substantially constant vehicle 100 speed for a predetermined time (DTC5); and vi) activation of at least a predetermined amount of electrical loads in the vehicle 100 (DTC6).

[0050] Table 1 also shows various exemplary operating modes, each of which is associated with a DTC diagnostic condition. In other words, when vehicle 100 is operated based on its operating mode, the corresponding diagnostic condition may be satisfied. Therefore, computer 110 may be programmed to actuate actuator 120 of vehicle 100 based on the operating mode and, upon determining that the diagnostic condition is satisfied, perform the diagnostic operation associated with the diagnostic condition.

[0051] For example, the operating mode may include: i) maximum acceleration and / or minimum acceleration, ii) maximum yaw rate and / or minimum yaw rate; iii) maximum speed and / or minimum speed associated with the road type (i.e., the operating mode includes road data associated with the route of the vehicle 100). For example, referring to DTC7, the computer 110 may be programmed to accelerate at a speed greater than the minimum acceleration (e.g., 0.3 m / s). 2 (m / s 2 )) and is less than the maximum acceleration (e.g., 1 m / s 2 ) acceleration to operate the vehicle 100.

[0052]

[0053]

[0054] Table 1

[0055] Computer 110 may be programmed to determine a route for vehicle 100 based on the destination of vehicle 100 and a diagnostic condition for vehicle 100. The destination of vehicle 100 may be determined based on input received, for example, via HMI 140, a remote computer, or the like. For example, based on the DTC1 diagnostic condition, computer 110 may be programmed to determine a route that includes at least a straight road segment, for example, based on map data received from a remote computer (e.g., via a wireless communication network). The map data may include a road curvature diameter for a road segment, and computer 110 may be programmed to determine whether the road segment is straight based on the received road curvature radius, for example, when the radius exceeds a predetermined threshold (such as 10 kilometers). Computer 110 may be programmed to determine, based on the map data, whether a route to the destination can be identified that includes at least one straight road segment of at least a predetermined distance (as specified in the diagnostic condition). Computer 110 may be programmed to use conventional route planning techniques to determine possible routes from the current location of vehicle 100 to the destination, and then, if such a route is found, select a route that includes a straight road segment that satisfies the diagnostic condition.

[0056] Computer 110 can be programmed to select a diagnostic condition from a set of possible diagnostic conditions, such as those shown in Table 1, based on the assigned priority of each of the possible diagnostic conditions. Thus, computer 110 can be programmed to select one or more of the diagnostic conditions based on their respective priorities. For example, computer 110 is typically programmed to select diagnostic conditions with a "high" priority, followed by diagnostic conditions with lower priorities. Thus, even if not all diagnostic conditions can be satisfied while traversing a route, those conditions with higher priorities will be satisfied first.

[0057] The computer 110 may be programmed to identify a currently satisfied diagnostic condition from a plurality of possible vehicle diagnostic conditions based on at least one of terrain data, occupancy data of the vehicle 100, and traffic data in addition to the destination of the vehicle 100. In one example, the computer 110 may be programmed to select one or more diagnostic conditions that are satisfied or expected to be satisfied (i.e., a prerequisite operating mode is present or expected to be present) based on the destination, map data, and / or the current location of the vehicle 100. In the example discussed with respect to Table 1, upon determining, for example, based on received map data, that the current location and destination of the vehicle 100 are in a congested urban area and that there are no freeways on the route to the destination, the computer 110 may be programmed to select diagnostic conditions of DTC3, DTC4, and / or DTC6 over other diagnostic conditions that require a higher speed, a constant speed, etc. and that may be less likely to be satisfied in a congested urban area.

[0058] The terrain data may include the lateral and / or longitudinal slope of the road, the curvature diameter of the road, etc. Therefore, the computer 110 may be programmed to select a diagnostic condition, such as DTC1, when the curvature diameter of a road segment of the determined route exceeds a predetermined threshold. In one example, a road segment with a curvature diameter greater than 5,000 meters may be referred to as a straight road segment.

[0059] Operational modes associated with some diagnostic conditions (e.g. exceeding 1.5 m / s 2 The computer 110 may be programmed to adjust the specified operating mode upon determining that the vehicle is operating without a vehicle occupant, such as based on data received from the occupancy sensor 130, the interior camera sensor 130, etc., to meet the diagnostic condition that may be uncomfortable for the occupant of the vehicle 100. The computer 110 may be programmed to adjust the specified operating mode upon determining that the vehicle is operating without a vehicle occupant. For example, upon determining that the vehicle 100 is operating without an occupant, such as based on data received from the occupancy sensor 130, the interior camera sensor 130, etc., the computer 110 may be programmed to adjust the operating mode to meet the diagnostic condition that may be uncomfortable for the occupant of the vehicle 100.

[0060] process

[0061] Figures 3A to 3B 3 is a flow chart of an exemplary process 300 for operating a vehicle while performing diagnostic operations. For example, the computer 110 of the vehicle 100 may be programmed to execute the blocks of the process 300.

[0062] refer to Figure 3A , process 300 begins at block 310, where the computer 110 receives data including a current location of the vehicle 100, a destination, map data, one or more diagnostic conditions, and / or occupancy data of the vehicle 100. The computer 110 may be programmed to receive the current location from a GPS sensor of the vehicle 100, the destination from the HMI 140 and / or a remote computer, the occupancy data from an occupancy sensor of the vehicle 100, the diagnostic conditions from a memory of the computer 110, and the like.

[0063] Next, in decision block 315, the computer 110 determines whether a diagnostic condition can be identified for performing a diagnostic operation on at least one component of the vehicle 100 (such as propulsion, steering, and / or braking). The computer 110 can be programmed to select a diagnostic condition from a plurality of diagnostic conditions. If the computer 110 identifies a diagnostic condition that can be satisfied for performing a diagnostic operation on a component of the vehicle 100, the process 300 proceeds to block 320; otherwise, the process 300 proceeds to block 330.

[0064] In block 320 , the computer 110 determines an operating mode based on the identified diagnostic condition and components of the vehicle 100 .

[0065] Next, in block 325, the computer 110 operates the vehicle 100 based on the determined operating mode. For example, the computer 110 may be programmed to navigate the vehicle 100 to a destination in an autonomous mode based on the route included in the operating mode. In another example, the computer 110 may be programmed to operate the vehicle 100 in a semi-autonomous mode, for example, controlling the steering components of the vehicle 100 to satisfy the diagnostic condition of DTC1.

[0066] In block 330, the computer 110 navigates the vehicle 100 to the destination based on the received destination and map data. For example, the computer 110 may be programmed to determine a route using known navigation techniques and to actuate the actuators 120 of the vehicle 100 to traverse the route to the destination. Additionally or alternatively, a human user may control the operation of the vehicle 100, including steering, propulsion, and / or braking.

[0067] Next and now refer to Figure 3B In decision block 335 , the computer 110 determines whether the vehicle 100 has any occupants based on data received from, for example, the occupancy sensor 130 , the interior camera sensor 130 , etc. If the computer 110 determines that the vehicle 100 is not occupied, the process 300 proceeds to block 340 ; otherwise, the process 300 proceeds to decision block 345 .

[0068] In block 340, the computer 110 adjusts the operating mode of the vehicle 100. For example, the computer 110 may be programmed to adjust the operating mode to satisfy a diagnostic condition that may cause discomfort to an occupant of the vehicle 100. In other words, a diagnostic condition that may not have been satisfied may be satisfied upon adjusting the operating mode (e.g., activating engine braking, hard brake activation, etc.).

[0069] In decision block 345, the computer 110 determines whether the diagnostic condition is satisfied. If the computer 110 determines that the diagnostic condition is satisfied, the process 300 proceeds to decision block 350; otherwise, the process 300 ends, or optionally returns to block 310, although Figure 3B Not shown in the figure.

[0070] In decision block 350, computer 110 determines whether at least one fault condition is satisfied. If computer 110 determines that a fault condition is satisfied, process 300 proceeds to block 355; otherwise, process 300 ends, or optionally returns to block 310, although Figure 3B Not shown in the figure.

[0071] In block 355, the computer 110 records the DTCs that meet the diagnostic conditions and fault conditions. The computer 110 may be programmed to set the DTC status to an active state and store (or record) the DTC status in the memory of the computer 110 and / or transmit the DTC status to a remote computer. After block 355, the process 300 ends, or optionally returns to block 310, although Figure 3B Not shown in the figure.

[0072] Unless explicitly indicated to the contrary, “based on” means “based at least in part on” and / or “based entirely on”.

[0073] The computing devices discussed herein generally each include block or step instructions that can be executed by one or more computing devices, such as those identified above, and for performing the processes described above. The computer-executable instructions can be compiled or interpreted by a computer program created using a variety of programming languages ​​and / or technologies, including, alone or in combination, but not limited to, Java. TM , C, C++, Visual Basic, Java Script, Perl, HTML, etc. In general, a processor (e.g., a microprocessor) receives instructions, for example, from a memory, a computer-readable medium, etc., and executes these instructions, thereby performing one or more processes, including one or more of the processes described herein. A variety of computer-readable media can be used to store and transmit such instructions and other data. A file in a computing device is typically a collection of data stored on a computer-readable medium (such as a storage medium, random access memory, etc.).

[0074] Computer-readable media include any media that participate in providing data (e.g., instructions) that can be read by a computer. Such media can take many forms, including but not limited to non-volatile media, volatile media, etc. Non-volatile media include, for example, optical or magnetic disks and other permanent memories. Non-volatile media include dynamic random access memory (DRAM), which typically constitutes main memory. Common forms of computer-readable media include, for example, floppy disks, floppy disks, hard disks, magnetic tape, any other magnetic media, CD-ROMs, DVDs, any other optical media, punch cards, paper tape, any other physical media with perforated patterns, RAM, PROMs, EPROMs, FLASH-EEPROMs, any other memory chips or memory cartridges, or any other medium that is computer-readable.

[0075] With respect to the media, processes, systems, methods, and the like described herein, it should be understood that although the steps of such processes, etc. have been described as occurring according to a certain ordered sequence, such processes can be practiced with the described steps performed in an order other than that described herein. It should also be understood that certain steps can be performed simultaneously, other steps can be added, or certain steps described herein can be omitted. In other words, the descriptions of the systems and / or processes herein are provided for the purpose of illustrating certain embodiments and should in no way be construed as limiting the claims.

[0076] Therefore, it should be understood that the present disclosure, including the above description and the accompanying drawings and the following claims, is intended to be illustrative and not restrictive. After reading the above description, many embodiments and applications other than the examples provided will be apparent to those skilled in the art. Therefore, the scope of the present invention should not be determined with reference to the above description, but should be determined with reference to the claims attached and / or included in the non-provisional patent application based thereon, together with the full scope of equivalents to which such claims are entitled. It is conceivable and expected that future developments will occur in the technology discussed herein, and the disclosed systems and methods will be incorporated into such future embodiments. In short, it should be understood that the disclosed subject matter is capable of modification and variation.

[0077] According to the present invention, a system is provided having a processor and a memory storing instructions executable by the processor to: identify a diagnostic condition and a specified operating mode for a vehicle component based on a vehicle destination, the vehicle component including at least one of vehicle propulsion, braking, and steering; and operate the vehicle based on the vehicle component and the operating mode.

[0078] According to one embodiment, the operating mode includes a maximum acceleration and a minimum acceleration.

[0079] According to one embodiment, the instructions further include instructions to operate the vehicle at an acceleration greater than the minimum acceleration and less than the maximum acceleration.

[0080] According to one embodiment, the operating modes include a maximum yaw rate and a minimum yaw rate.

[0081] According to one embodiment, the operating mode comprises a maximum speed and a minimum speed associated with the road type.

[0082] According to one embodiment, the instructions further include instructions for determining a vehicle route based on the destination and the vehicle diagnostic condition.

[0083] According to one embodiment, the instructions further include instructions to select the vehicle diagnostic condition from a plurality of possible vehicle diagnostic conditions based on an assigned priority of each of the possible diagnostic conditions.

[0084] According to one embodiment, the instructions further include instructions to identify the vehicle diagnostic condition from a plurality of possible vehicle diagnostic conditions based on at least one of terrain data, vehicle occupancy data, and traffic data in addition to the vehicle destination.

[0085] According to one embodiment, the vehicle diagnostic conditions include one or more of a substantially constant vehicle engine speed for a predetermined time, a deceleration caused by a fuel cut, exceeding a predetermined vehicle speed, and application of a predetermined brake pressure.

[0086] According to one embodiment, the instructions further include instructions for performing a diagnostic operation when the diagnostic condition is met, wherein the diagnostic operation includes verifying whether a fault condition is met.

[0087] According to one embodiment, the instructions further include instructions to adjust the designated operating mode upon determining that the vehicle is operating without a vehicle occupant.

[0088] According to the present invention, a method is provided, comprising: identifying a diagnostic condition and a specified operating mode of a vehicle component based on a vehicle destination, the vehicle component including at least one of vehicle propulsion, braking, and steering; and operating the vehicle based on the vehicle component and the operating mode.

[0089] According to one embodiment, the operating mode includes a maximum acceleration and a minimum acceleration.

[0090] According to one embodiment, the above invention is further characterized by operating the vehicle at an acceleration greater than the minimum acceleration and less than the maximum acceleration.

[0091] According to one embodiment, the above invention is further characterized in that a vehicle route is determined based on the destination and the vehicle diagnostic condition.

[0092] According to one embodiment, the above invention is further characterized by selecting the vehicle diagnostic condition from a plurality of possible vehicle diagnostic conditions based on an assigned priority level of each of the possible diagnostic conditions.

[0093] According to one embodiment, the above invention is further characterized in that the vehicle diagnostic condition is identified from a plurality of possible vehicle diagnostic conditions based on at least one of terrain data, vehicle occupancy data, and traffic data in addition to the vehicle destination, wherein the vehicle diagnostic condition includes one or more of a substantially constant vehicle engine speed for a predetermined time, a deceleration caused by a fuel cutoff, exceeding a predetermined vehicle speed, and applying a predetermined brake pressure.

[0094] According to the present invention, a system is provided, which has: a vehicle component that is one of vehicle propulsion, braking and steering; a device for identifying a diagnostic condition and specifying an operating mode of the vehicle component based on a vehicle destination; and a device for operating the vehicle based on the identified diagnostic condition and the identified operating mode.

[0095] According to one embodiment, the identified diagnostic condition is based on at least one of terrain data, vehicle occupancy data, and traffic data in addition to the vehicle destination.

[0096] According to one embodiment, the above invention is further characterized by means for operating the vehicle at an acceleration greater than a minimum acceleration and less than a maximum acceleration, wherein the operating mode includes the maximum acceleration and the minimum acceleration.

Claims

1. A vehicle diagnostic method, comprising: identifying a diagnostic condition to be satisfied before performing a diagnostic operation from a plurality of possible vehicle diagnostic conditions based on a vehicle destination and at least one of terrain data, vehicle occupancy data, and traffic data; identifying a designated operating mode for a vehicle component based on the vehicle destination, the vehicle component including at least one of vehicle propulsion, braking, and steering, the designated operating mode including one or more physical operating parameters of the vehicle component; as well as The vehicle is operated based on the vehicle component and the designated operating mode, and a diagnostic operation is performed when the diagnostic condition is met, wherein the diagnostic operation includes verifying whether a fault condition is met.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the designated operating mode comprises a maximum acceleration and a minimum acceleration; wherein the designated operating mode is identified based on the identified diagnostic condition and vehicle components, and when the vehicle is operated based on the designated operating mode, the corresponding diagnostic condition can be satisfied. 3 . The method of claim 2 , further comprising operating the vehicle at an acceleration greater than the minimum acceleration and less than the maximum acceleration. The method of claim 1 , wherein the designated operating mode includes a maximum yaw rate and a minimum yaw rate. The method of claim 1 , wherein the designated operating mode includes a maximum speed and a minimum speed associated with a road type. The method of claim 1 , further comprising determining a vehicle route based on the destination and the vehicle diagnostic condition. 7 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising selecting the vehicle diagnostic condition from a plurality of possible vehicle diagnostic conditions based on an assigned priority of each of the possible diagnostic conditions.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the vehicle diagnostic condition comprises one or more of a substantially constant vehicle engine speed for a predetermined time, a deceleration caused by a fuel cut, exceeding a predetermined vehicle speed, and applying a predetermined brake pressure. 9 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising adjusting the designated operating mode upon determining that the vehicle is operating without a vehicle occupant.

10. A computing device programmed to perform the method of any one of claims 1 to 9.

11. A computer program product comprising a computer readable medium storing instructions executable by a computer processor to perform the method of any one of claims 1 to 9.

12. A land vehicle comprising computing means programmed to perform the method of any one of claims 1 to 9.

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