Cloud-based vehicle diagnostic system with dedicated data

Abstract

A cloud-based vehicle diagnostic system with dedicated data. Systems and methods for vehicle diagnostic services using a diagnostic server. A system includes a diagnostic server in data communication with a service tool and a vehicle communication interface (VCI) of a vehicle. Data communication may be done using a wide area network (WAN). The diagnostic server obtains diagnostic data from the VCI and generates a diagnostic report for use by a user during a service action of the vehicle. Some embodiments utilize an external gateway adapter to enable data communication between a diagnostic server and a vehicle that lacks native functionality to interface with external devices or components across a network.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present disclosure relates to servicing of vehicles including a diagnostic procedure. Background Art

[0002] Vehicle diagnostic services are an important aspect of modern vehicle maintenance. It is vital to accurately assess the operating condition of the vehicle 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 necessary service tasks conveniently and proficiently.

[0003] An accurate assessment of the vehicle's condition may require extensive and specialized technical knowledge. Modern vehicles can use electronic data communications to provide insights into their operating conditions. Electronic data indicating the operating condition of the vehicle, such as a diagnostic code associated with one of the vehicle, a component of the vehicle, or a system of the vehicle, may be generated. Additionally, several factors may complicate the diagnostic process and subsequent repairs. Technicians must be able to obtain vehicle operating data and vehicle ID data from the vehicle, because different manufacturers may use similar or identical operating data or diagnostic codes that have completely different meanings in the context of their corresponding vehicles. Vehicle operating data may vary from vehicle to vehicle, from component to component, and even from year to year for the same vehicle or its components. Additionally, for safety, security, or intellectual property reasons, manufacturers may choose to restrict access to certain data that is useful for completing diagnostic services. This limited access data may be desirable because it is for emerging technologies or newly released vehicles, components, or systems. This diagnostic service is additionally complex when taking into account aftermarket components and systems that may behave differently from stock models. Therefore, a comprehensive diagnostic service may require a certain level of technical knowledge, which is extensive and in-depth, and the acquisition or maintenance of such services may be expensive.

[0004] Therefore, it would be desirable to have a system that provides a technician or other service personnel with guidance and access to a wide range of diagnostic data corresponding to a wide range of vehicle types, vehicle components, and vehicle systems that may be encountered. Further, it would be advantageous to provide the system in such a manner that access to the desired diagnostic data can be accomplished at a reduced cost. Summary of the invention

[0005] One aspect of the present disclosure is directed to a vehicle diagnostic system, which includes a diagnostic server having a memory, a vehicle communication interface (VCI) for data communication with the diagnostic server, and a human-machine interface (HMI) for data communication with the diagnostic server. The memory stores instructions thereon to interface with multiple diagnostic protocols. The VCI is configured to interface with a diagnostic bus of the vehicle. The HMI includes an input component and an output component. The diagnostic server generates a vehicle diagnostic report in response to receiving diagnostic data compatible with one of the diagnostic protocols from the VCI. The diagnostic server is further configured to relay commands from the HMI to the diagnostic bus via the VCI. The diagnostic server is further configured to relay diagnostic data from the bus to the HMI via the VCI. The diagnostic server communicates data with the HMI via a wide area network (WAN).

[0006] Another aspect of the present disclosure is directed to a vehicle diagnostic method. The method includes: establishing a data connection between a vehicle communication interface (VCI) of a vehicle under diagnostic test and a diagnostic server via a wide area network (WAN); establishing a data connection between a human-machine interface (HMI) and a diagnostic server via the WAN; transmitting initiation data from the HMI to the diagnostic server to initiate a diagnostic procedure for the vehicle; transmitting initiation data from the diagnostic server to the VCI to initiate a diagnostic procedure; in response to an initiation instruction, generating a vehicle diagnostic report based on the diagnostic data received from the VCI; and transmitting the vehicle diagnosis to the HMI. The VCI performs data communication with a diagnostic bus of the vehicle. The diagnostic server is configured to interface with multiple diagnostic protocols, at least one of which is utilized by the vehicle.

[0007] Another aspect of the present disclosure is directed to a vehicle diagnostic system, which includes a diagnostic server having a memory, an external gateway adapter for data communication with the diagnostic server, a vehicle communication interface (VCI) for data communication with the external gateway, and a human-machine interface (HMI) for data communication with the diagnostic server. The memory stores instructions thereon to interface with multiple diagnostic protocols. The VCI is configured to interface with a diagnostic bus of the vehicle. The HMI has an input component and an output component. The input component is suitable for user input commands and data. The output component is suitable for displaying or otherwise delivering data or prompts to the user. The diagnostic server generates a vehicle diagnostic report in response to receiving diagnostic data compatible with one of the diagnostic protocols from the VCI. The diagnostic server is configured to relay commands from the HMI to the diagnostic bus via the gateway adapter and the VCI. The diagnostic server is configured to relay diagnostic information from the diagnostic bus to the HMI via the gateway adapter and the VCI, and the diagnostic server communicates data with the HMI via a wide area network (WAN).

[0008] Another aspect of the present disclosure is directed to a vehicle diagnostic method. The method includes the following steps: establishing a data connection between an external gateway adapter and a diagnostic server; establishing a data connection between the external gateway adapter and a vehicle communication interface (VCI) of a vehicle under diagnostic test; establishing a data connection between a human-machine interface (HMI) and a diagnostic server via a wide area network (WAN); transmitting an initiation instruction from the HMI to the diagnostic server via the external gateway adapter to initiate a diagnostic procedure for the vehicle; in response to the initiation instruction, generating a vehicle diagnostic report based on diagnostic data received from the VCI via the external gateway adapter; and transmitting the vehicle diagnosis to the HMI. The VCI performs data communication with a diagnostic bus of the vehicle under diagnostic test. The diagnostic server is configured to interface with multiple diagnostic protocols, at least one of which is utilized by the vehicle under diagnostic test.

[0009] The above aspects and other aspects of the present disclosure will be explained in more detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0010] Figure 1 is a diagrammatic illustration of a vehicle diagnostic system according to one embodiment of the teachings herein.

[0011] Figure 2 is an illustration of a vehicle diagnostic system according to a second embodiment of the teachings herein.

[0012] Figure 3 is an illustration of a vehicle diagnostic system according to a third embodiment of the teachings herein.

[0013] Figure 4 is an illustration of a vehicle diagnostic system according to a fourth embodiment of the teachings herein.

[0014] Figure 5 is a flow chart illustrating a vehicle diagnostic method according to an embodiment of the teachings herein.

[0015] Figure 6 is a flow chart illustrating a vehicle diagnostic method according to a second embodiment of the teachings herein. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0016] The illustrated embodiments are disclosed with reference to the accompanying drawings. However, it is to be understood that the disclosed embodiments are intended to be merely examples that may be embodied in various and alternative forms. The figures are not necessarily drawn to scale, and certain features may be exaggerated or minimized to illustrate details of particular components. The specific structural and functional details disclosed should not be interpreted as limiting, but rather as a representative basis for teaching those skilled in the art how to practice the disclosed concepts.

[0017] Figure 1A vehicle 100 is depicted being diagnostically tested using a diagnostic system according to one embodiment of the teachings disclosed herein. In the depicted embodiment, the vehicle 100 includes a diagnostic bus 101 that provides data communication between multiple components of the vehicle. In this embodiment, the vehicle 100 includes a vehicle processor 103, a vehicle communication interface (VCI) 105, and multiple electronic control units (ECUs) 107. In this depiction, the vehicle 100 includes five ECUs 107, but other embodiments may include a different number of ECUs 107 without departing from the teachings disclosed herein. In the depicted embodiment, the vehicle processor 103 is a processing component that is distinct from the VCI 105 and all of the ECUs 107. In some embodiments, one or more of the VCI 105 and the ECUs 107 include independent processors or sub-processors, and in such embodiments, these elements may provide the functionality of the vehicle processor 103 without departing from the teachings disclosed herein. In such embodiments, the vehicle 100 may not include the vehicle processor 103 without departing from the teachings disclosed herein.

[0018] Without departing from the teachings disclosed herein, other embodiments may include additional or different components of the vehicle 100 that are in data communication with the diagnostic bus 101. In the depicted embodiment, the vehicle 100 comprises a consumer sedan, but other embodiments may include other configurations without departing from the teachings disclosed herein. In some such embodiments, without departing from the teachings disclosed herein, the vehicle 100 may instead comprise a compact car, a minivan, a truck, a light truck, a sport utility vehicle, a station wagon, a crossover, a motorcycle, a motor tricycle, a two-seater, an all-terrain vehicle, a recreational motor vehicle, an industrial transport, a commercial vehicle, a boat, or an airplane.

[0019] In the depicted embodiment, the diagnostic bus 101 includes a controlled area network (CAN) bus protocol, but other embodiments may include different diagnostic protocols without departing from the teachings disclosed herein. The diagnostic bus 101 may additionally utilize multiple diagnostic protocols to enable data communication between components of the vehicle 100 without departing from the teachings disclosed herein. Without departing from the teachings disclosed herein, such embodiments may utilize protocols such as CAN, Single Wire CAN, Controller Area Network Fault Tolerant (CAN FT), Controller Area Network Extra Long (CAN XL), Controller Area Network Flexible Data Rate (CAN FD), Local Interconnect Network (LIN), Universal Asynchronous Receiver / Transmitter Based Protocol (UART / UBP), Keyword 2000 (KWP2000), ISO 9141, ISO 15765, ISO 14230, ISO 11783, J1587, J1850 PWM, J1850 VPW, J1708, J1939, Diagnostics over Internet Protocol (DOIP), Digital Home Bus (D2B), Scalable Coherent Interface (SCI), Serial Peripheral Interface (SPI), FlexRay, Byteflight, Multifunction Vehicle Bus, Vehicle Area Network (VAN), Uncomplicated Application Level Vehicle Communications and Network (UAVCAN), or any other known data communication standard between electronic components.

[0020] The vehicle processor 103 is configured to perform calculations, execute instructions, and organize transmissions between components of the vehicle 100. The vehicle processor 103 may be in additional data communication with a vehicle memory (not shown) that provides executable instructions to the processor. Without departing from the teachings disclosed herein, data communication between the vehicle processor 103 and the vehicle memory may be accomplished with a direct interface of the two components or by utilizing the diagnostic bus 101.

[0021] The VCI 105 provides data communication between components of the vehicle 100 associated with the diagnostic bus 101 and other devices or systems outside the vehicle. In the depicted embodiment, the VCI 105 includes a gateway module 105 that communicates data with the vehicle processor 103. In the depicted embodiment, the gateway module 105 includes a combination of hardware and software components, but other embodiments may include embodiments using hardware, firmware or software implementations or any combination thereof without departing from the teachings disclosed herein. In fact, the gateway module 105 acts as a transmitter and receiver, providing communication functions between the vehicle 100 and external devices, components or systems. In the depicted embodiment, the gateway module 105 communicates data with a wide area network (WAN) 109 via a data communication connection 111. The gateway module 105 may include one or more data communication protocols suitable for establishing a data communication connection. In the depicted embodiment, the WAN 109 includes the Internet and the gateway module 105, which includes an encrypted wireless data transceiver, but other embodiments may include other configurations without departing from the teachings disclosed herein. The gateway module 105 may be configured to communicate with one or more operating modes. In some embodiments, the data communication connection 111 may include a wireless connection, the wireless connection including via one or more of the following: RF (radio frequency) specifications, cellular phone channels (analog or digital), cellular data channels, subscriber identity modules (SIM) connections, Bluetooth specifications, Wi-Fi specifications, satellite transceiver specifications, infrared transmission, Zigbee specifications, local area networks (LANs), wireless local area networks (WLANs), or any other alternative configurations, protocols, or standards known to those of ordinary skill in the art. In some embodiments, the data communication connection 111 may include a TCP / IP connection, a plain old telephone service (POTS) connection, an Internet protocol connection, electrical wiring, a conductive channel, an electrical bus, an optical fiber path, or any other alternative embodiments known to those of ordinary skill in the art. In some embodiments, without departing from the teachings disclosed herein, the connection between the gateway module 105 and the WAN 109 may be completed via a local area network (LAN; not shown).

[0022] The vehicle 100 is further configured to provide diagnostic data in response to a request received by the gateway module 105. In the depicted embodiment, the diagnostic data is generated by the vehicle processor 103 in response to receiving the request. The vehicle processor 103 obtains diagnostic data indicating the status of one or more other components of the vehicle 100 (e.g., ECU 107) and provides the diagnostic data to the gateway module 105 for transmission to the requester. In the depicted embodiment, the request can be generated by a diagnostic server 113, which is in data communication with the vehicle 100 via the WAN 109. The diagnostic server 113 includes a server transceiver 115, which is configured to transmit and receive data communications from other systems, devices or components outside the diagnostic server 113. The diagnostic server further includes a server processor 117 and a server memory 119. The server processor 117 is configured to execute instructions provided to it, and the server memory stores instructions for the functions of the server processor 117 thereon. In the depicted embodiment, the server memory 119 further includes a database of information suitable for interpreting diagnostic data received from a vehicle, such as vehicle 100. In the depicted embodiment, the server transceiver 115 is implemented as a single component, but other embodiments may include separate transmitters and receivers without departing from the teachings disclosed herein.

[0023] The diagnostic server 113 is configured to obtain diagnostic data from the vehicle 100 indicating the status of one or more components of the vehicle 100. Because the vehicle 100 may utilize one or more of a plurality of diagnostic protocols, the server memory 119 stores thereon information suitable for interpreting data of all supported diagnostic protocols that are expected to be encountered. For this reason, in the depicted embodiment, the server memory 119 stores thereon information useful for interpreting diagnostic data received from a range of makes and models of vehicles using a variety of protocols. Without departing from the teachings disclosed herein, such protocols may include, but are not limited to, CAN, Single Wire CAN, Controller Area Network Fault Tolerant (CANFT), Controller Area Network Extra Long (CANXL), Controller Area Network Flexible Data Rate (CAN FD), Local Interconnect Network (LIN), Universal Asynchronous Receiver / Transmitter Based Protocol (UART / UBP), Keyword 2000 (KWP2000), ISO 9141, ISO 15765, ISO 14230, ISO 11783, J1587, J1850PWM, J1850VPW, J1708, J1939, Diagnostics over Internet Protocol (DOIP), Digital Home Bus (D2B), Scalable Coherent Interface (SCI), Serial Peripheral Interface (SPI), FlexRay, Byteflight, Multifunction Vehicle Bus, Vehicle Area Network (VAN), Uncomplicated Application Level Vehicle Communications and Network (UAVCAN), or any other known data communication standard between electronic components.

[0024] In the depicted embodiment, the diagnostic server 113 is in data communication with the vehicle 100 indirectly via a data communication connection with the WAN 109, but other embodiments may include other configurations (see, e.g. Figure 2). The diagnostic server 113 is configured to utilize diagnostic data from a vehicle, such as the vehicle 100, to generate a diagnostic report suitable for a user to inspect and utilize during service of the vehicle. Such a diagnostic report may be presented to a user via a service tool 121. In the depicted embodiment, the service tool 121 is in indirect data communication with the diagnostic server 113 via the WAN 109 via a tool transceiver 123. In the depicted embodiment, the tool transceiver 123 establishes a data communication connection 111 with the WAN 109, which is used to establish data communication with the diagnostic server 113. The service tool 121 includes a tool processor 125 in data communication with the tool transceiver 123 and a tool memory 127. The tool memory 127 includes instructions stored thereon that are executable by the tool processor 125. In some embodiments, without departing from the teachings disclosed herein, the tool memory 127 may include additional information suitable for interpreting some diagnostic data from a selected make and model of vehicle.

[0025] The service tool 121 additionally includes a human-machine interface (HMI) 129 having an input component and an output component. In the depicted embodiment, the HMI 129 includes a touch screen display and a plurality of hardware buttons and soft buttons to provide the user with the ability to view data and input instructions, but other embodiments may include other configurations without departing from the teachings disclosed herein. Without departing from the teachings disclosed herein, other such embodiments may include additional or other input components, such as voice input, microphone, tactile input, gesture input, keyboard, mouse, dedicated button or button array, or any other input component or combination of input components recognized by a person of ordinary skill in the art. Without departing from the teachings disclosed herein, other such embodiments may include additional or other output components, such as auditory output, light indicator, visual display, external monitor, tactile output, printer, augmented reality display, or any other output device or combination of output devices recognized by a person of ordinary skill in the art.

[0026] In the depicted embodiment, the service tool 121 includes a mobile computing device in the form of a dedicated diagnostic tablet computer, but other embodiments may include other configurations without departing from the teachings disclosed herein. In such embodiments, the service tool 121 may be embodied as a mobile processing device, a smart phone, a traditional tablet computer, a laptop computer, a wearable computing device, a desktop computer, a personal digital assistant (PDA) device, a spatial computing device, an augmented reality computing device, a mixed reality computing device, an alternative reality computing device, a handheld processor device, a dedicated processor device, a system of processors distributed across a network, a system of processors configured in wired or wireless communication, or any other alternative embodiment known to those of ordinary skill in the art.

[0027] Although in the depicted embodiment, the system includes a single service tool 121, other embodiments may include multiple service tools 121 without departing from the teachings disclosed herein. Multiple service tools 121 can be utilized with respect to a single vehicle 100 or with respect to multiple vehicles. In such embodiments, a team of technicians can perform service actions on multiple vehicles more efficiently than a single technician operating a single service tool 121. In some such embodiments including multiple service tools 121, each service tool 121 can be in data communication with each other to organize and prioritize interactions between the service tools 121, the diagnostic server 113, and the vehicle 100 via the WLAN 109.

[0028] In the depicted embodiment, some features of the diagnostic server 113 may be controlled by legal requirements or licensing agreements. As an example, and not a limitation, some diagnostic operations of the server 113 may require additional confirmation through a proprietary tool or dedicated diagnostic processor provided by the original manufacturer to maintain the warranty or certify the completion of service for a specific brand and model of vehicle. In such an instance, the diagnostic server 113 may additionally provide access to a dedicated server 131 that provides such dedicated functions remotely from the diagnostic server 113. In the depicted embodiment, the dedicated server 131 communicates data with the diagnostic server 115 via a dedicated connection 141 between the server transceiver 115 and the dedicated transceiver 133 of the dedicated server 131. In the depicted embodiment, the dedicated connection 141 includes a direct connection with encryption for data security, but other embodiments may utilize other connections, such as connections similar to the data connection 111 without departing from the teachings disclosed herein. In some embodiments, data communication between dedicated server 131 and diagnostic server 113 may be accomplished using an indirect connection, such as utilizing WLAN 109 or a different network connection, without departing from the teachings disclosed herein.

[0029] The dedicated server 131 further includes a dedicated processor 135 and a dedicated memory 137 having instructions stored thereon that are suitable for execution by the dedicated processor 135. Included among the instructions stored on the dedicated memory 137 are instructions to perform at least one unavailable dedicated diagnostic operation using information available in the server memory 119. The dedicated memory 137 may additionally include additional information that is otherwise unavailable in the server memory 119, such as updated or latest model diagnostic information tables. These instructions and information are then used upon request from the diagnostic server 113 to generate information suitable for a diagnostic report on a make or model of a vehicle or a component of a vehicle when access to the dedicated server 131 is required. In the depicted embodiment, the system includes a single dedicated server 131, but other embodiments may include multiple dedicated servers 131 without departing from the teachings disclosed herein. In such an embodiment, each of the multiple dedicated servers 131 may correspond to a different manufacturer of vehicles and / or components, thereby providing a unique set of dedicated information to the diagnostic services performed by the diagnostic server 131.

[0030] Access to the dedicated server 131 may require authorization, which may take the form of user authentication or monetary transactions. In one such embodiment, a user requesting dedicated information or diagnostic services from the dedicated server 131 may be required to enter an authorization code via the HMI 129. Without departing from the teachings disclosed herein, the authorization code may take the form of an identification number, a certificate number, a registration number, a password, a password, or a biometric input, such as a fingerprint, a facial scan, an eye scan, a voice print, or any other authorization mechanism recognized by a person of ordinary skill in the art. In such an embodiment where biometric input is required, the HMI 129 will include the necessary components required to enable the input, such as a fingerprint scanner, an eye scanner, a camera sensor, a microphone, etc. In an embodiment where access to the dedicated server 131 is authorized based on a monetary transaction, access to the dedicated server 131 may be provided to the user via a request presented to the user via the HMI 129. Access to the dedicated server may be authorized on a subscription basis, on an adhoc basis, or on a combination thereof. As an example, and not by way of limitation, some functions of the dedicated server 131 may be provided only to users with a subscription, and other functions may be available only to users who are charged on a per-use basis on an ad hoc basis. In some embodiments, the dedicated server 131 may have different authorization levels that require different levels of authorization. Each of these levels may require different user authentication, monetary transactions, or some combination thereof. As an example, and not by way of limitation, a first function may require a basic level subscription at a first monthly fee, while a second function may require an enhanced level subscription at a second higher monthly fee. In such an embodiment, without departing from the teachings disclosed herein, one or more functions that require an enhanced level subscription may be made available on an ad hoc basis to users who do not meet the subscription requirements. In an embodiment utilizing multiple dedicated servers 131, without departing from the teachings disclosed herein, each dedicated server 131 may require different authorization requirements or combinations thereof from one another. As an example, and not by way of limitation, without departing from the teachings disclosed herein, because different servers providing different functions are dedicated to different vehicle manufacturers, they may arrange different access requirements according to the licensing agreements or sales plans preferred by the associated manufacturers.

[0031] Figure 2 The diagram does not rely on WAN 100 (see Figure 1) is an alternative embodiment of a vehicle diagnostic system. In this embodiment, each of the vehicle 100, the service tool 121, and the dedicated server 131 communicates data with the diagnostic server 113 via a direct data connection 141. In this alternative embodiment, all functions of the vehicle 100, the diagnostic server 113, the service tool 121, and the dedicated server 131 are the same as the previous embodiment, but the data communication between each of them utilizes a direct connection instead of relying on a wide area network. In this embodiment, without departing from the teachings disclosed herein, the direct data connection 141 may include a local area network connection, a short-range radio connection, a WiFi connection, a Bluetooth connection, a Zigbee wireless connection, or any other direct data communication protocol recognized by a person of ordinary skill in the art for direct and / or local data communication. In the depicted embodiment, without departing from the teachings disclosed herein, one or more of the direct data connections 141 may be encrypted to improve the security of data transmission.

[0032] Vehicles may remain in service for a long period of time, and as such older vehicles may not have a native gateway module, such as the gateway module 105 installed at the time of manufacture. However, it is still desirable to maintain accessibility to these older vehicles using a diagnostic system. Figure 3 1 is an illustration of an alternative embodiment of a vehicle diagnostic system provided to service a vehicle 300 including a different configuration. The vehicle 300 is different from the vehicle 100 (see Figure 1 ) is very similar to the vehicle 100 except that its diagnostic bus 301 does not include a local gateway module. Instead, the vehicle 300 provides access to its diagnostic bus 301 by way of a bus access port 305. The other components of the depicted vehicle 300 are otherwise similar to the vehicle 100 (see Figure 1 ) are the same, but other embodiments may include alternative configurations without departing from the teachings disclosed herein. Figure 1 In the case of the vehicle 100 of the present invention, the vehicle 300 is depicted as a consumer sedan, but other embodiments may include other configurations without departing from the teachings disclosed herein. In some such components, the vehicle 300 may instead include a compact car, a minivan, a truck, a light truck, a sport utility vehicle, a station wagon, a crossover, a motorcycle, a motorized tricycle, a two-seater, an all-terrain vehicle, a recreational motor vehicle, an industrial transport, a boat, or an airplane without departing from the teachings disclosed herein.

[0033] In the depicted embodiment, the bus access port 305 includes an on-board diagnostic port that complies with an on-board diagnostic bus protocol, such as a J1962 port that supports the OBD-II protocol. However, other embodiments may include other configurations that utilize different ports or protocol specifications without departing from the teachings disclosed herein. Access to the diagnostic bus 301 is achieved via an external gateway adapter 307, which includes a port connector 309, an adapter processor 311, an adapter memory 313, and an adapter transceiver 315. The adapter processor is in data communication with each of the adapter connector 309, the adapter memory 313, and the adapter transceiver 315. The adapter memory has instructions stored thereon for execution by the adapter processor 313. The instructions stored thereon are for providing the external gateway adapter 307 with information about the gateway module 105 (see Figure 1 ) provides the same functionality that would be provided in vehicle 100. In particular, external gateway adapter 307 provides a conduit for communication between diagnostic bus 301 and diagnostic server 113. In the depicted embodiment, this data communication is accomplished via WAN 109 and multiple data communication connections 111. This interface permits diagnostic server 113 to request diagnostic data from vehicle 300, and in response receive diagnostic data, in order to generate a diagnostic report for presentation to a user via service tool 121. As described above with respect to Figure 1 As disclosed, a user may control the diagnostic process via the HMI 129 of the service tool 121 .

[0034] In the depicted embodiment, the adapter transceiver 315 includes a single transceiver component suitable for transmission and reception of data from a compatible data connection, but other embodiments may be implemented having different transmitter and receiver components without departing from the teachings disclosed herein.

[0035] In the depicted embodiment, the external gateway adapter 307 includes a proprietary hardware device, but other embodiments may include alternative configurations without departing from the teachings disclosed herein. In such an embodiment, the external gateway adapter 307 may include a general computing device, a mobile processing device, a smart phone, a traditional tablet computer, a laptop computer, a wearable computing device, a desktop computer, a personal digital assistant (PDA) device, a handheld processor device, a dedicated processor device, a system of processors distributed across a network, a system of processors configured with wired or wireless communication, or any other alternative embodiment known to those of ordinary skill in the art. In such an embodiment, an additional component may be used to provide the functionality of the port connector 309 to the external gateway adapter 307. In such an embodiment, without departing from the teachings disclosed herein, the port connector 309 may include a universal serial bus (USB) connector, an IEEE 1394 (Firewire) connector, an Ethernet connector, a Thunderbolt connector, a peripheral component interconnect (PCI) connector, a serial AT attachment (SATA) connector, a parallel AT attachment (PATA) connector, or any other conventional data interface connector known to those of ordinary skill in the art for data communication between the bridge bus access port 305 and the alternative configuration of the external gateway adapter 307.

[0036] In some embodiments, without departing from the teachings disclosed herein, the external gateway adapter 307 may be an integrated or external component in direct data communication with the service tool 121. In such embodiments, the service tool 121 may include an on-board connector or port that is natively compatible with the bus access port 305. In some such embodiments, without departing from the teachings disclosed herein, the functions of the adapter processor 311, the adapter memory 313, and the adapter transceiver 315 may instead be performed by the tool processor 125, the tool memory 127, and the tool transceiver 123, respectively.

[0037] In some embodiments, without departing from the teachings disclosed herein, the port connector 309 may be implemented as a dongle component distinct from the other elements of the external gateway adapter 307. In such embodiments, without departing from the teachings disclosed herein, the port connector 309 may be in data communication with the adapter processor via a wireless data connection. Such embodiments may advantageously permit a user to more easily connect the port connector 309 in spaces where the bus access port 305 is small, restricted, or otherwise difficult to access by larger hardware elements.

[0038] Figure 3 Describes the disclosed Figure 1An arrangement of the present invention similar to an embodiment of the present invention relies on WAN 109 to enable data communications between diagnostic server 113 and other components of the system. Figure 4 Depicted with Figure 2 A similar alternative embodiment is described in which the diagnostic server 113 utilizes a direct data connection 141 for direct data communication with other components. Figure 4 All components of the embodiment of the present invention are functionally the same as those described above with respect to Figure 3 The same as described, except that the connection utilized is a direct data connection 141. Without departing from the teachings disclosed herein, one or more of the direct data connections 141 may be encrypted for additional security in data transmission.

[0039] Some additional embodiments of the system may utilize different combinations of data connections between components. As an example, and not a limitation, without departing from the teachings disclosed herein, the external gateway adapter 307 may utilize a direct data connection 141 with the diagnostic server 113, while the service tool 121 utilizes a data communication connection 111 that is indirectly routed through the WAN 109.

[0040] Figure 5is a flow chart illustrating a vehicle diagnostic service method according to one embodiment of the teachings herein. The method starts at step 500, and at step 502, proceeds to establish a data communication connection between the vehicle communication interface (VCI) of the serviced vehicle and the diagnostic server. The VCI provides an interface for external devices to communicate with the diagnostic bus of the vehicle. In the depicted embodiment, the VCI includes a gateway module installed in the vehicle by the manufacturer, but other embodiments may include other configurations without departing from the teachings disclosed herein. In the depicted embodiment, the diagnostic bus may include a controller area network (CAN) protocol, but other embodiments may include other configurations without departing from the teachings disclosed herein. The diagnostic server may be compatible with the CAN protocol and one or more other diagnostic protocols to optimize the compatibility of the system with a wide range of vehicles and components. As an example, and not a limitation, the diagnostic server may be compatible with multiple protocols. Without departing from the teachings disclosed herein, such protocols may include, but are not limited to, CAN, Single Wire CAN, Controller Area Network Fault Tolerant (CANFT), Controller Area Network Extra Long (CANXL), Controller Area Network Flexible Data Rate (CAN FD), Local Interconnect Network (LIN), Universal Asynchronous Receiver / Transmitter Based Protocol (UART / UBP), Keyword 2000 (KWP2000), ISO 9141, ISO 15765, ISO 14230, ISO 11783, J1587, J1850PWM, J1850VPW, J1708, J1939, Diagnostics over Internet Protocol (DOIP), Digital Home Bus (D2B), Scalable Coherent Interface (SCI), Serial Peripheral Interface (SPI), FlexRay, Byteflight, Multifunction Vehicle Bus, Vehicle Area Network (VAN), Uncomplicated Application Level Vehicle Communications and Network (UAVCAN), or any other known data communication standard between electronic components.

[0041] Next, at step 504, a data communication connection is established between the diagnostic server and the human-machine interface (HMI) that the user is using. Once such a connection has been established, in addition to the obvious execution of functions for each of the VCI and the HMI, the diagnostic server can also be used to transfer information between the HMI and the VCI. In the depicted embodiment, the connection between the diagnostic server and the HMI is established after the connection between the diagnostic service and the VCI, but other embodiments can reverse the order of steps 502 and 504 without departing from the teachings disclosed herein, or perform the steps simultaneously. The method then proceeds to step 506, where initiation data is generated. The initiation data may include a command from the HMI or a control signal generated by the diagnostic server. In some embodiments, without departing from the teachings disclosed herein, the initiation data may be autonomously generated in response to establishing data communication between the diagnostic server and the VCI. In the depicted embodiment, the data communication connection between the diagnostic server and the HMI includes a wide area network (WAN), such as the Internet, but without departing from the teachings disclosed herein, other embodiments may include other limitations.

[0042] Initiation data is transmitted to the VCI as a request to generate and transmit diagnostic data from the associated vehicle to the diagnostic server. At step 510, the diagnostic data is analyzed by the diagnostic server to determine whether any access to a dedicated server is required to properly interpret the diagnostic data. A dedicated server may be required if the vehicle is being serviced, or if a specific component of the vehicle utilizes a dedicated diagnostic protocol or includes dedicated information that is made unavailable to the general diagnostic server information. In some embodiments, a manufacturer may require such dedicated information to protect its proprietary intellectual property, to ensure that only users with a specified level of authentication can authorize the information, to comply with the manufacturer's licensing agreement, or to comply with warranty requirements for the vehicle or component.

[0043] If the diagnostic data indicates that multiple dedicated servers are required to perform a complete diagnosis of the vehicle, step 510 can be completed multiple times in parallel. If access to a dedicated server is not required, the method continues to step 512, and the diagnostic server generates a diagnostic report to be presented to the user via the HMI. If a dedicated server is required, the method instead proceeds to step 514, where the dedicated server checks whether the user is authorized to access the information thereon. If the user is not authorized to access the information, the method moves to step 516, where an authorization process is initiated. The authorization process reflects the authorization requirements of the specific dedicated server being used to hide the desired information. Authorization may include user identification, authentication proof, or monetary transactions. Without departing from the teachings disclosed herein, user identification may be completed by password testing, biometric scanning, authentication response, or other identification known to those of ordinary skill in the art. Monetary transactions may include a subscriber model, or a self-organized or pay-per-use model. Authorization is performed by the user via the HMI, and the response to the authorization process is transmitted to the dedicated server by means of data communication between the diagnostic server and the HMI.

[0044] If the authorization process is successful in step 516, or if the user is otherwise authorized to access the dedicated server in step 514, the method proceeds to step 518, and the dedicated server transmits the desired information to the diagnostic server for use. If the user is unable to successfully obtain authorization, the method instead proceeds to step 520, where a failure notification is generated and presented to the user via the HMI. In the depicted embodiment, the method ends after step 520, but other embodiments may instead proceed to step 512, where a diagnostic report is generated as completely as possible using only the information available to the user via the diagnostic server and any successfully authorized dedicated servers being used.

[0045] In some embodiments, without departing from the teachings disclosed herein, the vehicle diagnostic system may not include any dedicated server. In such embodiments, without departing from the teachings disclosed herein, the method may omit step 510 and steps 514-520.

[0046] After the diagnostic report has been generated by the diagnostic server, at step 522, the diagnostic server transmits the diagnostic report to the HMI. Once the user has the complete diagnostic report, at step 524, the contents of the report are presented to the user. In the depicted embodiment, the diagnostic report can be presented using a visual display, but other embodiments may provide other configurations without departing from the teachings disclosed herein. Other embodiments may utilize some combination of audio output, tactile output, visual, audio, and tactile output without departing from the teachings disclosed herein.

[0047] Once the diagnostic report is presented to the user at step 524, the diagnostic report can be used by the user to perform a service action for the vehicle. At step 526, the user can respond to specific elements of the diagnostic report with appropriate service actions. Once the service action is completed, the diagnostic report is updated with the indication that the service action has been performed, and the method proceeds to step 528. At step 528, it is determined whether there are any other elements in the diagnostic report that have not been processed. If additional elements of the diagnostic report have not been processed, the method returns to step 524 to allow the user to process another element of the diagnostic report. If all elements of the diagnostic report have been processed, the method proceeds to step 530 and the method ends.

[0048] Figure 6 6 is a flow chart illustrating a vehicle diagnostic service method according to a second embodiment of the teachings herein. The method begins at step 600 and proceeds to establish a data communication connection between an external gateway adapter and a diagnostic server at step 602. The external gateway adapter is adapted to dock with a vehicle communication interface (VCI) of a vehicle having a diagnostic bus. At the next step 604, a data communication connection is further established between the external gateway adapter and the VCI. This series of connections provides an indirect data communication connection between the diagnostic server and the diagnostic bus of the vehicle via the external gateway adapter and the VCI.

[0049] In the depicted embodiment, the connection between the diagnostic server and the external gateway adapter is established before the connection between the external gateway adapter and the VCI is established, but other embodiments may reverse steps 602 and 604, or perform them simultaneously without departing from the teachings disclosed herein.

[0050] The VCI provides an interface for external devices to communicate with the vehicle's diagnostic bus. In the depicted embodiment, the VCI includes an onboard diagnostic port, such as a J1962 port, which is supported by a connector of an external gateway adapter. In this embodiment, the external gateway adapter provides an aftermarket solution to interface the vehicle with diagnostic services that advantageously do not require modification of the vehicle. Other embodiments may include other configurations without departing from the teachings disclosed herein.

[0051] In the depicted embodiment, the diagnostic bus may include a controller area network (CAN) protocol, but other embodiments may include other configurations without departing from the teachings disclosed herein. The diagnostic server may be compatible with the CAN protocol and one or more other diagnostic protocols to optimize system compatibility with a wide range of vehicles and components. As an example, and not limitation, the diagnostic server may be compatible with multiple protocols. Without departing from the teachings disclosed herein, such protocols may include, but are not limited to, CAN, Single Wire CAN, Controller Area Network Fault Tolerant (CANFT), Controller Area Network Extra Long (CANXL), Controller Area Network Flexible Data Rate (CAN FD), Local Interconnect Network (LIN), Universal Asynchronous Receiver / Transmitter Based Protocol (UART / UBP), Keyword 2000 (KWP2000), ISO 9141, ISO 15765, ISO 14230, ISO 11783, J1587, J1850PWM, J1850VPW, J1708, J1939, Diagnostics over Internet Protocol (DOIP), Digital Home Bus (D2B), Scalable Coherent Interface (SCI), Serial Peripheral Interface (SPI), FlexRay, Byteflight, Multifunction Vehicle Bus, Vehicle Area Network (VAN), Uncomplicated Application Level Vehicle Communications and Network (UAVCAN), or any other known data communication standard between electronic components.

[0052] Next, at step 606, a data communication connection is established between the diagnostic server and the human-machine interface (HMI) that the user is using. Once such a connection has been established, the diagnostic server and the external gateway adapter can be used to transfer information between the HMI and the VCI at the same time. In addition, the diagnostic server can obviously perform functions for each of the VCI and the HMI. In the depicted embodiment, the connection between the diagnostic server and the HMI is established after other data connections, but other embodiments can arrange steps 602, 604 and 606 in any order without departing from the teachings disclosed herein, or perform two or more steps simultaneously. The method then proceeds to step 608, where initiation data is generated. The initiation data may include a command from the HMI or a control signal generated by the diagnostic server. In some embodiments, without departing from the teachings disclosed herein, the initiation data may be generated autonomously in response to establishing data communication between the diagnostic server and the VCI. In the depicted embodiment, the data communication connection between the diagnostic server and the HMI includes a wide area network (WAN), such as the Internet, but without departing from the teachings disclosed herein, other embodiments may include other limitations.

[0053] Initiation data is transmitted to the VCI as a request to generate and transmit diagnostic data from the associated vehicle to the diagnostic server. At step 610, the diagnostic data is analyzed by the diagnostic server to determine whether any access to a dedicated server is required to properly interpret the diagnostic data. A dedicated server may be required if the vehicle is being serviced, or if a specific component of the vehicle utilizes a dedicated diagnostic protocol or includes dedicated information that is made unavailable to the general diagnostic server information. In some embodiments, a manufacturer may require such dedicated information to protect its proprietary intellectual property, to ensure that only users with a specified level of authentication can authorize the information, to comply with the manufacturer's licensing agreement, or to comply with warranty requirements for the vehicle or component.

[0054] If the diagnostic data indicates that multiple dedicated servers are required to perform a complete diagnosis of the vehicle, step 610 can be completed multiple times in parallel. If access to a dedicated server is not required, the method continues to step 612, and the diagnostic server generates a diagnostic report to be presented to the user via the HMI. If a dedicated server is required, the method instead proceeds to step 614, where the dedicated server checks whether the user is authorized to access the information thereon. If the user is not authorized to access the information, the method moves to step 616, where an authorization process is initiated. The authorization process reflects the authorization requirements of the specific dedicated server being used to hide the desired information. Authorization may include user identification, authentication proof, or monetary transactions. Without departing from the teachings disclosed herein, user identification may be completed by password testing, biometric scanning, authentication response, or other identification known to those of ordinary skill in the art. Monetary transactions may include a subscriber model, or a self-organized or pay-per-use model. Authorization is performed by the user via the HMI, and the response to the authorization process is transmitted to the dedicated server by means of data communication between the diagnostic server and the HMI.

[0055] If the authorization process is successful in step 616, or if the user is otherwise authorized to access the dedicated server in step 614, the method proceeds to step 618, and the dedicated server transmits the desired information to the diagnostic server for use. If the user is unable to successfully obtain authorization, the method instead proceeds to step 620, where a failure prompt is generated and presented to the user via the HMI. In the depicted embodiment, the method ends after step 620, but other embodiments may instead proceed to step 612, where a diagnostic report is generated as completely as possible using only the information available to the user via the diagnostic server and any successfully authorized dedicated servers being used.

[0056] In some embodiments, without departing from the teachings disclosed herein, the vehicle diagnostic system may not include any dedicated server. In such embodiments, without departing from the teachings disclosed herein, the method may omit step 610 and steps 614-620.

[0057] After the diagnostic report has been generated by the diagnostic server, at step 622, the diagnostic server transmits the diagnostic report to the HMI. Once the user has the complete diagnostic report, at step 624, the contents of the report are presented to the user. In the depicted embodiment, the diagnostic report can be presented using a visual display, but other embodiments may provide other configurations without departing from the teachings disclosed herein. Other embodiments may utilize some combination of audio output, tactile output, visual, audio, and tactile output without departing from the teachings disclosed herein.

[0058] Once the diagnostic report is presented to the user at step 624, the diagnostic report can be used by the user to perform a service action for the vehicle. At step 626, the user can respond to specific elements of the diagnostic report with appropriate service actions. Once the service action is completed, the diagnostic report is updated with the indication that the service action has been performed, and the method proceeds to step 628. At step 628, it is determined whether there are any other elements in the diagnostic report that have not been processed. If additional elements of the diagnostic report have not been processed, the method returns to step 624 to allow the user to process another element of the diagnostic report. If all elements of the diagnostic report have been processed, the method proceeds to step 630 and the method ends.

[0059] Although exemplary embodiments are described above, it is not intended that these embodiments describe all possible forms of the disclosed apparatus and methods. Instead, the words used in the specification are descriptive rather than limiting, and it is understood that various changes may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the claimed disclosure. The features of various implementation embodiments may be combined to form further embodiments of the disclosed concepts.

Claims

1. A vehicle diagnostic system, comprising: a diagnostic server having a memory having instructions stored thereon to interface with a plurality of diagnostic protocols; an external gateway adapter for data communication with a diagnostic server; a vehicle communication interface (VCI) in data communication with an external gateway adapter, the VCI being configured to interface with a diagnostic bus of the vehicle; as well as a human machine interface (HMI) for data communication with the diagnostic server, the HMI having input and output mechanisms suitable for a user, in, The diagnostic server generates a vehicle diagnostic report in response to receiving diagnostic data compatible with one of the diagnostic protocols from the VCI, The diagnostic server is configured to relay commands from the HMI to the diagnostic bus via the external gateway adapter and the VCI, The diagnostic server is configured to relay data from the diagnostic bus to the HMI via the external gateway adapter and the VCI, and The diagnostic server communicates data with the HMI via a wide area network (WAN).

2. The vehicle diagnostic system of claim 1, wherein the external gateway adapter and the VCI utilize an On-Board Diagnostics-II (OBD-II) protocol.

3. The vehicle diagnostic system of claim 1, wherein the VCI includes a J1962 port. 4 . The vehicle diagnostic system of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of diagnostic protocols include a controller area network (CAN) protocol and a local interconnect network (LIN) protocol. 5 . The vehicle diagnostic system of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of diagnostic protocols include a controller area network (CAN) protocol and a Diagnostics over Internet Protocol (DOIP) protocol. 6 . The vehicle diagnostic system according to claim 1 , wherein the diagnostic server performs data communication with an external gateway adapter via a WAN.

7. The vehicle diagnostic system of claim 6, wherein the WAN comprises the Internet.

8. The vehicle diagnostic system of claim 1, wherein the vehicle's diagnostic bus comprises a controller area network (CAN) bus.

9. The vehicle diagnostic system of claim 1, wherein the diagnostic bus of the vehicle comprises a Diagnostics over Internet Protocol (DOIP) bus.

10. The vehicle diagnostic system of claim 1, further comprising a dedicated server in data communication with the diagnostic server, the dedicated server having a dedicated memory storing thereon instructions for utilizing a dedicated diagnostic protocol different from each of the diagnostic protocols.

11. The vehicle diagnostic system of claim 10, wherein the proprietary diagnostic protocol is associated with a component of the vehicle and is authorized for utilization by the manufacturer of the component.

12. The vehicle diagnostic system of claim 1, wherein the HMI and the external gateway adapter are embedded in a service tool.

13. The vehicle diagnostic system of claim 12, wherein the service tool comprises a dedicated diagnostic tablet computer.

14. A vehicle diagnostic method, comprising: establishing a data connection between the external gateway adapter and the diagnostic server; establishing a data connection between the external gateway adapter and a vehicle communication interface (VCI) of a vehicle under diagnostic testing; Establishing a data connection between a human-machine interface (HMI) and a diagnostic server via a wide area network (WAN); transmitting an initiation command from the HMI to the diagnostic server via the external gateway adapter to initiate a diagnostic procedure for the vehicle; generating, in response to the initiation instruction, via the external gateway adapter, a vehicle diagnostic report based on diagnostic data received from the VCI; as well as Transmit diagnostic reports to HMI, in The VCI performs data communication with the vehicle's diagnostic bus, and The diagnostic server is configured to interface with a plurality of diagnostic protocols, at least one of the plurality of diagnostic protocols being utilized by a vehicle.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the step of generating vehicle diagnostics further comprises: transmitting the diagnostic data to a dedicated server having a dedicated memory storing thereon instructions for utilizing a dedicated diagnostic protocol that is different from each of the diagnostic protocols; Generate a diagnostic report based on the diagnostic data using a dedicated diagnostic protocol; as well as Transmits diagnostic reports from the dedicated server to the diagnostic server.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the proprietary diagnostic protocol is associated with a component of the vehicle and is authorized for utilization by a manufacturer of the component.

17. The method of claim 13, wherein the plurality of diagnostic protocols include at least a controller area network (CAN) protocol and a local interconnect network (LIN) protocol.

18. The method of claim 14, wherein the VCI comprises a J1962 port.

19. The method of claim 14, wherein the WAN comprises the Internet.

20. The method of claim 14, wherein the diagnostic protocol utilized by the vehicle comprises a controller area network (CAN) protocol.

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