Cloud-based vehicle diagnostic system with specialist data

Abstract

Systems and procedures for vehicle diagnostic service using a diagnostic server. The systems comprise a diagnostic server that communicates with a service instrument and the vehicle communication interface (FCI) of a vehicle. Data communication can take place over a wide area network (WAN). The diagnostic server collects diagnostic data from the FCI and generates a diagnostic report for a user, which can be used during vehicle maintenance. In some embodiments, an external gateway adapter is used to enable data communication between the diagnostic server and vehicles that do not have their own network connectivity capability.

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD

[0001] This invention relates to the maintenance of a vehicle including diagnostic methods. BACKGROUND

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

[0003] Accurate assessments of vehicle condition can require extensive and specialized technical knowledge. Modern vehicles can provide insights into their operating status through electronic data communication. This can generate electronic data that indicates the vehicle's operating status, such as diagnostic codes associated with the vehicle, a vehicle component, or one of its systems. Various factors can complicate the diagnosis process and subsequent repair. Technicians must be able to collect both vehicle operating data and vehicle identification data, as different manufacturers may use similar or identical operating data or diagnostic codes that have completely different meanings in the context of their respective vehicles.Vehicle operating data can vary by vehicle, component, and even year of the vehicle or component. Furthermore, manufacturers may restrict access to some data useful for performing a diagnostic service for safety or patent reasons. This restricted-access data may be desirable because it is for new technology or for a newly released vehicle, component, or system. This diagnostic service is further complicated when considering aftermarket components and systems that may behave differently than production models. Thus, a comprehensive and understandable diagnostic service may require broad and in-depth technical expertise, and such service can be expensive or maintenance-prone.

[0004] It would therefore be desirable to have a system that provides technicians 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. Furthermore, it may be advantageous to design the system to provide cost-effective access to the desired diagnostic data. SUMMARY

[0005] One aspect of the present invention relates to a vehicle diagnostic system comprising a diagnostic server having a memory, a vehicle communication interface (VCI) in data communication with the diagnostic server, and a human-machine interface (HMI) in data communication with the diagnostic server. The memory stores commands to interface with a variety of diagnostic protocols. The VCI is configured to interface with a diagnostic bus of a 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 of the VCI. The diagnostic server is further configured to forward a command from the HMI to the diagnostic bus via the VCI.The diagnostic server is also configured to forward data from the diagnostic bus to the MMS via the FKS. The diagnostic server communicates with the MMS via a wide area network (WVN).

[0006] Another aspect of the present invention relates to a method for vehicle diagnostics. The method comprises establishing a data connection between a vehicle communication interface (VCI) of a vehicle undergoing diagnostic testing and a diagnostic server; establishing a data connection between a human-machine interface (HMI) and the diagnostic server via a wide area network (WVN); transmitting initiation data from the HMI to the diagnostic server to initiate a diagnostic process of the vehicle; transmitting the initiation data from the diagnostic server to the VCI to initiate the diagnostic process; generating a vehicle diagnostic report based on diagnostic data received by the VCI in response to the initiation data; and transmitting the diagnostic report to the HMI. The VCI is in data communication with a diagnostic bus of the vehicle.The diagnostic server is configured to interface with a plurality of diagnostic protocols, wherein at least one of the plurality of diagnostic protocols is used by the vehicle.

[0007] Another aspect of the present invention relates to a vehicle diagnostic system comprising a diagnostic server having a memory, a gateway adapter in data communication with the diagnostic server, a vehicle communication interface (VCI) in data communication with the diagnostic server, and a human-machine interface (HMI) in data communication with the diagnostic server. The memory stores commands to form an interface to a variety of diagnostic protocols. The VCI is configured to form an interface with a diagnostic bus of a vehicle. The HMI comprises an input component and an output component. The input component is suitable for a user to enter commands and data. The output component is suitable for displaying or otherwise transmitting data or prompts to a user.The diagnostic server generates a vehicle diagnostic report in response to receiving diagnostic data compatible with one of the vehicle control system's diagnostic protocols. The diagnostic server is configured to forward a command from the MMS to the diagnostic bus via the gateway adapter. The diagnostic server is configured to forward data from the diagnostic bus to the MMS via the vehicle control system, and the diagnostic server communicates with the MMS over a wide area network (WVN).

[0008] Another aspect of the present invention relates to a method for vehicle diagnostics. The method comprises steps of establishing data communication between an external gateway adapter and a diagnostic server, establishing data communication between the external gateway adapter and a vehicle communication interface (VCI) of a vehicle undergoing diagnostic testing, establishing a data connection between a human-machine interface (HMI) and the diagnostic server via a wide area network (WVN), transmitting initiation data from the HMI to the diagnostic server via an external gateway adapter to initiate a diagnostic process of the vehicle, generating a diagnostic report based on diagnostic data received from the VCI via an external gateway adapter in response to the initiation data, and transmitting the diagnostic report to the HMI.The VKS is in data communication with a diagnostic bus of the vehicle undergoing diagnostic testing. The diagnostic server is configured to interface with a plurality of diagnostic protocols, with at least one of the plurality of diagnostic protocols being used by the vehicle undergoing diagnostic testing.

[0009] The above-mentioned aspects and further aspects of the present invention are explained in more detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS Fig. 1 is a schematic diagram of a vehicle diagnostic system according to an embodiment of the present invention. Fig. 2 is a schematic diagram of a vehicle diagnostic system according to a second embodiment of the present invention. Fig. 3 is a schematic diagram of a vehicle diagnostic system according to a third embodiment of the present invention. Fig. 4 is a schematic diagram of a vehicle diagnostic system according to a fourth embodiment of the present invention. Fig. 5 is a flowchart illustrating a method for vehicle diagnostics according to an embodiment of the present invention. Fig. 6 is a flowchart illustrating a vehicle diagnosis method according to a second embodiment of the present invention. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0010] The illustrated embodiments are disclosed with reference to the drawings. It is to be understood, however, that the disclosed embodiments are intended merely as examples that may be embodied in various and alternative forms. The drawings are not necessarily to scale, and some features may be exaggerated or reduced in size to particularly illustrate and emphasize details of particular components. The specific structural and functional details disclosed are not limiting, but are to be understood as a representative basis for showing one skilled in the art how to practice the disclosed concepts.

[0011] Fig. 1 shows a vehicle 100 undergoing diagnostic testing using a diagnostic system according to an embodiment of the present invention. In the illustrated embodiment, the vehicle 100 includes a diagnostic bus 101 that enables data communication between a plurality of components of the vehicle. In this embodiment, the vehicle 100 includes a vehicle processor 103, a vehicle communications interface (VCI) 105, and a plurality of electronic control units (ESUs) 107. In this illustration, 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 illustrated embodiment, the vehicle processor 103 is a separate processing component from the VCI 105 and any ECUs 107.In some embodiments, one or a plurality of FCS 105 and ESU 107 include standalone processors or subprocessors, and in such embodiments, these elements may provide the functionality of vehicle processor 103 without departing from the teachings disclosed herein. In such embodiments, vehicle 100 may not include vehicle processor 103 without departing from the teachings disclosed herein.

[0012] Further embodiments may include additional or different components of the vehicle 100 that are in data communication with the diagnostic bus 101 without departing from the teachings disclosed herein. In the illustrated embodiment, the vehicle 100 comprises a sedan, but other embodiments may include other configurations without departing from the teachings disclosed herein. In some of these embodiments, the vehicle 100 may instead comprise a subcompact car, a minivan, a truck, a light truck, a sport utility vehicle (SUV), a station wagon, a crossover vehicle, a motorcycle, a motorized three-wheeler, a side-by-side vehicle (UTV), an all-terrain vehicle, a recreational vehicle, an industrial transport, a commercial vehicle, a watercraft, or an aircraft without departing from the teachings disclosed herein.

[0013] In the illustrated embodiment, diagnostic bus 101 includes a Controller Area Network (CAN) bus protocol, but other embodiments may include other diagnostic protocols without departing from the teachings disclosed herein. Diagnostic bus 101 may additionally utilize a variety of diagnostic protocols to enable data communication between components of vehicle 100 without departing from the teachings disclosed herein.Such embodiments may use a protocol 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, J1850PWM, J1850VPW, J1708, J1939, Diagnostics Over Internet Protocol (DOIP), Domestic Digital Bus (D2B), Scalable Coherent Interface (SCI), Serial Peripheral Interface (SPI), FlexRay, Byteflight, Multifunction Vehicle Bus, Vehicle Area Network (VAN), Uncomplicated Application-level Vehicular Communication And Network (UAVCAN) or any other known standard of data communication between electronic components without departing from the to deviate from the teachings revealed here.

[0014] The vehicle processor 103 is configured to perform calculations, execute instructions, and manage transfers between components of the vehicle 100. The vehicle processor 103 may additionally be in data communication with a vehicle memory (not shown), which provides executable instructions to the processor. Data communication between the vehicle processor 103 and the vehicle memory may occur via a direct interface between the two components or using the diagnostic bus 101, without departing from the teachings disclosed herein.

[0015] The FCS 105 enables data communication between components of the vehicle 100 connected to the diagnostic bus 101 and other devices or systems external to the vehicle. In the illustrated embodiment, the FCS 105 includes a gateway module 105 in data communication with the vehicle processor 103. In the illustrated embodiment, the gateway module 105 includes a combination of hardware and software components, but other embodiments may include embodiments with hardware, firmware, or software implementations, or any combination thereof, without departing from the teachings disclosed herein. In practice, the gateway module 105 behaves as a transmitter and receiver, providing communication functions between the vehicle 100 and external devices, components, or systems.In the illustrated embodiment, the gateway module 105 is in data communication with a wide area network (WVN) 109 via a data communication link 111. The gateway module 105 may comprise one or a plurality of data communication protocols suitable for establishing a data communication connection. In the illustrated embodiment, the WVN 109 comprises the Internet and the gateway module 105 comprises 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 using one or a plurality of operating modes.In some embodiments, the data communication link 111 may comprise a wireless connection comprising one or a plurality of the following protocols or standards: RF (radio frequency) specifications, cellular channels (analog or digital), cellular data channels, Subscriber Identity Module (SIM) connection, Bluetooth specification, Wi-Fi specification, satellite transceiver specification, infrared transmission, Zigbee specification, local area network (LAN), wireless local area network (WLAN), or any other alternative configuration, protocol, or standard known to one of ordinary skill in the art.In some embodiments, the data communication connection 111 may comprise a TCP / IP connection, a POTS connection, an Internet Protocol connection, electrical wiring, a conductive channel, an electrical bus, a fiber optic path, or any other alternative embodiment known to one of ordinary skill in the art. In some embodiments, the connection between the gateway module 105 and the WAN 109 may be established via a local area network (LAN; not shown) without departing from the teachings disclosed herein.

[0016] The vehicle 100 is further configured to provide diagnostic data in response to a request received from the gateway module 105. In the illustrated embodiment, diagnostic data is generated by the vehicle processor 103 in response to receiving the request. The vehicle processor 103 collects diagnostic data indicative of the condition of one or more of the other components of the vehicle 100 (e.g., ESE 107) and provides the diagnostic data to the gateway module 105 for transmission to the requester. In the illustrated embodiment, a request may be generated by a diagnostic server 113 that is in data communication with the vehicle 100 via the WVN 109. The diagnostic server 113 includes a server transceiver 115 configured to send and receive data communications from other systems, devices, or components external to 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 supplied to it, and instructions for functions of the server processor 117 are stored in the server memory. In the illustrated embodiment, the server memory 119 further includes a database containing information suitable for interpreting the received diagnostic data of a vehicle, such as the vehicle 100. In the illustrated 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.

[0017] The diagnostic server 113 is configured to collect diagnostic data from the vehicle 100 indicating the status of one or a plurality of components of the vehicle 100. Because the vehicle 100 may utilize one or a plurality of diagnostic protocols, the server memory 119 stores information suitable for interpreting the data of all supported and potentially encountered diagnostic protocols. For this reason, in the illustrated embodiment, the server memory 119 stores information useful for interpreting diagnostic data received from a variety of vehicle makes and models using a variety of protocols.Such protocols may include, but are not limited to, 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, J1850PWM, J1850VPW, J1708, J1939, Diagnostics Over Internet Protocol (DOIP), Domestic Digital Bus (D2B), Scalable Coherent Interface (SCI), Serial Peripheral Interface (SPI), FlexRay, Byteflight, Multifunction Vehicle Bus, Vehicle Area Network (VAN), Uncomplicated Application-level Vehicular Communication And Network (UAVCAN), or any other known standard for data communication between electronic components, without being dependent on the to deviate from the teachings revealed here.

[0018] In the illustrated embodiment, the diagnostic server 113 is in data communication with the vehicle 100 indirectly via a data communication link 111 to the WVN 109, but other embodiments may include other configurations (see, for example, Fig. 2). The diagnostic server 113 is configured to use diagnostic data from a vehicle, such as vehicle 100, to create a diagnostic report that can be viewed and used by a user when servicing the vehicle. This diagnostic report can be presented to a user via a service tool 121. In the illustrated embodiment, the service tool 121 is in indirect data communication with the diagnostic server 113 via the WVN 109 via the service tool transceiver 123. In the illustrated embodiment, the service tool transceiver 123 establishes a data communication link 111 with the WVN 109, which is used to establish data communication with the diagnostic server 113.The service instrument 121 includes a service instrument processor 125 in data communication with the service instrument transceiver 123; and a service instrument memory 127. The service instrument memory 127 includes instructions stored thereon that can be executed by the service instrument processor 125. In some embodiments, the service instrument memory 127 may contain additional information suitable for interpreting some diagnostic data from a variety of vehicle makes and models without departing from the teachings disclosed herein.

[0019] The service instrument 121 additionally includes a human-machine interface (HMI) 129 having an input component and an output component. In the illustrated embodiment, the HMI 129 includes a touchscreen display and a plurality of hardware buttons and soft keys to enable a user to view data and enter commands, but other embodiments may include other configurations without departing from the teachings disclosed herein. Other embodiments may include additional or different input components, such as voice input, a microphone, haptic input, gesture input, a keyboard, a mouse, a dedicated button or keypad, or any other input component or combination of input components recognized by one of ordinary skill in the art without departing from the teachings disclosed herein.Other such embodiments may include additional or different output components, such as an audible output, light indicators, a visual display, an external monitor, a haptic output, a printer, an augmented reality display, or any other output device or combination of output devices recognized by one of ordinary skill in the art without departing from the teachings disclosed herein.

[0020] In the illustrated embodiment, the service instrument 121 includes a mobile computer in the form of a specialized diagnostic tablet computer, but other embodiments may include other configurations without departing from the teachings disclosed herein.In such embodiments, the service instrument 121 may be embodied as a mobile processing device, a smartphone, a conventional tablet computer, a laptop computer, a portable 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 portable computing device, a specialized computing device, a system of computing devices distributed over a network, a system of computing devices configured for wired or wireless communication, or any other alternative embodiment known to one of ordinary skill in the art.

[0021] Although the system in the illustrated embodiment includes a single service tool 121, other embodiments may include a plurality of service tools 121 in the system without departing from the teachings disclosed herein. A plurality of service tools 121 may be used with respect to a single vehicle 100 or with respect to a plurality of vehicles. In such embodiments, a team of technicians may perform service on a plurality of vehicles more efficiently than a single technician operating a single service tool 121. In some such embodiments that include a plurality of service tools 121, each of the service tools 121 may be in data communication with one another to organize and prioritize interactions between the service tools 121, the diagnostic server 113, and the vehicle 100 via a WVN 109.

[0022] In the illustrated embodiment, some functions of the diagnostic server 113 may be controlled by legal requirements or licensing agreements. For example, some of the diagnostic operations of the server 113 may require additional confirmation by a proprietary instrument or specialized diagnostic processor provided by an original equipment manufacturer to maintain a warranty or certify completed service for certain makes and models of a vehicle. In such cases, the diagnostic server 113 may additionally provide access to a specialized server 131 that provides such specialized functions remotely from the diagnostic server 113. In the illustrated embodiment, the specialized server 131 is in data communication with the diagnostic server 113 via a proprietary connection 141 between the server transceiver 115 and a specialized transceiver 133 of the specialized server 131.In the illustrated embodiment, proprietary connection 141 comprises a direct connection with encryption for data security, but other embodiments may use other connections, such as a connection similar to data communication connection 111, without departing from the teachings disclosed herein. In some embodiments, data communication between domain server 131 and diagnostic server 113 may occur via an indirect connection, such as via WLAN 109 or another network connection, without departing from the teachings disclosed herein.

[0023] The subject server 131 further includes a subject processor 135 and a subject memory 137 in which instructions are stored that can be executed by the subject processor 135. The instructions stored in the subject memory 137 also include instructions for performing at least one subject diagnostic operation that is not possible with the information available in the server memory 119. The subject memory 137 may also contain additional information not otherwise available in the server memory 119, such as updated or latest model diagnostic information tables. These commands and information are then used, upon request, by the diagnostic server 113 to generate information suitable for a diagnostic report on vehicle makes or models or vehicle components when access to the subject server 131 is required.In the illustrated embodiment, the system includes a single domain server 131, but other embodiments may include a plurality of domain servers 131 without departing from the teachings disclosed herein. In such embodiments, each of the plurality of domain servers 131 may correspond to a different vehicle and / or component manufacturer and provide a unique set of domain-specific information to the diagnostic services performed by the diagnostic server 131.

[0024] Access to the subject server 131 may require authorization, which may be in the form of a user certification or a monetary transaction. In such an embodiment, a user requesting subject-specific information or diagnostic services from the subject server 131 may be prompted to enter an authorization code via the MMS 129. The authorization code may take the form of an identification number, a certificate number, a registration number, a password, a passcode, or a biometric input, such as a fingerprint, a facial scan, an eye scan, a voiceprint, or any other authorization mechanism known to one of ordinary skill in the art without departing from the teachings disclosed herein.In embodiments requiring biometric input, the MMS 129 will include the necessary components required to enable the input, such as a fingerprint scanner, eye scanner, camera sensor, or microphone. In embodiments where access to the subject server 131 is authorized based on a monetary transaction, a user may be offered access to the subject server 131 via a request presented to the user via the MMS 129. Access to the subject server may be authorized on a subscription basis, an ad hoc basis, or a combination thereof. For example, some features of the subject server 131 may be offered only to users with a subscription, and other features may be available only to users who pay per use on an ad hoc basis.In some embodiments, the subject server 131 may have different authorization levels, requiring different authorization levels. Each of these levels may require a different user certification, monetary transaction, or a combination thereof. For example, a first feature may require a basic subscription with a first monthly fee, while a second feature may require an advanced subscription with a second, higher monthly fee. In such embodiments, one or more features requiring an advanced subscription may be made available ad hoc to users who do not meet the subscription requirements without departing from the teachings disclosed herein.In embodiments employing a plurality of specialized servers 131, each of the specialized servers 131 may require different authorization requirements or combinations thereof without departing from the teachings disclosed herein. For example, different servers offering different functions because they belong to different vehicle manufacturers may have different access requirements according to the respective manufacturer's preferred licensing agreements or sales plans without departing from the teachings disclosed herein.

[0025] Fig. Figure 2 shows an alternative embodiment of the vehicle diagnostic system which is not based on the WVN 109 (see Fig. 1). In this embodiment, the vehicle 100, the service instrument 121, and the subject server 131 are in data communication 141 with the diagnostic server 113 via a direct data connection. In this alternative embodiment, all functions of the vehicle 100, the diagnostic server 113, the service instrument 121, and the subject server 131 behave identically to the previous embodiment, with the data communication between each of them utilizing a direct connection rather than a wide area network. In this embodiment, the direct data connections 141 may comprise a local area network connection, a short-range radio connection, a Wi-Fi connection, a Bluetooth connection, a wireless Zigbee connection, or any other direct data communication protocol known to one skilled in the art of direct and / or local data communication without departing from the teachings disclosed above.In the illustrated embodiment, one or a plurality of direct data connections 141 may be encrypted to enhance the security of the data transmission without departing from the teachings disclosed herein.

[0026] A vehicle may remain in service for long periods, so older vehicles may not include a native gateway module, such as Gateway Module 105, that was installed at the time of manufacture. Nevertheless, it is desirable to maintain accessibility to these older vehicles using the diagnostic systems. Fig. Figure 3 shows an alternative embodiment of the vehicle diagnostic system intended for servicing a vehicle 300 with a different configuration. The vehicle 300 is similar to the vehicle 100 (see Fig. ), except that its diagnostic bus 301 does not include its own gateway module. Instead, the vehicle 300 provides access to the diagnostic bus 301 via a bus access port 305. Other components of the illustrated vehicle 300 are otherwise identical to the components of the vehicle 100 (see Fig. ), but other embodiments may include alternative configurations without departing from the teachings disclosed herein. As with the vehicle 100 in Fig. In Figure 1, vehicle 300 is depicted as a sedan, but other embodiments may include other configurations without departing from the teachings disclosed herein. In some of these embodiments, vehicle 300 may instead be a subcompact car, a minivan, a truck, a pickup truck, a sport utility vehicle (SUV), a station wagon, a crossover vehicle, a motorcycle, a motorized three-wheeler, a side-by-side vehicle (UTV), an all-terrain vehicle, a recreational vehicle, an industrial transport, a utility vehicle, a watercraft, or an aircraft without departing from the teachings disclosed herein.

[0027] In the illustrated embodiment, bus access port 305 includes an onboard diagnostic port conforming to an onboard diagnostic bus protocol, such as a J1962 port supporting an OBD-II protocol. However, other embodiments may include other configurations using different port or protocol specifications without departing from the teachings disclosed herein. Access to diagnostic bus 301 is via an external gateway adapter 307, which includes a connector 309, an adapter processor 311, an adapter memory 313, and an adapter transceiver 315. The adapter processor is in data communication with adapter port 309, adapter memory 313, and adapter transceiver 315. Adapter memory 313 stores instructions executed by adapter processor 315.The commands stored therein are designed to provide the external gateway adapter 307 with the same functionality as the gateway module 105 (see . Fig. 1) in the vehicle 100. In particular, the external gateway adapter 307 provides a channel for communication between the diagnostic bus 301 and the diagnostic server 113. In the illustrated embodiment, this data communication is realized via the WVN 109 and a plurality of data communication links 111. This interface enables the diagnostic server 113 to request diagnostic data from the vehicle 300 and receive the diagnostic data to create the diagnostic report, which is provided to the user via the service tool 121. As shown in Fig. 1, a user can control the diagnostic processes via the MMS 129 of the service instrument 121.

[0028] In the illustrated embodiment, the adapter transceiver 315 includes a single transceiver component suitable for transmitting and receiving data from compatible data links, but other embodiments may be implemented with a separate transceiver component without departing from the teachings disclosed herein.

[0029] In the illustrated embodiment, the external gateway adapter 307 comprises a proprietary hardware device, but other embodiments may include alternative configurations without departing from the teachings disclosed herein. In such embodiments, the external gateway adapter 307 may comprise, for example, a general-purpose computer, a mobile processing device, a smartphone, a conventional tablet computer, a laptop computer, a portable computing device, a desktop computer, a personal digital assistant (PDA) device, a handheld processor device, a specialized processor device, a system of processors distributed over a network, a system of processors configured for wired or wireless communication, or any other alternative embodiment known to one of ordinary skill in the art.In such embodiments, an additional component may be used to provide the functionality of the connector 309 for the external gateway adapter 307. In such embodiments, the connector 309 may comprise 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 one of ordinary skill in the art for bridging data communication between the bus access port 305 and an alternative configuration for the external gateway adapter 307 without departing from the teachings disclosed herein.

[0030] In some embodiments, the external gateway adapter 307 may be an integrated or external component that is in direct data communication with the service instrument 121 without departing from the teachings disclosed herein. In such embodiments, the service instrument 121 may have an integrated port or connector that is natively compatible with the bus access port 305. In some such embodiments, the functions of the adapter processor 311, the adapter memory 313, and the adapter transceiver 315 may instead be performed by the service instrument processor 125, the service instrument memory 127, and the service instrument transceiver 123, respectively, without departing from the teachings disclosed herein.

[0031] In some embodiments, the connector 309 may be implemented as a dongle component distinct from the other elements of the external gateway adapter 307 without departing from the teachings disclosed herein. In such embodiments, the connector 309 may be in data communication with the adapter processor via a wireless data connection without departing from the teachings disclosed herein. Such an embodiment may advantageously allow a user to more easily connect the connector 309 in spaces where the bus access port 305 is small, confined, or otherwise difficult to access due to larger hardware elements.

[0032] Fig. Figure 3 shows an embodiment of the invention disclosed here, which is analogous to the embodiment of Fig. 1, which is based on the use of the WVN 109 to enable data communication between the diagnostic server 113 and the other components of the system. Fig. 4 shows an alternative embodiment analogous to Fig. 2, in which the diagnostic server 113 is in direct data communication with the other components via direct data connections 141. All components of the embodiment of Fig. 4 are consistent with the above-mentioned Fig. 3 are functionally identical, except that the connections used correspond to direct data connections 141. For additional security, one or a plurality of the direct data connections 141 may be encrypted during transmission of data without departing from the teachings disclosed herein.

[0033] Some additional embodiments of the system may utilize a different combination of data connections between the components. For example, the external gateway adapter 307 may utilize a direct data connection 141 with the diagnostic server 113, while the service instrument 121 may utilize a data communication connection 111 routed indirectly via the WVN 109, without departing from the teachings disclosed herein.

[0034] Fig. 5 is a flowchart illustrating a method for vehicle diagnostics according to an embodiment of the present invention. The method begins in step 500 and establishes a data communication connection between a vehicle communication interface (VCI) of a vehicle to be serviced and a diagnostic server in step 502. The VCI provides an interface for external devices to communicate with a diagnostic bus of the vehicle. In the illustrated 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 illustrated 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 can be compatible with CAN protocols and one or a variety of other diagnostic protocols to optimize system compatibility with a wide range of vehicles and components. For example, the diagnostic server can be compatible with a variety of protocols without this being a limitation.Such protocols may include, but are not limited to, 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, J1850PWM, J1850VPW, J1708, J1939, Diagnostics Over Internet Protocol (DOIP), Domestic Digital Bus (D2B), Scalable Coherent Interface (SCI), Serial Peripheral Interface (SPI), FlexRay, Byteflight, Multifunction Vehicle Bus, Vehicle Area Network (VAN), Uncomplicated Application-level Vehicular Communication And Network (UAVCAN), or any other known standard for data communication between electronic components, without deviating from the standards described here. deviate from revealed teachings.

[0035] Next, in step 504, a data communication connection is established between the diagnostic server and a human-machine interface (HMI) used by a user. Once this connection is established, the diagnostic server can be used to exchange information between the HMI and the FKS, in addition to performing functions directed to each of the FKS and the HMI separately. In the illustrated embodiment, the connection between the diagnostic server and the HMI is established after the connection between the diagnostic service and the FKS is established, but other embodiments may reverse the order of steps 502 and 504 or perform them concurrently without departing from the teachings disclosed herein. The method then proceeds to step 506, where the initiation data is generated.The initiation data may include a command from the MMS or a control signal generated by the diagnostic server. In some embodiments, the initiation data may be generated autonomously in response to the establishment of data communication between the diagnostic server and the FKS without departing from the teachings disclosed herein. In the illustrated embodiment, the data communication connection between the diagnostic server and the MMS comprises a wide area network (WAN), such as the Internet, but other embodiments may include other limitations without departing from the teachings disclosed herein.

[0036] The initiation data is transmitted to the FKS as a request to generate and transmit diagnostic data of the associated vehicle to the diagnostic server. In step 510, the diagnostic data is analyzed by the diagnostic server to determine whether access to a specialized server is required to properly interpret the diagnostic data. A specialized server may be required if the vehicle being serviced or a specific component of the vehicle uses a specialized diagnostic protocol or contains specialized information that is not available in the general diagnostic server information.In some embodiments, such specialized information may be required by a manufacturer to protect its intellectual property, to ensure that only a user with a certain level of certification can authorize the information, to comply with a manufacturer's license agreement, or to meet warranty requirements for the vehicle or component.

[0037] Step 510 may be performed multiple times in parallel if the diagnostic data indicates that multiple specialized servers are required for a complete diagnosis of the vehicle. If access to a specialized server is not required, the method proceeds to step 512, and the diagnostic server generates a diagnostic report that is provided to the user via the MMS. If a specialized server is required, the method instead proceeds to step 514, in which the specialized server checks whether a user is authorized to access the information located thereon. If the user is not authorized to access the information, the method proceeds to step 516, in which an authorization process is initiated. The authorization process reflects the authorization requirements of the particular specialized server on which the desired specialized information is located.Authorization may include user identification, certification verification, or a monetary transaction. User identification may be performed through a password request, a biometric scan, a certification response, or other identification known to those skilled in the art without deviating from the teachings disclosed herein. The monetary transaction may include a subscription model, an ad hoc model, or a pay-per-use model. Authorization is performed by a user via the MMS, and responses to the authorization process are transmitted to the expert server via the diagnostic server's data communication with the MMS.

[0038] If the authorization process in step 516 is successful, or if the user has otherwise been authorized to access the specialist server in step 514, the method proceeds to step 518, where the specialist server transmits the desired information to the diagnostic server for use. If the user fails to acquire authorization, the method instead proceeds to step 520, where an error message is generated and provided to the user via the MMS. In the illustrated embodiment, the method ends after step 520. Other embodiments may instead proceed to step 512, where the diagnostic report is created as completely as possible, using only the information available to the user about the diagnostic server and any successfully authorized specialist servers.

[0039] In some embodiments, the vehicle diagnostic system may not include specialized servers without departing from the teachings disclosed herein. In such embodiments, the methods may omit steps 510 and 514 through 520 without departing from the teachings disclosed herein.

[0040] After the diagnostic server creates a diagnostic report, the diagnostic server transmits the diagnostic report to the MMS in step 522. Once a user has a complete diagnostic report, the contents of the report are presented to the user in step 524. In the illustrated embodiment, the diagnostic report may be presented using a visual display, but other embodiments may provide other configurations without departing from the teachings disclosed herein. Other embodiments may utilize audio outputs, haptic outputs, or a combination of visual, audible, and haptic outputs without departing from the teachings disclosed herein.

[0041] When the diagnostic report is presented to a user in step 524, the diagnostic report can be used by a user to perform service actions for the vehicle. The user can respond to a particular item of the diagnostic report with an appropriate service action in step 526. Once the service action is complete, the diagnostic report is updated to indicate that the service action has been performed, and the method continues with step 528. In step 528, it is determined whether there are any additional items of the diagnostic report that have not yet been addressed. If there are any additional items of the diagnostic report that have not yet been addressed, the method returns to step 524 to provide a user with the opportunity to address another item of the diagnostic report.When all elements of the diagnostic report have been addressed, the process continues with step 530 and ends.

[0042] Fig. 6 is a flowchart illustrating a method for vehicle diagnostics according to a second embodiment of the present invention. The method begins at step 600 and then establishes a data communication connection between an external gateway adapter and a diagnostic server in step 602. The external gateway adapter is adapted to interface with a vehicle communication interface (VCI) of a vehicle having a diagnostic bus. In the next step 604, another data communication connection is established between the external gateway adapter and the VCI. This series of connections establishes an indirect data communication connection between the diagnostic server and the vehicle's diagnostic bus via the external gateway adapter and the VCI.

[0043] In the illustrated embodiment, the connection between the diagnostic server and the external gateway adapter is established before the connection between the external gateway adapter and the FKS is established, but other embodiments may reverse steps 602 and 604 or perform them concurrently without departing from the teachings disclosed herein.

[0044] The FKS provides an interface for external devices to communicate with a vehicle diagnostic bus. In the illustrated embodiment, the FKS includes an onboard diagnostic port, such as a J1962 port, supported by a port on the external gateway adapter. In this embodiment, the external gateway adapter provides a retrofit option for connecting the vehicle to the diagnostic service that advantageously does not require any modification to the vehicle. Other embodiments may include other configurations without departing from the teachings disclosed herein.

[0045] In the illustrated 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 CAN protocols and one or more other diagnostic protocols to optimize system compatibility with a wide range of vehicles and components. For example, the diagnostic server may be compatible with a variety of protocols.Such protocols may include, but are not limited to, 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, J1850PWM, J1850VPW, J1708, J1939, Diagnostics Over Internet Protocol (DOIP), Domestic Digital Bus (D2B), Scalable Coherent Interface (SCI), Serial Peripheral Interface (SPI), FlexRay, Byteflight, Multifunction Vehicle Bus, Vehicle Area Network (VAN), Uncomplicated Application-level Vehicular Communication And Network (UAVCAN), or any other known standard for data communication between electronic components, without deviating from the standards described here. deviate from revealed teachings.

[0046] In the next step 606, a data communication connection is established between the diagnostic server and a human-machine interface (HMI) used by a user. Once this connection is established, the diagnostic server and the external gateway adapter can be used in combination to exchange information between the HMI and the FKS. In addition, the diagnostic server can perform additional functions that are individually directed at the FKS and the HMI. In the illustrated embodiment, the connection between the diagnostic server and the HMI is established after the other data connections, but other embodiments can arrange steps 602, 604, and 606 in any order or perform a plurality of the steps simultaneously without departing from the teachings disclosed herein. In the subsequent step 608 of the method, the initiation data is generated.This initiation data may include a command from the MMS or a control signal generated by the diagnostic server. In some embodiments, the initiation data may be generated autonomously in response to the establishment of data communication between the diagnostic server and the FKS without departing from the teachings disclosed herein. In the illustrated embodiment, the data communication connection between the diagnostic server and the MMS comprises a wide area network (WAN), such as the Internet, but other embodiments may include other limitations without departing from the teachings disclosed herein.

[0047] The initiation data is transmitted to the FKS as a request to generate and transmit diagnostic data of the associated vehicle to the diagnostic server. In step 610, the diagnostic data is analyzed by the diagnostic server to determine whether access to a specialized server is required to properly interpret the diagnostic data. A specialized server may be required if the vehicle being serviced or a specific component of the vehicle uses a specialized diagnostic protocol or contains specialized information not available in the general diagnostic server information.In some embodiments, such specialized information may be required by a manufacturer to protect its intellectual property, to ensure that only a user with a certain level of certification can authorize the information, to comply with a manufacturer's license agreement, or to meet warranty requirements for the vehicle or component.

[0048] Step 610 may be performed multiple times in parallel if the diagnostic data indicates that multiple specialized servers are required for a complete diagnosis of the vehicle. If access to a specialized server is not required, the method proceeds to step 612, and the diagnostic server generates a diagnostic report that is provided to the user via the MMS. If a specialized server is required, the method instead proceeds to step 614, in which the specialized server checks whether a user is authorized to access the information located thereon. If the user is not authorized to access the information, the method proceeds to step 616, in which an authorization process is initiated. The authorization process reflects the authorization requirements of the respective specialized server on which the desired specialized information is located.Authorization may include user identification, certification verification, or a monetary transaction. User identification may be performed through a password request, a biometric scan, a certification response, or other identification known to those skilled in the art without deviating from the teachings disclosed herein. The monetary transaction may include a subscription model, an ad hoc model, or a pay-per-use model. Authorization is performed by a user via the MMS, and responses to the authorization process are transmitted to the expert server via the diagnostic server's data communication with the MMS.

[0049] If the authorization process in step 616 is successful, or if the user has otherwise been authorized to access the specialist server in step 614, the method proceeds to step 618, where the specialist server transmits the desired information to the diagnostic server for use. If the user fails to acquire authorization, the method instead proceeds to step 620, where an error message is generated and provided to the user via the MMS. In the illustrated embodiment, the method ends after step 620. Other embodiments may instead proceed to step 612, where the diagnostic report is created as completely as possible, using only the information available to the user about the diagnostic server and any successfully authorized specialist servers.

[0050] In some embodiments, the vehicle diagnostic system may not include specialized servers without departing from the teachings disclosed herein. In such embodiments, the methods may omit steps 610 and 614-620 without departing from the teachings disclosed herein.

[0051] After the diagnostic server creates a diagnostic report, the diagnostic server transmits the diagnostic report to the MMS in step 622. Once a user has a complete diagnostic report, the contents of the report are presented to the user in step 624. In the illustrated embodiment, the diagnostic report may be presented using a visual display, but other embodiments may provide other configurations without departing from the teachings disclosed herein. Other embodiments may utilize audio outputs, haptic outputs, or a combination of visual, audible, and haptic outputs without departing from the teachings disclosed herein.

[0052] When the diagnostic report is presented to a user in step 624, the diagnostic report can be used by a user to perform service actions for the vehicle. The user can respond to a particular item of the diagnostic report with an appropriate service action in step 626. Once the service action is complete, the diagnostic report is updated to indicate that the service action has been performed, and the method continues with step 628. In step 628, it is determined whether there are any additional items of the diagnostic report that have not yet been addressed. If there are any additional items of the diagnostic report that have not yet been addressed, the method returns to step 624 to provide a user with the opportunity to address another item of the diagnostic report.When all elements of the diagnostic report have been addressed, the process continues with step 630 and ends.

[0053] Although exemplary embodiments have been described in the foregoing, these embodiments are not intended to describe all possible forms of the disclosed apparatus and method. Rather, the terms used in the description are descriptive rather than restrictive, and it is to be understood that various changes may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the claimed invention. Furthermore, the features of the various embodiments may be combined to form further embodiments of the disclosed concepts. QUOTES CONTAINED IN THE DESCRIPTION

[0000] This list of documents submitted by the applicant was generated automatically and is included solely for the convenience of the reader. This list is not part of the German patent or utility model application. The DPMA assumes no liability for any errors or omissions. Cited non-patent literature

[0000] ISO 9141 [0013, 0017, 0034] ISO 15765 [0013, 0017, 0034, 0045] ISO 14230 [0013, 0017, 0034, 0045] ISO 11783 [0013, 0017, 0034, 0045]

Claims

[1] A vehicle diagnostic system comprising: a diagnostic server having a memory, wherein the memory stores instructions to interface with a plurality of diagnostic protocols; a vehicle communication interface (VCI) in data communication with the diagnostic server, the VCI being configured to interface with a diagnostic bus of a vehicle; and a human-machine interface (HMI) in data communication with the diagnostic server, the HMI having an input component and an output component, where the diagnostic server generates a diagnostic report from the FKS in response to receiving diagnostic data compatible with one of the diagnostic protocols, the diagnostic server is configured to forward a command from the MMS via the FKS to the diagnostic bus, the diagnostic server is configured to forward data from the diagnostic bus via the FKS to the MMS, and The diagnostic server communicates with the MMS via a wide area network (WVN). [2] The vehicle diagnostic system of claim 1, wherein the VKS comprises a gateway module installed in the vehicle. [3] The vehicle diagnostic system of claim 1, wherein the plurality of diagnostic protocols comprises a Controller Area Network (CAN) protocol and a Local Interconnect Network (LIN) protocol. [4] The vehicle diagnostic system of claim 1, wherein the plurality of diagnostic protocols comprise a Controller Area Network (CAN) protocol and a Diagnostics Over Internet Protocol (DOIP) protocol. [5] The vehicle diagnostic system according to claim 1, wherein the diagnostic server is in data communication with the FKS via the WVN. [6] The vehicle diagnostic system of claim 5, wherein the WVN comprises the Internet. [7] The vehicle diagnostic system of claim 1, wherein the vehicle diagnostic bus comprises a Controller Area Network (CAN) bus. [8] The vehicle diagnostic system of claim 1, wherein the vehicle diagnostic bus comprises a Diagnostics Over Internet Protocol (DOIP) bus. [9] The vehicle diagnostic system of claim 1, wherein the diagnostic server is in data communication with a subject matter server, the subject matter server having a subject matter memory storing instructions for using a subject matter diagnostic protocol different from each of the plurality of diagnostic protocols. [10] The vehicle diagnostic system of claim 9, wherein the specialized diagnostic protocol is associated with a component of the vehicle and wherein the use of the specialized diagnostic protocol is authorized by a manufacturer of the component. [11] A method for vehicle diagnostics comprising: Establishing a data connection between a vehicle communication interface (VCI) of a vehicle undergoing diagnostic testing and a diagnostic server; Establishing a data connection between a human-machine interface (HMI) and the diagnostic server via a wide area network (WVN); Transferring initiation data from the MMS to the diagnostic server to initiate a diagnostic process of the vehicle; Transferring the initiation data from the diagnostic server to the FKS to initiate the diagnostic process; Generating a diagnostic report based on diagnostic data received by the FKS in response to the initiation data; and Transferring the diagnostic report to the MMS, where the FKS is in data communication with a diagnostic bus of the vehicle, and the diagnostic server is configured to interface with a plurality of diagnostic protocols, wherein at least one of the plurality of diagnostic protocols is used by the vehicle. [12] The method of claim 11, wherein the step of generating a vehicle diagnosis further comprises: Transferring the diagnostic data to a subject server having a subject memory storing commands for using a subject diagnostic protocol that is different from each of the diagnostic protocols; Generating the diagnostic report based on the diagnostic data using the specialist diagnostic protocol; and Transferring the diagnostic report to the specialist server's diagnostic server. [13] The method of claim 12, wherein the specialized diagnostic protocol is associated with a component of the vehicle and wherein use of the specialized diagnostic protocol is authorized by a manufacturer of the component. [14] The method of claim 11, wherein the plurality of diagnostic protocols comprise at least a Controller Area Network (CAN) protocol and a Local Interconnect Network (LIN) protocol. [15] The method of claim 11, wherein the VKS comprises a gateway module installed in the vehicle. [16] The method of claim 11, wherein the WVN comprises the Internet. [17] The method of claim 11, wherein the diagnostic protocol used by the vehicle comprises a Controller Area Network (CAN) protocol. [18] The method of claim 11, wherein the diagnostic protocol used by the vehicle comprises a Diagnostics Over Internet Protocol (DOIP) protocol.

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