Adaptive Vehicle Diagnostic System Avoiding Engine Stalling
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Solution Overview
Problem
Certain vehicle diagnostic systems can cause operational anomalies, such as engine stalling, when requesting diagnostic information from specific vehicles like Ford vehicles with 7.3 L diesel engines, posing safety risks, especially when towing heavy loads.
Innovation Solution
A data acquisition device that communicates with a vehicle ECU to identify potential malfunctioning vehicles by comparing characteristic features and modifying service requests to avoid triggering anomalies, using a memory unit with listings of malfunctioning vehicles and their associated protocols, and selectively communicating service requests in the appropriate protocol to prevent malfunctions.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of information
If standard diagnostic information requests are communicated to the vehicle ECU, then diagnostic data can be accessed, but engine stalling may occur in certain vehicles
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary identification of the vehicle engine type and compares it against a database of known problematic vehicles before executing standard diagnostic requests. This advance preparation allows the system to modify its diagnostic approach in advance, preventing engine stalling by omitting or modifying specific service mode requests that are known to cause issues with certain engine types.
Solution Approach 2:
The system changes the parameters of diagnostic requests based on the identified engine type. When a problematic engine type is detected, the system modifies the service mode requests by omitting specific requests or changing their parameters, thereby adapting the diagnostic process to avoid triggering engine stalling while still gathering necessary diagnostic information through alternative means.
2Reliability
If diagnostic requests are modified to avoid engine stalling, then vehicle safety is improved, but complete diagnostic information may not be obtained
Solution Approach 1:
The diagnostic process is segmented into multiple phases: identification phase, modification phase, and execution phase. In the execution phase, when standard requests are omitted or modified to prevent stalling, the system immediately follows up with alternative diagnostic requests tailored to the specific engine type. This segmentation allows the system to safely avoid problematic requests while systematically pursuing alternative methods to gather the same diagnostic information.
Solution Approach 2:
The system implements a feedback mechanism where the response to each diagnostic request is analyzed to determine if additional alternative requests are needed. When a standard request is modified or omitted, the system monitors the diagnostic data obtained and uses feedback to determine if alternative requests successfully compensated for the missing information, ensuring complete diagnostic coverage while maintaining engine safety.
3Reliability
If the system identifies and avoids problematic service requests, then the diagnostic process becomes more complex, but safety is ensured
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary identification of the vehicle engine type and pre-determines which service mode requests should be modified or omitted based on a database of known problematic vehicles. This preliminary action consolidates the complexity into an upfront identification and planning phase, allowing the actual diagnostic execution to follow a simpler, pre-determined path that ensures safety without requiring complex real-time decision-making during the diagnostic process.
Data Source
AI summary
A system and method are provided for adaptively accessing information in a vehicle under test, in a manner to avoid malfunctions associated with accessing the information. A data acquisition device is provided for accessing and retrieving diagnostic data from the vehicle. A memory unit is provided including listing of malfunctioning vehicles, as well as information associated with each of vehicle. At least one service mode request is communicated to the vehicle to identify characteristic information and characteristic features of the vehicle, which information is compared to stored vehicle characteristic information, to determine if the vehicle conforms to any of the listed vehicles, subject to malfunction. If not, additional service requests are communicated to the vehicle. If the vehicle conforms to one or more of the listed vehicles additional service request(s) are modified to remove service requests, or portions thereof, that are associated with the malfunction.