Vehicle Diagnostic Code Translation via Telematics Intermediary
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current motor vehicle diagnostic systems fail to provide vehicle owners with clear information on the severity of faults and necessary corrective actions, relying on generic codes and manufacturer-specific codes that are difficult to interpret.
Innovation Solution
A telematics device communicates vehicle diagnostic codes to a remote server, which translates them into consumer-friendly messages indicating fault severity and recommended actions, sent to the owner via email, text, or phone, while also storing vehicle history for predictive maintenance and repair analysis.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If diagnostic trouble codes are generated using computer technology to control and monitor engine performance, then fault detection capability is improved, but the ability for vehicle operators to understand fault severity and take corrective action deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
A translation service acts as an intermediary between the diagnostic trouble code system and the vehicle operator. The service receives codes from vehicle computers, translates them into meaningful descriptions of fault severity and corrective actions, and delivers this information to operators through various communication channels.
Solution Approach 2:
The system segments the diagnostic information into distinct components: the raw diagnostic trouble code, the translated fault description, the severity level, and the recommended corrective action. This segmentation allows each component to be processed and presented separately, making the information more comprehensible to operators.
2Adaptability or versatility
If over 16,500 diagnostic trouble codes are defined by SAE including generic and manufacturer-specific codes, then diagnostic coverage is improved, but the complexity of interpreting these codes increases
Solution Approach 1:
The translation service provides a universal solution that handles all 16,500+ diagnostic trouble codes through a single system. The service can translate both generic SAE codes and manufacturer-specific codes using the same infrastructure, eliminating the need for multiple interpretation systems.
Solution Approach 2:
The translation service serves as an intermediary that absorbs the complexity of code interpretation. Instead of requiring vehicle operators to directly interpret complex codes, the service mediates by converting these codes into simple, actionable information while maintaining support for all code types.
3Measurement precision
If vehicle operators receive only diagnostic trouble codes without translation, then information accuracy is improved, but ease of operation deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The translation service acts as an intermediary that preserves the accuracy of original diagnostic codes while translating them into operator-friendly language. The service maintains the technical precision of the source codes while delivering comprehensible information to operators through multiple communication channels.
Solution Approach 2:
The system changes the parameter of information presentation from technical code format to natural language description. The underlying diagnostic data remains accurate and unchanged, but its representation is transformed into a form that is easily understood by vehicle operators.
Data Source
AI summary
A method and apparatus for translating diagnostic trouble codes which are generated in response to faults in the performance of motor vehicles are characterized by the use of a diagnostic code translator which receives diagnostic trouble codes and other information relating to the operating parameters of the vehicle at the time of a fault and analyzes the information to generate messages relating to the fault. The messages are transmitted to the vehicle driver so that corrective action may be taken.