Vehicle Diagnostic PID Filtering for Symptom-Based Fault Isolation

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Solution Overview

Problem

Technicians often struggle to identify the most relevant parameter identifier (PID) values for diagnosing vehicle symptoms due to the vast number of available PIDs, leading to inefficient and inaccurate diagnoses.

Innovation Solution

A system and method for generating a PID filter list based on vehicle identifying information and symptom identifiers, using a remote server to determine and provide a subset of relevant PIDs to a display device for accurate diagnosis.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If technicians use all available PID values for diagnosis, then comprehensive coverage is achieved, but time consumption and complexity increase significantly

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvediagnosis accuracyVSAvoiddiagnosis time
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The system performs preliminary filtering of PID values by sending vehicle identifying information and symptom identifiers to a remote server before the diagnosis process begins. The server pre-processes and returns a customized subset of relevant PIDs, so technicians don't need to manually evaluate hundreds of PIDs during the actual diagnosis, thus saving time while maintaining accuracy

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The system extracts only the most relevant PID values from the complete set of hundreds of available PIDs by using symptom identifiers and vehicle information to filter out unrelated parameters. This extraction process delivers a focused subset of PIDs that are specifically applicable to the diagnosed symptom, eliminating unnecessary complexity

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

2Adaptability or versatility

If technicians manually select PID values from hundreds of options, then flexibility is maintained, but ease of operation deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:
ImprovePID selection flexibilityVSAvoidPID selection ease
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The system performs self-service by automatically generating and providing the filtered PID list based on vehicle identifying information and symptom identifiers. The technician simply inputs basic information and receives a pre-filtered list, eliminating the need for manual evaluation of hundreds of PIDs while still allowing flexibility to review and select from the relevant subset

Inventive Principle:
Principle #25Self-service

Solution Approach 2:

The remote server acts as an intermediary between the technician and the comprehensive PID database. Instead of the technician directly interacting with hundreds of PIDs, the server mediates by processing the symptom identifiers and vehicle information to generate a customized, manageable subset of relevant PIDs for the specific diagnostic scenario

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

3Loss of information

If a comprehensive PID list is provided, then complete information availability is achieved, but information overload and difficulty in identifying relevant PIDs increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveinformation completenessVSAvoidinformation processing complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Loss of informationVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The system applies local quality by providing different PID subsets tailored to specific symptoms and vehicle types. Instead of a uniform comprehensive list for all scenarios, each diagnostic situation receives a customized PID list with quality and relevance optimized for that particular context, making information more manageable and actionable

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

Data Source

PatentEP4722947A2Method and system for providing and applying diagnostic filter list
Publication Date: 2026.04.08 SNAP ON INC
  • EP4722947A2 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP4722947A2 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP4722947A2 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

An example method includes determining, by a display device, identifying information for a vehicle to be serviced; receiving, at the display device, at least one symptom identifier for the vehicle; sending, by the display device, a request over a communication network to a remote server for a diagnostic filter list for the vehicle, wherein the diagnostic filter list comprises a PID filter list, a component test filter list, a functional test filter list, and/or a reset procedure filter list, the request comprising the identifying information for the vehicle and the at least one symptom identifier for the vehicle; receiving, at the display device, a response to the request over the communication network from the remote server, the response comprising the diagnostic filter list for the vehicle; determining, by the display device based on the diagnostic filter list for the vehicle, a symptom-based subset of PIDs, component tests, functional tests, and/or reset procedures for the vehicle, from a set of available PIDs, component tests, functional tests, and/or reset procedures respectively; and displaying, on a display interface of the display device, the symptom-based subset of PIDs, component tests, functional tests, and/or reset procedures for the vehicle.