Malfunction procedure indicating system and method

A malfunction procedure indicating system comprising:

• sensing means for sensing a condition of each of a plurality of inspection items associated with an operation of a vehicle to generate a detection signal;
• computing means responsive to the detection signals of said sensing means such that when the existence of a malfunction in at least one of said plurality of inspection items is determined, a first indication signal corresponding to said malfunctioning inspection item and a second indication signal different from said first indication signal are generated;
• indicating means responsive to said first and second indication signals from said computing means to indicate a malfunction procedure by verbal representation in response to each of said indication signals during the operation of said vehicle;
• and
• wherein said sensing means includes a cooling water temperature sensor, battery voltage sensor, a headlamp sensor, a brake lamp sensor and air pressure sensors.

A malfunction procedure indicating system comprising;

• a plurality of sensors each for sensing a condition of one of a plurality of inspection items associated with an operation of a vehicle to generate a detection signal;
• an analog-to-digital converter for converting analog detection signals generated from each of said said sensors to digital signals;
• computing means including a central processing unit, and a read-only memory and a read/write memory which are connected to said central processing unit, for reading in the digital signals from said analog-to-digital converter and checking the condition of each of said plurality of inspection items by programmed processing, whereby when the existence of a malfunction in at least one of said plurality of inspection items is determined, a first indication signal corresponding to said malfunctioning inspection item and a second indication signal different from said first indication signal are generated;
• a voice synthesizer responsive to said indication signals from said computing means to synthesize a voice and indicate a malfunction procedure corresponding to each of said indication signals by verbal representation;
• and
• a display unit responsive to said indication signals from said computing means to indicate said malfunction procedure corresponding to each of said indication signals by visual display.

A malfunction procedure indicating method comprising the steps of:

• monitoring an engine cooling water temperature of a vehicle;
• detecting whether the engine cooling water temperature has exceedd a first predetermined value;
• indicating by verbal indication a warning of engine overheat on the basis of said detection;
• detecting whether the engine cooling water temperature has exceeded a second predetermined value;
• generating a voice indicating a first matter which the driver of the vehicle should operate, on the basis of said latter detection that whether the engine cooling water temperature has exceeded the second predetermined value;
• and
• monitoring whether an operation of the first matter has been carried out, and generating, when the operation has been carried out, a voice indicating a second matter which the driver of a vehicle should operate.