Interactive diagnostic system for an automotive vehicle, and method

An interactive diagnostic system for an automotive vehicle of the type having (i) a network of sensors and actuators for independently sensing and actuating a number of different functions within the vehicle, (ii) an onboard computer for monitoring said sensors and controlling the operation of said actuators, and (iii) means for electrically connecting said onboard computer with said sensors and actuators, said connecting means including an auto-side connector having a series of auto-side plug-in terminals respectively connected with individual ones of said sensors and actuators and a computer-side connector disengageably connectable to said auto-side connector and having corresponding, complementary computer-side plug-in terminals connected to appropriate circuitry within the onboard computer, said diagnostic system comprising:

• (a) first means for temporarily disconnecting a selected one or combination of said auto-side terminals from corresponding computer-side terminals, whereby to temporarily disconnect a selected one or combination of specific sensors and/or actuators form said onboard computer, said first means including a network of switching circuits individually connected between auto-side and computer-side terminals, each of said switching circuits being designed to operate independent of but simultaneously with the other circuits in any selected combination between a closed condition and an open condition for connecting and disconnecting its associated auto-side and computer-side terminals to and from one another;
• (b) second means temporarily connectable with said one or combination of auto-side terminals when the latter are disconnected from their corresponding computer-die terminals for controlling the operation of said one or combination of specific actuators independent of said onboard computer;
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• (c) third means temporarily connectable with said one or combination of computer-side terminals when the latter are disconnected from their corresponding auto-side terminals for simulating the operation of said one or combination of specific sensors independent of the actual operation of these latter sensors.

A diagnostic system for an automotive vehicle of the type having (i) a network of sensors and actuators for independently sensing and actuating a number of different functions within the vehicle (ii) an onboard computer for monitoring said sensors and controlling the operation of said actuators, and (iii) means for electrically connecting said onboard computer with said sensors and actuators, said connecting means including an auto-side connector having a series of auto-side plug-in terminals respectively connected with individual ones of said sensors and actuators and a computer-side connector disengageably connectable to said auto-side connector and having corresponding, complementary computer-side plug-in terminals connected to appropriate circuitry within the onboard computer, said diagnostic system comprising:

• (a) monitoring means including a network of individual circuits disengageably connectable with and between said auto-side and computer-side terminals for independently and substantially simultaneously monitoring in real time individual electronic data entering and exiting said onboard computer through said individual circuits the individual data being associated with the individual sensors and actuators making up said network of sensors and actuators, said monitoring means also include an external computer arrangement separate from said onboard computer for analyzing said electronic data.

A method of diagnosing for an automotive vehicle of the type having (i) a network of sensors and actuators for independently sensing and actuating a number of different functions within the vehicle (ii) an onboard computer for monitoring said sensors and controlling the operation of said actuators, and (iii) means for electrically connecting said onboard computer with said sensors and actuators, said connecting means including an auto-side connector having a series of auto-side plug-in terminals respectively connected with individual ones of said sensors and actuators and a computer-side connector disengageably connectable to said auto-side connector and having corresponding, complementary computer-side plug-in terminals connected to appropriate circuitry within the onboard computer, said method comprising the steps of:

• (a) using an arrangement of independently actuatable switches disengageably connected with said auto-side and computer-side terminals, (i) temporarily and simultaneously disconnecting selected ones of said auto-side terminals from corresponding computer-side terminals arrangement, and (iii) connections elected ones of the disconnected auto-side terminals to an external computer arrangement, and (iii) connecting selected others of the disconnected computer-side terminals to said computer arrangement, in order to selectively and temporarily disconnect one or more specific sensors and/or actuators from said onboard computer;
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• (b) through said arrangement of switches, controlling the operation of said one or more specific disconnected actuators by said external computer arrangement through the selected, disconnected auto-side terminals, independent of said onboard computer and/or simulating operation of said one or more specific disconnected sensors by said external computer arrangement through the selected disconnected computer-side terminals, independent of the actual operation of those sensors.

A diagnostic system for an automotive vehicle of the type having (i) network of sensors and actuators for independently sensing and actuating a number of different functions with the vehicle (ii) an onboard computer for monitoring said sensors and controlling the operation of said actuators, and (iii) means for electrically connecting said onboard computer with said sensors and actuators, said connecting means including an auto-side connector having a series of auto-side plug-in terminals respectively connected with individual ones of said sensors and actuators and a computer-side connector disengageably connectable to said auto-side connector and having corresponding, complementary computer-side plug-in terminals connected to appropriate circuitry within the onboard computer, said diagnostic system comprising:

• (a) controlling, simulating and monitoring means for (i) controlling the operation of one or a combination of said actuators independent of said onboard computer, (ii) for simulating the operation of one or a combination of said sensors independent of the actual operation of the latter sensors, and/or (iii) for continuously monitoring in real time electronic data entering and exiting said onboard computer, which data is associated with one, all or selectable combinations of said network of sensors and actuators, said controlling, simulating and monitoring means also including an external computer arrangement separate from said onboard computer for analyzing said electronic data.