Automotive diagnostic communications
AssigneeGeneral Motors Corporation
InventorsEnrique Jose Alfaro, Jean Marie Meister-Westermann, John Joseph Cicala
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Automotive vehicle electronic devices are diagnosed through communication with a flexible diagnostic tool which automatically switches between a wide variety of communications protocols as required for diagnostic communication tasks presented to the tool. Simultaneous communication with a plurality of devices under a plurality of communications protocols is supported by the tool wherein communication hardware is available for parallel communications under the various protocols via various communication channels and is apportioned for each active diagnostic communication task for the duration of that task.
Claims12
A method of diagnosing automotive vehicle electronic devices in which a diagnostic tool supports diagnostic communications under a predetermined plurality of diagnostic communication protocols, comprising the steps of:
- interfacing the diagnostic tool with an automotive vehicle having a plurality of electronic devices;
- indicating when diagnostic communications with at least one of the plurality of electronic devices is to be provided;
- determining the communication protocols under which at least one of the plurality of electronic devices communicates;
- and
- providing diagnostic communications with at least one of the plurality of electronic devices under the determined communication protocols.
A diagnostic method for providing diagnostic communications between a diagnostic tool and automotive vehicle electronic devices under a predetermined plurality of diagnostic communication protocols, comprising the steps of:
- providing input signal information to the diagnostic tool identifying the electronic devices to be diagnosed;
- identifying when diagnostic communications with one of the identified electronic devices is to occur;
- referencing a diagnostic communications protocol under which the one of the identified electronic devices transmits and receives diagnostic communications;
- identifying diagnostic tool hardware for communicating under the referenced diagnostic communications protocol;
- and
- activating the identified diagnostic tool hardware to provide for diagnostic communications with the one of the identified electronic devices.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.