US 6,097,998 A · Method and apparatus for graphically monitoring and controlling a vehicle anti-lock braking system

Abstract

A method and apparatus for graphically monitoring and controlling a vehicle anti-lock brake system is provided. Multiple types of graphical data concerning different aspects of the anti-lock brake system are simultaneously displayed to a technician. Output lights provided as a part of the vehicle anti-lock brake system are graphically emulated on a display terminal. Various vehicle anti-lock brake system components, such as a retarder relay, modulators, indicator lights, and the like, are controllable through a graphical user interface, and both the presence and location of anti-lock brake system faults is graphically indicated to a technician. The method and apparatus also include graphically displaying real-time or previously recorded wheel speed data for all or selected individual wheels connected to a vehicle anti-lock brake system, alone or in combination with other graphical data, and for saving real-time wheel speed data for subsequent review. Communications data sent to and from the anti-lock brake system electronic control unit is also graphically displayed to a technician.

Claims20

Dependent claims

A method of graphically monitoring an anti-lock braking system of a vehicle, said method comprising:

receiving fault status data representing anti-lock braking system faults from an electronic control unit of the anti-lock braking system;
displaying a graphical anti-lock braking system current fault status display to a technician including:
displaying a graphical representation of the vehicle anti-lock braking system, and displaying at least one graphical fault indicator at a select location on the graphical representation of the anti-lock braking system, said at least one graphical fault indicator associated with at least one component of said anti-lock braking system and displayed to indicate the presence of a fault condition in the at least one anti-lock braking system component associated therewith.

An apparatus for graphically monitoring and controlling a vehicle anti-lock braking system, said apparatus comprising:

a computer apparatus adapted for selective connection to an electronic control unit of the anti-lock braking system, said computer apparatus including:
a visual output device for outputting graphical data received from said computer apparatus;
a keyboard for operator input of data to said computer apparatus;
a pointing device for operator input of commands to said computer apparatus through a graphical user interface;
means for receiving fault data from the electronic control unit of the anti-lock braking system;
means for outputting a graphical fault status display to said visual output device, said fault status display including:
(i) a graphical representation of a vehicle anti-lock braking system;
and
(ii) at least one graphical fault indicator displayed at a select location on the graphical representation of a vehicle anti-lock braking system, said graphical fault indicator associated with at least one component of the anti-lock braking system and displayed in a fault state to indicate a fault associated with said at least one associated anti-lock brake system component;
means for outputting a graphical modulator test display to said visual output device, said graphical modulator test display including (i) regions selectable by the pointing device to selectively include each of a plurality of modulators of said anti-lock braking system in a modulator test, and (ii) a region selectable by the pointing device to instruct said electronic control unit to operate exhaust and hold solenoids for each of said modulators of said anti-lock braking system included in said modulator test.

7 more elements

A method of monitoring and controlling a vehicle anti-lock braking system (ABS), said method comprising:

displaying a graphical representation of at least one output indicator light of said ABS to a technician, said at least one output indicator light of said ABS and said graphical representation thereof each having first and second states;
displaying a graphical switch region to a technician, said switch region selectable by a technician using a graphical user interface pointing device;
changing the state of both said at least one output indicator light and said graphical representation of said at least one output indicator light upon selection of said at least one graphical switch region with a graphical user interface pointing device.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Method and apparatus for graphically monitoring and controlling a vehicle anti-lock braking system

Life of this patent

Method and apparatus for graphically monitoring and controlling a vehicle anti-lock braking system

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims20