Bus diagnostic and control system and method

A system for controlling and diagnosing operation of a bus, comprising:

• one or more input/output (I/O) blocks coupled to bus components;
• a data bus coupled to the I/O blocks;
• a scanner card coupled to the data bus;
• the scanner card reading data signals off the data bus and providing signals to the I/O blocks using the data bus;
• a computer coupled to the scanner card and controlling operation of the scanner card, wherein the computer comprises:
• diagnostics modules that determine a status of bus components, and
• a control module that provides control functions to bus components;
• an interface coupled to the computer, wherein the interface comprises:
• a display that displays human to machine interfaces indicative of the bus components, and
• a user input that provide commands from a user to the computer;
• a database that stores parameter values for the bus components, wherein the database further comprises virtual objects, each of the virtual objects corresponding to a component of the bus, wherein the virtual objects are displayed to indicate real-time variation of a parameter of the bus component;
• and
• a transmit/receive device that communicates with a remote location to provide data related to the bus and to receive control signals directing an operation of the bus.

A method for operating a fleet of buses, comprising:

• collecting operating data from one or more buses in the fleet of buses, wherein the operating data comprises a status of bus components;
• transmitting the collected operating data to a hub, the hub including an Internet web site;
• posting the data on the web site;
• sending the posted data from the web site to a remote location;
• determining a status of the bus components using diagnostics modules located in a bus;
• providing control functions to the bus components using a control module located in the bus;
• and
• sending bus operating control signals to a bus.