Non-intrusive diagnostic tool for sensing oxygen sensor operation
AssigneeDelphi Technologies, Inc.
InventorEarl D. Diem
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A diagnostic testing system for a vehicle includes an oxygen sensor, an analyzer having a user interface, and a communications link between the analyzer and the vehicle to obtain data from the oxygen sensor. A diagnostic heuristic is used to analyze the data and confirm proper operation of the sensor; and an output is generated by said diagnostic heuristic to the user interface.
Claims15
A diagnostic testing system for a vehicle comprising:
- an analyzer having a user interface;
- a communications link between said analyzer and said vehicle to obtain data from said oxygen sensor and engine throttle position obtained generally concurrently with said data from said oxygen sensor, said data from said oxygen sensor includes a voltage between an upper voltage and a lower voltage in a generally sinusoidal manner over time;
- a diagnostic heuristic to analyze said data and confirm proper operation of said sensor, said diagnostic heuristic comprising correlating engine throttle position with said data from said oxygen sensor over said time and measuring a first time period between said upper voltage and said lower voltage;
- and
- an output generated by said diagnostic heuristic to said user interface including the results generated by said diagnostic heuristic.
A diagnostic testing system for a running vehicle having an internal combustion engine and an oxygen sensor within an exhaust stream of said internal combustion engine, comprising:
- an analyzer having a user interface;
- a communications link between said analyzer and said vehicle to obtain data from said oxygen sensor, and wherein said data from said oxygen sensor includes a voltage, said voltage ranging between an upper voltage and a lower voltage in a generally sinusoidal manner;
- a diagnostic heuristic to analyze said data and confirm proper operation of said sensor, said diagnostic heuristic comprising a first test to measure a first time period between said upper voltage and said lower voltage and to determine whether said first time period is within a pre-set threshold and, if said first time period is within said pre-set threshold, a second test to establish a cross-count voltage between said upper voltage and said lower voltage and to determine a number of counts where said voltage matches said cross-count voltage within a second time period such that said sensor passes a second test if said number of counts is within said pre-set threshold;
- and
- an output generated by said diagnostic heuristic to said user interface.
A method for diagnostic testing of an oxygen sensor within a vehicle, the method comprising:
- configuring a user interface in communication with a software system;
- configuring a communications link in communication with said software system;
- said software system communicating with said oxygen sensor;
- conducting a pre-validation test using said software system;
- and
- conducting a diagnostic test of said oxygen sensor using said software system, said diagnostic test comprising correlating engine throttle position with data from said oxygen sensor and measuring a first time period between an upper voltage and a lower voltage, and wherein said diagnostic test further includes the steps of:
- setting a cross-count voltage;
- determining a cross count value for said oxygen sensor based upon the number of times said voltage crosses said cross-count voltage over said first time period;
- and
- comparing said cross count value to a pre-set threshold to confirm operation of said sensor.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.