Method and system of communication between a motor vehicle and a diagnostic unit

#The present invention relates to a method of communicating between a motor vehicle and a diagnostic unit, whereby a wireless communication connection is established between the motor vehicle and the diagnostic unit after an authorization of the diagnostic unit has been checked. Furthermore, the present invention relates to a diagnostic unit for implementing such a method.

#According to the state of the art, normally a wired interface is used for communicating between a motor vehicle and a diagnostic unit for diagnostic and/or programming purposes or for accessing customer, adaptation, and/or vehicle data. In such a case, the diagnostic, programming and data communications with the vehicle can take place only after a manual connection. Particularly in the service environment of the data exchange, this can therefore only be accomplished at selected process points.

#As an alternative to wired interfaces, wireless interfaces are known for communicating between a motor vehicle and a diagnostic unit. However, depending upon the type of wireless communication, these have various disadvantages.

#FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of a preferred embodiment of a device for implementing a method of the first variant according to the invention; and

#FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram of a preferred embodiment of a device for implementing a method of the second variant according to the invention.

#A communication connection for the exchange of diagnosis-relevant data is to be established between a diagnostic unit and a motor vehicle.

#FIG. 1 illustrates a preferred embodiment of a device for implementing the method of the first variant according to the invention. For the wireless communication with the motor vehicle 2, the diagnostic unit 1 is connected to a WLAN router 5. The motor vehicle 2 has a WLAN Gateway not specifically illustrated which is connected to a diagnostic interface of the motor vehicle 2. From a technical point of view, the WLAN router 5 and the WLAN Gateway of the motor vehicle 2 permit a WLAN communication between the diagnostic unit 1 and the motor vehicle 2. However, the establishing of communication connections by way of this WLAN interface is dependent on the checking for the authorization of the diagnostic unit 1. For this purpose, a vehicle key reading device 3 is also connected in a wire-bound manner to the diagnostic unit (tester) 1, into which vehicle key reading device 3 a vehicle key 4 can be placed. The vehicle key is assigned to the motor vehicle 2. If a vehicle key 4 is inserted, then by way of the wire-bound communication connection between the vehicle key reading device 3 and the diagnostic unit 1, authorization data are transmitted from the vehicle key 4 to the diagnostic unit 1. By means of the received authorization data, the diagnostic unit 1 proves its authorization for communicating with the motor vehicle with respect to the motor vehicle 2. The information exchange required for verifying the authorization—like the subsequent communication—already takes place by way of the WLAN interface.

#FIG. 2 illustrates a preferred embodiment of a device for implementing a method of the second variant according to the invention. For the wireless communication with the motor vehicle 2′, the diagnostic unit 1′ is connected to a vehicle key writing/reading device 3′. A vehicle key 4′ assigned to the motor vehicle 2′ is placed in this vehicle key writing/reading device 3′. Between the vehicle key 4′ and the motor vehicle 2′, a radio interface is provided, for example, that used for the unlocking of the motor vehicle. In the present case, this radio interface is used for the communication of the diagnostic unit 1′ with the motor vehicle 2′. For this purpose, the vehicle-side part of the radio interface is constructed and is connected with a diagnostic interface of the vehicle 2′ such that an exchange of diagnosis-relevant data becomes possible by way of the radio interface. The vehicle key 4′ and the vehicle key writing/reading device 3′ operate jointly as a gateway between the motor vehicle 2′ and the diagnostic unit 1′. Before the establishment of a communication connection between the motor vehicle 2′ and the diagnostic unit 1′, the authorization of the vehicle key 4′ is verified by way of a challenge-response process via the authorization data stored in this vehicle key 4′. A successfully checked authorization of the vehicle key 4′ indicates an authorization for the diagnostic unit 1′ to establish a communication connection with the motor vehicle 2′.