US 7,734,287 B2Granted

System for providing remote access to diagnostic information over a wide area network

AssigneeI/O Controls Corporation

InventorJeffrey Ying

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Abstract

A system for facilitating diagnosis and maintenance of one or more control networks located on a mobile conveyance comprises one or more wireless ground stations configured to communicate over a wireless communication channel with a control network via a wireless interface. A local area computer network receives and responds to messages to or from the control network via the wireless ground stations. The local area computer network comprises one or more user terminals, a server computer, a database comprising diagnostic information relating to said control network, and, optionally, a replacement parts database and/or job auction database. The local area network further includes a wide area network interface, which allow either additional diagnostic information relating to the control network to be retrieved, or parts to be manually or automatically ordered from remote vendor sites. The system may also include wireless handheld, portable equipment capable of communicated with the local area network and/or wide area network, for allowing service personnel to perform diagnostic analysis, maintenance, and testing of the control network(s).

Claims29

Dependent claims

A system for facilitating diagnosis and maintenance of one or more control networks, comprising:

an onboard vehicle control network located on a mobile conveyance;
a wireless interface coupled to said control network;
a wireless ground station configured to communicate over a wireless communication channel with said onboard vehicle control network via said wireless interface;
a local area computer network in communication with said wireless ground station, said local area computer network comprising
a server computer;
a database comprising diagnostic information relating to said onboard vehicle control network;
and
a wide area network interface, whereby additional diagnostic information relating to said onboard vehicle control network is obtainable from one or more remote computers;
and
a portable handheld wireless diagnostic unit with a manual input interface and graphical display, said portable handheld wireless diagnostic unit having no physical connection to said onboard vehicle control network and configured to:
communicate wirelessly with said onboard vehicle control network via said wireless interface;
convey instructions wirelessly to the onboard vehicle control network in response to input from said manual input interface;
and
communicate wirelessly with said local area computer network via said wireless ground station, thereby receiving the diagnostic information from the local area computer network via said wireless interface pertaining to the onboard vehicle control network.

11 more elements

A method for facilitating diagnosis and maintenance of one or more control networks, comprising;

wirelessly communicating over a wireless channel between a wireless ground station and a wireless interface coupled to an onboard vehicle control network located on a mobile conveyance;
coupling the wireless ground station to a local area computer network comprising a server computer, a database comprising diagnostic information relating to said onboard vehicle control network, and a wide area network interface, whereby additional diagnostic information relating to said onboard vehicle control network is obtainable from one or more remote computers;
conveying instructions from the handheld wireless diagnostic unit to the onboard vehicle control network in response to inputs entered at a manual input interface of the handheld wireless diagnostic unit;
wirelessly communicating between a portable handheld wireless diagnostic unit and said onboard vehicle control network via said wireless interface and with said local area computer network via said ground station thereby receiving the diagnostic information pertaining to the onboard vehicle control network from the local area computer network via said wireless interface, wherein said portable handheld wireless diagnostic unit is not physically connected to said onboard vehicle control network;
and
displaying communications received by the portable handheld wireless diagnostic unit on a graphical display of the portable handheld wireless diagnostic unit.

3 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 10/165,384Filed 6 Jun 2002
Published: US 2002/0181405 A15 Dec 2002
Granted: 8 Jun 2010
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification13 codes

H04L 43/50
Arrangements for monitoring or testing data switching networks: testing arrangements
G05B 15/02
Systems controlled by a computer: electric
H04L 63/083
For authentication of entities: using passwords
H04L 67/04
Protocols: specially adapted for terminals or networks with limited capabilities; specially adapted for terminal portability