Diagnostic tool for sensing oxygen sensor heater operation

1. A diagnostic testing system for a vehicle comprising:

an oxygen sensor having a heating element for heating the oxygen sensor to its minimum operational temperature;

an analyzer having a user interface;

a communications link between the analyzer and a vehicle to obtain data from the oxygen sensor; and

a diagnostic heuristic for analyzing the data and confirming proper operation of the heating element;

the diagnostic heuristic being adapted to generate an output and transmit the output to the user interface, the output including the results generated by analysis of the data by the diagnostic heuristic.

2. The diagnostic testing system of claim 1 wherein the oxygen sensor is held below its minimum operational temperature for a predetermined period of time prior to commencing operation of the diagnostic heuristic.

3. The diagnostic testing system of claim 1 wherein the data from the oxygen sensor, when heated to its minimum operational temperature, includes a voltage.

4. The diagnostic testing system of claim 3 wherein the voltage varies between an upper voltage limit and a lower voltage limit in a generally sinusoidal manner over time, the diagnostic heuristic being configured to combine the voltage with elapsed time to analyze operation of the heating element.

5. A diagnostic testing system of claim 4 wherein the diagnostic heuristic is configured to measure a time period between one of the upper and lower voltages and the other of the upper and lower voltages in analyzing operation of the heating element.

6. The diagnostic testing system of claim 1 wherein the diagnostic heuristic includes a set of instructions presented through the user interface.

7. The diagnostic testing system of claim 3 wherein the diagnostic heuristic is configured to collect the data over a predetermined period of time for use by the diagnostic heuristic to analyze operation of the heating element.

8. The diagnostic testing system of claim 3 wherein the oxygen sensor, when heated to its operational temperature, includes a bias voltage.

9. A diagnostic testing system for a vehicle having an internal combustion engine comprising:

an oxygen sensor having a heating element for heating the oxygen sensor to its minimum operational temperature, the oxygen sensor being received within the exhaust stream of the vehicle;

an analyzer having a user interface;

a communications link between the analyzer and a vehicle to obtain data from the oxygen sensor, the data from the oxygen sensor including a voltage, the voltage varying between an upper voltage and a lower voltage in a generally sinusoidal manner over a time period; and

a diagnostic heuristic for analyzing the data and confirming proper operation of the oxygen sensor, the diagnostic heuristic being configured to combine the voltage with an elapsed time period to analyze operation of the heating element;

the diagnostic heuristic being adapted to generate an output and transmit the output to the user interface, the output including the results generated by analysis of the data by the diagnostic heuristic.

10. The diagnostic testing system of claim 9 wherein the oxygen sensor is adapted to be held below is minimum operational temperature for a predetermined period of time prior to commencing the diagnostic heuristic.

11. The diagnostic testing system of claim 9 wherein the oxygen sensor, when heated to its minimum operational temperature, includes a bias voltage.

12. The diagnostic testing system of claim 9 wherein the diagnostic heuristic includes a set of instructions presented through the user interface.

13. The diagnostic testing system of claim 9 wherein the diagnostic heuristic is configured to collect the data over a predetermined period of time for use by the diagnostic heuristic to analyze operation of the heating element.