Smart plug and play automatic OBD-II system tester

1. An audio system testing arrangement,

comprising: a controller configured to:

be coupled to a communication bus of a motor vehicle;

run a plurality of test scripts via the communication bus, the test scripts testing features of an audio system within the vehicle; and

determine a fault of the audio system dependent upon results of the test scripts;

a display and/or speaker configured to annunciate the determined fault of the audio system;

a microphone configured to sense audible sounds emitted by a speaker of the vehicle, the controller being configured to determine the fault of the audio system dependent upon a signal generated by the microphone; and

a first switch connected to the controller and a second switch connected to the controller, the first switch configured to cause the controller to run a next one of said test scripts in response to the first switch being actuated, the second switch being configured to cause the controller to run a previous one of said test scripts in response to the second switch being actuated.

2. The arrangement of claim 1 further comprising a temperature sensor configured to sense a temperature of the audio system, the controller being configured to determine the fault of the audio system dependent upon a signal generated by the temperature sensor.

3. The arrangement of claim 2 wherein the signal generated by the temperature sensor includes a temperature and a date and time stamp associated with the temperature.

4. The arrangement of claim 1 wherein the test scripts include a plurality of first test scripts that store information about an audio system of the vehicle and a plurality of second test scripts that diagnose the audio system, the stored information including a battery voltage.

5. The arrangement of claim 1 wherein the controller is disposed within a portable module that is configured to be temporarily plugged into the motor vehicle.

6. An audio system testing method, comprising the steps of:

coupling a controller to a signal bus of a motor vehicle;

using the controller to run a plurality of test scripts via the signal bus, the test scripts testing features of an audio system within the vehicle;

determining a fault of the audio system dependent upon results of the test scripts;

annunciating the determined fault of the audio system

sensing a temperature of the audio system;

determining the fault of the audio system dependent upon the sensed temperature; and

generating and storing in memory a date and time stamp in association with the temperature;

causing the controller to run a next said test script by actuating a first switch; and

causing the controller to run a previous said test script by actuating a second switch.

7. The method of claim 6 wherein the determined fault is annunciated by a display screen and/or a loudspeaker.

8. The method of claim 6 further comprising:

sensing audible sounds emitted by a speaker of the vehicle; and

determining the fault of the audio system dependent upon the sensed audible sounds.

9. The method of claim 8 wherein the sensing of audible sounds is performed by a microphone, and the fault of the audio system is determined dependent upon a microphone signal generated by the microphone.

10. The method of claim 6 wherein the test scripts include a plurality of first test scripts that store information about an audio system of the vehicle and a plurality of second test scripts that diagnose the audio system, the stored information including a radio nomenclature and part number.

11. The method of claim 6 wherein the controller is disposed within a portable module, the method further comprising temporarily plugging the portable module into the motor vehicle.

12. An audio system testing arrangement,

comprising: a controller configured to:

run a plurality of test scripts via a communication bus of a motor vehicle, the test scripts including a plurality of first test scripts that store information about an audio system of the vehicle and a plurality of second test scripts that diagnose the audio system, the stored information including at least one of a battery voltage, a radio nomenclature and a radio part number; and

determine a fault of the audio system dependent upon results of the test scripts; and

a display and/or speaker configured to annunciate the determined fault of the audio system; and

a first switch connected to the controller and a second switch connected to the controller, the first switch being configured to cause the controller to run a next one of said test scripts in response to the first switch being actuated, the second switch being configured to cause the controller to run a previous one of said test scripts in response to the second switch being actuated.

13. The arrangement of claim 12 further comprising a microphone configured to sense audible sounds emitted by a speaker of the vehicle, the controller being configured to determine the fault of the audio system dependent upon a signal generated by the microphone.

14. The arrangement of claim 13 further comprising a temperature sensor configured to sense a temperature of the audio system, the controller being configured to determine the fault of the audio system dependent upon a signal generated by the temperature sensor.

15. The arrangement of claim 14 wherein the signal generated by the temperature sensor includes a temperature and a date and time stamp associated with the temperature.

16. The arrangement of claim 12 wherein the controller is disposed within a portable module that is configured to be temporarily plugged into the motor vehicle.

17. The arrangement of claim 12 wherein the stored information includes a battery voltage, a radio nomenclature and a radio part number.