On-board diagnostics (OBD) programming assist devices and methods of assembling and using the same

1. A programming assist device comprising:

a first interface configured to be electrically coupled with an on-board diagnostics (OBD) port of a vehicle;

power converter circuitry configured for:

receiving a first voltage signal from a first pin of the first interface; and

providing a second voltage signal to a second pin of the first interface, wherein the second voltage signal is configured to facilitate a programming mode for the vehicle;

and

a second interface configured to be communicatively coupled with a vehicle diagnostic device.

2. The programming assist device of claim 1 further comprising over-voltage protection circuitry electrically coupled between the first pin of the first interface and the power converter circuitry.

3. The programming assist device of claim 2 further comprising voltage regulator and over-current protection circuitry electrically coupled between the power converter circuitry and the second pin of the first interface.

4. The programming assist device of claim 3 further comprising output shutoff circuitry electrically coupled between the voltage regulator and over-current protection circuitry and the second pin of the first interface.

5. The programming assist device of claim 4 further comprising controller circuitry configured for:

providing a switched signal to the power converter circuitry;

receiving an enable command signal from the second interface; and

upon receiving the enable command signal, deactivating the output shutoff circuitry.

6. The programming assist device of claim 5 , wherein the switched signal has a fixed duty cycle between forty percent and sixty percent.

7. The programming assist device of claim 5 , wherein the switched signal has a fixed duty cycle of approximately fifty percent.

8. The programming assist device of claim 5 , wherein the first interface is compliant to at least one version of a Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE) J1962 standard.

9. The programming assist device of claim 8 , wherein the second interface is compliant to at least one version of a Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE) J1962 standard.

10. The programming assist device of claim 8 , wherein the second interface is a wireless interface.

11. The programming assist device of claim 8 , wherein the second interface is a personal area network (PAN) interface.

12. The programming assist device of claim 5 , wherein the controller circuitry is further configured for:

determining a second voltage abnormal condition associated with the second voltage signal; and

activating the output shutoff circuitry upon determining the second voltage abnormal condition.

13. The programming assist device of claim 5 , wherein the power converter circuitry is configured as a voltage doubling converter.

14. The programming assist device of claim 13 , wherein the power converter circuitry is configured as a charge pump direct current (DC) to DC converter.

15. The programming assist device of claim 1 , wherein the vehicle diagnostic device includes at least one of a smartphone, a smart tablet, a smart watch, a laptop, and a personal computer for executing a vehicle diagnostic application.

16. The programming assist device of claim 1 , wherein the vehicle diagnostic device includes at least one server executing a vehicle diagnostic application.

17. The programming assist device of claim 16 , wherein the vehicle diagnostic device further includes a client device communicatively coupled with the at least one server executing the vehicle diagnostic application.

18. The programming assist device of claim 1 , wherein the vehicle diagnostic device includes an OBD interface device configured to be electrically coupled with the second interface and communicatively coupled with a computing device executing a vehicle diagnostic application.

19. A method of operating a programming assist device having power converter circuitry, the method comprising:

electrically coupling a first interface of the programing assist device with an on-board diagnostics (OBD) port of a vehicle;

electrically coupling a second interface of the programming assist device with a vehicle diagnostic device; and

initiating a programming mode of the vehicle via the vehicle diagnostic device, wherein power converter circuitry configured for:

receiving a first voltage signal from a first pin of the first interface; and

providing a second voltage signal to a second pin of the first interface, wherein the second voltage signal is configured to facilitate the programming mode for the vehicle.

20. A method of assembling a programming assist device, the method comprising:

electrically coupling a first interface configured to be electrically coupled with an on-board diagnostics (OBD) port of a vehicle with power converter circuitry; and

electrically coupling a second interface configured to be communicatively coupled with a vehicle diagnostic device with the power converter circuitry, wherein the power converter circuitry is configured for:

receiving a first voltage signal from a first pin of the first interface; and

providing a second voltage signal to a second pin of the first interface, wherein the second voltage signal is configured to facilitate a programming mode for the vehicle.