Granted Patent B2

US 12,282,402 · App. 17/325,184 · Granted Apr 22, 2025

Inventors: Mark Theriot (McHenry, IL); Patrick S. Merg (Hollister, CA); Roy Steven Brozovich (Campbell, CA); Bradley R. Lewis (Gilroy, CA)

Assignee: Snap-on Incorporated

G06F11/30G01M17/00G05B23/0281G07C5/0808

Abstract

Claims (71)

1. A method, comprising:

receiving, at a computing device, a diagnostic request to diagnose a device-under-service;

determining, at the computing device based on the diagnostic request, a first test, wherein the first test is defined to be performed while the device-under-service is operating in a first operating state of the device-under-service during a testing interval of time;

determining, at the computing device based on a communication received from the device-under-service, the device-under-service is operating in the first operating state;

transmitting, by the computing device to the device-under-service in response to the computing device determining the device-under-service is operating in the first operating state based on the communication received from the device-under-service, one or more messages arranged according to an on-board diagnostic protocol to control operation of a component on board the device-under-service as part of performing the first test one or more times during the testing interval of time while the device-under-service is operating in the first operating state;

receiving, at the computing device, first data related to the device-under-service based on performance of the first test at the first operating state of the device-under-service one or more times during the testing interval of time, wherein the first data is indicative of two or more measurements;

classifying, at the computing device, the first data related to the device-under-service as first operating-state data based on reliability of the first data related to the device-under-service and verification of the first data related to the device-under-service being related to the first operating state and the testing interval of time;

generating, at the computing device, a differential analysis based on the first operating-state data,

generating, at the computing device, a report display by the device based on the differential analysis, and

sending, by the computing device, the report display, wherein the report display includes one or more sub-strategies including an additional test to perform on the device-under-service during diagnosis and repair of the device-under-service to address a complaint.

2. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the first operating-state data comprises data from at least two sensors associated with the device-under-service.

3. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the first test comprises a plurality of tests for the device-under-service.

4. The method according to claim 1 , wherein verifying that the first operating-state data is related to the first operating state comprises:

determining a first grid cell for the first operating-state data;

determining an operating state related to the first grid cell; and

determining that the operating state related to the first grid cell is the first operating state.

5. The method according to claim 4 , wherein generating the differential analysis based on the first operating-state data comprises:

determining first aggregated data for the first grid cell; and

generating a first differential-analysis list for the first operating state based on a comparison of the first operating-state data and the first aggregated data.

6. The method according to claim 5 , wherein the comparison of the first operating-state data and the first aggregated data is based on generating a pattern correlation between at least some of the first operating-state data and the first aggregated data.

7. The method according to claim 1 , further comprising:

determining that the first data related to the device-under-service is to be aggregated into aggregated data based on a classification of the first data related to the device-under-service, wherein:

the diagnostic request comprises complaint data,

generating the differential analysis comprises:

determining a reduced data set of the aggregated data based on the complaint data;

determining a set of basis vectors based on the reduced data set; and

identifying one or more principle parameter components for a complaint in the complaint data based on a projection of the basis vectors onto the first data related to the device-under-service; and

generating the report display based on the differential analysis comprises:

applying one or more rules about the principle parameter components; and

determining a sub-strategy based on the applied one or more rules.

8. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the diagnostic request includes a diagnostic trouble code configured according the an on-board diagnostic protocol.

9. The method according to claim 1 , wherein:

the diagnostic request includes a textual complaint; and

the method further comprises:

analyzing, by the computing device, the textual complaint to determine one or more words within the textual complaint indicative of:

a requested service,

a component in the device-under-service, or

an operating state of the device-under-service.

10. The method according to claim 1 , wherein:

the computing device includes a measurement device including a digital volt meter or a digital volt ohm meter, and

the first operating-state data includes measurement data obtained by the measurement device.

11. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the request for performance of the first test at the first operating state of the device-under-service is arranged according to the on-board diagnostic protocol.

12. The method according to claim 1 , further comprising:

determining, at the computing device, whether the device-under-service is in the first operating state of the device-under-service; and

outputting, by the computing device, an instruction to prompt changing an operating state of the device-under-service to the first operating state of the device-under-service if the computing device determines that the device-under-service is not operating in the first operating state of the device-under-service.

13. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the first operating state is an idle operating state, a cruising operating state, a cranking operating state, or a high-speed operating state.

14. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the device-under-service displays progress information regarding a status of tests being performed for multiple operating states of the device-under-service.

15. The method according to claim 14 , wherein the status of tests is shown using multiple status bars graphically and textually.

16. A computing device comprising:

a non-transitory computer-readable memory;

a processor; and

program instructions stored on the non-transitory computer-readable memory and executable by the processor to:

receive a diagnostic request to diagnose a device-under-service;

determine, based on the diagnostic request, a first test, wherein the first test is defined to be performed while the device-under-service is operating in a first operating state of the device-under-service during a testing interval of time;

determine, based on a communication received from the device-under-service, the device-under-service is operating in the first operating state;

transmit, to the device-under-service in response to the computing device determining the device-under-service is operating in the first operating state based on the communication received from the device-under-service, one or more messages arranged according to an on-board diagnostic protocol to control operation of a component on board the device-under-service as part of performing the first test one or more times during the testing interval of time while the device-under-service is operating in the first operating state;

receive first data related to the device-under-service based on performance of the first test at the first operating state of the device-under-service one or more times during the testing interval of time, wherein the first data is indicative of two or more measurements;

classify the first data related to the device-under-service as first operating-state data based on reliability of the first data related to the device-under-service and verification of the first data related to the device-under-service being related to the first operating state and the testing interval of time;

generate a differential analysis based on the first operating-state data,

generate a report display by the device based on the differential analysis, and

send the report display, wherein the report display includes one or more sub-strategies including an additional test to perform on the device-under-service during diagnosis and repair of the device-under-service to address a complaint.

17. A computing device according to claim 16 , further comprising:

a user interface, wherein the program instructions are executable by the processor to display the report display via the user interface.

18. A computing device according to claim 16 , further comprising:

a measurement device including a digital volt meter or a digital volt ohm meter, and

the first operating-state data includes measurement data obtained by the measurement device.

19. A computing device according to claim 16 , wherein:

the computing device is arranged as a server device operatively connectable to a client device via a network, and

the program instructions to send the report display include program instructions for the server device to send the report display to the client device via the network.

20. A computing device according to claim 16 , further comprising:

a network communication interface including a wireless interface, wherein the program instructions to transmit the request for performance of the first test at the first operating state of the device-under-service include instructions to transmit the request using the wireless interface.

Assignments (3)

Continuity (3)

References Cited (79)