Method and system for augmenting real-fix tips with additional content
A method and system for generating and outputting a real-fix tip (RFT) augmented with a pointer to additional content. The additional content may be relevant to any of a complaint, vehicle, cause of complaint, how the cause for complaint was discovered, and service-operation performed on the vehicle to resolve the complaint. The RFT may include a complaint, cause, and correction, and may be stored within a database containing repair orders that include complaints, causes, and corrections regarding various vehicles. A processor may generate the RFT after determining a threshold number of RO with a common complaint, vehicle, cause, and correction. A processor may search the database for the RFT based on a complaint and vehicle, display a list of RFT located during the search, display an RFT selected from the list, obtain additional content pointed to by a pointer in the RFT, and output the additional content to a display.
1. A method comprising:
connecting a computing system to a data link connector within a vehicle, wherein the computing system includes:
a processor,
a first transceiver configured to communicate over a vehicle communication link that connects the data link connector to an electronic control unit (ECU) within the vehicle,
a second transceiver configured to communicate over a communication network outside of the vehicle,
a display, and
a non-transitory computer-readable memory that contains instructions executable by the processor to cause the first transceiver to transmit messages to the ECU;
receiving, by the second transceiver, a computer-readable file including text and a pointer corresponding to additional content, and the text corresponding to a complaint regarding the vehicle,
outputting, by the processor, the text and the pointer onto the display;
determining, by the processor, a selection of the pointer has occurred while the pointer is output onto the display;
in response to determining the selection of the pointer has occurred, outputting, by the processor, the additional content onto the display, wherein the additional content includes a first automated function selector associated with first particular instructions executable by the processor to transmit messages to the ECU to cause the ECU to reprogram or calibrate the ECU;
determining, by the processor, a selection of the first automated function selector has occurred while the first automated function selector is output onto the display; and
in response to determining the selection of the first automated function selector has occurred, transmitting, via the first transceiver, the messages to the ECU to cause the ECU to reprogram or calibrate the ECU.
2. The method according to claim 1 , wherein connecting the computing system to the data link connector occurs wirelessly.
3. The method according to claim 1 , wherein:
the additional content includes a second automated function selector associated with second particular instructions executable by the processor to transmit an additional message to request data from the ECU,
outputting the additional content includes outputting the second automated function selector onto the display; and
the method further comprises:
determining, by the processor, a selection of the second automated function selector has occurred while the second automated function selector is output onto the display, and
in response to determining the selection of the second automated function selector has occurred, transmitting, via the first transceiver, the additional message to request data from the ECU.
4. The method according to claim 3 , wherein the data from the ECU includes a date code of software within the ECU.
5. The method according to claim 4 , further comprising:
displaying, on the display, the date code of software within the ECU.
6. The method according to claim 3 , wherein the additional message to request data from the ECU includes a parameter identifier associated with vehicle data that can be requested from the ECU.
7. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the complaint pertains to a diagnostic trouble code set in the vehicle.
8. The method according to claim 1 , further comprising:
determining a vehicle identifier corresponding to the vehicle,
wherein the complaint regarding the vehicle corresponds to the vehicle identifier.
9. The method according to claim 1 , wherein outputting the additional content onto the display includes displaying the first automated function selector overlaid upon at least a portion of text output onto the display.
10. The method according to claim 1 , further comprising:
receiving, by the processor, the complaint regarding the vehicle via a selection made using a user interface of the computing system.
11. The method according to claim 1 , wherein:
the computing system is a first computing system,
the method further comprises transmitting, via the second transceiver to a second computing system, a request with search parameters,
the search parameters include an identifier of the vehicle and an identifier of the complaint regarding the vehicle, and
receiving the computer-readable file occurs in response to transmitting the request.
12. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the additional content includes an image of a vehicle component or a schematic diagram of electrical circuitry.
13. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the computer-readable file includes a markup language file.
14. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the complaint regarding the vehicle includes an identifier of a vehicle component within the vehicle.
15. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the ECU includes a powertrain system ECU.
16. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the computer-readable file includes a real-fix tip.
17. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the computer-readable file includes metadata indicating how to display the text.
18. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the pointer includes a hyperlink.
19. A computing system connectable to a data link connector in a vehicle, the computing system comprising:
a processor;
a first transceiver configured to communicate over a vehicle communication link that connects the data link connector to an electronic control unit (ECU) within the vehicle;
a second transceiver configured to communicate over a communication network outside of the vehicle;
a display; and
a non-transitory computer-readable memory containing instructions executable by the processor to cause the first transceiver to transmit messages to the ECU and to cause the computing system to perform functions comprising:
receiving, by the second transceiver, a computer-readable file including text and a pointer corresponding to additional content, and the text corresponding to a complaint regarding the vehicle,
outputting, by the processor, the text and the pointer onto the display;
determining, by the processor, a selection of the pointer has occurred while the pointer is output onto the display;
in response to determining the selection of the pointer has occurred, outputting, by the processor, the additional content onto the display, wherein the additional content includes a first automated function selector associated with first particular instructions executable by the processor to transmit messages to the ECU to cause the ECU to reprogram or calibrate the ECU;
determining, by the processor, a selection of the first automated function selector has occurred while the first automated function selector is output onto the display; and
in response to determining the selection of the first automated function selector has occurred, transmitting, via the first transceiver, the messages to the ECU to cause the ECU to reprogram or calibrate the ECU.
20. The computing system according to claim 19 , further comprising:
test leads connectable to the vehicle for making an electrical measurement displayable on the display.
21. A non-transitory computer-readable memory having stored therein instructions executable by a processor of a computing system that is connectable to a data link connector in a vehicle and that includes:
the processor,
a first transceiver configured to communicate over a vehicle communication link that connects the data link connector to an electronic control unit (ECU) within the vehicle,
a second transceiver configured to communicate over a communication network outside of the vehicle, and
a display; and
wherein the instructions are executable by the processor to cause the first transceiver to transmit messages to the ECU and to cause the computing system to perform functions comprising:
receiving, by the second transceiver, a computer-readable file including text and a pointer corresponding to additional content, and the text corresponding to a complaint regarding the vehicle,
outputting, by the processor, the text and the pointer onto the display;
determining, by the processor, a selection of the pointer has occurred while the pointer is output onto the display;
in response to determining the selection of the pointer has occurred, outputting, by the processor, the additional content onto the display, wherein the additional content includes a first automated function selector associated with first particular instructions executable by the processor to transmit messages to the ECU to cause the ECU to reprogram or calibrate the ECU;
determining, by the processor, a selection of the first automated function selector has occurred while the first automated function selector is output onto the display; and
in response to determining the selection of the first automated function selector has occurred, transmitting, via the first transceiver, the messages to the ECU to cause the ECU to reprogram or calibrate the ECU.
22. The non-transitory computer-readable memory of claim 21 , wherein:
the additional content includes a second automated function selector associated with second particular instructions executable by the processor to transmit an additional message to request data from the ECU,
outputting the additional content includes outputting the second automated function selector is output onto the display; and
the functions further comprise:
determining, by the processor, a selection of the second automated function selector has occurred while the second automated function selector is output onto the display, and
in response to determining the selection of the second automated function selector has occurred, transmitting, via the first transceiver, the additional message to request data from the ECU.