EP2166514B1 - Motor vehicle diagnosis system - Google Patents

Description

The invention relates to a motor vehicle diagnostic system having a central computer-assisted diagnostic unit, a plurality of networked with the diagnostic unit vehicle diagnostic means for stationary measurement of properties of the motor vehicle under simulation of realistic driving cycles and with an output interface for outputting a vehicle-related diagnosis result.

EP 0 602 920 A1 describes an automatic vehicle detection and diagnostic system in which each vehicle has a transponder that transmits encoded vehicle identity information. Vehicle diagnostic measurements may be referenced to a vehicle at defined waypoints and displayed to the customer when the vehicle enters a service area.

For example, the vehicle diagnosis is off DE 102 39 765 A1 a profile depth measuring device known.

DE 196 15 008 A1 discloses a method for controlling a test track system for motor vehicles, which performs a unique vehicle identification and tester identification at each test section and automatically assigns the data acquired by the test stations to the vehicle currently being tested. During each test cycle, measurement data are acquired, which are transferred to a workstation, in which data fields of a data record are selectively filled with the received measurement data and the contents of the data fields are output as a diagnosis result on an output device. Test sections can be a wheel arch tester, a speedometer test bench, a shock absorber test bench, a brake test bench, etc.

DE 102 97 644 T5 discloses a maintenance system for a vehicle having a sensor for measuring a measurable characteristic of a component of the vehicle and a database containing statistical data relating to the possible failure of components or the system with respect to the measurable characteristic. From the measured value of the measurable characteristic and the statistical Data is used to determine the remaining life of the component or system. Then a possible component or system failure can be predicted.

Out DE 103 20 352 A1 For example, a method for testing characteristics of vehicles is known, which enables an improved assessment of the current state of the vehicle. For this purpose, the determined parameters for the vehicle are compared with a multiplicity of parameters which have been determined for other vehicles of the same type. The measured actual parameters are compared with a large number of actual parameters that have been recorded for a vehicle with a corresponding load, for example with the appropriate mileage. Thereby, it can be judged whether the measured actual value moves within the usual development of the vehicle type or deviates from the usual development.

WO 2004/031906 A2 discloses a vehicle fleet monitoring system having at least one data recording and analysis module in each vehicle, a control module, and a communication module. The collected and analyzed sensor data of the vehicle is used to obtain analysis results showing the status of the system of the vehicle.

DE 102 35 525 A1 describes a vehicle monitoring system in which vehicle sensor and diagnostic data from multiple vehicles are collected and aggregated to provide, with the aid of models, a continued analysis of the vehicle for repair, maintenance and diagnostics.

Proceeding from this, it is an object of the present invention to provide an improved motor vehicle diagnostic system that provides the vehicle owner or inspector with information beyond the measured properties of the motor vehicle about the condition of his motor vehicle offers.

The object is achieved with the motor vehicle diagnostic system of the type mentioned above in that a correlation unit is connected to the diagnostic unit, which is used to correlate measured properties of the motor vehicle with global, for a group of similar vehicles and / or vehicle parts state information and for deriving a measured over the Characteristics outgoing state information is set up as a diagnostic result on the vehicle on the correlation result, and that the vehicle diagnostic means for storage of driven wheels of the motor vehicle and the simulation of load cycles drivable brake rollers and the diagnostic unit for detecting states of auxiliary and auxiliary equipment of the motor vehicle based on the by - And switching off or regulating auxiliary and auxiliary units influenced load influence of the auxiliary and auxiliary units is set to the drive of the motor vehicle.

In the automotive diagnosis is exploited that the vehicle diagnostic means used, for example, in conjunction with stationary and mobile testing facilities distributed temporally and spatially and with a central diagnostic unit, which is preferably designed as an Internet portal, are networked. This makes it possible to bring together a variety of similar measurement results for similar vehicles or similar components up-to-date and timely. In addition, vehicle type information is obtained across the board, which is analytically evaluated in the diagnosis of a vehicle and correlated with the recorded property data for a specifically examined vehicle. From this, it is possible, in addition to the measured properties and the simple prediction of wear, to derive complex state information of the vehicle, which gives an image of the current technical condition of the vehicle.

The diagnostic unit is preferably an Internet platform for receiving, storing and analytical evaluation of the time and / or spatially distributed vehicle diagnostic means is set up systematically for a variety of motor vehicles and for a variety of different types of motor vehicle detected vehicle inspection results. The systematically recorded vehicle test results are thus transmitted, for example, to an internet platform, stored in a central data set and analytically evaluated taking into account a totality of different vehicle test results. In this case, for example, data clusters can be formed in which the characteristics of similar components are captured and analyzed across vehicle models, vehicle types and / or manufacturers. In particular, it now becomes possible to provide the user with additional relevant information by linking the data sets with statistically determined data, specifically to his vehicle, to his age group, to his occupational group or to other individual characteristics.

Vehicle diagnostics may be configured, for example, to measure tire profile condition, exhaust emissions, brake conditions, states of shafts and / or spherical bearings, engine condition, powertrain condition, and / or condition of the lighting equipment. Various other types of vehicle diagnostic means are of course also applicable in this context.

In addition to the entirety of systematically recorded vehicle test results, statistical information about the type-specific wear behavior of motor vehicles or of motor vehicle parts can also be used as global status information by breakdown statistics. In addition, global status information can also be information about the susceptibility to wear obtained via tests of motor vehicles and / or motor vehicle parts.

The result of the correlation provides a current technical condition of the vehicle, which can be supplemented by the global information with recommendations for further useful measures. It can be made available via an output interface designed as an internet platform, for example for download, forwarded by e-mail, transmitted by telephone as an automatically generated voice and / or text message to a telephone terminal, eg as a short message (SMS) or as a portable data memory (CD, memory). Stick, etc.) stored record etc. are made available for further use.

The storage and archiving of temporally successive determined over a period of use of the motor vehicle status images offers beyond the usual service book documentation of the earlier vehicle stress and the handling of the vehicle and consequently also a way to verify beyond detected properties beyond a technical condition of the motor vehicle and estimate.

The invention will be explained in more detail with reference to an embodiment with the accompanying drawings.

Figur 1

- Blockdiagramm des Kraftfahrzeugdiagnosesystems.

Show it:

FIG. 1

- Block diagram of the automotive diagnostic system.

FIG. 1 shows a block diagram of a motor vehicle diagnostic system 1, in which the customer or the vehicle owner and the vehicle data are detected in a registration unit a). For this purpose, the vehicle registration document, for example by means of an OCR reader, is also read into a computer system in a vehicle registration unit b). The holder data and vehicle data are correlated with each other.

In a diagnostic device c) with at least one central computer-assisted diagnostic unit and a plurality of vehicle diagnostic means, if necessary in conjunction with an optical image acquisition is then carried out a measurement of properties of the motor vehicle, in particular a detection of the state of safety-relevant, comfort-relevant and environmentally relevant components. In this case, the state of the vehicle tires, the exhaust gas values, the brake states, the states of the shaft and / or spherical bearings, the state of the lighting system, etc. can be detected. In addition, the engine electronics can be examined, wherein preferably the at least one event and fault memory of the vehicle control is read out and evaluated.

Safety-related components such as body, chassis, brakes, tires, shock absorbers, electronics, airbags, electronic controls such as ABS, ESP, etc. are also tested with the vehicle diagnostic equipment. Furthermore, comfort-relevant components such as the air-conditioning system etc. are examined. In addition, environmentally relevant components, such as exhaust emissions The test should be carried out in simulated driving mode by subjecting the vehicle to realistic load cycles by means of controlled roller conveyors on which the driven wheels are stored. These load cycles should simulate city traffic, highway driving and / or highway driving.

The determined properties of the motor vehicle are automatically transmitted to the diagnostic unit by networking the vehicle diagnostic means with the computer-assisted diagnostic unit and stored in a vehicle-related and holder-related manner.

The measured data on the properties of the motor vehicle are correlated in a correlation unit d) with global information from databases e). The global information is data obtained for a group of similar vehicles and / or vehicle parts, and may be vehicle-specific or component-specific quality data from a breakdown statistics or from component tests such as tire tests. Such global information may also be statistical data collected elsewhere, as well as vehicle equipment information relative to a vehicle identification number.

Thus, it is advantageous, for example, to correlate the vehicle identification number FIN read from the vehicle registration with a database which receives the equipment available in the vehicle for each vehicle identification number and is provided by the automobile manufacturers or third parties. Such global information is provided, for example, by the German Automobile Trust DAT.

From the determined by measurement with the vehicle diagnostic means properties of the motor vehicle, ie in the actual state, and the global information for a group of similar vehicles and / or vehicle parts can then state information beyond the measured properties are derived as a diagnostic result on the vehicle. For this purpose the measured properties and suitable global information are correlated with each other. This will provide information about the current state of the vehicle that has not been measured directly.

From this, the correlation unit derives therapy results in order to recommend immediate and long-term measures on the basis of the diagnosis result. Such measures may include changing tires, replacing windshield wipers, maintaining the air conditioning system, changing oil, etc.

In addition to the individual measures, global information can be used to derive and evaluate group therapies in order to recommend not just the maintenance of a problematic component, but a group of components.

Furthermore, presentation measures can be proposed on a vehicle-specific basis from the diagnostic results obtained by correlation.

These diagnostic results, including the status information and the proposed therapy and presentation measures, are then output to the user via an output interface f). For this purpose, an output unit g) is provided, which as an Internet platform, as an interface to a telephone network for transmitting the diagnostic result in the form of an automatically generated voice and / or text message (SMS) and / or as a printer interface for printing the diagnosis result as a printed log etc. executed can be.

The diagnostic result is a "virtual vehicle registration certificate" which goes beyond the determined characteristics and provides information such as digital test protocols, in which Inspection recorded image and sound information, daily used car values related to the vehicle type and equipment, vehicle-specific component tests, such as tire tests, as well as collections of other automatically user and vehicle-related extracted information from specialist publications contains. This virtual vehicle registration can accompany the vehicle over its entire useful life from the order for the first delivery over a sale to the scrapping by the last holder.

The "virtual vehicle registration document" also provides an information platform which allows an evaluation of the individual information for targeted presentation of additional information, such as consumer protection information, environmental information, product information including advertising to the respective user. In this case, the profile of the respective user is determined and it is matched to the profile from an information database appropriate additional information extracted.

It is also advantageous if work on components, in particular on safety-relevant components, is documented. By comparison with other information through the diagnostic system - without influence of the user - the correct completion of the work can be checked and documented. For this, e.g. a comparison is made with invoices transmitted to the diagnostic system, which are automatically evaluated with regard to the amounts invoiced for the work. Only when the amounts are within the usual for the work and spare parts, the work is noted as correctly done. Otherwise, the vehicle remains noted in the "virtual vehicle license" as faulty.

By screening a large number of vehicles, vehicle types, vehicle categories and a variety of vehicles from different manufacturers, often incorporating similar components from the same suppliers, it becomes possible to provide product improvement information, hazard analysis, to preserve the environment, etc. In this case, for example, an analysis of the effects of similar components of different manufacturers on a vehicle brand or an analysis of the effects of the same components of a manufacturer to different vehicle brands can be made to the energy consumption, the environment or the like. to be able to detect comfort devices. For example, by switching on an air-conditioning system during the vehicle inspection, its effects on energy consumption, engine load behavior and pollutant emissions can be recorded and evaluated. By combining these measurements based on the same components on different vehicles and vehicle types, a statement about the suitability of the component for different technical environments can be derived. In addition, it is possible to deduce a statement about the state of the component by switching on / off or regulating the component from the determined vehicle reaction. In the case of an air conditioner, for example, it can be concluded from the extent of the determined load drop by switching on the air conditioning on the need for coolant exchange. However, the relationship between component and vehicle behavior is not necessarily clearly known. By combining systematically recorded vehicle test results, it is possible to deduce a connection and to take this into account in the correlation.

In this way, it is possible to take into account the growing importance of suppliers in the manufacture of automobiles and the increasing complexity of the "car" technical system, for example by assessing the effects of technical components on different vehicle brands, i. be examined for different involvement in the overall system.

The systematic series analysis also enables socially relevant vehicle and vehicle type-spanning analyzes, such as eg Evaluations regarding the status and function of the user / owner, as well as ethnological and demographic conclusions.

The detection of the properties of the motor vehicle can be done stationary under simulation of realistic driving cycles under switching on and off energy consuming auxiliary and auxiliary units. This applies in particular to the exhaust emission test. The driven wheels should be mounted on brake rollers, which are driven to simulate load cycles. The load influence of the auxiliary and ancillary units allows a conclusion on their condition. On the basis of the totality of spatially distributed examinations on a large number of vehicles, the behavior, such as, for example, the fuel consumption, taking into account different real load effects and different geographic influences. In addition, a plausibility check of the analysis results is possible by comparison with results obtained in other investigations, in particular for environmentally relevant components.

The vehicle inspection can be accompanied by image and / or sound recordings that document the technical condition of the vehicle and forwarded together with the measurement results as a data set to the diagnostic unit. The image and / or sound data can also be evaluated by means of software. Thus, it is conceivable that non-visible areas can be photographically recorded and documented with an endoscope and analyzed by means of digital pattern recognition. In this way, for example, rust patterns on body and wear parts can be detected and analyzed. It is also conceivable to record the underbody of the vehicle with a multispectral camera and to recognize, for example, oil distributions and to make conclusions about the engine and sealing conditions from the propagation surface. By taking pictures with an infrared camera, material fatigue can be detected.

It is advantageous to compare the vehicle condition recorded with a camera with a CAD component drawing of the vehicle. Access to the CAD component parts drawing is achieved using the vehicle identification number of the vehicle registration certificate, from which the vehicle equipment can be derived and which is linked to the CAD data. In this way, an optical quality inspection is possible.

In a comparable way, an acoustic quality check can be realized. Comparison data can be obtained from the manufacturer or, in particular, from the systematically recorded sound data.

Long-term investigations into a large manufacturer-independent totality of vehicles and consolidation of the data in the central diagnostic unit make statistical comparison and early detection of technical problems possible. In addition, the safety risk relative to the vehicle under investigation and, in particular, the overall risk and the danger potential emanating from vehicles and their components can be assessed. The overall risk can be derived from the correlation of the statistical practical vehicle investigations and scientific studies obtained in tests.

Claims (10)

1. Motor vehicle diagnostic system having a centralized computer-assisted diagnostic unit, a multiplicity of vehicle diagnostic means, networked to the diagnostic unit, for the stationary measurement of properties of the motor vehicle by simulating close-to-reality driving cycles and having an output interface for outputting a vehicle-related diagnostic result, characterized in that a correlation unit is connected to the diagnostic unit which is configured to correlate measured properties of the motor vehicle with global status information items which are determined for a group of vehicles and/or vehicle parts of the same type, and to derive status information about the vehicle going beyond the measured properties, and to make it available as a diagnostic result from the correlation result, and in that the vehicle diagnostic means have driveable braking rollers for supporting driven wheels of the motor vehicle and for simulating load cycles and the diagnostic unit is configured to detect statuses of auxiliary units and secondary units of the motor vehicle on the basis of the load effect of the auxiliary units and secondary units on the drive of the motor vehicle, said load effect being influenced by the switching on and off or regulation of auxiliary units and secondary units.
2. Motor vehicle diagnostic system according to Claim 1, characterized in that the diagnostic unit is an Internet platform which is configured to receive, to store and to evaluate analytically the vehicle test results which are acquired systematically for a multiplicity of motor vehicles and for a multiplicity of different motor vehicle types with the vehicle diagnostic means which are used in a chronologically and/or spatially distributed fashion.
3. Motor vehicle diagnostic system according to Claim 1 or 2, characterized in that vehicle diagnostic means are configured for measuring the tyre profile status, the exhaust gas values, the brake statuses, the statuses of shaft bearings and/or articulated bearings, the engine status, the drive train status and/or the status of the lighting system.
4. Motor vehicle diagnostic system according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that global status information items are statistical information, obtained by means of breakdown statistics, about the type-specific wear behaviour of motor vehicles or of motor vehicle parts.
5. Motor vehicle diagnostic system according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that global status information items are information items about the susceptibility to wear which are obtained by means of tests on motor vehicles and/or motor vehicle parts.
6. Motor vehicle diagnostic system according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the output interface is an Internet platform.
7. Motor vehicle diagnostic system according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the output interface has an interface to a telephone network for transmitting the diagnostic result as an automatically generated voice message and/or text message to a telephone terminal.
8. Motor vehicle diagnostic system according to Claim 7, characterized in that the output interface is configured to connect to a mobile phone network and to transmit short messages (SMS).
9. Motor vehicle diagnostic system according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the diagnostic unit is configured to derive a current technical condition of the motor vehicle from the correlation results in the form of a combination of measurement data, evaluation data and image data and/or sound data and to make the condition available as a data record.
10. Motor vehicle diagnostic system according to one of the preceding claims, characterized by linking of the measured properties and/or of the correlation result with statistically determined data for deriving vehicle-related information items which are matched to the user group and/or the individual user behaviour and/or the individual user request.

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