EP2715677B1 - Diagnostic device for motor vehicles and diagnostic method - Google Patents

Description

The invention relates to a diagnostic device for motor vehicles, a diagnostic method for motor vehicles, a diagnostic system and a use of a diagnostic device.

State of the art

In order to find defects in motor vehicles or perform service work on these, are used in today's motor vehicles diagnostic equipment. Such a diagnostic device is for example from the DE 202006019993 U1 known.

The mobile diagnostic device for motor vehicles shown there comprises a first interface for forming a data connection with a diagnostic interface of the motor vehicle electronics and at least one processor unit for controlling the first interface and for reading diagnostic data from an error memory of the motor vehicle electronics. The mobile diagnostic device is used by an appropriately trained operator. In addition, for the diagnosis of defects in motor vehicles also corresponding documentation of the manufacturer of the motor vehicle or training etc. can be made available to the operator of such a diagnostic device. The font US 2011/0112717 discloses methods and apparatus for comparing driving behavior of different drivers using social media.

The font US 2011/0015998 discloses the use of vehicle data in social networks.

The font US 2011/0045842 discloses a method and system for updating a social network system due to vehicle events.

Disclosure of the invention

In claim 1, the diagnostic device for motor vehicles according to the invention is defined. In claim 7, the diagnostic method for motor vehicles according to the invention is defined. In claim 6, the diagnostic system according to the invention comprising a motor vehicle and a diagnostic device according to at least one of claims 1 to 5 defined.

In claim 11, the inventive use of a diagnostic device according to at least one of claims 1 to 5 for the diagnosis of defects of motor vehicles is defined.

Community content information in the description and in particular in the claims is preferably to be understood as meaning information in chat rooms, by means of instant messengers, in Internet forums and virtual communities of interest or in social networks such as Facebook, Xing, StudiVZ or the like, as well as personalized information of the respective users of the chat rooms and the like, in particular access and login information.

In the description and in particular in the claims, error status information is preferably to be understood as meaning information which contains a fault status of the motor vehicle, for example in the form of codes, abbreviations, measured values, signals or the like.

In the description, and in particular in the claims, status information is to be understood as meaning information which reflects the status of a person in connection with the online community, for example "absent", "currently working", "invisible", "offline". or similar.

Advantages of the invention

One of the advantages achieved with the invention is that information can be provided more quickly to a user of the diagnostic device. In addition, the provided second information is more up-to-date than, for example, information that is provided in documentation documents in paper form, for example, by the manufacturer of the motor vehicle. In addition, the diagnostic device can provide additional information from other users of authorized dealerships, independent repair shops or even hobbyists in this way, so that a user of the diagnostic device in a comprehensive, fast and reliable way can detect and eliminate defects and defects on the motor vehicle , The provided second information can be made available both offline and online. For example, the most relevant posts or "threads" on the diagnostic device can be temporarily stored on a predefined topic, even if a user does not currently need them. These can then later offline, that is retrieved without an existing Internet connection. Thus, a high availability of current contributions or "threads" is directly possible. At the same time it can be checked in the background in parallel to a diagnosis of a motor vehicle, whether more current contributions to the given topic or problem exist and these are a user, for example, in list form, in particular categorized by relevance displayed.

The invention makes use of the fact that users, for example of social networks, have a very low inhibition threshold for inputting community content and that no additional programs except, for example, the Internet browser are necessary for this. The invention makes use of the further fact that users, for example from special motor vehicle forums, regularly have a great deal of technical knowledge, that the information in the forums is current and covers many different vehicles and models. The display device can be designed in such a way, current Display community content information and, in particular, partially overlay it with the error status information or visualize it using displayed links. A display of the community content information is also possible with a dialog for sending a question for an Internet forum and the like by means of the display device.

Advantageous developments of the invention are described in the subclaims.

According to an advantageous development of the invention, an identification device is arranged for the user and the processing device is designed to prepare identification information in community content information and to transmit it by means of the second interface to a computer in an external network by means of the Internet. The advantage achieved is that, for example, a user of the diagnostic device can enter access information for Internet discussion forums on the diagnostic device and these are then also transmitted automatically. The user of the diagnostic device can then be automatically logged in there with his username, etc. and even make inquiries, so-called "threads" or search for the corresponding problems in the forums by means of the search function. The processing device according to the invention is designed to prepare and transmit vehicle identification information in community content information. The advantage achieved thereby is that vehicle information, for example in the form of product and / or manufacturer codes, directly also members of an Internet forum, to which the product and manufacturer codes are not known, are displayed in a prepared, understandable form. Likewise, an even more accurate classification of a question or a problem in the Internet forum is possible. Furthermore, contributions or "threads" of the user can be automatically provided with this vehicle information in order to represent an assignment of the contents of the threads to the corresponding vehicle.

According to a further advantageous development of the invention, the operating device and / or the processing device are designed to provide status information about the user and the processing device is configured to prepare the status information as community content information and to transmit via the second interface to a computer in an external network via the Internet. In this way, it is possible that, for example, in a forum, a corresponding user entry as "important", etc. is marked when the user just enters the status "for troubleshooting" by means of the control panel so that participants of the corresponding forum get the opportunity immediately corresponding To provide information to the user of the diagnostic device in the forum. At the same time, the user of the diagnostic device is given the opportunity by means of the diagnostic device to obtain directly relevant information, for example news about a specific fault or to a specific vehicle or the like, in particular processed by the processing device.

After elimination of a fault of the motor vehicle by a user of the diagnostic device, the latter can use the operating device to evaluate, for example, a helpful contribution to the elimination of the fault, in particular on the basis of a scale between 1-10, in particular 1-5.

According to a further advantageous development of the invention, the processing device is designed to identify and process information that can be predetermined from the received community content information, in particular information specific to the motor vehicle, and the display device is designed to display the edited information to the user. The advantage achieved thereby is that the user of the diagnostic device is thus provided in a simple and fast manner, in particular information specific to the motor vehicle, so that he, for example by means of the display device, optionally provides the information graphically prepared on the diagnostic device, which is the case, for example, in circuit diagrams. Cabling, etc. significantly simplifies troubleshooting the motor vehicle. Likewise, color codings, enlargements, detailed representations and / or symbols that are easy to understand for the practical preparation of the given information are conceivable.

According to a further advantageous development of the invention, the processing device and / or the display device are designed to adapt and / or display the error status information and / or the community content information on the basis of a predefinable parameter. The advantage achieved here is that the user of the diagnostic device is thereby informed in a targeted manner and, if appropriate, hidden for him unimportant information about the motor vehicle become. For example, it is possible to adapt and / or display the information in such a way that it is embedded as well as possible in the workflows and / or processes of the user of the diagnostic device. In this case, for example, after input of corresponding vehicle identification features and symptoms by means of the operating device and transmission of the corresponding information to the computer in the external network relevant forum contributions to the corresponding motor vehicle or to the corresponding error displayed by means of the diagnostic device or new posts and / or questions displayed and / or placed in the forum. At the same time, for example, the diagnostic device continuously check whether for a question of the user of the diagnosis in the forum already have answers and if so, download the appropriate answers and show them using the display device to the user of the diagnostic device. An answer can be classified, for example, in such a way if at least one feature of the vehicle identification features and / or a corresponding symptom of an error is present.

According to a further advantageous embodiment of the method, an identification information of the user is prepared as community content information and transmitted by means of the Internet to a computer of an external network. The advantage achieved thereby is that, for example, a user of the diagnostic device can enter access information for Internet discussion forums on the diagnostic device and these are then also automatically transmitted and that the user of the diagnostic device is automatically logged in there with his user name etc. and even requests, so-called " Threads "or search by means of the search function for corresponding problems in the forums.

According to a further advantageous development of the method, the transmitted and / or received information is processed on the basis of a predefinable parameter. The advantage achieved is that the user of the diagnostic device is thus purposefully informed and, if appropriate, unimportant information about the motor vehicle is hidden from him. For example, it is possible to adapt and / or display the information in such a way that it is embedded as well as possible in the workflows and / or processes of the user of the diagnostic device.

According to a further advantageous embodiment of the method, information that can be predetermined from the received community content information becomes in particular motor vehicle-specific information, identified and prepared and displayed in particular. The advantage achieved thereby is that the user of the diagnostic device simultaneously receives the possibility by means of the diagnostic device to obtain directly relevant information, for example news relating to a specific error or to a specific vehicle or the like, in particular processed by the processing device.

Brief description of the drawings

Further advantages and features of the invention will become apparent from the following description of advantageous developments of the invention with reference to the drawing.

It shows

Fig. 1

a diagnostic device according to an embodiment connected to a computer of an external network in a schematic representation; and

Fig. 2

Steps of a method according to an embodiment of the invention in schematic form.

Embodiment of the invention

Fig. 1 shows a diagnostic device according to an embodiment connected to a computer of an external network in a schematic representation.

In Fig. 1 Reference numeral 1 denotes a diagnostic device according to an embodiment of the invention. The diagnostic device 1 comprises a first interface 2 a for reading out error status information from an error memory 3 of a motor vehicle 4. The interface 2 a is, for example, wired and connected to a corresponding interface of the fault memory 3 of the motor vehicle 4. The diagnostic device 1 further comprises an operating device 5 for operating the diagnostic device by a user B. In order to be able to display information B to the user B, the diagnostic device 1 comprises a Display device 6 for displaying information, for example a monitor, a dot-matrix display, a touch screen or the like. The diagnostic device 1 further comprises a processing device 7 for processing information, for example the error status information from the fault memory 3 of the motor vehicle 4. If the error status information is present, for example, in the form of hard-to-understand and to be detected alphanumeric codes, the processing device 7 can this example Prepare them in a form that is easier to understand for the user B using a table in a memory of the diagnostic device. The processing device 7 cooperates with the display device 6 in such a way that the display device 6 displays processed information for the user B.

The diagnostic device 1 further comprises a second interface 2b, which is connected to the processing device 7. Via the second interface 2b, community content information can be sent and / or received. The second interface 2b is in Fig. 1 designed as a wireless radio interface. The processing device 7 builds in Fig. 1 by means of the interface 2b a radio link to a server 10 in an internal network IN, for example, the network of the workshop of the user B, which is further connected to the Internet I. The server 10 is connected via the Internet I, for example, to a web server 20, which for example provides a forum for motor vehicles of the brand XYZ. The web server 20 is located in an external network EN, which is also connected to the Internet I. Various users U ₁ -U _{3 of} the web server 20 are connected via respective computers 21a to 21c to the web server 20 and read / write posts in the forum on the web server 20. The processing device 7 of the diagnostic device 1 is now configured to receive information from the Internet, for example, retrieve from the web server 20 and / or to send to the Internet via the Internet, the received and / or sent information includes community content information, such as information from the forum in the form of posts, threads, etc. on the Web server 20.

If an error of the motor vehicle 4 is to be found, for example, by means of the diagnostic device 1, the user B connects the diagnostic device 1 to the fault memory 3 of the motor vehicle 4 and reads it out by means of the diagnostic device 11. After processing the read-out error status information from the error memory 3 of the motor vehicle 4 by means of the processing device 7 of the User B input access information for an online forum on the web server 20 to the diagnostic device 1 by means of the operation unit 5, for example, login name and password.

The diagnostic device 1 then transmits the corresponding identification information via the interface 2b in the internal network IN to the server 10 which is connected to the Internet I. The server 10 transmits the identification data or information to the web server 20 via the Internet I; the user B is logged in with the transmitted data or information in the appropriate forum of the web server 20. The diagnostic device 1 can further be transmitted by the user B additionally entered vehicle data such as brand, version, model series, and in particular further features for unambiguous determination of the vehicle itself via the above server 10 to the web server 20 as well as the corresponding read error status information of the memory. 3 of the motor vehicle 4 after they have been prepared as community content information and finally automatically creates a corresponding entry in the Internet forum for the corresponding type of the motor vehicle. 4

Reprocessing can be done, for example, by replacing error codes of the error status information with easier-to-understand text and corresponding formatting of the text as well as embedding in a corresponding input mask or editing for a user interface of the forum. Users U ₁ -U _{3 of} the forum can then immediately after creating the corresponding entry in the forum read the entry and help troubleshooting. If, for example, user U ₂ already knows a solution for the corresponding error, then he writes a corresponding entry by means of his computer 21b and transmits it to the corresponding thread in the forum on the web server 20. The diagnostic device 1 now receives from the web server 20, for example by means of a corresponding one continuously monitoring the forum on the web server 20 for new posts or responses the corresponding user U ₂ response and downloads them from the web server 20 by means of the computer 10 and the processing device 7. The processing device 7 prepares this information and makes it available to the user B of the diagnostic device 1 by means of the display device 6. The user B can then take appropriate measures for troubleshooting the motor vehicle 4. Fig. 2 shows steps of a method according to an embodiment of the invention in schematic form.
In FIG. 2 Reference numeral S1 denotes the step of reading out error status information from a memory 3 of a motor vehicle 4, reference character S2 is the step of processing the read error status information, reference character S3 is the step S3 displaying the processed error status information for a user B, reference character S4 is the step receiving and / or reference numeral S5 the step S5 Sending of community content information in particular from and / or via the Internet I, reference numeral S6, the step processing S6 of the sent and / or received community content information and reference numeral S7 the step S7 of the processed community content information.

Overall, the invention offers several advantages. The invention enables a quick diagnosis of faults in motor vehicles and service work. In addition, corresponding diagnoses can be reliably checked and / or reconstructed by a large number of users. Errors in the diagnosis are thereby considerably reduced.

Claims (11)

1. Diagnostic device (1) for motor vehicles, comprising at least one first interface (2a) for reading fault status information from a memory (3) of a motor vehicle (4), at least one second interface (2b) for receiving and transmitting community content information, an operating device (5) for operating the diagnostic device (1) by means of a user (B), a display device (6) for displaying the information, and a processing device (7) for processing the information, wherein the processing device (7) is connected to the first and second interfaces (2a, 2b), characterized in that the processing device (7) is designed to preprocess the fault status information received by the first interface (2a) and to transmit said information as community content information by means of the second interface (2b) and to preprocess the community content information received by the second interface (2b) and to display said information by means of the display device (6), in that the diagnostic device (1) transmits vehicle identification features for uniquely determining the motor vehicle (4) and identification information relating to the user (B) as well as the corresponding fault status information which has been read from the memory (3) of the motor vehicle (4), after it has been preprocessed by the processing device (7) as community content information, to a web server (20) by means of the second interface (2b), wherein the diagnostic device (1) is designed to create, for the user (B) logged onto a forum of the web server (20) on the basis of the identification information, a corresponding entry in the forum of the web server (20) for the corresponding type of motor vehicle (4) or the corresponding fault, and wherein the diagnostic device (1) is designed to check whether there are contributions for the entry in the forum of the web server (20) and to download such contributions from the web server (20) in the form of community content information, wherein the processing device (7) is designed to identify predefinable motor-vehicle-specific information relating to the corresponding motor vehicle or to the corresponding fault from the downloaded community content information if at least one feature of the vehicle identification features and/or a corresponding symptom of the fault is/are present.
2. Diagnostic device according to Claim 1, wherein an identification device (8) is arranged for the user (B), and wherein the processing device (7) is designed to preprocess identification information to form community content information and to transmit said information to the web server (20) in an external network (EN) using the second interface (2b) by means of the Internet (I).
3. Diagnostic device according to at least one of Claims 1-2, wherein the operating device (5) and/or the processing device (7) is/are designed to provide status information relating to the user (B), and the processing device (7) is designed to preprocess the status information as community content information and to transmit said information to the web server (20) in an external network (EN) using the second interface (2b) by means of the Internet (I).
4. Diagnostic device according to at least one of Claims 1-3, wherein the processing device (7) is designed to identify predefinable information, in particular motor-vehicle-specific information, from the received community content information and to preprocess it, and wherein the display device (6) is designed to display the preprocessed information to the user (B).
5. Diagnostic device according to at least one of Claims 1-4, wherein the processing device (7) and/or the display device (6) is/are designed to adapt and/or present the fault status information and/or the community content information on the basis of a predefinable parameter.
6. Diagnostic system comprising a motor vehicle and a diagnostic device according to at least one of Claims 1-5.
7. Diagnostic method for motor vehicles (4), comprising the steps of reading (S1) fault status information from a memory (3) of a motor vehicle (4), processing (S2) the fault status information which has been read and preprocessing it as community content information, displaying (S3) the processed fault status information for a user (B), transmitting (S5) vehicle identification features for uniquely determining the motor vehicle (4) and identification information relating to the user (B) as well as the corresponding fault status information which has been read from the memory (3) of the motor vehicle (4), after it has been preprocessed as community content information, to a web server (20), logging the user (B) onto a forum of the web server (20) on the basis of the identification information, creating a corresponding entry for the logged-on user in the forum of the web server (20) for the corresponding type of motor vehicle (4) or the corresponding fault, checking whether there are contributions for the entry in the forum of the web server (20), downloading and receiving (S4) such contributions from the web server (20) in the form of community content information, identifying (S6) predefinable motor-vehicle-specific information relating to the corresponding motor vehicle or to the corresponding fault from the downloaded community content information if at least one feature of the vehicle identification features and/or a corresponding symptom of the fault is/are present, displaying (S7) the processed community content information.
8. Diagnostic method according to Claim 7, wherein an item of identification information relating to the user (B) is preprocessed as community content information and is transmitted to the web server (20) of an external network (EN) by means of the Internet (I).
9. Diagnostic method according to Claim 7 or 8, wherein the transmitted and/or received information is preprocessed on the basis of a predefinable parameter.
10. Diagnostic method according to at least one of Claims 7-9, wherein predefinable information, in particular motor-vehicle-specific information, is identified from the received community content information, is preprocessed and is displayed.
11. Use of a diagnostic device (1) according to at least one of Claims 1-5 to diagnose defects of motor vehicles (4).

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