Patent ID: 8433472
Filing Date: 2013-04-30
Classification: G05B

Abstract:
1. A parameter identification-based fault isolation technique, the method comprising the steps of: executing a diagnostic software routine for identifying diagnostic trouble codes used to detect faults in a circuit of a current serviced vehicle, the diagnostic software routine further retrieving parameter identification data relating to the circuit identified with the detected fault; obtaining parameter identification data of prior serviced vehicles on a computer, the parameter identification data being retrieved from the prior serviced vehicles that include vehicles having same vehicle specifications as the current serviced vehicle under substantially similar operating conditions as the current serviced vehicle; grouping the parameter identification data of the prior serviced vehicles into a plurality of clusters based on mutual dependence to one another; determining a joint probability distribution as a function of a mutual dependence of the parameter identification data of the prior serviced vehicles; selecting parameter identification data of the current serviced vehicle having a coherence to the parameter identification data from the prior serviced vehicles; projecting a mutual dependence of the parameter identification data of the current serviced vehicle onto the corresponding joint probability distribution; and detecting an anomaly in the parameter identification data of the current serviced vehicle in response to the joint probability distribution of parameter identification data being outside of a predetermined variance, wherein the detected anomaly represents at least one of an error in the diagnostic software routine or an intermittent occurrence of a respective diagnostic trouble code; and modifying at least one of the diagnostic software routine or a component associated with the intermittent occurrence of the respective diagnostic trouble code to correct the error or intermittent re-occurrence of the respective diagnostic code.