Patent ID: 6477478
Filing Date: 2002-11-05
Classification: G01M

Abstract:
A method of testing applicable to the identification of faults and to making of other routine tests in automotive vehicles and like electrical and/or electro-mechanical and/or hydro-mechanical systems or assemblies or components, the method comprising :a) providing a base station and a handset connectable to said base station for signal transmission purposes; b) providing at least one power source for said base station and said handset, and signal transmission means for said handset adapted to effect test signal transmission between said handset and said system or assembly or component under test; c) said handset and/or said base station being adapted to effect processing of test signals sensed and/or generated by and/or induced in or by said signal transmission means for fault identification and/or performance evaluation purposes; d) said handset being adapted to carry out test procedures on and in the vicinity of said system or assembly or component under test by interaction with said system or assembly or component under test through said signal transmission means; characterised bye) said method being adapted to provide identification of a range of two or more faults in technically distinct areas by means of a single set of apparatus, at least two of said handsets being provided, each handset being adapted to provide a technically distinct analysis function applicable to at least two technically distinct areas of evaluation of the same or a different system or assembly or component under test, and each being adapted to provide its own technically distinct data stream to said base station through its signal transmission connection to said base station; f) said base station being adapted to process said at least two technically distinct data streams provided from said at least two handsets to identify characteristics providing identification means for fault-tracing and/or performance evaluation purposes in said at least two technically distinct areas; and g) said method comprising employing said at least two handsets and said associated base station in sequence to provide said fault-tracing and/or performance evaluation on the same or different systems or assemblies or components in said at least two technically distinct areas by means of a single set of apparatus.