Patent ID: 6728611
Filing Date: 2004-04-27
Classification: G07C

Abstract:
A failure diagnostic system comprising:an electronic control unit installed in a vehicle, wherein the electronic control unit includes: a control program for controlling the vehicle; a diagnostic program for diagnosing at least one each predetermined part of the vehicle and for storing vehicle operation information of the vehicle in the electronic control unit; and a terminal device, which communicates with the electronic control unit, wherein: the terminal device obtains the vehicle operation information from the electronic control unit; the terminal device transmits functional modification information to the electronic control unit, wherein the functional modification information is used to achieve functional modification of the diagnostic program and is prepared in association with failure information of the vehicle; and the electronic control unit changes at least one of the vehicle operation information to be stored in the electronic control unit and a condition for storing the vehicle operation information in the electronic control unit by executing the diagnostic program to store the vehicle operation information in the electronic control unit based on the functional modification information transmitted from the terminal device; and a center, which performs data communication with the terminal device through a communication network, wherein: the center includes a database of the functional modification information; the terminal device transmits the functional modification information to the center after a failed part of the vehicle is identified based on the vehicle operation information; and the center updates the database based on the functional modification information received from the terminal device.