Patent ID: 6393379
Filing Date: 2002-05-21
Classification: G05B

Abstract:
A controlled area network diagnostic instrument for diagnosis and evaluation of electronic components on a vehicle control system on a mobile vehicle, the vehicle control system including an electrical system controller and other controllers on the vehicle, the electrical system controller and the other controllers communicating over a serial data bus, the serial data bus having a communication port, the controllers including a gauge cluster that may include indications of vehicle status, comprising:a processor including a graphics display; a communications port for communicating with the vehicle data bus communication port; said processor programmed to graphically provide a visual image of a mock gauge cluster on said display, said mock gauge cluster having the appearance of the actual vehicle gauge cluster; said processor programmed to mine data off said data bus when said processor in communication with said communication port of the vehicle serial data bus; and said processor programmed to convert data from said vehicle serial data bus into human readable form on said graphics display; providing said mock gauge cluster with indications and switch positions of the vehicle gauge cluster and making said mock display a moving picture of the vehicle gauge cluster when the indications of the vehicle gauge cluster change.