Abstract:
A system for detecting and converting vehicle information for display includes a device including a first port and a second port. The first port being configured for communicating with a port of a vehicle to receive an input signal and the second port being configured for communicating an output signal from the device to a gauge. The system also includes a processor operatively coupled to the device. The processor is in communication with the first port and the second port is configured to read data from the input signal received at the first port, convert the data from the input signal to the output signal, wherein the output signal has an analog format, and output the output signal from the second port to drive at least one vehicle gauge.

Description:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED PATENT APPLICATION 
       [0001]    This application claims priority to U.S. Provisional Patent Application 61/719,001, which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety. 
     
    
     BACKGROUND 
       [0002]    1. Field of the Invention 
         [0003]    The present invention generally relates to systems for detecting and converting vehicle information for display. 
         [0004]    2. Description of Related Art 
         [0005]    When new cars are built, many automakers limit the number of gauges on the vehicle&#39;s factory dashboard to save cost and simplify things for the driver. This can be a problem for some drivers that want to see additional gauges to help them confirm that the vehicle is operating safely and within its designed limits. 
         [0006]    For this reason, many drivers install aftermarket gauges in their vehicle after they purchase it. While there are several different options offered, the most popular are round gauges with mechanical needles that move. The installation of these aftermarket gauges can be costly and time consuming because it requires the installation of a sender unit for each gauge. 
         [0007]    One example is a driver that purchases a new truck. If they are towing heavy loads, they may want to monitor transmission temperature and exhaust gas temperature. After purchasing a brand new vehicle, they will have to modify it to install aftermarket gauges. They will be required to drill into the exhaust manifold to install an EGT probe and cut the transmission lines to install a transmission temp probe. 
         [0008]    This is not desirable for several reasons. First, the modification of the vehicle to accept these new senders can void the factory warranty on a new vehicle. Second, the installation can take several hours and require wires to be routed thru the vehicle&#39;s firewall. Lastly, the quality of the installation and wiring will affect the reliability. 
         [0009]    While many drivers are installing aftermarket senders, most do not realize that the car&#39;s engine system already has most of those sensors already installed. Even though a vehicle&#39;s factory dashboard does not display readings from every sensor, the car&#39;s onboard computer system does measure those sensors as it manages the engine controls. These factory onboard sensors may not be externally accessible. For example, a transmission sensor may be installed inside the transmission valve body and not accessible from the exterior of the transmission. 
       SUMMARY 
       [0010]    A system for detecting and converting vehicle information for display includes a device including a first port and a second port. The first port being configured for communicating with an output port (which may be a bi directional port) of a vehicle to receive an input signal The second port being configured for communicating an output signal from the device to a gauge. The system also includes a processor operatively coupled to the device. The processor is in communication with the first port and the second port is configured to read data from the input signal received at the first port, convert the data from the input signal to the output signal, wherein the output signal has an analog format, and output the output signal from the second port to drive at least one vehicle gauge. 
         [0011]    Further objects, features and advantages of this invention will become readily apparent to persons skilled in the art after a review of the following description, with reference to the drawings and claims that are appended to and form a part of this specification. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0012]      FIG. 1  illustrates a block diagram of a vehicle and more particularly the electronic systems of a vehicle; 
           [0013]      FIG. 2  illustrates a block diagram of the system for converting data from the electronic control unit of the vehicle of  FIG. 1  to a configurable analog format; 
           [0014]      FIG. 3  illustrates the system of  FIG. 2  connected to a computer to configure the operation of the system; and 
           [0015]      FIG. 4  illustrates a display that may be connected to the system of  FIG. 2  to display information. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0016]    Referring now to  FIG. 1 , a vehicle  10  is shown. The vehicle  10  in this embodiment is an automobile, but may be any type of vehicle having an Electronic Control Unit (“ECU”) including, but not limited to cars, trucks, heavy duty trucks, commercial vehicles, construction equipment, boats, airplanes, or any other vehicle capable of transporting persons and items from one point to another. 
         [0017]    As its primary components, the vehicle  10  includes an electronic ECU  12 . The ECU  12  of the vehicle  10  may include one or more controllers to control various systems of the vehicle  10 . For example, the ECU  12  of the vehicle may control the engine, transmission, vehicle safety systems, tire pressure monitoring, or other vehicle subsystems. 
         [0018]    As such, in order to control these various subsystems, the ECU  12  may be connected to a number of sensors capable of sensing information from the subsystem in which they control. For example, the vehicle  10  may include an engine monitoring sensor  14  which monitors the engine and/or transmission of the vehicle. Of course, the sensor  14  may be more than one sensor may be a plurality of different sensors spread throughout the car to monitor the engine and/or transmission of the vehicle  10 . The ECU may also be connected to safety system sensor  16  which could be used to monitor the safety systems of the vehicle, such as airbag deployment, wheel speed, brakes, or other systems. Like before, the sensor  16  may be more than one sensor used to monitor a variety of different subsystems, such as exhaust and vehicle emissions as well. 
         [0019]    Additionally, the sensors located in the vehicle  10  are not limited to just those described in the sentences above. Other sensors  18  may also be incorporated within the vehicle to monitor a variety of different subsystems as well. Like before, the sensor  18  may be a variety and a plurality of different sensors to monitor these various subsystems. The sensors  14 ,  16 , and  18  are connected to the ECU  12  through either a direct connection or via a bus such as a Controller Area Network (“CAN”) bus. 
         [0020]    The ECU  12  of the vehicle may also include a port  20  that allows external systems to communicate with the ECU  12  of the vehicle  10 . This port may be known as an on-board diagnostic port commonly referred to as OBD2 port. These ports are commonly found in all automobiles manufactured and sold in the United States today and can be used for a variety of uses, such as reprogramming the ECU  12  of the vehicle  10  or receiving information from the ECU  12  of the vehicle  10 . Finally, a display device  13 , such as a digital or analog cluster may be connected to the ECU  12 . 
         [0021]    Referring to  FIG. 2 , a system  22  configured to read data from the ECU 12  of the vehicle  18  and convert the data from the ECU  12  of the vehicle  10  to configurable analog format is shown. As its primary components, the system includes a controller  24 . The controller  24  may be in communication with a first memory unit  26  and a second memory unit  28 . However, it should be understood that the controller  24  may incorporate the memory units  26  and  28  or alternatively the memory units  26  and  28  may be combined in a single unit separate from the controller  24 . 
         [0022]    The system  22  also includes a port  30  that is configured to mate with the port  20  of  FIG. 1 . As mentioned when describing port  20  of  FIG. 1 , the port  30  may be an OBD2 style port that is configured to connect with an OBD2 style port of the vehicle  10 . 
         [0023]    The system  22  may also include a memory interface  32  that is in communication with the controller  24 . The memory interface  32  may be a card style slot for receiving external storage devices, such as a Secure Digital (“SD”) card  34 . When an SD card  34  is inserted into the memory unit  32 , the SD card  34  will then be in communication with the controller  24 . Of course, any one of a number of different storage devices may be utilized and should not be limited to just SD cards. 
         [0024]    The system  22  may also include the second port  36 . The second port  36  outputs data from the ECU  12  that has been converted to a configurable analog format. The port  36  may be a powered port and may include a voltage source  38  and a ground  40  so as to provide power to any devices that are connected to the second port  36 . For example, the external device  42  may be an analog gage cluster or could also be a digital readout. 
         [0025]    The system  22  may also include a third port  44  that is in communication with the controller  24 . The third port  44  can be any one of variety of different ports that allows the connection of an external device, such as a personal computer, electronic tablet, mobile phone, or the like to the system  22 . Of course, the third port  44  may be a wireless interface that allows wireless communication between the system  22  and a personal computer, electronic tablet, mobile phone, or the like. Generally, the port  44  may be a USB port but may also be an Ethernet type port or may additionally be a wireless transceiver such as an IEEE 802.11 transceiver. 
         [0026]    Referring to  FIG. 3 , the system  22  is shown connected to an external device such as a personal computer  46 . It should be understood that the personal computer  46  may be a general purpose personal computer, electronic tablet, mobile phone, or the like. The computer  46  may have a display  48  and inputs in the form of a keyboard  50  and/or mouse  52 . Of course, any one of a number of different input devices can be used such as touch screens where even voice input command interfaces. 
         [0027]    The processor  24  of the system  22  is configured via the use of software or firmware which may be stored on a processor  24 , memory devices  26  and  28 , or even the SD card  34 . The software configures the processor  24  to perform a number of different functions. For example, the software configures the processor to read data from the ECU  12  of the vehicle via the port  30  and convert the data from the ECU  12  to a configurable analog format and then output the configurable analog format to the second port  40  to drive at least one analog gage  42  of  FIG. 2 . 
         [0028]    The operating perimeters of the system may be established by connecting the system  22  to the computer  46  that configures the operation of the system  22  using software  54  that operates on the computer  46 . Of course, the operating perimeters may be previously set by the manufacturer or may be configurable to the use of the SD card  34 . The operating perimeters may be combined mathematically to synthesize a new perimeter and use that to drive the analog gage  42  or possibly a relay. 
         [0029]    In particular, the new parameter may be able to calculate fuel economy from varies engine perimeters received from the sensors  14 ,  16 , and/or  18 . These perimeters will drive the analog gage  42  and may result with the result or possibly light a lamp on the analog gage  42  when the fuel economy is below a certain predetermined threshold. This predetermined threshold may be set by the system  22  or may be modified by the computer  46 . 
         [0030]    Referring to  FIG. 4 , the display  42  may, instead of or in addition to displaying analog gages may simply be an LCD type readout or similar. The display  42  can then display one of any one of a number of different images, such as gages, symbols, light patterns or others, as indicated by element  56 . For example, the output of the system  22  may be used to eliminate a check engine lamp. 
         [0031]    As explained above, the output  40  of the system  22  may be used to drive the display  42  or a relay when a perimeter is either above or below a certain value. The system  22  may be adapted to be configured to activate a lamp when a perimeter or threshold is above or below a certain value. For example, the display  42  may be able to illuminate a “shift light” when the RPM exceeds a certain preset value. The RPM of the automobile can be determined by monitoring sensor  14  via the ECU  12 . 
         [0032]    The system  10  can also be used to illuminate a lamp such as an “oil light” lamp when the engine oil pressure is below a certain preset value. As explained before, the engine oil pressure can be determined by monitoring sensor  14  via the ECU  12 . 
         [0033]    In addition, the SD card  34  may be in communication with the processor  24  and may be logging data received from the port  20  from the ECU  12 . The SD card  34  may be later removed for analysis by a user. 
         [0034]    As a person skilled in the art will readily appreciate, the above description is meant as an illustration of implementation of the principles this invention. This description is not intended to limit the scope or application of this invention in that the invention is susceptible to modification, variation and change, without departing from the spirit of this invention, as defined in the following claims.