Patent Publication Number: US-2006012884-A1

Title: Portable diagnostic system with heads-up display

Description:
TECHNICAL FIELD  
      The disclosure relates generally to automotive service systems and, more specifically, to a portable diagnostic tool that can be used in a vehicle during the operation of the vehicle.  
     BACKGROUND ART  
      During the servicing of a vehicle, such as an automobile, it has become increasingly important to be able to monitor the operations of major vehicle systems, such as the engine, transmission and braking system, on a real-time basis for diagnosing and repairing operational problems. These major systems are usually controlled, either entirely or in part, using a microcomputer, and the on-board ability of controllers within the vehicle to store operational information and error codes for later retrieval has been exploited to improve the accuracy with which service personnel diagnose vehicle problems. However, these controllers have limited on-board memory for storing these operational parameters. Thus, auxiliary diagnostic systems have been developed to supplement on-board capabilities of the controllers.  
      One commonly employed auxiliary diagnostic system is commonly known as a “scan tool” or “scanner.” The scanner is typically hand-held and interfaces to the automobile&#39;s on-board controllers via a vehicle communication bus, usually tapping into the bus at a connection point located beneath the dashboard or a seat. When a vehicle is brought in for repair or a checkup, the scanner is used to help diagnose or discover any problems in the various monitored systems of the vehicle.  
      An issue associated with these scanners is that a problem may exist when the vehicle is being operated, but the problem will not manifest itself while the vehicle is in the shop. One solution to this problem has been the development portable scanners that can be used outside of the shop. Using these portable scanners, the technician takes the vehicle out for a test run and tries to recreate the situation(s) in which the problem manifests itself. The technician can then monitor the operating conditions of the vehicle using the portable scanner at the time when the problem surfaces.  
      These portable scanners are a hand-held, self-powered version of the prior auxiliary diagnostic systems. When the technician is trying to diagnose the problem while driving, the technician has to take his or her eyes off the road to look at the scanner since the display device for the scanner is located on the scanner itself. This creates two problems. First, the technician is placed in a dangerous position by being forced to constantly take his or her eyes of the road, and second, the technician receives only “snap-shots” of information instead of a real-time full stream of data. There is, therefore, a need for a portable diagnostic tool that enables a technician to keep his or her eyes on the road while still providing the technician with a real-time, full stream of operations data from the vehicle.  
     SUMMARY OF THE DISCLOSURE  
      Described is a heads-up system for a user of a vehicle, such as an automobile, to obtain operational information from a controller of a vehicle while the user is operating the vehicle. The system includes a diagnostic tool and a heads-up display for displaying the information. The diagnostic tool is connected to a communication bus of the vehicle. The display includes a projection device and an input module that is connected to the diagnostic tool either wirelessly or with a wire connection. The input module may translate signals from the diagnostic tool into signals readable by the projection device.  
      The display can be worn by the user or mountable within the vehicle. If worn by the user, the display can project the information directly onto an eye of the user. Alternatively, the display may include a lens onto which the display projects information. The display may also be a direct-view display configured to be positioned within the field of view of the user. If the display is mountable within the vehicle, the display may project information onto an optically-transparent screen, such as a windshield, of the vehicle with a projector. Alternatively, the display can interface with a projector already present within the vehicle. The mountable display may also be a direct-view display positioned within the field of view of the user.  
      In another aspect of the heads-up system, a display controller is included for controlling content of the operational information from the diagnostic tool to display. A recorder can also be included to record of audio and operational information from the diagnostic tool.  
      Additional advantages will become readily apparent to those skilled in the art from the following detailed description, wherein only an exemplary embodiment of the present invention is shown and described, simply by way of illustration of the best mode contemplated for carrying out the present invention. As will be realized, the invention is capable of other and different embodiments, and its several details are capable of modifications in various obvious respects, all without departing from the invention. Accordingly, the drawings and description are to be regarded as illustrative in nature, and not as restrictive. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       FIG. 1  is schematic view of a heads-up system, according to the disclosure;  
       FIG. 2  is an example head-mounted, heads-up display for use with the heads-up system in  FIG. 1 ;  
       FIG. 3  is another example of a head-mounted, heads-up display for use with the heads-up system in  FIG. 1 ;  
       FIG. 4  is still another example of a head-mounted, heads-up display for use with the heads-up system in  FIG. 1 ;  
       FIG. 5  is an example of a windshield-projector, heads-up display for use with the heads-up system in  FIG. 1 ;  
       FIG. 6  is another example of a windshield-projector, heads-up display for use with the heads-up system in  FIG. 1 ; and  
       FIGS. 7A and 7B  are examples of a direct view, heads-up display for use with the heads-up system in  FIG. 1 . 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS  
      An example of a heads-up system  10  is illustrated in  FIG. 1 . The heads-up system  10  includes a heads-up display  20  connected to a diagnostic tool  16 . The diagnostic tool  16  is connected to controllers (not shown) of the vehicle, such as an automobile, via, for example, a vehicle communication bus  22  that is part of the vehicle. The heads-up system  10  may be included in the diagnostic tool  16 , or the heads-up system  10  may be connectable to the diagnostic tool  16 . If the heads-up system  10  is connectable to the diagnostic tool  16 , the heads-up system  10  includes an input interface  12  that is connected to an output port  26  of the diagnostic tool  16 . Operational information regarding the vehicle is sent by the diagnostic tool  16  to the heads-up display  20 .  
      Information that can be provided by the diagnostic tool  16  can be any information related to the past and/or present performance and/or operations of the vehicle. This information may include, but is not limited by, the following: the actual distance traveled by the vehicle; the date and times of specific events, such as the time the vehicle was started, the time the vehicle was stopped and the elapsed time of engine operation; vehicle conditions, such as a threshold or maximum engine load experienced by the vehicle during operation; the current odometer reading; the current revolutions per minute of the engine; vehicle status, fault, or error conditions experienced during operation, such as engine oil pressure, engine oil temperature, engine coolant temperature, engine alternator current or voltage output, hydraulic fluid pressure, hydraulic fluid temperature, hydraulic fluid pressure; and the amount of consumables remaining in vehicle, such as fuel level, engine coolant level, engine oil level, and hydraulic fluid level.  
      The heads-up system  10  may also include a display controller  18 . The display controller  18  can be used by the user of the heads-up system  10  to control the flow of data from the diagnostic tool  16  to the heads-up display  20 . For example, the display controller  18  can, for example, be used to change the output of the diagnostic tool  16  from “revolutions per minute of the engine” to “oil temperature.” As another example, the display controller  18  can also be used to control the format of the information provided by the diagnostic tool  16 . Other capabilities of the display controller  18  to manipulate the data from the diagnostic tool  16  to the heads-up display  20  are readily apparent to those skilled in the art.  
      In one aspect of the heads-up system  10 , the display controller  18  operates either hands-free or with minimal manipulation by one hand. For example, the hands-free operation of the display controller  18  can be accomplished by voice-activation. Also, the display controller  18  can be adapted to be held in and operated by just one hand. In this manner, the display controller  18  can be operated by the user while the user drives the vehicle. In another example, the display controller  18  can be adapted to be easily attachable to/removable from a location on the vehicle, such as on the steering wheel or the dashboard, close to one of the hands. In this manner, a user can operate the display controller  18  with little movement of the hands. Types of the controllers that are adapted to be operated by voice activation or with little movement of the hands are well known in the art, and the heads-up system  10  is not limited to a particular controller so capable. Controllers so capable, for example, are found on portable audio devices that allow a user to navigate many menus with the use of just one hand.  
      The heads-up system  10  may also include a recorder  24 , for example, connected to and operated by the display controller  18 . The recorder  24  can be used to record all or some of the data being output by the diagnostic tool  16 . Alternatively or in addition to recording data from the diagnostic tool  16 , the recorder  24  can record audio comments from the user. These audio comments from the user can later be played back to help in diagnosing the condition of the vehicle. Also, if the recorder  24  records both the data being output by the diagnostic tool  16  and audio comments, the recorder  24  may track when the audio comments are made to when the data is produced so that comments can be later correlated to the data from the diagnostic tool at the time the comments were made. Types of the recorders that can record digital, analog and/or audio data either separately or together are well known in the art, and the heads-up system  10  is not limited to a particular recorder so capable.  
      The heads-up display  20  displays information from the diagnostic tool  16  so that a user can operate the vehicle and view the information at the same time, and the heads-up display  20  is not limited to the particular device/system used to display the information from the diagnostic tool  16 . Examples of heads-up displays  20  capable of being used with the heads-up system  10  include a head-mounted device that projects the information directly into the eye/retina of the user; an eyeglass system that includes a projector for projecting information onto at least one of the lens of the eyeglass; a head-mounted direct-view system for displaying the information; a portable windshield projector for projecting information onto the windshield of the vehicle; an interface module for inputting the information into a pre-existing windshield projector for projecting information on the windshield of the vehicle; and a portable direct-view display device that may be affixed, for example, to the windshield of the vehicle. The heads-up system  10 , however, is not limited as to these particular examples, and any heads-up display capable of being ported into a vehicle is acceptable for use with the heads-up system  10 .  
      An example of a heads-up display  120  that projects information directly into the eye/retina of a user is illustrated in  FIG. 2 . A heads-up display  120  that projects information directly into the eye/retina of a user is known in the art, and any heads-up display  120  so capable is acceptable for use with the heads-up system  10 . A heads-up display  120  so capable is illustrated and described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,653,751 to Samiy et al., incorporated herein by reference.  
      The heads-up display  120  includes a mounting device  122 , a projection device  124 , and an input module  126  connected to the projection device  124 . The mounting device  122  positions the projection device  124  adjacent the eye/retina of a user. The input module  126  receives the information from the diagnostic tool  16  (not shown), which gets transferred to the projection device  124 , and the projection device  124  directs the information as an image onto the eye/retina of the user. The signals received by the input module  126  are sent directly to the projection device  124  if the signals are already readable by the projection device  124 , and if not, the received signals are translated by the input module  126  into signals readable by the projection device  124 . The input module  126 , although shown apart from the projection device  124 , may be integrated into the projection device  124 .  
      An example of a heads-up display  220  that includes a projector for projecting information onto an optically transparent screen, such as a lens of an eyeglass, is illustrated in  FIG. 3 . A heads-up display  220  that includes a projector for projecting information onto a lens of the eyeglass is known in the art, and any heads-up display  220  so capable is acceptable for use with the heads-up system  10 . A heads-up display  220  so capable is illustrated and described in U.S. Pat. No. 3,945,716 to Kinder and U.S. Pat. No. 4,753,513 to Kubik, both of which are incorporated herein by reference.  
      The heads-up display  220  includes a mounting device  222 , a lens  228 , a projection device  224 , an input module  226  connected to the projection device  224 . The lens  228 , which may be, for example, the lens of an eyeglass, is placed in front of the eyes of a user, and the mounting device  222  positions the projection device  224  adjacent the lens  228 . The input module  226  receives the information from the diagnostic tool  16  (not shown), which gets transferred to the projection device  224 , and the projection device  224  directs the information as an image onto the lens  228 , which can then be viewed by the user. The signals received by the input module  226  are sent directly to the projection device  224  if the signals are already readable by the projection device  224 , and if not, the received signals are translated by the input module  226  into signals readable by the projection device  224 . The input module  226 , although shown apart from the projection device  224 , may be integrated into the projection device  224 .  
      An example of a heads-up display  320  that includes a head-mounted direct-view system for displaying the information is illustrated in  FIG. 4 . A heads-up display  320  that includes a head-mounted direct-view system for displaying the information is known in the art, and any heads-up display  320  so capable is acceptable for use with the heads-up system  10 . For example, a heads-up display  320  is illustrated and described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,636,866 to Hattori and U.S. Pat. No. 6,034,653 to Robertson et al., both of which are incorporated herein by reference.  
      The heads-up display  320  includes a mounting device  322 , a direct-view projection device  324 , and an input module  326  connected to the direct-view projection device  324 . The mounting device  322  positions the direct-view projection device  324  adjacent the eyes of a user. The input module  326  receives the information from the diagnostic tool  16  (not shown), which gets transferred to the direct-view projection device  324 , and the projection device  324  directly displays the information as an image viewable by the user. An example of such a direct-view projection device  324  is a LCD screen. The signals received by the input module  326  are sent directly to the direct-view projection device  324  if the signals are already readable by the direct-view projection device  324 , and if not, the received signals are translated by the input module  326  into signals readable by the direct-view projection device  324 . The input module  326 , although shown apart from the direct-view projection device  324 , may be integrated into the direct-view projection device  324 .  
      An example of a heads-up display  420  that includes a portable projector for projecting information onto an optically transparent screen, such as a windshield of the vehicle, is illustrated in  FIG. 5 . A windshield projector  424  for projecting information onto the windshield of the vehicle is known in the art, and any windshield projector  424  so capable is acceptable for use with the heads-up system  10 . For example, a windshield projector  424  is illustrated and described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,806,904 to Watanuki, incorporated herein by reference.  
      The heads-up display  420  includes a mounting device  422 , a windshield projection device  424 , and an input module  426  connected to the projection device  424 . The heads-up display  420  is mounted within the vehicle using the mounting device  422  such that projection device  424  projects onto the windshield  430  of the vehicle. The mounting device  422  allows the heads-up display  420  to be easily mounted/removed from the vehicle. The mounting device  422  also keeps the heads-up display  420  from being moved during motion of the vehicle. Mounting devices  422  so capable are well known in the heads-up display  420  is not limited as to a particular type of mounting device  422 . An example of a mounting device  422  so capable is an array of suction cups.  
      The input module  426  receives the information from the diagnostic tool  16  (not shown), which gets transferred to the projection device  424 , and the projection device  424  directs the information, as an image, onto the windshield  430 , which can then be viewed by the user. The signals received by the input module  426  are sent directly to the projection device  424  if the signals are already readable by the projection device  424 , and if not, the received signals are translated by the input module  426  into signals readable by the projection device  424 . The input module  426 , although shown apart from the projection device  424 , may be integrated into the projection device  424 .  
      An example of a heads-up display  520  that includes an interface module for inputting the information into a pre-existing windshield projector for projecting information on the windshield of the vehicle is illustrated in  FIG. 6 A  windshield projector  524  for projecting information onto the windshield of the vehicle is known in the art, and any windshield projector  524  so capable is acceptable for use with the heads-up system  10 . For example, a windshield projector  524  is illustrated and described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,806,904 to Watanuki, incorporated herein by reference.  
      The heads-up display  520  includes an interface module  522  and an input module  526  connected to the interface module  522 . The interface module  522  is connected to an input port  528  of a windshield projector  524  already mounted within the vehicle The input module  526  receives the information from the diagnostic tool  16  (not shown), which gets transferred to the projection device  524  via the interface module  522 , and the projection device  524  directs the information as an image onto the windshield  530 , which can then be viewed by the user. The signals received by the input module  526  are sent directly to the projection device  524  via the interface module  522  if the signals are already readable by the projection device  524 , and if not, the received signals are translated by the either the input module  526  or the interface module  522  into signals readable by the projection device  524 . The input module  526 , although shown apart from the interface module  522 , may be integrated into the interface module  522 .  
      An example of a heads-up display  620  that includes a direct-view system for displaying the information is illustrated in  FIGS. 7A and 7B . A heads-up display  620  that includes a direct-view system for displaying the information is known in the art, and any heads-up display  620  so capable is acceptable for use with the heads-up system  10 . For example, a heads-up display  620  is illustrated and described in U.S. Pat. No. 6,490,402 to Ota, incorporated herein by reference.  
      The heads-up display  620  includes a mounting device  622 , a direct-view projection device  624 , and an input module  626  connected to the direct-view projection device  624 . The mounting device  622  positions the direct-view projection device  624  within the vehicle such that that projection device  624  is easily viewed by the user when driving the vehicle. The mounting device  622  allows the direct-view projection device  624  to be easily mounted/removed from the vehicle. The mounting device  622  also keeps the location of the direct-view projection device  624  from being moved during motion of the vehicle. Mounting devices  622  so capable are well known in the heads-up display  620  is not limited as to a particular type of mounting device  622 . An example of a mounting device  622  so capable is an array of suction cups. Another example of a mounting device  622  is a clip that can be hung, for example, onto a sun visor within the vehicle.  
      The input module  626  receives the information from the diagnostic tool  16  (not shown), which information is transferred to the direct-view projection device  624 , and the projection device  624  directly displays the information as an image viewable by the user. An example of such a direct-view projection device  624  is a LCD screen. The signals received by the input module  626  are sent directly to the direct-view projection device  624  if the signals are already readable by the direct-view projection device  624 , and if not, the received signals are translated by the input module  626  into signals readable by the direct-view projection device  624 . The input module  626 , although shown apart from the direct-view projection device  624 , may be integrated into the direct-view projection device  624 .  
      Although the various sub-systems of the heads-up system  10  are shown in the drawings as being directly connected, the heads-up system  10  is not limited in this manner. The information passed to and from the diagnostic tool  16 , the communication bus  22 , the heads-up display  20 , the controller  18 , and the recorder  24  can be wirelessly, such as by infrared signals or radio signals, or via a direct connection, such as with a electrical cable or by fiber optics. The communication of information to and from the various sub-components of the heads-up displays  220 ,  320 ,  420 ,  520 ,  620  may also be wirelessly or by direct connections.  
      Through use of the present heads-up system  10 , a technician can keep his or her eyes on the road while being provided with a real-time, full stream of operational data from a controller of the vehicle. The heads-up system  10  also enables a technician to record this real-time data and audio comments by the technician for later use in diagnosing the condition of the vehicle.  
      The disclosed concepts may be practiced by employing conventional methodology and equipment. Accordingly, the details of such equipment and methodology are not set forth herein in detail. In the previous descriptions, numerous specific details are set forth, such as specific processes, techniques, etc., in order to provide a thorough understanding of the present invention. However, it should be recognized that the present invention may be practiced without resorting to the details specifically set forth.  
      Only an exemplary aspect of the present disclosure and but a few examples of its versatility are shown and described. It is to be understood that the present invention is capable of use in various other combinations and environments and is capable of changes or modifications within the scope of the inventive concept as expressed herein.