Automobile Diagnostic Method, Apparatus, Device And System, And Diagnostic Connection Device

What is this patent about?

’451 is related to the field of automobile diagnostics, specifically addressing the challenge of high hardware costs associated with diagnostic connection devices (like VCIs) used to interface between a vehicle's network and PC-side diagnostic software. Existing systems require significant processing power in the connection device to handle data conversion between the link layer and physical layer, leading to expensive main chips.

The underlying idea behind ’451 is to shift the resource-intensive protocol conversion between the data link layer and the physical layer from the diagnostic connection device to the automobile diagnostic device (e.g., a PC or smartphone). By offloading this processing, the connection device can be simplified, reducing its hardware requirements and, consequently, its cost. The diagnostic device, with its typically greater processing capabilities, handles the conversion to standard transmission data before sending it to the connection device.

The claims of ’451 focus on an automobile diagnostic method and apparatus where the automobile diagnostic device performs the conversion of diagnostic instructions into standard transmission data (and vice versa for detection data). The independent claims also cover a diagnostic connection device configured to simply forward this standard transmission data between the automobile diagnostic device and the automobile network, as well as a complete diagnostic system incorporating both devices. A key aspect is the synchronous sending and receiving of data.

In practice, a user interacts with diagnostic software on the automobile diagnostic device, selecting diagnostic functions. This selection is translated into a diagnostic instruction, which is then converted into a standardized format (e.g., CAN or K-bus protocol data) by the diagnostic device. This standard transmission data is then sent to the diagnostic connection device, which acts as a simple conduit, forwarding the data to the vehicle's network. The process is reversed for receiving detection data from the vehicle.

This approach differs significantly from prior solutions where the diagnostic connection device was responsible for the complex protocol conversion. By moving this burden to the more powerful automobile diagnostic device, the connection device can be built with less expensive hardware. The use of standard transmission data allows for a clear division of labor, simplifying the connection device and reducing its cost, while leveraging the processing power of the diagnostic device. The synchronous communication ensures reliable data transfer between the devices.