Patent · US Expired

Computer program architecture for onboard vehicle diagnostic system

US5671141A · kind A · utility

93Cited by
10References
17Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateApr 5, 1993
Grant dateSep 23, 1997
Priority date
Expiry dateApr 5, 2013

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC G)Physics
  • CPC primaryG06F11/326
  • WIPO fieldTransport
  • WIPO sectorMechanical engineering

Abstract

A computer program architecture for a motor vehicle on-board diagnostic system includes a plurality of monitor modules for monitoring vehicle systems or components and issuing a malfunction subroutine call to a diagnostic executive upon detecting a system or component malfunction. The executive includes a plurality of software objects or modules for carrying out malfunction indicator light control and fault code storage strategies. A diagnostic scheduler module implemented as a finite state machine, controls and coordinates the sequence of the test to be run by the monitor modules as well as on-demand self tests. A malfunction indicator light (MIL) control module implements four distinct light control strategies through finite machines for illuminating and extinguishing the light and for storing and erasing fault codes under predetermined conditions.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.