Diagnostic tester for electronic control devices in a variety of motor vehicle types

US6407554B1 · kind B1 · utility

Assignee

• Bayerische Motoren Werke Aktiengesellschaft · DE

Inventors

• Ralf Godau · Puchheim, DE
• Michael Rowedder · Munich, DE

Key dates

• Filing date: Jul 21, 1998
• Grant date: Jun 18, 2002
• Expiry date: Jul 21, 2018

Classification

• Technology area (CPC G): Physics
• CPC primary: G01R31/006
• WIPO field: Measurement
• WIPO sector: Instruments

Abstract

In a diagnostic tester for electronic control devices in a variety of different motor vehicles, a universal plug connection is provided that is identical for the various types of motor vehicles. The tester can be connected through the plug connection to a diagnostic plug connection in each motor vehicle that is linked with the control devices to be diagnosed. The connection is standardized mechanically with a fixed number of plug contacts but not in terms of the signal assignments of the plug contacts and the electrical properties of the signals to be transmitted. The universal plug connection is mechanically adapted to the standardized diagnostic plug connection. In addition, an adapter unit is connected to the diagnostic device side of the universal plug connection. The adapter unit automatically creates the necessary electrical connections between the plug contacts of the universal plug connection and a CPU of the diagnostic tester in accordance with the signal assignments of the plug contacts associated with each type of motor vehicle.