Data processing: vehicles – navigation – and relative location – Vehicle control – guidance – operation – or indication – Vehicle diagnosis or maintenance indication
Reexamination Certificate
1999-12-20
2001-08-21
Cuchlinski, Jr., William A. (Department: 3661)
Data processing: vehicles, navigation, and relative location
Vehicle control, guidance, operation, or indication
Vehicle diagnosis or maintenance indication
C701S030000, C701S036000, C701S001000, C307S009100, C307S010600, C340S425500
Reexamination Certificate
active
06278919
ABSTRACT:
Priority is claimed to Korean Utility Model Application Nos. 98-26978 and 99-13153 filed in Korea on Dec. 24, 1998 and Jul. 6, 1999, and on Korean Patent Application Nos. 99-21713 and 99-24312 filed in Korea on Jun. 11, and Jun. 25, 1999, all herein incorporated by reference.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an apparatus for diagnosing and indicating operational failure in automobiles, and more particularly, to an apparatus for diagnosing and indicating operational failure in automobiles which diagnoses operational failure of electric parts and circuits in automobiles, analyzes the result of the diagnosis and accurately informs a driver of the location where the operational failure occurred.
2. Description of the Related Art
When an abnormal situation occurs during operation of an automobile, that is, when a car malfunctions, safe driving can be seriously jeopardized. Most drivers have little knowledge on vehicle maintenance and are not capable of appropriately coping with such an abnormal situation. For example, when a sudden operational failure or functional deterioration occurs during operation of an automobile, usually most drivers are confused and safe driving is jeopardized. Further, they tend to forget even to think about directly and methodically finding the functional failure and repairing it. Even to experienced driver, it may take a great deal of time to directly find and repair a functional failure.
Basic car maintenance that can be directly handled by a driver are listed in detail in a car maintenance manual. Nevertheless, when an automobile malfunctions while a driver is driving, it is not easy to refer to the manual and find the problem.
In the case of mechanical malfunction, even a driver having car maintenance knowledge may not easily find the cause of the problem. If he/she succeeds in finding the cause of the problem, it is not easy to fix the problem when spare parts and tools to remedy the cause of malfunction are not provided.
Also, in the case of electrical malfunction, even when a driver having considerable knowledge of car maintenance can easily cope with a problem by checking fuses or relays in the automobile, most typical drivers are not able to handle the problem as they have little knowledge thereof. In particular, when a fuse in a fuse box of an automobile is burnt out, most drivers, if he/she succeeds in finding the fuse box, have difficulties in finding out which one of many various colored fuses is not working.
A fuse is generally used to protect electrical devices or electric circuits from being damaged due to an overload. In a complex apparatus such as common automobiles or industrial equipment where many fuses and wiring are needed, an additional fuse box is provided to integrally manage the fuses and wiring. In the case of an automobile, color fuses are used to indicate use of each fuse in the fuse box and a semitransparent fuse is used to easily indicate broken fuses. For general drivers who are not aware of such information, it is very difficult to check the disconnection of a fuse by pulling every fuse out of a fuse box. Also, as the space in the fuse box is very small and since it is usually dark around the fuse box, even replacement of a fuse in the fuse box is not an easy task.
Furthermore, for a sealed part such as a relay used for an automobile, it is nearly impossible for drivers to find a defective relay and pull it out. When an automobile is driven with such a defective fuse or a relay, a part of or all parts of the automobile such as the dash board, various lamps, the windshield wiper, the air conditioner, the audio component, the lighter, the defroster, etc., do not work properly, causing inconvenience during driving and even accidents.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
To solve the above problems, it is an objective of the present invention to provide an apparatus for diagnosing and indicating operational failure in automobiles by which electric failure in an automobile is diagnosed and indicated.
It is another objective of the present invention to provide an apparatus for diagnosing and indicating operational failure in automobiles which is easily connected to an appropriate position of a built-in or external type fuse box in existing automobiles.
It is yet another objective of the present invention to provide an apparatus for diagnosing and indicating operational failure in automobiles which enables an audio-visual indication and indication of the position where failure occurred.
It is still another objective of the present invention to provide an apparatus for diagnosing and indicating operational failure in automobiles by which a driver can check, at any time, through a simple manipulation whether there is any electric malfunctioning parts.
Accordingly, to achieve the above objective, there is provided an apparatus for diagnosing and indicating operational failure in automobiles, which comprises a diagnostic circuit for receiving signals input through wiring at both ends of each fuse and wiring of a relay in a fuse box or junction box installed in an automobile and diagnosing operation failure by detecting a change in the logic value of the input signal, and an output device for receiving the result of diagnosis from the diagnostic circuit and outputting signals indicating the location of a defective fuse or relay.
It is preferred in the present invention that the diagnostic circuit comprises a logic element for checking a change in electric potential at both ends of the fuse or relay and outputting a logic value and a gating element gated according to the logic value.
Also, it is preferred in the present invention that the logic element is a comparator for checking changes of voltage at both ends of the fuse or relay, including an exclusive NOR (EX-NOR) gate or a transistor element.
Also, it is preferred in the present invention that an additional independent power circuit is connected to both ends of the fuse of relay to apply a voltage to the fuse.
Also, it is preferred in the present invention that, when the diagnostic circuit is a built-in type, the diagnostic circuit is arranged in space allowed on a single printed circuit board and connected to an external output device through a cable wire.
Also, it is preferred in the present invention that, when the diagnostic circuit is an external type, the diagnostic circuit is arranged on a single printed circuit board to be installed in an external box and connected to the fuse box through a cable wire and to an internal or the external output device.
Also, it is preferred in the present invention that the diagnostic circuit and the output device are formed on a single printed circuit board or different printed circuit boards.
Also, it is preferred in the present invention that, when the diagnostic circuit is an external type, the diagnostic circuit is arranged on a single printed circuit board, and a connector pin protruding from the board is formed of a cartridge type to be inserted in a contact point hole of each fuse in the fuse box.
Also, it is preferred in the present invention that the output device comprises a lamp circuit and lamp for indicating the location of a defective fuse or relay according to the result of diagnosis by the diagnostic circuit.
Also, it is preferred in the present invention that the output device comprises a voice guide module and a speaker for indicating by voice the location of a defective fuse or relay according to the result of diagnosis by the diagnostic circuit.
Also, it is preferred in the present invention that the output device comprises a text generating portion and a display for indicating the location of a defective fuse or relay according to the result of diagnosis by the diagnostic circuit.
Also, it is preferred in the present invention that the output device comprises a lamp circuit and lamp for indicating the location of a defective fuse or relay according to the result of diagnosis by the diagnostic circuit, a voice guide module and a speaker for indicating by voice the location of
Hwang Chang-sun
Kim Do-hyoung
Burns Doane Swecker & Mathis
Cuchlinski Jr. William A.
Hernandez Olga
Yuiltech Co., Ltd.
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