Equipment service vehicle having on-board diagnostic system

Abstract

An equipment service vehicle comprises a network communication link, an engine system, a transmission system, and an operator interface. The engine system includes an engine and an electronic engine control system that is coupled to the engine and to the network communication link. The electronic engine control system controls the engine and transmits information pertaining to the health and operation of the engine on the network communication link. The transmission system includes a transmission and an electronic transmission control system. The electronic transmission control system controls the transmission and transmits information pertaining to the health and operation of the transmission on the network communication link. The operator interface is coupled to the network communication link. The operator interface includes a display that displays the health and operation information of the engine and the transmission to a human operator.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . An equipment service vehicle comprising: 
 (A) a network communication link;    (B) a plurality of vehicle subsystems;    (C) a sensor, the sensor being configured to obtain health and operation information for a vehicle device;    (D) an on-board diagnostic system including an on-board test control module and an on-board operator interface, the on-board operator interface displaying a plurality of test options to an operator and receiving a selection of a test from the operator, the test control module being connected to at least some of the plurality of vehicle subsystems by way of the network communication link, the on-board test control module transmitting a request for information pertaining to the health and operation of the vehicle device on the network communication link; and    (E) a test interface module, the test interface module being connected to the sensor, the test interface module being connected to the on-board test control module by way of the network communication link, the test interface module receiving the request for information pertaining to the health and operation of the vehicle device, the test interface module acquiring the requested information from the sensor and transmitting the requested information to the test control module; and    wherein the test control module receives health and operation information from one of the respective vehicle subsystem or the test interface module or both and wherein the operator interface displays results of the test to the operator;    wherein the selection is a first selection and the test is a first test, wherein the operator interface receives a plurality of additional selections of a plurality of additional tests, and wherein the operator interface displays results of the plurality of additional tests to the operator.    
     
     
         2 . A diagnostic testing method to be executed by an on-board diagnostic system of an equipment service vehicle having a plurality of subsystems, the method comprising: 
 displaying a plurality of test options to an operator using an on-board operator interface, the operator interface being connected to a test control module;    receiving an operator input using the operator interface, the input being indicative of a selection made by the operator, the selection indicating a test selected by the operator;    performing the selected test on the vehicle using a sensor or at least one of the plurality of vehicle subsystems or both, the plurality of subsystems being connected to the test control module by way of a network communication link, the sensor being configured to obtain health and operation information for a vehicle device, the sensor being connected to a test interface module that is connected to the network communication link;    acquiring health and operation information pertaining to results of the test from the at least one vehicle subsystem or from the test interface module using the sensor or from both;    transmitting the health and operation information from the test interface module or the at least one vehicle subsystem or both to the test control module by way of the network communication link;    displaying the results of the test to the operator using the operator interface; and    wherein the test is a first test, and wherein the foregoing steps are repeated such that results of a plurality of additional tests are displayed.    
     
     
         3 . A military vehicle comprising: 
 a plurality of subsystems,    an on-board diagnostic system, the on-board diagnostic system including an operator interface, a test control module, a test interface module, and a sensor, the operator interface being connected to the test control module, the sensor being connected to the test interface module, the test control module being connected to the test interface module and to the plurality of subsystems by way of a network communication link, the operator interface being at least semi-permanently mounted on-board the vehicle, the test control module being programmed to cooperate with the operator interface, the sensor, the test interface module, and the plurality of subsystems to 
 display a plurality of test options to an operator using the operator interface;  
 receive an operator input using the operator interface, the input being indicative of a selection made by the operator, the selection indicating a test selected by the operator;  
 perform the selected test on the vehicle using the sensor or at least one of the plurality of vehicle subsystems or both, the sensor being configured to obtain health and operation information for a vehicle device;  
 acquire health and operation information pertaining to results of the test from the at least one vehicle subsystem or from the test interface module using the sensor or from both;  
 transmit the health and operation information from the test interface module or the at least one vehicle subsystem or both to the test control module by way of the network communication link; and  
 display the results of the test to the operator using the operator interface; and  
 wherein the military vehicle is capable of travelling on unimproved terrain and through at least three feet of water.  
   
     
     
         4 . A military vehicle according to  claim 3 , wherein the plurality of vehicle subsystems include an engine system including an engine control system and a transmission system including a transmission control system, wherein the engine control system and the transmission control system are each capable of producing fault codes and transmitting the fault codes on the network communication link, and wherein the test control module and the operator interface in combination are capable of receiving the fault codes from the network communication link and displaying the fault codes to a human operator.  
     
     
         5 . A military vehicle according to  claim 4 , wherein the fault codes are displayed in an interpreted format.  
     
     
         6 . A military vehicle according to  claim 3 , wherein the on-board diagnostic system stores a vehicle maintenance record, the vehicle maintenance record comprising a descriptive log of maintenance activities performed on the vehicle.  
     
     
         7 . A military vehicle according to  claim 3 , further comprising a memory that stores a running log of health and operation information pertaining to the vehicle.  
     
     
         8 . A military vehicle according to  claim 3 , wherein the test interface module is a separate unit from the sensor.  
     
     
         9 . A military vehicle according to  claim 3 , wherein the operator interface and the test control module are provided as a single integrated unit.