Methods and systems for displaying vehicle data parameters with pinch-and-expand inputs

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10956003-B2
Application number	US-201414531649-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 3, 2014
Priority date	Nov 3, 2014
Publication date	Mar 23, 2021
Grant date	Mar 23, 2021

Abstract

Methods and system pertaining to displaying vehicle data parameters (VDP) are described. A vehicle service tool (VST) with a display can receive vehicle data messages or signals from a vehicle to receive the VDP. Some of the VDP can be associated with a PID. The VST can display VDP thresholds and indicators when a received VDP has breached a VDP threshold. The VST can determine being changed from a landscape orientation to a portrait orientation or vice versa and responsively change the presentation of VDP graphs displayed by the display. The display can receive various inputs such as a drag-and-drop or pinch-and-expand input to alternatively change the presentation of the VDP graphs being displayed. Changing a VDP presentation of graphs can include resizing or repositioning one or more VDP graph windows including a VDP graph.

First claim

We claim:

1. A method comprising:
receiving, by a vehicle service tool (VST) comprising a touch-screen display, a plurality of vehicle data messages from a vehicle, wherein the plurality of vehicle data messages comprises (i) multiple vehicle data messages comprising a first vehicle data parameter (VDP) identifier and a vehicle data parameter associated with the first VDP identifier, and (ii) multiple vehicle data messages comprising a second VDP identifier and a vehicle data parameter associated with the second VDP identifier, wherein the first VDP identifier is different than the second VDP identifier;
displaying, by the touch-screen display, a plurality of small VDP graph windows and a large graph window according to a first graph configuration, wherein the first graph configuration defines a size of each of the plurality of small VDP graph windows and the large graph window and a respective position at which each of the plurality of small VDP graph windows and the large graph window is displayed on the touch-screen display, and wherein the plurality of small VDP graph windows comprises a first small VDP graph window;
displaying, by the touch-screen display, a first VDP graph within the first small VDP graph window, wherein the first VDP graph is associated with the first VDP identifier, wherein displaying the first VDP graph comprises displaying a graphical representation of parameter values associated with the first VDP identifier;
displaying, by the touch-screen display, a second VDP graph within the large graph window, wherein the second VDP graph is associated with the second VDP identifier, wherein displaying the second VDP graph comprises displaying a graphical representation of parameter values associated with the second VDP identifier;
receiving, by the VST, a pinch-and-expand input pertaining to the first VDP graph on the touch-screen display; and
repositioning, by the VST in response to receiving the pinch-and-expand input pertaining to the first VDP graph on the touch-screen display, the first VDP graph and the second VDP graph within the plurality of small VDP graph windows and the large graph window according to the first graph configuration, wherein repositioning the first VDP graph and the second VDP graph comprises displaying the first VDP graph increased in size within the large graph window as defined by the first graph configuration and the second VDP graph decreased in size within the first small VDP graph window as defined by the first graph configuration,
wherein repositioning the first VDP graph and the second VDP graph includes one or more of the following:
increasing an amount of time represented within the first VDP graph increased in size within the large graph window, or
decreasing an amount of time represented within the second VDP graph decreased in size within the first small VDP graph window.

2. A method according to claim 1 , wherein receiving the pinch-and-expand input pertaining to the first VDP graph on the touch-screen display comprises one or more processors of the VST determining two fingers are placed on first and second locations within the first VDP graph on the touch-screen display and moved from the first and second locations in opposite directions on the touch-screen display such that the two fingers are further apart from each other.

3. A method according to claim 1 , wherein receiving the pinch-and-expand input pertaining to the first VDP graph on the touch-screen display comprises one or more processors of the VST determining a first finger is placed on a first location within the first VDP graph on the touch-screen display and a second finger is placed on a second location of the touch-screen display but outside of the first VDP graph and then the first finger and the second finger are moved from the first and second locations in opposite directions on the touch-screen display such that the first finger and the second finger are further apart from each other.

4. A method according to claim 1 ,
wherein displaying the first VDP graph within the first small VDP graph window comprises displaying a cursor at a point on the graphical representation of parameter values associated with the first VDP identifier, the point being associated with one of the parameter values associated with the first VDP identifier,
the method further comprising:
displaying, by the touch-screen display, a numerical value representing the one of the parameter values associated with the first VDP identifier.

5. A method according to claim 1 ,
wherein the amount of time represented within the first VDP graph window includes a first amount of time represented horizontally, and
wherein the amount of time represented within the second VDP graph includes a second amount of time represented horizontally.

6. A method according to claim 1 ,
wherein repositioning the first VDP graph and the second VDP graph includes both of the following:
increasing an amount of time represented within the first VDP graph window increased in size within the large graph window, and
decreasing an amount of time represented within the second VDP graph decreased in size within the first small VDP graph window.

7. A method according to claim 1 , further comprising:
receiving a drag-and-drop input of a displayed VDP graph window on the touch-screen display from a first location to a second location on the touch-screen display;
displaying, by the touch-screen display, the displayed VDP graph window at the second location instead of the first location in response to receiving the drag-and-drop input of the displayed VDP graph window.

8. A method according to claim 7 , wherein the first location does not include any VDP graph window after receiving the drag-and-drop input of the displayed VDP graph window on the touch-screen display from the first location to the second location on the touch-screen display.

9. A method according to claim 1 , further comprising:
receiving, by the VST, a second pinch-and-expand input pertaining to the first VDP graph on the touch-screen display; and
displaying, by the touch-screen display, the first VDP graph within a VDP graph window covering an entire display area of the touch-screen display.

10. A method according to claim 1 , wherein displaying the first VDP graph increased in size within the large graph window comprises displaying a different quantity of vehicle data parameters associated with the first VDP identifier as compared to a quantity of vehicle data parameters associated with the first VDP identifier displayed when displaying the first VDP graph within the first small VDP graph window.

11. A method according to claim 10 , wherein displaying the first VDP graph increased in size within the large graph window comprises using a different time scale to display the different quantity of vehicle data parameters associated with the first VDP identifier as compared to a time scale when displaying the first VDP graph within the first small VDP graph window.

12. A non-transitory computer-readable medium storing program instructions, that when executed by one or more processors of a vehicle service tool (VST), cause a set of functions to be performed by the VST, the set of functions comprising:
receiving, by the VST comprising a touch-screen display, a plurality of vehicle data messages from a vehicle, wherein the plurality of vehicle data messages comprises (i) multiple vehicle data messages comprising a first vehicle data parameter (VDP) identifier and a vehicle data parameter associated with the first VDP identifier, and (ii) multiple vehicle data messages comprising a second VDP identifier and a vehicle data parameter associated with

Assignees

• Snap On Tools Corp

Inventors

• Covington Joshua
• Reynald April

Classifications

• G06F3/04886 Primary

  by partitioning the display area of the touch-screen or the surface of the digitising tablet into independently controllable areas, e.g. virtual keyboards or menus · CPC title

• G07C2205/02

  using a vehicle scan tool · CPC title

• G06F2203/04808

  Several contacts: gestures triggering a specific function, e.g. scrolling, zooming, right-click, when the user establishes several contacts with the surface simultaneously; e.g. using several fingers or a combination of fingers and pen · CPC title

• G06F3/14

  Digital output to display device {; Cooperation and interconnection of the display device with other functional units} · CPC title

• G06F3/0486

  Drag-and-drop · CPC title