System and Method for Service Assessment

Abstract

Systems, apparatuses, and methods disclosed provide for service assessment. The method includes receiving at least one fault code of an engine control unit (ECU); determining at least one root cause based on the at least one fault code of the ECU; determining an estimated labor time for fixing the at least one root cause; and outputting the at least one root cause and the estimated labor time to a display.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A system for service assessment, the system comprising:
 an input circuit structured to receive at least one fault code of an engine control unit (ECU);   a root cause determination circuit structured to determine at least one root cause based on the at least one fault code of the ECU;   a labor time estimation circuit structured to determine an estimated labor time for fixing the at least one root cause; and   an output circuit structured to output the at least one root cause and the estimated labor time to a display.   
     
     
         2 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the input circuit is structured to receive the at least one fault code from an on-board diagnostic (OBD) system coupled to the ECU. 
     
     
         3 . The system of  claim 1 , further comprising a fault code analyzing circuit structured to analyze more than one fault codes and prioritize the more than one fault codes. 
     
     
         4 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein multiple fault codes are received, and wherein the root cause determination circuit is structured to:
 assign a priority number to each of the multiple fault codes; and   designate a fault code with the highest priority number as the root cause.   
     
     
         5 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the labor time estimation circuit is structured to:
 collect historical data of labor hours;   sort out history data of labor time associated with the at least one root cause; and   estimate the labor time by statistically analyzing the historical labor time data associated with the at least one root cause.   
     
     
         6 . The system of  claim 5 , wherein the historical labor time data includes data collected from historical warranty claims. 
     
     
         7 . The system of  claim 5 , wherein the estimated labor time is at a predefined percentile for the historical labor time data associated with the at least one root cause. 
     
     
         8 . A method for service assessment, the method comprising:
 receiving at least one fault code of an engine control unit (ECU);   determining at least one root cause based on the at least one fault code of the ECU;   determining an estimated labor time for fixing the at least one root cause; and   outputting the at least one root cause and the estimated labor time to a display.   
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 8 , further comprising scheduling a service event to fix the at least one root cause based on the at least one root cause and the estimated labor time. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 8 , further comprising analyzing more than one fault codes and prioritizing the more than one fault codes. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein the determining the at least one root cause includes:
 assigning a priority number to each of the multiple fault codes; and   designating a fault code with the highest priority number as the root cause.   
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein estimating the labor time includes:
 collecting historical data of labor hours;   sorting out history data of labor time associated with the at least one root cause; and   estimating the labor time by statistically analyzing the historical labor time data associated with the at least one root cause.   
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the estimated labor time is at a predefined percentile for the historical labor time data associated with the at least one root cause. 
     
     
         14 . A user device comprising:
 an input port structured to receive at least one fault code of an engine control unit (ECU);   a controller coupled to the input port, the controller structured to:
 determine at least one root cause based on the at least one fault code; and 
 determine an estimated labor time for fixing the at least one root cause; and 
   a display coupled to the controller, the display structured to display the at least one root cause and the estimated labor time.   
     
     
         15 . The user device of  claim 14 , wherein the input port is structured to receive the at least one fault code from the an on-board diagnostic (OBD) system coupled to the ECU. 
     
     
         16 . The user device of  claim 14 , wherein the controller is structured to analyze more than one fault codes and prioritize the more than one fault codes. 
     
     
         17 . The user device of  claim 14 , further comprising a memory storing a look-up table that maps fault codes to priority numbers, wherein the controller is structured to designate a fault code with the highest priority number as the root cause. 
     
     
         18 . The user device of  claim 14 , further comprising a memory storing a look-up table that maps fault codes to labor hours, wherein the controller is structured to determine the estimated labor time based on the look-up table. 
     
     
         19 . The user device of  claim 14 , further comprising a transceiver structured to transmit the at least one fault code to a remote server, and receive the at least one root cause and the estimated labor time from the remote server. 
     
     
         20 . The user device of  claim 14 , wherein the user device includes a smartphone or a tablet.