Remote connection of diagnostic tool

Most of the electronic systems of today's vehicles are controlled via ECUs (Electronic Control Units). These can be programmed to perform in a speci c way and they also store the DTC (Diagnostic Trouble Codes) generated in case of system's malfunction. With the aid of a computer application, the engine mechanic can access these diagnostic codes, identify faults, perform parameter programming and update the ECUs with software patches. The present thesis was conducted at Volvo Penta Global Aftermarket Technical Support department, Goteborg. Its aim was to implement a prototype for connecting the existing service tool to a remotely located vessel through a wireless communication link and to investigate system's requirements in terms of latency, bandwidth, protocols and software/hardware platforms. The prototype comprises of three software applications an Android, a Windows mobile and a desktop application, developed in Eclipse and Visual Studio 2008 IDEs using Java and C++ programming languages. The thesis describes the design, implementation and evaluates the performance of the obtained system which serves the purpose of establishing a logical link between the remote engine and the diagnostic tool.