System and method for accessing vehicle communication applications requiring vehicle identification without re-entering vehicle identification

• US 10,331,687 B2
• Filed: 08/10/2017
• Issued: 06/25/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 08/10/2017
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Snap-On Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Snap-On Incorporated
• Inventors: Merg, Patrick S., Foreman, Jacob G., Covington, Joshua C., Brozovich, Roy Steven
• Primary Examiner(s): Marc-Coleman, Marthe Y
• Application Number:
  US15/674,436
• Publication Number:
  US 20190050458A1
• Time in Patent Office: 684 Days
• Field of Search: 701 296, 701 291, 701 318
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/2471 Distributed queries
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 5/006 Indicating maintenance
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 5/008 communicating information to a remotely located station transmission systems for measured values G08C
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 5/0808 Diagnosing performance data testing of vehicles G01M17/00; testing of electrical installation on vehicles G01R31/005
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 5/0825 using optical means

Abstract

Methods and apparatus are provided for repairing vehicles. A computing device having first and second software executables can determine vehicle identification information (VII) that identifies a vehicle. The computing device can store first and second vehicle identifiers that are based on the VII and are respectively associated with the first and second software executables, where the first vehicle identifier differs from the second vehicle identifier. The computing device can be used to repair the vehicle by at least: receiving a request to activate the first software executable, and activating the first software executable at least by providing the stored first vehicle identifier to the first software executable.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

determining, at a computing device, vehicle identification information (VII) that identifies a vehicle to be serviced, wherein the computing device comprises a first software executable and a second software executable;

storing, at the computing device, a first vehicle identifier associated with the first software executable and a second vehicle identifier associated with the second software executable based on the VII, wherein the first vehicle identifier differs from the second vehicle identifier; and

repairing the vehicle using the computing device by at least;

receiving a request to activate the first software executable,

after receiving the request to activate the first software executable, activating the first software executable at least by;

retrieving the first vehicle identifier that is associated with the first software executable, and

providing the retrieved first vehicle identifier to the first software executable as part of initiating execution of the first software executable;

after initiating execution of the first software executable, receiving a request to activate the second software executable; and

after receiving the request to activate the second software executable, activating the second software executable at least by;

retrieving the second vehicle identifier that is associated with the second software executable, and

providing the retrieved second vehicle identifier to the second software executable as part of initiating execution of the second software executable;

after activating the second software executable, sending a request for repair-related information to the vehicle;

receiving the repair-related information from the vehicle; and

generating a display of the computing device based on the repair-related information.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the computing device is communicatively coupled to a server computing device, and wherein storing the first vehicle identifier associated with the first software executable and the second vehicle identifier associated with the second software executable comprises:

providing a first query to the server computing device, the first query based on an identifier of the first software executable and the VII;

after providing the first query to the server computing device, receiving a first query response to the first query from the server computing device;

determining the first vehicle identifier based on the first query response; and

storing the first vehicle identifier at the computing device.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the computing device comprises an identifier database and is not communicatively coupled to a server computing device for determining vehicle identifiers, and wherein storing the first vehicle identifier associated with the first software executable and the second vehicle identifier associated with the second software executable comprises:

providing a first query to the identifier database, the first query based on the identifier of the first software executable and the VII;

after providing the first query to the identifier database, receiving a first query response to the first query from the identifier database;

determining the first vehicle identifier based on the first query response; and

storing the first vehicle identifier.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein storing the first vehicle identifier associated with the first software executable and the second vehicle identifier associated with the second software executable based on the VII comprises:

providing a first query based on the VII;

receiving a first query response to the first query;

determining the first vehicle identifier and the second vehicle identifier based on the first query response; and

storing the first vehicle identifier and the second vehicle identifier at the computing device.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein storing the first vehicle identifier associated with the first software executable and the second vehicle identifier associated with the second software executable based on the VII comprises:

providing a first query based on the VII and an identifier of the first software executable;

after providing the first query, receiving a first query response to the first query;

determining the first vehicle identifier based on the first query response;

storing the first vehicle identifier at the computing device;

providing a second query based on the VII and an identifier of the second software executable, wherein the second query differs from the first query;

after providing the second query, receiving a second query response to the second query;

determining the second vehicle identifier based on the second query response; and

storing the second vehicle identifier at the computing device.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the computing device is connected to the vehicle, and wherein determining the VII comprises:

sending a request for the VII from the computing device to the vehicle; and

receiving the VII at the computing device from the vehicle.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the VII comprises a vehicle identification number (VIN) for the vehicle.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the first software executable is configured for one or more functions of:

a vehicle scanning function, a vehicle testing function, and a repair-information retrieval function.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the computing device further comprises a home page with a plurality of activation controls for activating a plurality of software executables, and wherein activating the first software executable comprises activating the first software executable using an activation control for activating the first software executable of the home page.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the computing device is connected to the vehicle, and wherein repairing the vehicle further comprises:

after activating the second software executable, sending a second request for second repair-related information to the vehicle;

receiving the second repair-related information from the vehicle; and

generating a second display of the computing device based on the second repair-related information.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the repair-related information comprises data associated with one or more parameter identifiers (PIDs) and/or one or more diagnostic trouble codes (DTCs).

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the repair-related information comprises a particular DTC, and wherein generating the display based on the repair-related information comprises:

determining information about one or more tests and/or repairs related to the particular DTC; and

generating a display based on the information about one or more tests and/or repairs related to the particular DTC.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein determining the information about one or more tests and/or repairs related to the particular DTC comprises:

sending a query including the particular DTC to a server computing device; and

receiving, from the server computing device, the information about one or more tests and/or repairs related to the particular DTC.

14. The method of claim 12, wherein determining the information about one or more tests and/or repairs related to the particular DTC comprises determining the information about one or more tests and/or repairs related to the particular DTC utilizing data stored on the computing device.

15. A computing device, comprising:

a processor; and

a computer readable medium configured to store at least a first software executable, a second software executable, and executable instructions, wherein the executable instructions, when executed by the processor, cause the computing device to perform functions comprising;

determining vehicle identification information (VII) that identifies a vehicle to be serviced;

storing, at the computer readable medium, a first vehicle identifier associated with the first software executable and a second vehicle identifier associated with the second software executable based on the VII, wherein the first vehicle identifier differs from the second vehicle identifier; and

repairing the vehicle using the computing device by at least;

receiving a request to activate the first software executable, and

after receiving the request to activate the first software executable, activating the first software executable at least by;

retrieving the first vehicle identifier that is associated with the first software executable, and

providing the retrieved first vehicle identifier to the first software executable as part of initiating execution of the first software executable;

after initiating execution of the first software executable, receiving a request to activate the second software executable; and

after receiving the request to activate the second software executable, activating the second software executable at least by;

retrieving the second vehicle identifier that is associated with the second software executable, and

providing the retrieved second vehicle identifier to the second software executable as part of initiating execution of the second software executable;

after activating the second software executable, sending a request for repair-related information to the vehicle;

receiving the repair-related information from the vehicle; and

generating a display of the computing device based on the repair-related information.

16. The computing device of claim 15, wherein the computing device is communicatively coupled to a server computing device, and wherein storing the first vehicle identifier associated with the first software executable and the second vehicle identifier associated with the second software executable comprises:

providing a first query to the server computing device, the first query based on the identifier of the first software executable and the VII;

after providing the first query to the server computing device, receiving a first query response to the first query from the server computing device;

determining the first vehicle identifier based on the first query response; and

storing the first vehicle identifier.

17. The computing device of claim 15, wherein the computing device comprises an identifier database and is not communicatively coupled to a server computing device, and wherein storing the first vehicle identifier associated with the first software executable and the second vehicle identifier associated with the second software executable comprises:

providing a first query to the identifier database, the first query based on the identifier of the first software executable and the VII;

after providing the first query to the identifier database, receiving a first query response to the first query from the identifier database;

determining the first vehicle identifier based on the first query response; and

storing the first vehicle identifier.

18. The computing device of claim 15, wherein the computing device is connected to the vehicle, and wherein determining the VII comprises:

sending a request for the VII from the computing device to the vehicle; and

receiving the VII at the computing device from the vehicle.

19. The computing device of claim 15, wherein the VII comprises a vehicle identification number (VIN) for the vehicle.

20. The computing device of claim 15, wherein the first software executable is configured for one or more functions of:

a vehicle scanning function, a vehicle testing function, and a repair-information retrieval function.

21. A non-transitory computer readable medium configured to store at least executable instructions, wherein the executable instructions, when executed by a processor of a computing device, cause the computing device to perform functions comprising:

determining vehicle identification information (VII) that identifies a vehicle to be serviced;

storing, at the computing device, a first vehicle identifier associated with a first software executable and a second vehicle identifier associated with a second software executable based on the VII, wherein the first vehicle identifier differs from the second vehicle identifier; and

repairing the vehicle by at least;

receiving a request to activate the first software executable, and

after receiving the request to activate the first software executable, activating the first software executable at least by;

retrieving the first vehicle identifier that is associated with the first software executable, and

providing the retrieved first vehicle identifier to the first software executable as part of initiating execution of the first software executable;

after initiating execution of the first software executable, receiving a request to activate the second software executable; and

after receiving the request to activate the second software executable, activating the second software executable at least by;

retrieving the second vehicle identifier that is associated with the second software executable, and

providing the retrieved second vehicle identifier to the second software executable as part of initiating execution of the second software executable;

after activating the second software executable, sending a request for repair-related information to the vehicle;

receiving the repair-related information from the vehicle; and

generating a display of the computing device based on the repair-related information.