Network based automotive service monitoring system

• US 20020111727A1
• Filed: 02/15/2001
• Published: 08/15/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 02/15/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Lynn B. Graham, Randy Vanstory, Richard Davis
• Original Assignee: Lynn B. Graham, Randy Vanstory, Richard Davis
• Inventors: Davis, Richard, Vanstory, Randy, Graham, Lynn B.
• Granted Patent: US 6,732,028 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/33
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/20 Administration of product repair or maintenance

Abstract

The present invention may also provide for a network based automotive service monitoring system having one or more video transmission devices, the video transmission devices being positioned within one or more service bays to allow viewing of the service event. The system may include one or more user computers operated by the one or more users and one or more network servers, the network servers in communication with the one or more user computers, the network server being configured to relay video transmissions of the service event from the one or more video transmission devices to the one or more user computers via a communications network.

Claims

1. A network based automotive service monitoring system comprising:

one or more service bays at a service facility, each service bay having a service event;

one or more video transmission devices, the video transmission devices being positioned within one or more service bays to allow viewing of the service event;

one or more user computers operated by the one or more users; and

one or more network servers, the network servers in communication with the one or more user computers, the network server being configured to relay video transmissions of the service event from the one or more video transmission devices to the one or more user computers via a communications network.

2. The network of claim 1 wherein the video transmission devices are web cameras.

3. The network of claim 2 wherein the web cameras are wireless.

4. The network of claim 1 wherein the communications network is the Internet.

5. The network of claim 1 further comprising one or more user databases, the user databases having information about one or more users and associating the one or more users with the service event of the one or more service bays.

6. The network of claim 5 wherein the user databases are connected to the network server.

7. A network based automotive service monitoring system comprising:

one or more video transmission devices, the video transmission devices being positioned within one or more service bays to allow viewing of the service event;

one or more user computers operated by the one or more users; and

one or more network servers, the network servers in communication with the one or more user computers, the network server being configured to relay video transmissions of the service event from the one or more video transmission devices to the one or more user computers via a communications network.

8. The network of claim 7 wherein the video transmission devices are web cameras.

9. The network of claim 8 wherein the web cameras are wireless.

10. The network of claim 7 wherein the communications network is the Internet.

11. The network of claim 7 further comprising one or more user databases, the user databases having information about one or more users and associating the one or more users with the service event of the one or more service bays.

12. The network of claim 11 wherein the user databases are connected to the network server.

14. The method of claim 13 wherein the video transmission device is a web camera.

15. The method of claim 14 wherein the web camera is a wireless web camera.

16. The method of claim 15 wherein the communications network is the Internet.

17. The method of claim 14 wherein the service event is an automotive repair.

18. The method of claim 14 wherein the step of associating further includes the step of arranging the service event.

20. The computer program of claim 19 wherein the video transmission device is a web camera.

21. The computer program of claim 20 wherein the web camera is a wireless web camera.

22. The computer program of claim 19 wherein the communications network is the Internet.

23. The computer program of claim 19 wherein the service event is an automotive repair.

25. The method of claim 24 further comprising the step of selecting, by the user, a first service event to be viewed.

26. The method of claim 25 further comprising the step of displaying for the user video transmission of the first service event.

28. The computer program of claim 27 further comprising a code segment to select a first service event to be viewed

29. The computer program of claim 28 further comprising a code segment to display for the user video transmission of the first service event.

13. A method of monitoring automotive service via a communication network comprising the steps of:

associating a service event with a user;

receiving a request from the user to view the service event;

activating a video transmission device positioned to monitor the service event; and

transmitting video transmissions from the video transmission device to the user via the communications network.

19. A computer program to monitor automotive service via a communication network comprising:

a code segment to associate a service event with a user;

a code segment to receive a request from the user to view the service event;

a code segment to activate a video transmission device positioned to monitor the service event; and

a code segment to transmit video transmissions from the video transmission device to the user via the communications network.

24. A method of monitoring automotive service via a communication network comprising the steps of:

receiving a request from a user to view service events;

activating one or more video transmission devices positioned to monitor the service events; and

transmitting video transmissions from the video transmission devices to the user via the communication network.

27. A computer program embodied on a computer readable medium to monitor automotive service via a communication network comprising:

a code segment to receive a request from a user to view service events;

a code segment to activate one or more video transmission devices positioned to monitor the service events; and

a code segment to transmit video transmissions from the video transmission devices to the user via the communication network.