Vehicle service and maintenance tracking systems

• US 20020195503A1
• Filed: 01/30/2001
• Published: 12/26/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 01/30/2001
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Rodney F. Allen Jr, William Daniel Norwood
• Original Assignee: Rodney F. Allen Jr, William Daniel Norwood
• Inventors: Allen, Rodney F. Jr., Norwood, William Daniel
• Application Number:
  US09/772,706
• Publication Number:
  US 20020195503A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 239/144
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/077 Constructional details, e.g. mounting of circuits in the carrier
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/341 Active cards, i.e. cards including their own processing means, e.g. including an IC or chip
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/357 Cards having a plurality of specified features
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/3572 Multiple accounts on card
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/363 with the personal data of a user
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 7/1008 Active credit-cards provided with means to personalise their use, e.g. with PIN-introduction/comparison system

Abstract

A system to track vehicle maintenance by removing service coupon data stored on a smart card. Identification and contract data are entered into a centralized database when a new vehicle is sold. A smart card is personalized and sent out when the database shows that a new vehicle owner has been added. The smart card is inserted into a remote terminal when the vehicle owner brings a vehicle in for service. The vehicle'"'"'s current odometer reading and type of service is entered into a vehicle maintenance program. The appropriate service coupon is removed from the smart card and the current odometer reading and type of service for the vehicle is stored in the remote terminal. The remote terminal downloads the data back to the database the appropriate time. After data has been collected the system administrator can run reports and manipulate data for analysis and customer to dealer reimbursement purposes.

Claims

1. A system for tracking vehicle maintenance information associated with predetermined vehicle comprising:

a central processing unit interconnected with a data collection host having a database in which a plurality of records concerning customer, deal, and vehicle identification data; and

vehicle maintenance program, contract and service coupon data are created and maintained;

a smart card produced upon entry of a record into the database, the smart card containing information corresponding to the record in the database and having predetermined contract, dealer, vehicle maintenance program, vehicle, and service coupon data recorded thereon;

a remote terminal interconnected in a network with the data collection host;

such remote terminal capable of reading the smart card and programmed with predetermined activities related to the customer, dealer, and vehicle identification data; and

vehicle maintenance program, contract and service coupon data;

said remote terminal having input for receiving data concerning a current odometer reading and a type of service with regard to a pre-identified vehicle associated with the smart card;

means for removing the record of the service coupon data from the smart card corresponding to a plurality of type of service entered into the remote terminal;

means for communicating from the remote terminal to the data collection host the data collected associated with a pre-identified vehicle and relating to the current odometer reading, the type of service provided, and the service coupon data removed from a smart card.

2. The system of claim 1 wherein the vehicle maintenance program comprises predetermined events with respect to one or more of the group of a time and mileage for vehicles to be checked, a service interval time, a rental option, additional benefits, maintenance agreement information, service coupons, and dealer identification.

3. The system of claim 2 wherein the contract associated with a predetermined vehicle is generated by the vehicle maintenance program and at least one coupon associated with maintenance events in the contract is copied to a smart card.

4. The system of claim 2 wherein the contract associated with a predetermined vehicle is generated by the vehicle maintenance program and contract indicia are copied to a smart card.

5. The system of claim 2 wherein the contract associated with a predetermined vehicle can be altered after creation of the vehicle maintenance program and at least one coupon associated with maintenance events in the contract is copied to a smart card.

6. The system of claim 2 wherein the contract associated with a predetermined vehicle can be altered after creation of the vehicle maintenance program and the contract indicia are copied to a smart card.

7. The system of claim 1 wherein reports are generated from the database with regard to predetermined selection criteria relating to records maintained in the database.

8. A method for creating a system to track a vehicle'"'"'s maintenance records, comprising:

creating a vehicle maintenance program in a database upon a sale of a new vehicle by initializing and selecting predetermined options;

creating a contract that provides parameters for the predetermined options;

adding a vehicle dealer name to the contract;

entering customer information on a sold vehicle into the database;

scanning the database at regular time intervals to determine if a vehicle has been sold;

creating a personalized smart card which is sent to the customer;

inserting the smart card at the time of service into a remote terminal;

entering the current odometer reading of the vehicle and type of service;

electronically removing the appropriate service coupon from the smart card;

printing a receipt;

storing the data in the remote terminal;

dialing out by the remote terminal at a scheduled time to the data collection host;

transferring the data from the remote terminal to the data collection host;

storing the data in the database;

running and printing reports; and

,

manipulating data for analysis and customer to dealer reimbursement purposes.