Vehicle service support system, vehicle service support server, vehicle service support method and vehicle service support program

• US 20040133317A1
• Filed: 08/29/2003
• Published: 07/08/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 09/30/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Mazda Motor Corporation
• Original Assignee: Mazda Motor Corporation
• Inventors: Hirabayashi, Shigefumi, Ida, Takahiro, Hayakawa, Michitaka
• Granted Patent: US 6,882,911 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/29
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/04 Forecasting or optimisation specially adapted for administrative or management purposes, e.g. linear programming or "cutting stock problem" market predictions or forecasting for commercial activities G06Q30/0202
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising

Abstract

Service information of a vehicle owned by a first user is provided through a communication line to a second user specified by the first user, and the second user is allowed to input a reply to a reply item about the service information.

Claims

1. A vehicle service support system for enabling a user to remotely reply about service information of a vehicle, comprising a computer apparatus connected to a communication line for performing information processing online,

wherein said computer apparatus includes:

a specifying section for allowing a first user that owns said vehicle to specify and input a second user different from said first user;

an information providing section for providing said second user specified by said first user with service information of said vehicle of said first user through said communication line; and

a reply inputting section for allowing said second user having been provided with said service information to input a reply to a reply item about said service information.

2. The vehicle service support system of claim 1,

wherein said computer apparatus further includes a reply providing section for providing said first user with said reply having been input by said second user through said communication line, and

said reply inputting section allows said first user having been provided with said reply to input a reply to said reply item about said service information and stores said reply input by said first user as a user reply about said service information.

3. The vehicle service support system of claim 1,

wherein said service information is at least one of service content information obtained as a result of check of said vehicle performed by service staff, information on regular check of said vehicle, and repair content information for repairing a failure having occurred in said vehicle.

4. The vehicle service support system of claim 1,

wherein said computer apparatus further includes a permission notice transmitting section for transmitting, through said communication line, a notice for permitting to browse a service information window to said second user specified by said first user, and

said information providing section provides said service information window to said second user in response to a browse request from said second user having received said notice.

5. The vehicle service support system of claim 1,

wherein said information providing section provides working conditions of said vehicle in addition to said service information to said second user.

6. The vehicle service support system of claim 1,

wherein said computer apparatus further includes an interaction assisting section for allowing said second user and said first user to interact with each other through said communication line in response to a request from said second user having been provided with said service information.

7. The vehicle service support system of claim 1,

wherein said reply inputting section inhibits said second user from inputting a reply to a given reply item out of all reply items about said service information and allows said first user to input a reply to said given reply item to which said second user is inhibited from replying.

8. The vehicle service support system of claim 7,

wherein said given reply item is a date of taking said vehicle to a shop where said vehicle is to be serviced.

9. The vehicle service support system of claim 1,

wherein said specifying section allows said first user to specify and input said second user different from said first user and allows said first user to set a role of said specified second user as an adviser for asking for advice about a reply to said reply item or an entrusted person for entrusting a reply to said reply item, and

said computer apparatus further includes a reply processing section for processing said reply input by said second user in accordance with said set role of said second user.

10. The vehicle service support system of claim 9,

wherein said reply processing section provides, when said role of said second user is set as an adviser, said reply input by said second user to said first user through said communication line, allows said first user having been provided with said reply from said second user to input a reply to said reply item and stores said reply input by said first user as a user reply about said service information.

11. The vehicle service support system of claim 10,

wherein said reply processing section stores said reply input by said second user as a user reply about said service information when said role of said second user is set as an entrusted person.

12. The vehicle service support system of claim 11,

wherein said reply processing section inhibits said first user from inputting a reply to said reply item when said role of said second user is set as an entrusted person.

13. The vehicle service support system of claim 9,

wherein said reply processing section stores said reply input by said second user as a user reply about said service information when said role of said second user is set as an entrusted person.

14. The vehicle service support system of claim 13,

wherein said reply processing section inhibits said first user from inputting a reply to said reply item when said role of said second user is set as an entrusted person.

15. The vehicle service support system of claim 9,

wherein said information providing section provides said first user with said service information about said vehicle of said first user through said communication line, and

said specifying section allows said first user to specify said second user and a role of said specified second user after providing said service information to said first user.

16. The vehicle service support system of claim 9,

wherein when there are a plurality of reply items, said specifying section allows said first user to specify different second users with respect to said plurality of reply items and specify different roles with respect to said different second users.

17. The vehicle service support system of claim 16,

wherein said specifying section inhibits said first user from specifying said roles of said second users as an entrusted person with respect to all of said plurality of reply items.

18. The vehicle service support system of claim 17,

wherein said specifying section inhibits said first user from specifying said role of said second user as an entrusted person with respect to a reply item of a date of taking said vehicle to a shop where said vehicle is to be serviced.

19. A vehicle service support system for enabling a user to remotely reply about service information of a vehicle through a communication line, comprising:

specifying means for allowing a first user that owns said vehicle to specify and input a second user different from said first user;

information providing means for providing said second user specified by said first user by using said specifying means with said service information of said vehicle of said first user through said communication line; and

reply inputting means for allowing said second user having been provided with said service information to input a reply to a reply item about said service information.

20. The vehicle service support system of claim 19,

wherein said specifying means allows said first user to specify and input said second user different from said first user and allows said first user to set a role of said specified second user as an adviser for asking for advice about a reply to said reply item or an entrusted person for entrusting a reply to said reply item, and

said vehicle service support system further comprises reply processing means for processing said reply input by said second user in accordance with said set role of said second user.

21. A vehicle service support server connected to a remote terminal through a communication line for enabling a user to remotely reply about service information of a vehicle, comprising:

a specifying section for allowing a first user that owns said vehicle to specify and input a second user different from said first user in a first remote terminal operated by said first user;

an information providing section for providing a second remote terminal operated by said second user specified by said first user with said service information of said vehicle of said first user through said communication line; and

a reply inputting section for allowing said second user having been provided with said service information to input a reply to a reply item about said service information in said second remote terminal.

22. The vehicle service support server of claim 21,

wherein said specifying section allows said first user to specify and input said second user different from said first user and allows said first user to set a role of said specified second user as an adviser for asking for advice about a reply to said reply item or an entrusted person for entrusting a reply to said reply item, and

said vehicle service support server further comprises a reply processing section for processing said reply input by said second user in accordance with said set role of said second user.

23. A vehicle service support method for enabling a user to remotely reply about service information of a vehicle through a communication line, comprising:

a specifying step of allowing a first user that owns said vehicle to specify and input a second user different from said first user;

an information providing step of providing said second user specified by said first user with said service information of said vehicle of said first user through said communication line; and

a reply inputting step of allowing said second user having been provided with said service information to input a reply to a reply item about said service information.

24. The vehicle service support method of claim 23,

wherein in the specifying step, said first user is allowed to specify and input said second user different from said first user and is allowed to set a role of said specified second user as an adviser for asking for advice about a reply to said reply item or an entrusted person for entrusting a reply to said reply item, and

said vehicle service support method further comprises a reply processing step of processing said reply input by said second user in accordance with said set role of said second user.

25. A vehicle service support program for controlling a vehicle service support apparatus connected to a communication line for enabling a user to remotely reply about service information of a vehicle, said vehicle service support program making said vehicle service support apparatus execute:

specifying processing for allowing a first user that owns said vehicle to specify and input a second user different from said first user;

information providing processing for providing said second user specified by said first user with said service information of said vehicle of said first user through said communication line; and

reply inputting processing for allowing said second user having been provided with said service information to input a reply to a reply item about said service information.

26. The vehicle service support program of claim 25,

wherein in said specifying processing, said first user is allowed to specify and input said second user different from said first user and is allowed to set a role of said specified second user as an adviser for asking for advice about a reply to said reply item or an entrusted person for entrusting a reply to said reply item, and

said vehicle service support program further makes said vehicle service support apparatus execute reply processing for processing said reply input by said second user in accordance with said set role of said second user.