Vehicular information and monitoring system and methods

• US 20050125117A1
• Filed: 01/19/2005
• Published: 06/09/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 06/07/1995
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: American Vehicular Sciences LLC (Acacia Research Corporation)
• Original Assignee: David S. Breed
• Inventors: Breed, David S.
• Granted Patent: US 7,082,359 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/29
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/0272 using sensors or detectors for detecting the position of seat parts
• 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

Abstract

Information management and monitoring system for a vehicle including a vehicle monitoring system including a plurality of sensors for monitoring vehicular components, a diagnostic module arranged on the vehicle and coupled to the vehicle monitoring system to receive and process data about the components therefrom, and a remote service center capable of servicing the components. A communication system, e.g., a cellular telephone capable of voice communications, is arranged on the vehicle and coupled to the diagnostic module to enable communications of data from the diagnostic module to the remote service center such that the remote service center receives data about the vehicular components. The remote service center can be situated at a dealer which can have its personnel contact the driver, e.g., via the telephone, to schedule service of the vehicle, the service being determined based on the communicated data from the diagnostic module on the vehicle.

Claims

1. An information management and monitoring system for a vehicle, comprising:

a vehicle monitoring system including a plurality of sensors for monitoring components of the vehicle;

a diagnostic module arranged on the vehicle, said diagnostic module being coupled to said vehicle monitoring system and arranged to receive and process data about the monitored components from said vehicle monitoring system;

a remote service center capable of servicing the vehicle components; and

a communication system arranged on the vehicle and coupled to said diagnostic module for enabling communications of data from said diagnostic module to said remote service center such that said remote service center receives data about the monitored components of the vehicle.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein said communication system is a cellular telephone capable of voice communications.

3. The system of claim 1, further comprising a user interactive device coupled to and controlled by said diagnostic module, said user interactive device being a display on which messages relating to the monitored components are provided to the user.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein said diagnostic module is arranged to derive diagnostic data from data about the monitored components provided by said sensors of said vehicle monitoring system.

5. The system of claim 4, wherein the data derived by said diagnostic module from data about the monitored components provided by said sensors of said vehicle monitoring system is an indication of a potential failure of one of the components of the vehicle.

6. The system of claim 1, further comprising a vehicle bus for coupling said diagnostic module, said vehicle monitoring system and said communication system.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein said communication system is arranged to communicate with said remote service center via a satellite.

8. A method for information management and monitoring of a vehicle, comprising:

arranging a vehicle monitoring system including a plurality of sensors on the vehicle to monitor components of the vehicle;

arranging a diagnostic module on the vehicle;

directing data about the monitored components from the vehicle monitoring system to the diagnostic module for analysis and processing thereby;

coupling a communication system on the vehicle to the diagnostic module; and

establishing communications between the diagnostic module and a remote service center capable of servicing the monitored components to enable transmission of data between the diagnostic module and the remote service center such that the remote service center receives data about the monitored components of the vehicle.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the communication system is a cellular telephone capable of voice communications.

10. The method of claim 8, further comprising:

coupling a display to the diagnostic module; and

causing the display of messages to the driver to notify the driver of the status of the monitored components as determined by the diagnostic system.

11. The method of claim 8, further comprising deriving diagnostic data in the diagnostic module from the data about the monitored components provided by the vehicle monitoring system, the derived data being transmitted to the remote service center.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the data derived from the data about the monitored components provided by the vehicle monitoring system is an indication of a potential failure of one of the components of the vehicle.

13. The method of claim 8, further comprising coupling the diagnostic module, the vehicle monitoring system and the communication system via a vehicle bus.

14. The method of claim 8, further comprising contacting the vehicle owner from the remote service center to schedule repair or maintenance of the vehicle upon receiving data from the diagnostic module at the remote service center.

15. A method for scheduling servicing of a vehicle, comprising:

arranging a vehicle monitoring system including a plurality of sensors on the vehicle to monitor components of the vehicle;

arranging a diagnostic module on the vehicle;

directing data about the monitored components from the vehicle monitoring system to the diagnostic module for analysis and processing thereby;

coupling a communication system on the vehicle to the diagnostic module;

establishing communications between the diagnostic module and a dealer capable of servicing the monitored components to enable transmission of data between the diagnostic module and the dealer such that the dealer receives data about the monitored components of the vehicle; and

upon receiving data from the diagnostic module at the dealer, contacting the vehicle owner to schedule repair or maintenance of the vehicle.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the communication system is a cellular telephone capable of voice communications.

17. The method of claim 15, further comprising:

coupling a display to the diagnostic module; and

causing the display of messages to the driver to notify the driver of the status of the components as determined by the diagnostic system.

18. The method of claim 15, further comprising deriving diagnostic data in the diagnostic module from the data about the monitored components provided by the vehicle monitoring system, the derived data being transmitted to the dealer.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein the data derived from the data about the monitored components provided by the vehicle monitoring system is an indication of a potential failure of one of the components of the vehicle.

20. The system of claim 15, further comprising coupling the diagnostic module, the vehicle monitoring system and the communication system via a vehicle bus.

21. A method for information management and monitoring of a plurality of vehicles, comprising:

arranging a vehicle monitoring system including a plurality of sensors on each vehicle to monitor components of the vehicle;

arranging a diagnostic module on each vehicle;

directing data about the monitored components from the vehicle monitoring system to the diagnostic module for analysis and processing thereby;

coupling a communication system on each vehicle to the diagnostic module;

establishing communications between the diagnostic module and a data gathering facility which accumulates information about the failure rate of the components to enable transmission of data between the diagnostic module and the data gathering facility such that the data gathering facility receives data about the monitored components of the vehicle; and

accumulating date from the vehicle at the data gathering facility to enable calculation of statistics about failure rate of the components.

22. The method of claim 21, wherein the communication system is a cellular telephone capable of voice communications.

23. The method of claim 21, further comprising deriving diagnostic data in the diagnostic module from the data about the monitored components provided by the vehicle monitoring system, the derived data being transmitted to the data gathering facility.

24. The method of claim 23, wherein the data derived from the data about the monitored components provided by the vehicle monitoring system is an indication of a potential failure of one of the components of the vehicle.