SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR GENERATING VEHICLE HISTORY INFORMATION

• US 20060178793A1
• Filed: 07/16/2003
• Published: 08/10/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 07/16/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: CARFAX Incorporated (S&P Global Inc.)
• Original Assignee: CARFAX Incorporated (S&P Global Inc.)
• Inventors: Hecklinger, John M.
• Granted Patent: US 7,113,853 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/35
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/10 Office automation; Time management

Abstract

A system, method and computer readable storage medium for generating vehicle history information are provided which, based on vehicle history records, determine whether a particular vehicle has a reliability issue and/or has passed import inspection. The reliability issue portion accesses a central database of vehicle history records for particular vehicles and a reliability issue data supplier look-up table to determine whether a reliability issue exists, and then displays the reliability issue or a file indicating that no reliability issue exists. The reliability issue may relate to a recall status of the vehicle and/or to the existence of a manufacturer buyback. The import compliance, or gray market, portion accesses the central database records to determine whether title/registration records in different countries exist along with an import record. Depending on the conclusions reached, the system and method displays an appropriate advisory record.

Claims

1. A method for generating and displaying information relating to a vehicle'"'"'s history, comprising the steps of:

receiving a user request for information that relate to a particular vehicle;

identifying records in a database that relate to the particular vehicle, said records containing data relating to the vehicle'"'"'s history, said database having records of vehicles manufactured by a plurality of manufacturers;

determining whether said records include a reliability issue record containing information indicating that a reliability issue exists for the particular vehicle;

if a reliability issue record exists for the particular vehicle, then displaying an electronically displayable reliability issue file;

if no reliability issue record exists, then determining whether said database should contain reliability issue information regarding the particular vehicle; and

if said database should include reliability issue information regarding the particular vehicle, displaying an electronically displayable file related to the absence of a reliability issue for the particular vehicle.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein said step of determining whether said database should contain reliability issue information includes determining whether a manufacturer of the vehicle provides data for inclusion in said database.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein said step of determining whether the manufacturer of the vehicle provides data for inclusion in said database includes accessing a look-up table listing vehicle manufacturers providing data for inclusion in said database and determining whether the manufacturer of the vehicle is listed in the look-up table.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the file related to the absence of a reliability issue includes a no open recall file which indicates that no recalls are open for repair.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the open recall file includes a name of the manufacturer of the particular vehicle and a description of vehicle components recalled.

6. The method of claim 1, further including the steps of providing an electronically displayable file having an input field for receiving a vehicle identification number associated with the particular vehicle, said step of identifying records being based on the particular vehicle identification number.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein said reliability issue file is displayed chronologically based on an effective date of the recall in a chronological listing of vehicle history records associated with the particular vehicle.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein said reliability issue record is at least one of an open recall record and a manufacturer buyback record, said file related to the absence of a reliability issue being at least one of a no open recall file related to the absence of an open recall and a no manufacturer buyback file related to the absence of a manufacturer buyback.

15. The system of claim 11, wherein said reliability issue record is at least one of an open recall record and a manufacturer buyback record, said file related to the absence of a reliability issue being at least one of a no open recall file related to the absence of an open recall and a no manufacturer buyback file related to the absence of a manufacturer buyback.

9. A method for generating and displaying information relating to a vehicle'"'"'s history, comprising the steps of:

identifying records in a database that relate to a particular vehicle, said records containing data relating to the vehicle'"'"'s history;

determining whether said records include a reliability issue record containing information indicating that a reliability issue exists for the particular vehicle;

if a reliability issue record exists for the particular vehicle, then displaying an electronically displayable reliability issue file;

if no reliability issue record exists, then determining whether said database should contain reliability issue information regarding the particular vehicle;

if said database should include reliability issue information regarding the particular vehicle, displaying an electronically displayable file related to the absence of a reliability issue for the particular vehicle;

determining whether a first title/registration record of the records relating to the particular vehicle indicate the vehicle originated in a first country;

determining whether a second title/registration record, subsequent to said first title/registration record during the vehicle'"'"'s history, indicates at least one of a titling and a registration in a second country;

determining whether an import record exists that indicates compliance with import standards of said second country at a time during the history of the vehicle after said first title/registration record; and

if no import record relating to said second country exists after said first and said second title/registration records, then displaying an electronically displayable first import advisory file related to the vehicle not meeting import standards of said second country.

10. The method of claim 9, further including the step of displaying an electronically displayable second import advisory record indicating the vehicle meets import standards of said second country, if an import record relating to said second country exists after said first title/registration record.

11. A computer implemented system for generating and displaying information relating to a vehicle'"'"'s history, comprising:

a user interface adapted to receive a user request for information that relate to a particular vehicle;

vehicle history report module adapted to identify records in a database that relate to the particular vehicle, said database having records of vehicles manufactured by a plurality of manufacturers, and said records containing data relating to the vehicle'"'"'s history; and

reliability issue module adapted to determine whether said records include a reliability issue record containing information indicating that a reliability issue exists for the particular vehicle, display an electronically displayable reliability issue file if a reliability issue record exists, determine whether said database should contain reliability issue information regarding the particular vehicle if no reliability issue record exists, and, if said database should include reliability issue information, to display an electronically displayable file related to the absence of a reliability issue for the particular vehicle.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein said reliability issue module is adapted to determine whether a manufacturer of the vehicle provides data for inclusion in said database.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein said reliability issue module is adapted to determine whether the manufacturer of the vehicle provides data for inclusion in said database by accessing a look-up table listing vehicle manufacturers providing data for inclusion in said database and determining whether the manufacturer of the vehicle is listed in the look-up table.

14. The system of claim 11, wherein said vehicle history report module is adapted to provide an electronically displayable file having an input field for receiving a vehicle identification number associated with the particular vehicle and to identify records based on the particular vehicle identification number.

16. A computer implemented system for generating and displaying information relating to a vehicle'"'"'s history, comprising:

vehicle history report module adapted to identify records in a database that relate to a particular vehicle, said records containing data relating to the vehicle'"'"'s history; and

reliability issue module adapted to determine whether said records include a reliability issue record containing information indicating that a reliability issue exists for the particular vehicle, display an electronically displayable reliability issue file if a reliability issue record exists, determine whether said database should contain reliability issue information regarding the particular vehicle if no reliability issue record exists, and, if said database should include reliability issue information, to display an electronically displayable file related to the absence of a reliability issue for the particular vehicle;

an import compliance module adapted to;

determine whether a first title/registration record of the records relating to the particular vehicle indicate the vehicle originated in a first country;

determine whether a second title/registration record, subsequent to said first title/registration record during the vehicle'"'"'s history, indicates at least one of a titling and a registration in a second country;

determine whether an import record exists that indicates compliance with import standards of said second country at a time during the history of the vehicle after said first title/registration record, and

if no import record relating to said second country exists after said first title/registration record, display an electronically displayable first import advisory file related to the vehicle not meeting import standards of said second country.

17. A computer readable medium having instructions for generating and displaying information relating to a vehicle'"'"'s history, said medium comprising:

instructions for receiving a user request for information that relate to a particular vehicle;

instructions for identifying records in a database that relate to the particular vehicle, said database having records of vehicles manufactured by a plurality of manufacturers, and said records containing data relating to the particular vehicle'"'"'s history;

instructions for determining whether said records include a reliability issue record containing information indicating that a reliability issue exists for the particular vehicle;

instructions for displaying an electronically displayable reliability issue file if a reliability issue record exists;

instructions for determining whether said database should contain reliability issue information regarding the particular vehicle if no reliability issue record exists and for displaying an electronically displayable file related to the absence of a reliability issue for the particular vehicle if said database should include reliability issue information.

18. The medium of claim 17, wherein said instructions for determining whether said database should contain reliability issue information includes instructions for determining whether a manufacturer of the vehicle provides data for inclusion in said database.

19. The medium of claim 18, wherein said instructions for determining whether the manufacturer of the vehicle provides data for inclusion in said database includes instructions for accessing a look-up table listing vehicle manufacturers providing data for inclusion in said database and determining whether the manufacturer of the vehicle is listed in the look-up table.

20. The medium of claim 17, further including instructions for providing an electronically displayable file having an input field for receiving a vehicle identification number associated with the particular vehicle, wherein said identified records are based on the particular vehicle identification number.

21. A computer readable medium having instructions for generating and displaying information relating to a vehicle'"'"'s history, said medium comprising:

instructions for identifying records in a database that relate to a particular vehicle, said records containing data relating to the particular vehicle'"'"'s history;

instructions for determining whether said records include a reliability issue record containing information indicating that a reliability issue exists for the particular vehicle;

instructions for displaying an electronically displayable reliability issue file if a reliability issue record exists;

instructions for determining whether said database should contain reliability issue information regarding the particular vehicle if no reliability issue record exists and for displaying an electronically displayable file related to the absence of a reliability issue for the particular vehicle if said database should include reliability issue information;

instructions for identifying records in a database that relate to a particular vehicle, said records containing data relating to the particular vehicle'"'"'s history;

instructions for determining whether a first title/registration record of the records relating to the particular vehicle indicate the vehicle originated in a first country;

instructions for determining whether a second title/registration record, subsequent to said first title/registration record during the vehicle'"'"'s history, indicates at least one of a titling and a registration in a second country;

instructions for determining whether an import record exists that indicates compliance with import standards of said second country at a time during the history of the vehicle after said first title/registration record; and

instructions for displaying an electronically displayable first import advisory file related to the vehicle not meeting import standards of said second country if no import record relating to said second country exists after said first title/registration record.

22. A method for generating and displaying import compliance information relating to a vehicle'"'"'s history, comprising the steps of:

identifying records in a database that relate to a particular vehicle, said records containing data relating to the vehicle'"'"'s history;

determining whether a first title/registration record of the records relating to the particular vehicle indicate the vehicle originated in a first country;

determining whether a second title/registration record, subsequent to said first title/registration record during the vehicle'"'"'s history, indicates at least one of a titling and a registration in a second country;

determining whether an import record exists that indicates compliance with import standards of said second country at a time during the history of the vehicle after said first title/registration record;

if no import record relating to said second country exists after said first title/registration record, then displaying an electronically displayable first import advisory file related to the vehicle not meeting import standards of said second country.

23. The method of claim 22, wherein said first import advisory file further indicates that the vehicle may not be covered by a manufacturer'"'"'s warranty.

24. The method of claim 22, further including the step of displaying an electronically displayable second import advisory record indicating the vehicle meets import standards of said second country, if an import record relating to said second country exists after said first title/registration record.

25. The method of claim 22, wherein said first import advisory file is displayed in a chronological listing of vehicle history records for the particular vehicle.

26. The method of claim 25, wherein said first import advisory file is displayed chronologically immediately subsequent to said second title/registration records.

27. The method of claim 22, further including the steps of providing an electronically displayable file having an input field for receiving a vehicle identification number associated with the particular vehicle, said step of identifying records being based on the particular vehicle identification number.

28. A system for generating and displaying import compliance information relating to a vehicle'"'"'s history, comprising:

vehicle history report module adapted to identify records in a database that relate to a particular vehicle, said records containing data relating to the vehicle'"'"'s history;

import compliance module adapted to

determine whether a first title/registration record of the records relating to the particular vehicle indicate the vehicle originated in a first country;

determine whether a second title/registration record, subsequent to said first title/registration record during the vehicle'"'"'s history, indicates at least one of a titling and a registration in a second country;

determine whether an import record exists that indicates compliance with import standards of said second country at a time during the history of the vehicle after said first title/registration record, and

if no import record relating to said second country exists after said first title/registration record, display an electronically displayable first import advisory file related to the vehicle not meeting import standards of said second country.

29. The system of claim 28, wherein said first import advisory file further indicates that the vehicle may not be covered by a manufacturer'"'"'s warranty.

30. The system of claim 28, wherein said import compliance module is adapted to display an electronically displayable second import advisory record indicating the vehicle meets import standards of said second country, if an import record relating to said second country exists after said first title/registration record.

31. The system of claim 28, wherein said first import advisory file is displayed in a chronological listing of vehicle history records for the particular vehicle.

32. The system of claim 31, wherein said first import advisory file is displayed chronologically immediately subsequent to said second title/registration records.

33. The system of claim 28, wherein said vehicle history report module is adapted to provide an electronically displayable file having an input field for receiving a vehicle identification number associated with the particular vehicle and to identify records based on the particular vehicle identification number.

34. A computer readable storage medium having instructions for generating and displaying import compliance information relating to a vehicle'"'"'s history, said medium comprising:

instructions for identifying records in a database that relate to a particular vehicle, said records containing data relating to the vehicle'"'"'s history;

instructions for determining whether a first title/registration record of the records relating to the particular vehicle indicate the vehicle originated in a first country;

instructions for determining whether a second title/registration record, subsequent to said first title/registration record during the vehicle'"'"'s history, indicates at least one of a titling and a registration in a second country;

instructions for determining whether an import record exists that indicates compliance with import standards of said second country at a time during the history of the vehicle after said first title/registration record;

instructions for displaying an electronically displayable first import advisory file related to the vehicle not meeting import standards of said second country if no import record relating to said second country exists after said first title/registration record.

35. The medium of claim 34, wherein said first import advisory file further indicates that the vehicle may not be covered by a manufacturer'"'"'s warranty.

36. The medium of claim 34, further including the step of displaying an electronically displayable second import advisory record indicating the vehicle meets import standards of said second country, if an import record relating to said second country exists after said first title/registration record.

37. The medium of claim 34, wherein said first import advisory file is displayed in a chronological listing of vehicle history records for the particular vehicle, chronologically immediately subsequent to said second title/registration records.

38. The medium of claim 34, further including instructions for providing an electronically displayable file having an input field for receiving a vehicle identification number associated with the particular vehicle, wherein said identified records are based on the particular vehicle identification number.