Cellphone based vehicle diagnostic system

• US 20070005201A1
• Filed: 06/30/2005
• Published: 01/04/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 06/30/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Innova Electronics Corporation (Innova Telematics Solutions)
• Original Assignee: Innova Electronics Corporation (Innova Telematics Solutions)
• Inventors: Chenn, Ieon
• Granted Patent: US 8,024,083 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/29
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 5/008 communicating information to a remotely located station transmission systems for measured values G08C
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 5/085 using electronic data carriers
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/40 for vehicles, e.g. vehicle-to-pedestrians [V2P]

Abstract

A vehicular diagnostic communications system, and components thereof, are provided for an apparatus and technique for communicating vehicular diagnostic information over a cellphone network. The system includes a code reader having a vehicle diagnostic port connector for receiving vehicle diagnostic information from the vehicle diagnostic port. The code reader also has a local connectivity network circuit for communicating vehicle diagnostic information between the vehicle diagnostic port connector and a local connectivity circuit. A cellphone is arranged in communication with the local connectivity network for communicating vehicle diagnostic information between the code reader and a cellular telephone network.

Claims

1. A vehicular diagnostic communication system for wireless communication of vehicle diagnostic information over a cellular telephone network, the system comprising:

a code reader having a vehicle diagnostic port connector for receiving vehicle diagnostic information from a vehicle diagnostic port;

the code reader further comprising a local connectivity network circuit, in communication with the vehicle diagnostic port, for communicating vehicle diagnostic information between the vehicle diagnostic port connector and a local connectivity network; and

a cellphone in communication with the local connectivity network for communicating vehicle diagnostic information between the code reader and the cellular telephone network.

2. The system as recited in claim 1 wherein the cellphone enables communication of voice and data signals between the cellphone and the cellular telephone network.

3. The system as recited in claim 1 wherein the local connectivity network is a radio frequency communication network.

4. The system as recited in claim 1 wherein the local connectivity network is an infrared communication network.

5. The system as recited in claim 1 wherein the cellphone is operative to communicate vehicle diagnostic information to any of a plurality of contacts, in response to phone number selection by a user.

6. The system as recited in claim 1 wherein the cellphone comprises a cellphone GPS locator circuit for determining the location of the cellphone.

7. The system as recited in claim 1 wherein the code reader comprises a code reader GPS locater circuit, for determining the location of the code reader and the vehicle.

8. The system as recited in claim 1 wherein the cellphone comprises a first manually activated data transfer circuit, for enabling a communications link between the code reader and the cellphone.

9. The system as recited in claim 1 wherein the code reader comprises a second manually activated data transfer circuit, for enabling a communication link between the code reader and the cellphone.

10. The system as recited in claim 1 wherein the code reader comprises an autonomous data transfer circuit for communicating diagnostic information between the code reader and the cellphone, in response to receipt of vehicle diagnostic information at the code reader diagnostic port connector.

11. The system as recited in claim 1 wherein the cellphone comprises an autonomous data transfer circuit for communicating diagnostic information between the code reader and the cellphone in response to receipt of an interrogation signal from the cellphone.

12. The system as recited in claim 1 wherein the code reader is powered by connection to a vehicle electrical system.

13. The system as recited in claim 1 wherein the code reader is powered by a self contained battery.

14. The system as recited in claim 1 wherein the code reader includes a data ready indicator circuit, for generating a data ready signal in response to receipt of vehicle diagnostic information at the code reader vehicle diagnostic port connector.

15. The system as recited in claim 1 wherein the cellphone is in communication with the World Wide Web.

16. The system as recited in claim 1 wherein the cellphone is in communication with a public telephone network.

17. The system as recited in claim 1 wherein the code reader vehicle diagnostic port is plug engagable to the vehicle diagnostic port.

18. The system as recited in claim 1 wherein the code reader further comprises a memory circuit for storing vehicle diagnostic information.

19. The system as recited in claim 18 wherein the code reader further comprises a computer data port connector, for communicating diagnostic information between the code reader and a computer data port.

20. The system as recited in claim 17 wherein the computer data port connector is plug engagable to a computer data port.

21. The system as recited in claim 20 wherein the code reader computer data port connector includes a USB connector.

22. The system as recited in claim 1 wherein the cellphone comprises a data ready indicator circuit for generating a data ready signal in response to receipt of a vehicle diagnostic information from the code reader.

23. The system as recited in claim 1 wherein the code reader communicates control signals between the vehicle diagnostic port and the local connectivity network.

24. The system as recited in claim 7 wherein the code reader communicates a GPS locater signal to the local connectivity network.

25. The system as recited in claim 1 wherein the code reader supports bi-directional communication between the vehicle diagnostic port and the local connectivity network.

26. The system as recited in claim 25 wherein the cellphone supports bi-directional communication between the cellular network and the local connectivity network.

27. A vehicular diagnostic communication system for wireless communication of vehicle diagnostic information over a cellular telephone network, the system comprising:

a code reader having a vehicle diagnostic port connector for receiving vehicle diagnostic information from a vehicle diagnostic port;

the code reader further comprising a local connectivity network circuit, in communication with the vehicle diagnostic port, for communicating vehicle diagnostic information between the vehicle diagnostic port connector and a local connectivity network; and

a personal data assistant in communication with the local connectivity network for communicating vehicle diagnostic information between the code reader and the cellular telephone network.

28. A vehicular diagnostic system communication comprising:

a code reader engagable to a vehicle diagnostic port connector, the code reader having a vehicle diagnostic port connector for receiving vehicle diagnostic information from a vehicle diagnostic port and a data port for outputting the received vehicle diagnostic information;

a code reader communications adapter engagable to the code reader data port and defining a wireless communication interface between the scan tool and a local connectivity network; and

a cellphone in communication with the local connectivity network and with a cellular telephone network for communicating diagnostic information between the local connectivity network and the cellular telephone network.

29. The system as recited in claim 29 wherein the local connectivity network is a radio frequency network.

30. The system as recited in claim 29 wherein the local connectivity network is an infrared connectivity network.

31. A code reader communications adapter comprising:

an adapter connector, connectable to a code reader, for communicating diagnostic data and control signals between the code reader and the adapter; and

an adapter local connectivity circuit for communicating diagnostic data between the adapter and a cellphone, via a local connectivity network.

32. A method of communicating vehicle diagnostic information between a vehicle diagnostic port and a remote service provider, the method comprising:

communicating vehicle diagnostic data from the vehicle diagnostic port to a local connectivity network;

interfacing the local connectivity network with a cellphone; and

interfacing the cellphone with a cellular telephone network to access a remote service provider.