METHOD FOR OBTAINING ELECTRONIC VEHICLE IDENTIFICATION NUMBER (VIN)

• US 20080071882A1
• Filed: 09/15/2006
• Published: 03/20/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 09/15/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: General Motors LLC (General Motors Company)
• Original Assignee: General Motors Corporation (General Motors Company)
• Inventors: Ampunan, Nathan, Hering, Carl J.
• Granted Patent: US 8,321,524 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/217
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/017 identifying vehicles G08G1/015, G08G1/054 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/125 involving control of end-device applications over a network

Abstract

A method for obtaining an electronic Vehicle Identification Number (VIN) from a vehicle. According to one embodiment, an electronic VIN request is generated at the vehicle through a vehicle user interface, such as a visual display, a microphone, a speaker, a keypad, or an electronic control or button. According to another embodiment, the electronic VIN request is generated at an entity, such as a remote call center, that is remotely located from the vehicle. In either case, the electronic VIN request causes the vehicle hardware to query one or more vehicle electronic module(s) for electronic VIN(s) stored therein, so that output related to the electronic VIN(s) can be provided.

Claims

1. A method for obtaining an electronic Vehicle Identification Number (VIN) from a vehicle, comprising the steps of:

(a) receiving a request from a vehicle user interface for an electronic VIN;

(b) sending a query to a vehicle electronic module for the electronic VIN;

(c) receiving the electronic VIN from the vehicle electronic module; and

(d) providing output related to the electronic VIN.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the vehicle user interface includes at least one device selected from the group consisting of:

a visual display, a microphone, a speaker, a keypad, and an electronic control or button.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the vehicle user interface is a microphone coupled to an automated voice processing unit utilizing a human-machine interface (HMI).

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the vehicle electronic module includes at least one module selected from the group consisting of:

an instrument cluster module, a body control module, an engine control module, and a powertrain control module.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the query in step (b) is sent to a plurality of vehicle electronic modules so that a plurality of electronic VINs are gathered.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the output in step (d) includes the actual VIN.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the output in step (d) includes results of a comparison between a first electronic VIN received from a first vehicle electronic module and a second electronic VIN received from a second vehicle electronic module.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the output in step (d) is provided to a vehicle user interface so that it can be conveyed to a vehicle user that is located at the vehicle.

9. The method of claim 8, further comprising:

(e) comparing the output conveyed in step (d) to a VIN affixed to the vehicle to determine if the affixed VIN is valid.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the output in step (d) is provided to a vehicle telematics unit so that it can be wirelessly sent to a call center that is remotely located from the vehicle.

11. A method for obtaining an electronic Vehicle Identification Number (VIN) from a remotely located vehicle, comprising the steps of:

(a) wirelessly sending a request for an electronic VIN from a call center to a vehicle telematics unit of the remotely located vehicle;

(b) sending a query to a vehicle electronic module for the electronic VIN;

(c) receiving the electronic VIN from the vehicle electronic module; and

(d) providing output related to the electronic VIN.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the request in step (a) is initiated in response to user interaction with a web-based interface.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein the request in step (a) is generated in response to user interaction with an automated voice processing unit utilizing a human-machine interface (HMI).

14. The method of claim 11, wherein the vehicle electronic module includes at least one module selected from the group consisting of:

an instrument cluster module, a body control module, an engine control module, and a powertrain control module.

15. The method of claim 11, wherein the query in step (b) is sent to a plurality of vehicle electronic modules so that a plurality of electronic VINs are gathered.

16. The method of claim 11, wherein the output in step (d) includes the actual VIN.

17. The method of claim 11, wherein the output in step (d) includes results of a comparison between a first electronic VIN received from a first vehicle electronic module and a second electronic VIN received from a second vehicle electronic module.

18. The method of claim 11, wherein the output in step (d) is provided to a vehicle user interface so that it can be conveyed to a vehicle user that is located at the vehicle.

19. The method of claim 11, wherein the output in step (d) is provided to the vehicle telematics unit so that it can be wirelessly sent to the call center.

20. The method of claim 19, further comprising:

(e) comparing the electronic VIN sent to the call center in step (d) to account information stored at the call center.

21. A system for validating a Vehicle Identification Number (VIN), comprising:

a vehicle having a telematics unit, a communications bus, and at least one vehicle electronic module that stores an electronic VIN, wherein the telematics unit and the vehicle electronic module(s) is coupled to one another via the communications bus;

a call center having a database for storing account information; and

a wireless carrier system in communication with the telematics unit and the call center so that information can be wirelessly exchanged therebetween;

wherein initiation of an electronic VIN request causes;

i) the electronic VIN to be sent from the vehicle electronic module to the telematics unit over the communications bus, ii) the electronic VIN to be wirelessly sent from the telematics unit to the call center over the wireless carrier system, and iii) the electronic VIN to be evaluated against the account information stored at the call center.