Vehicle Computer Design and Use Techniques

• US 20080086240A1
• Filed: 11/15/2007
• Published: 04/10/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 06/07/1995
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Automotive Technologies International Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Automotive Technologies International Incorporated
• Inventors: Breed, David
• Granted Patent: US 10,573,093 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/1
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 5/008 communicating information to a remotely located station transmission systems for measured values G08C

Abstract

Vehicle including a data generating system which obtains or generates information about the vehicle and a communications system coupled to the data generating system for communicating directly with a wireless Internet service provider (ISP) to enable the information obtained or generated by the data generating system to be transmitted via the Internet. The data generating system may be a diagnostic system which diagnoses the state of the vehicle or the state of a component of the vehicle and generates an output indicative or representative thereof. The data generating system may be arranged to obtain or generate information about the operation of the vehicle. Additionally or alternatively, the data generating system may be arranged to obtain or generate information about the presence of contents in the compartment and/or when contents are present, information about contents in the compartment.

Claims

1. A vehicle, comprising:

an on-board computer; and

a communications device for enabling said on-board computer to communicate with other computers apart from the vehicle, said on-board computer being arranged to communicate with the other computers via said communications device to receive software to enable said on-board computer to perform functions.

2. The vehicle of claim 1, wherein said on-board computer is enabled to perform navigation functions.

3. The vehicle of claim 1, wherein said on-board computer is arranged to network with the other computers to synchronize software and/or data between the networked computers.

4. The vehicle of claim 1, wherein said on-board computer is arranged to determine the presence of a linked computer and automatically start synchronization of software and/or data when the linked computer is detected.

5. A method for managing a vehicle, comprising:

providing an on-board computer in the vehicle;

enabling the on-board computer to communicate with other computers apart from the vehicle to receive software and/or data from the other computers; and

applying the software and/or data to affect operation of a component in the vehicle.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the component is a navigation system.

7. The method of claim 5, wherein the on-board computer is arranged to network with the other computers to synchronize software and/or data between the networked computers.

8. The method of claim 5, wherein the on-board computer is arranged to determine the presence of a linked computer and automatically start synchronization of software and/or data when the linked computer is detected.