AUTOMATED SYNCHRONIZED SERVICE INTERVALS FOR VEHICLES

• US 20080269977A1
• Filed: 04/30/2007
• Published: 10/30/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 04/30/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: OCC Technologies LLC (Volkswagen AG)
• Original Assignee: International Truck Intellectual Property Co. LLC (Volkswagen AG)
• Inventors: Palladino, James
• Granted Patent: US 7,706,938 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/30
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 50/14 Means for informing the driver, warning the driver or prompting a driver intervention

Abstract

User generated service rules operate upon selected vehicle operating variables, vehicle configurations and vehicle vocations to produce estimates of the service life of diverse, routine service items. Items with corresponding projected service lives are grouped for service to reduce overall service frequency.

Claims

1. A vehicle service scheduling system comprising:

a plurality of onboard sensors for monitoring vehicle operation;

a data processing system programmed to execute an algorithm for vehicle service scheduling;

a vehicle controller area network coupled to collect data from the plurality vehicle onboard sensors and to provide the data to the data processing system;

a display under the control of the data processing system for displaying a plurality of screens under direction of the algorithm for vehicle service scheduling for operator use in characterizing usage rules for serviceable items installed on a vehicle by selection of variables from the monitored sensors, screens for stipulating service life range for the serviceable items and a screen indicating service intervals for the vehicle, each usage rules operating on at least one vehicle operating variable; and

the algorithm for vehicle scheduling including a first sub-algorithm for usage rate and a second sub-algorithm for service scheduling, the first sub-algorithm including the user characterized rules and the second sub-algorithm operating on the results of the first sub-algorithm to schedule dates and items for service.

2. The system as set forth in claim 1, further comprising:

the algorithm providing upon execution for grouping of items requiring routine service based on outputs of the usage rules and scheduling to minimize the overall number of servicing instances.

3. The system as set forth in claim 2, further comprising:

the rules accommodating different vehicle vocations and configurations under selection by the user from displayed screens.

4. The system as set forth in claim 3, further comprising:

the second sub-algorithm for scheduling allowing a user to specify allowed ranges for service to take place for each item, the second sub-algorithm operating to pull-in and push-out items for service to reduce the overall frequency of servicing.

5. The system as set forth in claim 4, further comprising:

the second sub-algorithm being operable in two different modes including a real time mode, which provides day to day scheduling, and a simulation mode, which uses historical data to simulate long periods of usage.

6. The system as set forth in claim 5, further comprising:

a screen for displaying at least four future service intervals.

7. A method of setting service intervals for a vehicle, the method comprising the steps of:

selecting items for recurring service for the vehicle;

presenting to a user a list of vehicle operating variables for which measured data is available for selection by the user, the vehicle operating variables to be incorporated in usage rules which estimate the remaining service lives of the selected items;

providing service windows around the estimated service lives for items; and

scheduling items for service by groups of items with overlapping service windows.

8. The method according to claim 7, comprising the further step of:

modifying the usage rules to assess configuration and vocation of the vehicle.

9. The method according to claim 8, comprising the step of:

operating the second sub-algorithm in a simulation mode.

10. A vehicle comprising:

a plurality of sensors monitoring vehicle operation;

a controller area network coupled to collect the data for transfer to a data processing machine;

the data processing machine being programmed to assess service lives for vehicle items requiring recurring service in terms of data selected by the user from the plurality of sensors;

the data processing machine being further programmed to estimate service lives for items requiring recurring service; and

the data processing machine being still further programmed to group items requiring recurring service for service at the same time, based on estimated service lives and user characterized service windows around the end of estimated service lives.