Vehicle Data Acquisition System and Method

• US 20090157253A1
• Filed: 02/23/2009
• Published: 06/18/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 08/24/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Bayerische Motoren Werke AG
• Original Assignee: Bayerische Motoren Werke AG
• Inventors: GUMPINGER, Franz
• Granted Patent: US 8,909,409 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/33
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2050/0075 Automatic parameter input, automatic initialising or calibrating means
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2556/55 using telemetry
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 5/008 communicating information to a remotely located station transmission systems for measured values G08C
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 5/0808 Diagnosing performance data testing of vehicles G01M17/00; testing of electrical installation on vehicles G01R31/005

Abstract

A vehicle data acquisition system and method are provided for the analysis of vehicle conditions. A vehicle-external communication device, a vehicle-internal communication device, a vehicle-external computer and a vehicle-external databank are utilized. For providing an informative vehicle data acquisition system, on the basis of the data in the vehicle-external databank, the vehicle-external computer identifies those vehicles which have a first characteristic profile. The vehicle-external computer queries vehicle data from the identified vehicles by way of the vehicle-external and the vehicle-internal communication devices, and the vehicle-external computer evaluates the queried and received vehicle data for the analysis of vehicles having the first characteristic profile.

Claims

1. A vehicle data acquisition system for analyzing vehicle conditions, the system comprising:

a vehicle-external database;

a vehicle-external computer operatively coupled with the database;

a vehicle-external communication device operatively coupled with the vehicle-external computer; and

wherein, based on data in the vehicle-external database, the vehicle-external computer identifies vehicles having a first characteristic profile and issues one or more queries of vehicle data from the vehicles having the first characteristic profile by way of the vehicle-external communication device; and

wherein the vehicle-external computer evaluates any data received in response from the one or more queries to analyze the vehicles having the first characteristic profile.

2. The vehicle data acquisition system according to claim 1, wherein the first characteristic profile includes vehicles having one or more predetermined control devices.

3. The vehicle data acquisition system according to claim 1, wherein the first characteristic profile includes vehicles having one or more pieces of optional equipment.

4. The vehicle data acquisition system according to claim 2, wherein the first characteristic profile includes vehicles having one or more pieces of optional equipment.

5. The vehicle data acquisition system according to claim 1, wherein a communication connection between the vehicle-external communication device and a vehicle-internal communication device with the vehicles having the first characteristic profile is established on a basis of at least one of vehicle identification numbers and telephone numbers of emergency calling devices installed in the vehicles and having an implemented subscriber identity module.

6. The vehicle data acquisition system according to claim 1, wherein the querying of the vehicle data by the vehicle-external communication device is carried out by at least one of SMS and GPRS.

7. The vehicle data acquisition system according to claim 5, wherein the querying of the vehicle data by the vehicle-external communication device is carried out by at least one of SMS and GPRS.

8. The vehicle data acquisition system according to claim 1, wherein the querying of the vehicle data and the receipt of data transmitted from the vehicle is secured by an authentication procedure.

9. The vehicle data acquisition system according to claim 6, wherein the querying of the vehicle data and the receipt of data transmitted from the vehicle is secured by an authentication procedure.

10. The system according to claim 8, wherein the authentication procedure utilizes public key cryptography.

11. The system according to claim 1, wherein the query of the vehicle data by the vehicle-external computer initiates a periodic transmission of the vehicle data after certain route intervals and/or within predetermined time periods.

12. The vehicle data acquisition system according to claim 1, wherein the vehicle-external computer transmits information into the vehicle via the vehicle-external communication device and a vehicle-internal communication device, said information being displayed on a display in the vehicle.

13. The vehicle data acquisition system according to claim 12, wherein said information displayed on the display in the vehicle is a request to perform servicing of the vehicle.

14. A vehicle data acquisition method for analyzing vehicle conditions, the method comprising the acts of:

identifying one or more vehicles having a first characteristic profile based upon data stored in a database external to the vehicles;

externally querying vehicle data from the vehicles having the first characteristic profile by way of a wireless communication system;

receiving the queried vehicle data via the wireless communication system by a vehicle-external computer; and

evaluating the received vehicle data to analyze the vehicles having the first characteristic profile.

15. The method according to claim 14, wherein the act of identifying the one or more vehicles having the first characteristic profile further comprises the act of identifying vehicles having one or more predetermined control devices.

16. The method according to claim 15, wherein the act of identifying the one or more vehicles having the first characteristic profile further comprises the act of identifying vehicles having one or more pieces of optional equipment.