SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR TESTING VEHICLE EMISSIONS AND ENGINE CONTROLS USING A SELF-SERVICE ON-BOARD DIAGNOSTICS KIOSK

• US 20100204876A1
• Filed: 06/02/2009
• Published: 08/12/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 09/26/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Applus Technologies Incorporated (Applus Services SA)
• Original Assignee: Applus Technologies Incorporated (Applus Services SA)
• Inventors: McCartney, Victor E., Werner, Gregory A., Nicholson, William D., Schwantes, Timothy E., Werner, Mark J., Raml, Timothy J., Comeau, David Arthur
• Granted Patent: US 9,483,881 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/32
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 2205/02 using a vehicle scan tool
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 5/008 communicating information to a remotely located station transmission systems for measured values G08C
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/37 using biometric data, e.g. fingerprints, iris scans or voice recognition

Abstract

A system and method for testing vehicle emissions and engine control components using a standalone self-service kiosk. The self-service kiosk includes a computer capable of gathering Vehicle Information (VIN) and OBD information from a vehicle being tested using a barcode reader and an OBD reader, respectively. The self-service kiosk generates a readable display or printed report to the user indicating any detected diagnostic trouble codes found during the vehicle emissions testing. By networking a plurality of self-service kiosks together in a secure network and accessible through the Internet, the self-service kiosk network maintains a centrally located vehicle information database for storing and retrieving pertinent vehicle-related information during vehicle emissions testing. If the vehicle being tested passes the vehicle emissions testing, then the self-service kiosk prints out a registration renewal sticker, registration renewal document and/or receipt for the user.

Claims

1. A self-service kiosk comprising:

a standalone cabinet including a computer having a processor for processing information, a storage device for storing information related to a vehicle record and/or a test record for a vehicle being tested, and a printer for printing one or more documents, the cabinet further including a vehicle information number (VIN) reader for retrieving vehicle information related to the vehicle being tested, and an on-board diagnostic (OBD) reader for retrieving information from an OBD system of the vehicle being tested,

wherein the computer is responsive to conducting an emissions testing of the vehicle being tested such that the vehicle being tested is provided either a rejecting status or passing status by the computer based on the results of the emissions testing,

wherein if the vehicle being tested is provided a passing status by the computer for the emissions testing of the vehicle being tested, the computer instructs the printer to print out a registration renewal sticker signifying the passing status of the vehicle being tested.

2. The self-service kiosk of claim 1, wherein the computer determines whether the vehicle is provided either a rejecting status or a passing status based predetermined criteria for registration renewal.

3. The self-service kiosk of claim 1, further comprising a fingerprint scanner for capturing the fingerprint of a user.

4. The self-service kiosk of claim 3, wherein the fingerprint of the user is transmitted to the storage device for comparison by the processor with a fingerprint of the user that is previously stored in the storage device for authenticating the fingerprint of the user.

5. The self-service kiosk of claim 4, wherein if the fingerprint of the user transmitted to the storage device does not match the fingerprint of the user stored in the storage device then the identify of the user is not authenticated.

6. The self-service kiosk of claim 1, wherein the processor instructs the printer to print out one or more state regulated permits and/or licenses.

7. The self-service kiosk of claim 6, wherein the one or more state regulated permits and/or licenses is a hunting permit.

8. The self-service kiosk of claim 6, wherein the one or more state regulated permits and/or licenses is a fishing license.

9. The self-service kiosk of claim 6, wherein the one or more state regulated permits and/or licenses is a state park permit.

10. The self-service kiosk of claim 6, wherein the one or more state regulated permits and/or licenses is a burning permit.

11. The self-service kiosk of claim 1, further comprising a credit card reader for accepting a payment for conducting the emissions testing.

12. A self-service kiosk for conducting emissions testing and registration renewal comprising:

a standalone cabinet including having a processor for processing information, and a storage device for storing information related to a vehicle record and/or a test record for a vehicle being tested, the standalone cabinet further including a vehicle information number (VIN) reader for retrieving vehicle information related to the vehicle being tested, and an on-board diagnostic (OBD) reader for retrieving information from an OBD system of the vehicle being tested,

wherein the processor is responsive to conducting an emissions testing of the vehicle being tested such that the vehicle being tested is provided with either a rejecting status or passing status based on information from the OBD system of the vehicle being tested,

wherein if the vehicle being tested is provided a passing status for the emissions testing of the vehicle being tested, the processor generates a registration renewal for the vehicle being tested and stores the registration renewal in the storage device.

13. The self-service kiosk of claim 12, further comprising a printer responsive to the processor for printing out a registration renewal sticker for the vehicle being tested if a registration renewal is generated by the processor.

14. The self-service kiosk of claim 12, wherein the registration renewal is generated by the processor if the vehicle being tested meets registration renewal criteria stored in the storage device.

15. The self-service kiosk of claim 13, wherein the printer prints out a registration renewal document signifying the registration renewal status for the vehicle being tested.

16. A method for registration renewal and testing vehicle emissions comprising:

capturing and verifying user information;

capturing vehicle information number (VIN) information of a vehicle being tested;

capturing OBD-related information stored on an OBD system of the vehicle being tested;

processing the OBD-related information stored on the OBD system and generating test results based on the OBD-related information;

comparing the test results to registration renewal criteria; and

printing out one or more registration renewal stickers for the vehicle being tested if the test results meet the registration renewal criteria.

17. The method of claim 16, further comprising storing the test results and the registration renewal for the vehicle being tested in a storage device.