SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR EXTRACTION AND TELEMETRY OF VEHICLE OPERATIONAL DATA FROM AN INTERNAL AUTOMOTIVE NETWORK

• US 20140025253A1
• Filed: 01/03/2012
• Published: 01/23/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 01/03/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Vinvox International Corporation
• Original Assignee: 650340 N.B. Ltd.
• Inventors: Rybak, Ihor Bohdan, Wood, Daniel, Murray, Judson, Janes, Andy, Pichette, Matthew
• Granted Patent: US 9,659,417 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/32.7
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 5/085 using electronic data carriers
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 5/0858 wherein the data carrier is removable

Abstract

Systems, methods, and related computer programs are provided wherein vehicle operation data is extracted from an internal automotive network. In an embodiment, a method comprises: i) obtaining data available on the internal automotive network via iterative interrogation; ii) analyzing the obtained data to identify a set of candidate data values having at least one common feature within a suitable proximity margin; and iii) heuristically selecting a candidate data value best matching one or more selection criteria to identify a true value. These systems and methods allow data to be extracted from proprietary and non-proprietary busses in the internal automotive network.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method for extracting vehicle operation data from an internal vehicle computer network of a vehicle, characterized in that the method comprises:

(a) obtaining data available from the internal vehicle computer network by iterative interrogation applied by a data harvesting device connected to the internal vehicle computer network;

(b) analyzing the obtained data to identify a set of candidate data values having at least one common feature within a suitable proximity margin; and

(c) heuristically selecting a candidate data value best matching one or more selection criteria to identify a true value so as to generate vehicle operation data.

2. The method of claim 1, comprising the further step of logging the vehicle operation data, and transferring the vehicle operation data wirelessly to a host computer system.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the vehicle operation data includes real time or near real time information regarding the operational or maintenance status of the vehicle.

4. The method of claim 1, comprising the further step of applying one or more processing rules for extracting the vehicle operation data available from the data available from the internal vehicle computer network.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the iterative interrogation includes one or more data discovery routines for discovering one or more of the processing rules for the vehicle, the vehicle having a make and model.

6. A data harvesting device for extracting vehicle operation data from an internal vehicle computer network of a vehicle, characterized in that the device includes:

(a) a low-profile physical connector for connecting to a data port connected to the vehicle computer network, (b) a housing including (i) a micro-computer, (ii) a storage medium, (iii) a wireless communication component, and (iv) a device computer program accessible to the microcomputer, and (c) a cable connecting the connector to the housing, thereby enabling the data harvesting device to be easily installed in a vehicle by a human on a permanent basis or quasi-permanent basis in a way that does not interfere with normal, safe use of the vehicle, and wherein the device is operable to extract and/or generate vehicle operation data from data available from vehicle computer network via the data port, to log the vehicle operation data to the storage medium, and wirelessly transfer the vehicle operation data to a remote host computer via a wireless network by means of the wireless communication component.

7. The device of claim 6 characterized in that the device computer program defines on the device:

(a) device registration component for registering the device with the remote host computer;

(b) a data capture/analysis component that implements one or more processing rules for extracting the vehicle operation data from the data available from the vehicle computer network;

(c) a data logging and transfer component for logging the vehicle operation data and initiating the wireless transfer of the vehicle operation data to the remote host computer; and

(d) a data manager that is operable to include and implement one or more parameters, configurations, and/or rules that determine the data capture/analysis/logging/transfer functions of the device.

8. The device of claim 7, wherein the device is operable to apply iterative interrogation of the vehicle computer network, such interrogation including one or more of (i) request-response interaction wherein there is a specific response code returned in answer to a specific request code, and (ii) a monitoring mode wherein the device acts as a listener to analyze the free flow of data packets on a vehicle computer network bus until detecting the specific data elements required.

9. The device of claim 7, wherein the device computer program further defines one or more discovery routines that enable the querying of the vehicle computer network to obtain configuration data that enables the extraction of the information.

10. The device of claim 7, wherein the devices enables the extraction and transfer real-time or near real-time vehicle operation data such as actual odometer information and not approximate odometer information.

11. A computer network implemented telemetry system for extracting vehicle operation data from an internal vehicle computer network of a vehicle, characterized in that the system comprises:

(a) one or more data harvesting devices, the data harvesting devices including (a) a physical connector for connecting to a data port connected to the vehicle computer network, and (b) a housing including (i) a microcomputer, (ii) a storage medium, (iii) a wireless communication component, and a device computer program accessible to the microcomputer; and

(b) a remote host computer system, linked to the one or more data harvesting devices, the host computer system being linked to a database, the database including a library that includes configuration data for extracting vehicle operation data from a vehicle having a make and model

wherein the data harvesting devices obtain information regarding the make and model of the vehicle, and transfer this information to the host computer system, and in response the host computer system send associated configuration data to the data harvesting devices, thereby enabling each data harvest device to extract and/or generate vehicle operation data from data available from vehicle computer network via the data port, to log the vehicle operation data to the storage medium, and wirelessly transfer the vehicle operation data to a remote host computer system via a wireless network by means of the wireless communication component.