METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR DETERMINING THE LIKELY OPERATING COST FOR A PARTICULAR TYPE OF VEHICLE OVER A DEFINED PERIOD

• US 20140188329A1
• Filed: 03/07/2014
• Published: 07/03/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 08/20/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Innova Electronics Corporation (Innova Telematics Solutions)
• Original Assignee: Innova Electronics Corporation (Innova Telematics Solutions)
• Inventors: Chen, Ieon C., Nguyen, Michael, Madison, Robert, Andreasen, Keith
• Granted Patent: US 9,892,568 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/29.6
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/22 Detection or location of defective computer hardware by testing during standby operation or during idle time, e.g. start-up testing
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/00 Information retrieval; Database structures therefor; File system structures therefor
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 5/008 communicating information to a remotely located station transmission systems for measured values G08C

Abstract

A method is disclosed for determining the cost of operating a vehicle over a defined period of time. The method proceeds by establishing, on a database, a schedule of anticipated future repairs for a plurality of vehicle types, the repair schedule including the cost of the repairs and the approximate mileage at which the anticipated future repair(s) are expected to become necessary. A processor, in communication with the database, receives information identifying a particular of vehicle, and the present mileage associated with that particular vehicle. Using the vehicle type information, the vehicle'"'"'s present mileage information and the repair schedule, the processor then computes the approximate total future repair costs for maintaining the vehicle over a defined period of time.

Claims

1. A method for determining the cost of operating a vehicle over a defined period comprising:

a) establishing on a database a schedule of the anticipated future repairs for a plurality of vehicle types, the anticipated repairs schedule including the approximate mileage at which the anticipated repairs are each expected to become necessary and a repair cost schedule of the anticipated future repairs for the plurality of vehicle types;

b) receiving in a processor information identifying a particular type of vehicle and a present mileage associated with the particular type of vehicle, the processor being in electrical communication with the database; and

c) using the information identifying a particular type vehicle, the present mileage, and the anticipated repair schedule, computing in the processor, an approximate total future repair cost for maintaining the particular type of vehicle over the defined period.

2. The method as recited in claim 1 wherein the defined period commences upon acquisition of the particular type of vehicle.

3. The method as recited in claim 1 wherein the defined period extends from a vehicle acquisition date to a future date when the particular type of vehicle reaches a predetermined future mileage.

4. The method as recited in claim 1 wherein the defined period extends from a vehicle acquisition date to a target future date.

5. The method as recited in claim 1 wherein the step of establishing an anticipated repair schedule comprises compiling on the database historical data respecting repair histories of a plurality of vehicle types and a repair mileage associated with each repair.

6. The method as recited in claim 5 further comprising the steps of:

d) adjusting the approximate total future repair cost by deducting the cost associated with anticipated future repairs that were made to the particular type of vehicle prior to the commencement of the defined period; and

e) adjusting the approximate total of future repair costs by adding repair costs associated with the anticipated repairs that were scheduled to have been made to the particular type of vehicle prior to the commencement of the defined period, but were not made.

7. The method as recited in claim 5 further comprising the steps of:

f) defining usage factors representative of an expected vehicle operating environment and conditions of use of the particular vehicle during the defined period;

g) adjusting the defined period in the response to the usage factors to derive an adjusted defined period; and

h) using the information identifying a particular type vehicle, the present mileage, the defined period of the cost schedule, the usage factors and the anticipated repair schedule, computing in the processor the approximate adjusted total future repair cost for maintaining the particular type of vehicle during the adjusted defined period.

8. The method as recited in claim 7 wherein when the adjusted defined period exceeds the defined period, further including the step of adjusting the total future repair costs by adding repair costs associated with repairs scheduled to be made between conclusion of the defined period and the conclusion of the adjusted defined period.

9. The method as recited in claim 7 wherein when the adjusted defined period is less than the defined period, further including the step of adjusting the total future repair costs by deducting future repair costs scheduled to be made between the conclusion of the adjusted defined period and the conclusion of the defined period.

10. The method as recited in claim 7 wherein when the adjusted defined period exceeds the defined period, the method further includes the step of adjusting the total future repair costs by adding repair costs associated with the repairs scheduled to be made between a mileage associated with the conclusion of the defined period and a mileage associated with the conclusion of the adjusted defined period.

11. The method as recited in claim 7 wherein when the adjusted defined is less than the defined period, the method further includes the step of adjusting the total repair costs by deducting repair costs scheduled to be made between a mileage associated with the conclusion of the adjusted defined period and a mileage associated with the conclusion of the defined period.

12. The method as recited in claim 5 wherein the step of receiving information identifying a particular type of vehicle and a present mileage associated with the particular type of vehicle comprises connecting a data acquisition and transfer device to a diagnostic port of the particular type of vehicle to retrieve vehicle type identifying information and present mileage information from the vehicle, and communicating the vehicle type identifying information and the mileage information from the vehicle data acquisition and transfer device to the processor.

13. The method as recited in claim 12 wherein the vehicle type identifying information includes a vehicle identification number (VIN).

14. The method as recited in claim 1 wherein the vehicle type identifying information includes the vehicle'"'"'s make, model, year and engine information.

15. The method as recited in claim 13 further including the step of deriving the vehicle'"'"'s make, model, year, and engine information may be derived from the vehicle identification number (VIN).

16. The method as recited in claim 12 wherein the data acquisition and transfer device comprises a vehicle scan tool.

17. The method as recited in claim 12 wherein the data acquisition and transfer device comprises a dongle.

18. The method as recited in claim 5 wherein the step of receiving in the processor information identifying the particular type of vehicle and a present mileage associated with the vehicle comprises receiving the particular type vehicle information and the present mileage information at website accessible by the processor.

19. The method as recited in claim 5 wherein the usage factor is derived from information including vehicle location information.

20. The method as recited in claim 5 wherein the usage factor is derived from information including vehicle anticipated use information.

21. The method as recited in claim 5 wherein the usage factor is derived from information including vehicle condition information.

22. The method as recited in claim 21 further including the steps of connecting a data acquisition and transfer device to a diagnostic connector port of the particular type of vehicle, retrieving the vehicle condition information from the particular type of vehicle by a data acquisition and transfer device, and communicating the vehicle use information from the data acquisition and transfer device to the processor.

23. The method as recited in claim 5 wherein the usage factor is derived from recorded driving patterns of a person anticipating acquisition of the particular type of vehicle.

24. The method as recited in claim 1 wherein the step of establishing a schedule of anticipated future repairs comprises compiling a list of actual repairs made to a plurality of different type of vehicles, the list including vehicle mileage associated with the actual repairs, the list being indexable by vehicle type identifying information.

25. The method as recited in claim 24 where the schedule of future repairs include a schedule of anticipated maintenance activities, and costs associated therewith.