REMOTE VEHICLE PROGRAMMING SYSTEM AND METHOD

• US 20140249712A1
• Filed: 03/19/2014
• Published: 09/04/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 12/23/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Repairify, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Charles P. Olsen, Walter W. Mcintyre
• Inventors: MARGOL, Lonnie E., DELASHMUTT, Richard C., STILTNER, Daniel J., MCINTYRE, Walter W., Olsen, Charles P.
• Granted Patent: US 9,684,500 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/31.5
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/61 Installation
• 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

Abstract

A system and method for remotely programming a vehicle including a vehicle connector with a plurality of pins in communication with one or more vehicle sub-systems or modules, a vehicle communication device connected to the vehicle connector; a bi-directional communication link between the vehicle communication device and a remote communication device, and a computer system connected to the remote communication device. The vehicle communication device is configured to receive signals from the pins, convert the signals to a network compatible data packet which can then be transmitted to the remote communication device, which re-converts the signals to the pin signals, which can be read by a computing system, such as a vehicle scan tool. Programming instructions can be sent from the scan tool to the vehicle, over the bi-directional communication link between the remote communication device and the vehicle communication device.

Claims

1. A system for remotely programming one or more sub-systems of a vehicle, comprising:

remote communication device, having a socket and a communications processor;

said socket of said remote communication device adapted to engage a computing system;

said remote communication device enabled to engage a vehicle communication device in continuous bi-directional communication using a standard OBD communications protocol via bi-directional communication link; and

wherein said remote communication device is enabled by said continuous bi-directional communication using a standard OBD communications protocol to actively and continuously communicate with, scan and program said sub-systems as if it were located proximate to said vehicle.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein said communications processor of said remote communication device is enabled to:

request, from said vehicle communication device over said bi-directional communication link, one or more outgoing pin signals from said one or more sub-systems;

receive, over said bi-directional communication link, a network-compatible vehicle packet corresponding to said outgoing in signals;

convert said vehicle packet to said one or more outgoing pin signals; and

transmit said one or more outgoing pin signals to said computer system.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein said communications processor of said remote communication device is further enabled to:

receive programming instructions from said computer system;

convert said programming instructions to a network-compatible programming packet; and

transmit said programming packet to said vehicle communication device over said bi-directional communication link.

4. The system of claim 3, wherein said bi-directional communication link comprises the Internet.

5. The system of claim 3, wherein said computer system is a vehicle scan tool.

6. A method for programming one or more sub-systems of a vehicle, comprising the steps of:

engaging a remote communication device, having a socket and a communications processor, said socked being communicatively engaged to a computing system, and a vehicle communication device, in continuous bi-directional communication using a standard OBD communications protocol via a bi-directional communication link;

requesting, from said vehicle communication device over said bi-directional communication link, one or more outgoing pin signals from said one or more sub-systems;

receiving, over said bi-directional communication link, a network-compatible vehicle packet corresponding to said outgoing pin signals;

converting said vehicle packet to said one or more outgoing pin signals; and

transmitting said one or more outgoing pin signals to said computer system;

wherein said remote communication device is enabled by said continuous bi-directional communication using a standard OBD communications protocol to actively and continuously communicate with, scan and program said sub-systems as if it were located proximate to said vehicle.

7. The method of claim 6 further comprising the steps of:

said remote communication device receiving programming instructions from said computer system;

converting said programming instructions to a network compatible programming packet; and

transmitting said programming packet to said vehicle communication device over said bi-directional communication link.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein said bi-directional communication link comprises the Internet.

9. The method of claim 7, wherein said computer system is a vehicle scan tool.