Revenue Sharing System and Method Thereof

• US 20140279230A1
• Filed: 09/19/2013
• Published: 09/18/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 03/15/2013
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH, Service Solutions US LLC
• Original Assignee: Service Solutions US LLC
• Inventors: Bertosa, Thomas, Gessner, Michael, Fish, James
• Application Number:
  US14/031,435
• Publication Number:
  US 20140279230A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/26.41
• CPC Class Codes: G01M 17/007 Wheeled or endless-tracked vehicles G01M17/08 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/20 Administration of product repair or maintenance
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0613 Third-party assisted
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 2205/02 using a vehicle scan tool
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 5/00 Registering or indicating the working of vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 5/008 communicating information to a remotely located station transmission systems for measured values G08C

Abstract

A diagnostic tool that can communicate with a computing device such as smart phone is provided. The diagnostic tool can include a power management system that allows the dynastic tool to enter lower power state in order to prevent the power drain of vehicle battery. The diagnostic tool can also AutoID a vehicle or use a “fingerprinting” process to identify the vehicle. A crediting system is provided that can be used to credit a 3^rd party for software purchased for use by the diagnostic tool or smart phone.

Claims

1. A method of sharing revenue with a third party, comprising the steps of:

storing diagnostic software in a memory of a computing device, the diagnostic software includes a plurality of vehicle diagnostic modules for diagnosing a vehicle;

receiving, from a diagnostic tool, diagnostic data of the vehicle by a processor on the computing device;

determining that a first vehicle diagnostic module of the plurality of vehicle diagnostic modules is needed to interpret the diagnostic data;

receiving instructions, from a user, to purchase the first vehicle diagnostic module of the plurality of vehicle diagnostic modules;

sending a signal, from the computing device, to a first remote server to purchase the first vehicle diagnostic module; and

notifying a second remote server of a third party in order to credit a third party'"'"'s account for the purchase.

2. The method of sharing revenue of claim 1 further comprising the steps of:

receiving, by the processor of the computing device, an authentication signal to authenticate the first vehicle diagnostic module;

authorizing the first vehicle diagnostic module for use on the computing device; and

diagnosing the vehicle using the authenticated first vehicle diagnostic module.

3. The method of sharing revenue of claim 1, wherein the third party is a dealer of the diagnostic tool.

4. The method of sharing revenue of claim 1 further comprising the step of:

registering a unique identifier the diagnostic tool at the first server.

5. The method of sharing revenue of claim 4, wherein the unique identifier is one of the following:

a brand identifier, a media access control address, and a dealer identifier.

6. The method of sharing revenue of claim 1 further comprising the steps of:

displaying, on a display of the computing device, vehicle diagnostic modules that are available for purchase for the vehicle; and

unlocking the purchased first vehicle diagnostic module.

7. The method of sharing revenue of claim 1 further comprising the steps of:

retaining in the memory of the computing device a previously received diagnostic data; and

interpreting the previously received diagnostic data with the authenticated first vehicle diagnostic module.

8. The method of sharing revenue of claim 1, wherein the computing device is a smart phone.

9. A method of sharing revenue with a third party through a first server, comprising the steps of:

receiving from a smart phone, at the first server, a request to purchase a license for a first vehicle diagnostic module that is included in a plurality of vehicle diagnostic modules stored on a memory of the smart phone, the first vehicle diagnostic module was determined by the smart phone as being needed to interpret vehicle diagnostic data sent by a diagnostic tool to the smart phone;

sending a license, from the first server, to the smart phone to authorize the first vehicle diagnostic module of the plurality of vehicle diagnostic modules on the smart phone; and

crediting a third party, at a second server, with a first credit for the purchased of the first vehicle diagnostic module based on a unique identifier of the diagnostic tool.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the third party is a dealer where the diagnostic tool was purchased.

11. The method of claim 9, wherein the unique identifier is one of the following:

a brand identifier, a media access control address, and a dealer identifier.

12. The method of claim 9, wherein the first credit is a percentage of the purchase of the first vehicle diagnostic module.

13. The method of claim 9 further comprising the steps of:

receiving the unique identifier of the diagnostic tool; and

communicating with the second server in order to provide the first credit.

14. The method of claim 9, wherein the third party is not the manufacture of the first vehicle diagnostic module.

15. The method of claim 9 further comprising the step of crediting the manufacture of the first vehicle diagnostic module or diagnostic tool with a second credit.

16. A system for paying a third party, comprising:

a vehicle diagnostic tool that retrieves diagnostic data from a vehicle and includes a unique identifier; and

a smart phone having a plurality of vehicle diagnostic modules, the smart phone configured receive the diagnostic data from the diagnostic tool and purchase a license, from a server, for a first vehicle diagnostic module included in the plurality of vehicle diagnostic modules, wherein the first vehicle diagnostic module is required to interpret the diagnostic data and the purchase causes the server to credit a third party for the purchase of the license.

17. The system of claim 16, wherein the third party is a dealer where the diagnostic tool was purchased.

18. The system of claim 16, wherein the unique identifier is one of the following:

a brand identifier, a media access control address, and a dealer identifier.

19. The system of claim 16, wherein the unique identifier is used linked the purchased license to the third party.

20. The system of claim 16, wherein the third party is not the manufacture of the first vehicle diagnostic module.