METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR DATABASE COMPILATION ON A REMOTE ELECTRONIC DEVICE

• US 20140365064A1
• Filed: 06/11/2013
• Published: 12/11/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 06/11/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Innova Electronics Corporation (Innova Telematics Solutions)
• Original Assignee: Innova Electronics Corporation (Innova Telematics Solutions)
• Inventors: Pham, Phuong
• Granted Patent: US 9,324,194 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/29.6
• 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 5/0808 Diagnosing performance data testing of vehicles G01M17/00; testing of electrical installation on vehicles G01R31/005

Abstract

A system and method of customizing a data retrieval and storage device for communication with a specific vehicle after the device is initially connected to the vehicle. The system includes a master database having communication information arranged by vehicle specific information, and an automotive scan tool having an incomplete set of preloaded communication information stored thereon. The automotive scan tool is configured to retrieve an electronic VIN from the vehicle and upload the electronic VIN to the master database. After receiving the electronic VIN, the master database identifies the specific communication information associated with the vehicle and communicates such information to the automotive scan tool to compliment the preloaded communication information.

Claims

1. A method of customizing a handheld automotive scan tool for use with an onboard vehicle computer configured to transmit a signal including an electronic vehicle identification number (VIN) in response to a request made using generic communication information, the method comprising the steps of:

providing the handheld automotive scan tool including a storage module, and a long-range communication module in operative communication with the storage module, the automotive scan tool being configured to retrieve the electronic VIN from the onboard vehicle computer using the generic communication information when the automotive scan tool is in operative communication with the onboard vehicle computer;

storing a first set of communication information on the storage module;

receiving the electronic VIN from the handheld automotive scan tool;

determining a second set of communication information associated with the electronic VIN received from the scan tool and complimentary to the first set of communication information, the combination of the first and second sets of communication information allow the scan tool to retrieve operational information from the vehicle; and

communicating the second set of communication information associated with the electronic VIN to the automotive scan tool to enhance the capability of the automotive scan tool to communicate with the onboard vehicle computer.

2. The method recited in claim 1, further comprising the step of decoding the electronic VIN to determine the year, make and model associated with the electronic VIN.

3. The method recited in claim 2, wherein the decoding step is performed remotely from the automotive scan tool.

4. The method recited in claim 2, wherein the step of determining a second set of communication information includes determining a second set of communication information associated with the year, make and model associated with the electronic VIN.

5. The method recited in claim 1, further comprising the step of compiling a master database including vehicle communication information matched with vehicle identification information, the vehicle communication information including the first set of communication information and at least one second set of communication information.

6. The method recited in claim 1, wherein the automotive scan tool is configured to autonomously generate a request for the electronic VIN in response to establishing a communication link between the automotive scan tool and the onboard vehicle computer.

7. The method recited in claim 6, wherein the determining step is performed autonomously in response to receipt of the electronic VIN from the automotive scan tool.

8. The method recited in claim 7, wherein the communicating step is performed autonomously in response to receipt of the electronic VIN from the automotive scan tool.

9. The method recited in claim 1, wherein the first set of communication information includes the generic communication information such that the first set of communication information is used to retrieve the electronic VIN from the onboard vehicle computer.

10. The method recited in claim 1, wherein the first and second sets of communication information are needed to allow the automotive scan tool to communicate with vehicle modules.

11. A method of customizing a handheld automotive scan tool for use with an onboard vehicle computer, the onboard vehicle computer being configured to transmit a signal including an electronic VIN in response to receipt of request made using low level communication information, the method comprising the steps of:

providing the handheld automotive scan tool including a storage module, and a long-range communication module in operative communication with the storage module, the automotive scan tool being configured to retrieve an electronic vehicle identification number (VIN) from the onboard vehicle computer when the automotive scan tool is in operative communication with the onboard vehicle computer, the handheld automotive scan tool requiring vehicle specific communications information to perform desired communications with the onboard vehicle computer;

storing a first set of high level communication information on the storage module;

receiving the electronic VIN from the handheld automotive scan tool;

determining a second set of high level communication information associated with the electronic VIN received from the scan tool and complimentary to the first set of communication information stored on the scan tool to collectively define the vehicle specific communions information; and

communicating the second set of high level communication information associated with the electronic VIN to the automotive scan tool.

12. The method recited in claim 11, further comprising the step of decoding the electronic VIN to determine the year, make and model associated with the electronic VIN.

13. The method recited in claim 12, wherein the step of determining a second set of high level communication information includes determining a second set of high level communication information associated with the year, make and model associated with the electronic VIN.

14. The method recited in claim 11, further comprising the step of compiling a master database including vehicle communication information matched with vehicle identification information, the vehicle communication information including the first set of high level communication information and at least one second set of high level communication information.

15. The method recited in claim 11, wherein the automotive scan tool is configured to autonomously generate a request for the electronic VIN using low level communication information in response to establishing a communication link between the automotive scan tool and the onboard vehicle computer.

16. The method recited in claim 15, wherein the determining step is performed autonomously in response to receipt of the electronic VIN from the automotive scan tool.

17. The method recited in claim 16, wherein the communicating step is performed autonomously in response to receipt of the electronic VIN from the automotive scan tool.

18. A system for remote customization of a handheld automotive scan tool configured for communicating with an onboard vehicle computer, the system comprising:

a master database including high level vehicle communication information matched with vehicle identification information, the vehicle communication information including a first set of high level communication information and at least one second set of high level communication information; and

an automotive scan tool having a storage module, and a long-range communication module in operative communication with the storage module and operatively connectable with the master database;

the storage module having the first set of high level communication information stored thereon;

the automotive scan tool being configured to retrieve an electronic vehicle identification number (VIN) from the onboard vehicle computer using low level communication protocols and communicate the electronic VIN to the master database via the long-range communication module;

the master database being configured to determine the at least one second set of high level communication information associated with the electronic VIN and communicate the determined at least one second set of high level communication information associated with the electronic VIN to the automotive scan tool.

19. The system recited in claim 18, wherein the automotive scan tool includes an autonomous retrieval circuit configured to autonomously retrieve the electronic VIN in response to establishing a communication link between the scan tool and the onboard computer.

20. The system recited in claim 18, wherein the mater database includes an autonomous determination and communication circuit configured to autonomously determine the second set of high level communication information and transmit the determined second set of high level communication information in response to receipt of the electronic VIN.

21. The system recited in claim 18, wherein the storage module is configured to store the second set of high level communication information when the vehicle is powered off.

22. The system recited in claim 21, wherein the storage module is configured to delete the second set of high level communication information upon connection to another vehicle.