AUTOMOTIVE FLEET MANAGEMENT SYSTEM HAVING AN AUTOMATED VEHICLE MAINTENANCE AND REPAIR REFERRAL
First Claim
1. An automotive diagnostic method for use with an automotive data retrieving tool having a unique tool identifier, the automotive data retrieving tool being configured to retrieve data from a vehicle onboard computer, the unique tool identifier being associated with a selling retailer and contact information of an end user of the tool, the method comprising the steps of:
- receiving, at a diagnostic server, vehicle data and the unique tool identifier from an automotive data retrieving tool having a unique;
analyzing the received vehicle data at the diagnostic server to make a diagnostic assessment; and
sending a referral signal to the selling retailer associated with the automotive data retrieving tool based on the received unique tool identifier, the referral signal including the diagnostic assessment and the contact information of the end user of the tool.
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Accused Products
Abstract
An automotive diagnostic method including the step of providing an automotive data retrieving tool having a unique tool identifier, wherein the automotive data retrieving tool is configured to retrieve data from a vehicle onboard computer. Information related to a selling retailer associated with the automotive data retrieving tool is received and the unique tool identifier is associated with the selling retailer in a referral server. The method further includes receiving vehicle data from the automotive data retrieving tool, and analyzing the received vehicle data to make a diagnostic assessment, which is communicated along with the unique tool identifier to the referral server. The method additionally includes the step of matching the unique tool identifier communicated with the diagnostic assessment with the associated selling retailer and generating a referral signal including information related to a possible commercial transaction conducted by the selling retailer.
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Citations
22 Claims
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1. An automotive diagnostic method for use with an automotive data retrieving tool having a unique tool identifier, the automotive data retrieving tool being configured to retrieve data from a vehicle onboard computer, the unique tool identifier being associated with a selling retailer and contact information of an end user of the tool, the method comprising the steps of:
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receiving, at a diagnostic server, vehicle data and the unique tool identifier from an automotive data retrieving tool having a unique; analyzing the received vehicle data at the diagnostic server to make a diagnostic assessment; and sending a referral signal to the selling retailer associated with the automotive data retrieving tool based on the received unique tool identifier, the referral signal including the diagnostic assessment and the contact information of the end user of the tool. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
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12. An automotive diagnostic system comprising:
a diagnostic and referral server in communication with an automotive data retrieving tool configured to retrieve data from an onboard vehicle computer, the automotive data retrieving tool having a unique tool identifier being associated with a selling retailer and an end user contact information, the diagnostic and referral server being configured to receive the retrieved data from the automotive data retrieving tool and analyze the retrieved data to make a diagnostic assessment and to send a referral signal to the selling retailer, the referral signal including information related to the diagnostic assessment and the end user contact information. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15, 16, 18)
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17. The automotive diagnostic system recited in claim 17, wherein the universal part number is an Aftermarket Catalog Enhanced Standard (ACES) part number.
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19. A method of associating a third party retailer with an automotive data retrieval tool configured to retrieve diagnostic data from an onboard vehicle computer and being associated with a unique tool identifier and end user contact information the method comprising the steps of:
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receiving information associating a first one of a plurality of retailers with the unique tool identifier; receiving diagnostic data from the automotive data retrieval tool; analyzing the diagnostic data to determine a diagnostic assessment; and communicating a referral signal to the first one of the plurality of retailers, the referral signal including the diagnostic assessment and the end user contact information. - View Dependent Claims (20, 21, 22)
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Specification