Systems for Interfacing Vehicles and Cloud Systems for Providing Remote Diagnostics Information

• US 20180089912A1
• Filed: 10/17/2017
• Published: 03/29/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 04/22/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Emerging Automotive, LLC
• Original Assignee: Emerging Automotive, LLC
• Inventors: Penilla, Angel A., Penilla, Albert S.
• Granted Patent: US 10,210,487 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: G01M 17/007 Wheeled or endless-tracked vehicles G01M17/08 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06314 Calendaring for a resource
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/1095 Meeting or appointment
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/20 Administration of product repair or maintenance
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0282 Rating or review of business operators or products
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0283 Price estimation or determination
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0611 Request for offers or quotes
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/08 Auctions
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 5/006 Indicating maintenance
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/023 using mutual or relative location information between multiple location based services [LBS] targets or of distance thresholds

Abstract

A system of a vehicle is provided. The system includes a wireless communication device for providing the vehicle with access to a network for exchanging vehicle condition information with a server. An on-board computer of the vehicle is configured for interfacing with vehicle systems and said wireless communication device. The on-board computer is configured to process input received from at least one vehicle interface of the vehicle and processing output via at least one vehicle output of the vehicle. The on-board computer is programmable to access a user account that is used to interface with said server. The wireless communication device is configured to send vehicle data, based on settings in the user account, to the server over the network for vehicle status information. The vehicle status information is for one or more vehicle systems of the vehicle. The server is configured to access at least one database that include diagnostics data for a vehicle type of the vehicle and crowd sourced data for the vehicle type. The crowd sourced data includes comments received from one or more users of vehicles of the vehicle type that relate to the vehicle status information and related to one or more vehicle systems of the vehicle. The server is configured to process the comments to identify a condition derived from the comments related to substantially similar circumstances associated with a condition of the vehicle. The server is configured to automatically process the vehicle data that is received against the diagnostics data and the crowd sourced data. The processing is configured to select an alert from among a plurality of possible alerts, and the alert is selected for the condition of a vehicle system of the one or more vehicle systems of the vehicle. The on-board computer is configured to output data using the at least one vehicle output regarding the alert selected for the condition of the vehicle.

Claims

1. A system of a vehicle, the system comprising:

a wireless communication device providing the vehicle with access to a network for exchanging vehicle condition information with a server;

an on-board computer of the vehicle configured for interfacing with vehicle systems and said wireless communication device, the on-board computer is configured to process input received from at least one vehicle interface of the vehicle and processing output via at least one vehicle output of the vehicle, the on-board computer is programmable to access a user account that is used to interface with said server;

the wireless communication device is configured to send vehicle data, based on settings in the user account, to the server over the network for vehicle status information, the vehicle status information being for one or more vehicle systems of the vehicle, the server is configured to access at least one database that include diagnostics data for a vehicle type of the vehicle and crowd sourced data for the vehicle type, the crowd sourced data includes comments received from one or more users of vehicles of the vehicle type that relate to the vehicle status information related to one or more vehicle systems of the vehicle, the server is configured to process the comments to identify a condition derived from the comments related to substantially similar circumstances associated with a condition of the vehicle, the server is configured to automatically process the vehicle data that is received against the diagnostics data and the crowd sourced data, the processing is configured to select an alert from among a plurality of possible alerts, the alert being selected for the condition of a vehicle system of the one or more vehicle systems of the vehicle;

the on-board computer is configured to output data using the at least one vehicle output regarding the alert selected for the condition of the vehicle.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the vehicle output is configured to display or output a recommended solution for handling the alert, the at least one vehicle output being one of an audio speaker, a display screen, or message that is communicated to a portable device associated with the user account.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the output data includes one or more links to a page or pages that identify a service provider located proximate to a geo-location of the vehicle, the service provider being predefined to handle alerts that are at least similar to the alert.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the on-board computer is configured to interface with the server for receiving data regarding examination of data from one or more of a vehicle history database and a manufacturer'"'"'s database for the vehicle type, the examining configured to adjust a confidence level for selecting the alert, the confidence level is at least in part influenced based on analysis of the comments associated with the crowd sourced data.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the on-board computer is configured to interface with the server for receiving data regarding ranking of the plurality of possible alerts, such that the alert is a top ranked alert among other alerts that are ranked, wherein one or more of the other alerts are presented by the vehicle with alternate recommendations.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the output data is a notification that includes text or data of at least some of the crowd sourced data, the alert being related to an alert experienced on another vehicle other than the vehicle.

7. The system of claim 3, wherein the page or pages provide access to one or more user reviews of the service provider.

8. The system of claim 3, wherein the service provider is identified along with associated scheduling openings for accepting the vehicle to handle the alert, the scheduled openings include one of schedule availability of the service provider, or calendar availability in a schedule of a user associated with the user account, or both schedule availability of the service provider and calendar availability in the schedule of the user associated with the user account.

9. The system of claim 1,

wherein electronic keys are transferrable to a service provider for enabling the service provider to access the vehicle to handle the alert, the electronic keys are accessible by a device of the service provider with privileges for access of the vehicle;

wherein use of the vehicle is recorded when the electronic keys are active, the use being made viewable by an administrator of the vehicle identified by the user account or another user account.

10. The system of claim 2, wherein the recommendation includes an estimated range of cost charged by service providers for handling the alert.

11. The system of claim 2, wherein the recommendation includes one or more options for handling the alert, the options include identification of a vehicle service provider for handling the alert, or identification of local service providers for handling the alert, or identification of customer ratings for service providers for handling the alert, or scheduling information for service providers for handling the alert, or social media comments associated with handling the alert, or adding the alert for the vehicle to a post to enable bidding for handling of the alert by service providers, or accessing a link to a website that provides historical information regarding the alert on other vehicles.

12. The system of claim 1, wherein the output data includes a link to a webpage that provides additional information regarding the alert and options for handling the alert, wherein one option includes,

enabling posting the alert to an online bidding service, or

enabling service providers access a website of the online service to view the posting for the alert, the access enabling service providers to bid for handling the alert and notifications regarding awarding of a job to handle the alert based on said bid.

13. The system of claim 11, further comprising receiving data from the server regarding analysis of one or more bids received for handling the alert from one or more service providers;

and

granting, in response to feedback from the user account, one of the service providers with a job to handle the alert, and

sending over a network, electronics keys for access of the vehicle, to the service provider that was granted the job.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein the granting of the job is at least in part determined based on conditions for awarding the job as defined in the posting by a user of the user account, wherein one of the conditions is a price the user is willing to pay for handling the alert.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein one of the conditions is that the service provider has a predefined service rating or that the service provider is located within a predefined distance of an address.

16. The system of claim 1, wherein the alert is related to one of a vehicle repair, or a software update, or a recall repair, or a regular service, or a system failure, or a preventative repair, or a combination of two or more thereof.

17. The system of claim 2, wherein the recommendation for handling the alert is customized for the user based on a learned pattern of inputs made by the user or preferences.

18. The system of claim 1, wherein the output data is a notification sent to the user account for access from one or more of a mobile device, a computing system of the vehicle, or a user interface of a website that is accessible for the user account, or a computer terminal, or personal computer.

19. The system of claim 1, wherein a client application is executed on the on-board computer of the vehicle, the client application is configured to process a plurality of routines that are configured to capture the vehicle data for the vehicle status information, the capturing occurring periodically by the client application, the client application configured to communicate with a server application of the server at predefined times or when particular conditions of the vehicle trigger the communication, or in response to a user input.

20. The system of claim 19, wherein the server receives the vehicle data as raw metrics, the raw metrics being processed by the server application by accessing the diagnostics data from the database, the database including one or more databases identified depending on characteristics of the raw metrics, and the database includes one of service history, recall fix history, repairs required, repairs performed, vehicle software version, software updates, or data regarding the vehicle being identified for sale.