Method and apparatus for update and acquisition of automotive vehicle specifications in automotive diagnostic equipment

• US 6,556,904 B1
• Filed: 06/05/2000
• Issued: 04/29/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 09/02/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Hunter Engineering Company
• Original Assignee: Hunter Engineering Company
• Inventors: Smith, James M., Larson, Timothy A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen, Tan Q.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Tran, Dalena
• Application Number:
  US09/587,637
• Time in Patent Office: 1,058 Days
• Field of Search: 701/29, 701/35, 701/33, 701/31, 332/031.8, 356/155, 702/113, 709/220, 709/221
• US Class Current: 701/33
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 5/008 communicating information to a remotely located station transmission systems for measured values G08C

Abstract

An apparatus and method for providing automotive vehicle information from a remote system to an automotive service device through a communications link wherein a first processor associated with the automotive service device is configured to obtain automotive vehicle information from a remote system over said communications link, the remote system configured to provide to the first processor an index identifying at least one set of automotive vehicle data available from said remote system such that the first processor can select and access at least one set of automotive vehicle data from the index for display at said automotive service device and for use in the service of an automotive vehicle.

Claims

1. In an automotive service system linked to the Internet, a host computer configured to transfer data over the Internet and for storing a first plurality of vehicle data sets, and a remote computer configured to transfer data over the Internet and for storing a second plurality of vehicle data sets, an improvement comprising:

said host computer configured to respond to input vehicle identifying information to identify a need to obtain at least one specific vehicle data set from said remote computer;

said host computer further configured to utilize said input vehicle identifying information to generate a request for at least one specific vehicle data set from said remote computer;

said remote computer configured as an Internet web server to respond to said request from said host computer to dynamically generate at least one customized web page containing said at least one specific vehicle data set from said second plurality of vehicle data sets for transfer to said host computer over the Internet; and

wherein said host computer is further configured to incorporate said transferred data set into said first plurality of vehicle data sets for use with current and subsequent vehicle wheel service procedures.

2. The improved automotive service system of claim 1 wherein said host computer is a component in a vehicle wheel alignment system having at least one sensing device for acquiring wheel alignment data, said host computer including interface circuitry in communication with said at least one sensing device for generating data representative of said acquired wheel alignment data, and said host computer configured to utilize said generated data to provide a representation of vehicle wheel alignment to an operator.

3. The improved automotive service system of claim 1 wherein said host computer is further configured to utilize said received information to retrieve at least one set of vehicle specifications from data storage, said at least one set of vehicle specifications utilized together with said generated data to provide a representation of said vehicle wheel alignment.

4. The improved automotive service system of claim 3 wherein said at least one set of vehicle specifications are encrypted in data storage.

5. The improved automotive service system of claim 4 wherein said received information is a cryptographic key, said host computer configured to utilize said cryptographic key to decrypt said at least one set of vehicle specification from encrypted data storage.

6. The improved automotive service system of claim 3 wherein said retrieved set of vehicle specifications includes manufacturer'"'"'s wheel alignment specifications.

7. The improved automotive service system of claim 3 wherein said retrieved set of vehicle specifications includes one or more thumbnail digital image links.

8. The improved automotive service system of claim 3 wherein said retrieved set of vehicle specifications include instructional data.

9. The improved automotive service system of claim 3 wherein said retrieved set of vehicle specifications include service parts data.

10. The improved automotive service system of claim 1 wherein said transferred data set from said remote computer includes at least one set of vehicle wheel alignment specifications.

11. The improved automotive service system of claim 1 wherein said host computer is configured to provide a user with an option to utilize said first plurality of vehicle data sets.

12. The improved automotive service system of claim 11 wherein said host computer is configured to provide a user with an option to access said second plurality of vehicle data sets.

13. The improved automotive service system of claim 1 wherein said remote computer is configured to encrypt said copy of said at least one specific vehicle data set prior to transfer to said host computer over the Internet.

14. The improved automotive service system of claim 13 wherein said host computer is configured to decrypt said encrypted copy of said at least one specific vehicle data set received over the Internet.

15. The improved automotive service system of claim 1 wherein said at least one specific vehicle data set is an updated version of an original vehicle data set included in said first plurality of vehicle data sets, host computer configured to replace said original vehicle data set with said updated version.

16. The improved automotive service system of claim 1 wherein

said remote computer is configured to utilize HTML to generate, in response to said request from said host computer, an index of selectable links to said at least one specific vehicle data set available in said second plurality of vehicle data sets.

17. A method for supplementing vehicle information stored in a vehicle wheel alignment system having a local database of vehicle information, the method comprising the steps of:

identifying a vehicle;

searching the local database for vehicle data associated with said identified vehicle;

responsive to said search of the local database, establishing a communications link between the vehicle wheel alignment system and at least one remote computer system;

retrieving via said communications link, a dynamically generated data packet containing vehicle data associated with the identified vehicle;

extracting said vehicle data from said data packet; and

utilizing said extracted vehicle data in the service of said identified vehicle.

18. The method of claim 17 for supplementing vehicle information stored in a vehicle wheel alignment system further comprising the steps of:

communicating from said vehicle wheel alignment system to said remote computer system at least one payment option; and

verifying at said remote computer system validity of said at least one payment option.

19. The method of claim 17 for supplementing vehicle information stored in a vehicle wheel alignment system wherein said communications link between said vehicle wheel alignment system and at least one remote computer system is established responsive to said search failing to identify vehicle data associated with the identified vehicle.

20. The method of claim 17 for supplementing vehicle information stored in a vehicle wheel alignment system wherein said communications link between said vehicle wheel alignment system and at least one remote computer system is established responsive to said search identifying outdated vehicle data associated with the identified vehicle.

21. The method of claim 17 for supplementing vehicle information stored in a vehicle wheel alignment system further including the step of incorporating said extracted vehicle data into the local database for subsequent access.

22. The method of claim 17 for supplementing vehicle information stored in a vehicle wheel alignment system wherein said retrieved dynamically generated data packet containing said vehicle data is a web page, said extracting step including extracting said vehicle data from said web page.

23. The method of claim 22 for supplementing vehicle information stored in a vehicle wheel alignment system wherein said dynamically generated web page includes XML data.

24. In an automotive service system having a communications link, a host computer configured to transfer data over said communications link and for storing a first plurality of vehicle data sets, and a remote computer configured to transfer data over said communications link and for storing a second plurality of vehicle data sets, an improvement comprising:

said host computer configured to request at least one specific vehicle data set from said remote computer;

said remote computer configured to respond to a request from said host computer to generate a custom data packet containing a copy of said at least one specific vehicle data set from said second plurality of vehicle data sets, said remote computer further configured to transfer said custom data packet to said host computer over said communications link; and

said host computer further configured to extract said copy of said at least one specific vehicle data set from said transferred custom data packet and to incorporate said transferred vehicle data set into said first plurality of vehicle data sets.

25. The improved automotive service system of claim 24 wherein said host computer is configured to incorporate said transferred copy of said at least one specific vehicle data set into said first plurality of vehicle data sets for subsequent access thereto.

26. The improved automotive service system of claim 24 wherein said remote computer is configured to utilize HTML and XML to generate said custom data packet containing said copy of said at least one specific vehicle data set in response to said request from said host computer.

27. The improved automotive service system of claim 26 wherein said at least one specific vehicle data set includes digital image data.

28. The improved automotive service system of claim 26 wherein said at least one specific vehicle data set includes vehicle repair data.

29. A method for providing automotive vehicle information from a remote system configured as an Internet web server, to a vehicle service device having a host computer, through the Internet, the method comprising the steps of:

providing vehicle identifying information;

communicating a request for said at least one vehicle data set from said remote system over the Internet;

generating, at said remote system at least one customized data packet containing said at least one vehicle data set;

transferring said at least one dynamically generated custom data packet containing said at least one set of vehicle data associated with said vehicle identifying information from said remote system to said host computer over the Internet;

extracting said at least one set of vehicle data from said at least one transferred custom data packet; and

utilizing said acquired set of vehicle data in the service of an automotive vehicle.

30. The method of claim 29 for providing automotive vehicle information from a remote system to a vehicle service device further including the steps of:

communicating an access authorization to said remote system;

verifying at said remote system validity of said access authorization prior to generating said at least one customized data packet; and

wherein the step of verifying said access authorization requires comparing an expiration timestamp associated with said access authorization with a current timestamp; and

rejecting validity of said access authorization if said expiration timestamp has passed.

31. The method of claim 30 for providing automotive vehicle information from a remote system to a vehicle service device wherein the step of verifying said access authorization further requires comparing a host computer timestamp received at said remote system from said vehicle service device with said current timestamp;

and rejecting validity of said access authorization if said host computer timestamp varies from said current timestamp by more than a predetermined amount.

32. The method of claim 29 for providing automotive vehicle information from a remote system to a vehicle service device further including the steps of encrypting said vehicle data set prior to transfer;

and

decrypting at said vehicle service device said extracted vehicle data set.

33. The method of claim 29 for providing automotive vehicle information from a remote system to a vehicle service device wherein, responsive to said vehicle service device, generating at said remote system at least one HTML web page including links to said at least one vehicle data set to be provided from said remote system to said vehicle service device.

34. The method of claim 29 for providing automotive vehicle information from a remote system to a vehicle service device further including the steps of:

providing from said remote system to said vehicle service device over the Internet, an index identifying at least one vehicle data set available from said remote system; and

selecting, through said vehicle service device at least one available vehicle data set.

35. The method of claim 34 for providing automotive vehicle information from a remote system to a vehicle service device wherein said step of generating at least one customized data packet containing said at least one vehicle data set includes dynamically creating a web page containing said at least one vehicle data set.

36. The method of claim 29 for providing automotive vehicle information from a remote system to a vehicle service device wherein said generated custom data packet includes XML data.

37. The method of claim 29 for providing automotive vehicle information from a remote system to a vehicle service device wherein said at least one acquired vehicle data set includes vehicle wheel alignment specifications.

38. The method of claim 29 for providing automotive vehicle information from a remote system to a vehicle service device further including the step of storing said acquired set of vehicle data for subsequent access.

39. A method for providing automotive vehicle information from a remote system to a vehicle wheel alignment device through a communications link, the method comprising the steps of:

providing said vehicle wheel alignment device with vehicle identifying information;

directing said vehicle wheel alignment device to utilize said vehicle identifying information to obtain automotive vehicle data from said remote system over said communications link;

providing from said remote system to said vehicle wheel alignment device over said communications link, an index identifying at least one set of automotive vehicle data available from said remote system;

selecting, through said vehicle wheel alignment device at least one set of automotive vehicle data available from said remote system;

transferring from said vehicle wheel alignment device to said remote system at least one packet of statistical information related to said vehicle wheel alignment device following said selecting of at least one set of automotive vehicle data available from said remote system;

analyzing, at said remote computer, said transferred at least one packet of statistical information;

providing from said remote system, access to said selected set of automotive vehicle data over said communications link,

acquiring at least one set of automotive vehicle data associated with said vehicle identifying information from said remote system over said communications link;

storing said acquired set of vehicle data for subsequent access;

utilizing said acquired set of automotive vehicle data in the service of an automotive vehicle;

wherein the step of analyzing said transferred at least one packet of statistical information includes identifying the configuration of said vehicle wheel alignment device; and

wherein identifying the configuration of said vehicle wheel alignment device identifies a accessory configuration of said vehicle wheel alignment device, including at least one of the set of

identification of installed electronic security keys,

identification of an installed automotive diagnostic software revision.

40. A method for providing automotive vehicle information from a remote system to a vehicle wheel alignment device through a communications link, the method comprising the steps of:

providing said vehicle wheel alignment device with vehicle identifying information;

directing said vehicle wheel alignment device to utilize said vehicle identifying information to obtain automotive vehicle data from said remote system over said communications link;

acquiring at least one set of automotive vehicle data associated with said vehicle identifying information from said remote system over said communications link;

compiling tracking data at said remote computer, associated with said access to selected sets of automotive vehicle data;

storing said acquired set of vehicle data for subsequent access;

utilizing said acquired set of automotive vehicle data in the service of an automotive vehicle; and

utilizing said compiled tracking data at said remote computer to identify statistical information including at least one of set of

frequency of access to individual vehicle specification sets,

vehicle wheel alignment repair trends,

frequency of access by individual host computers.

41. The method of claim 40 wherein said step of compiling tracking data at said remote computer includes storing identification of said vehicle wheel alignment device and storing identification of said selected sets of automotive vehicle data.

42. The method of claim 41 further including the step of, at a later point in time, utilizing said compiled tracking data at said remote computer to signal said vehicle wheel alignment device of an availability of at least one update to said selected sets of automotive vehicle data.

43. A vehicle wheel alignment system having at least one sensing device for acquiring wheel alignment data, interface circuitry in communication with said at least one sensing device for generating data representative of said acquired wheel alignment data, and a general purpose computer configured to utilize the generated data and input vehicle identification data to provide a representation of vehicle wheel alignment to an operator, an improvement comprising:

said general purpose computer programmed to;

communicate over the Internet to at least one remote information database a request for remote vehicle data associated with the input vehicle identification data,

receive a dynamically generated custom data packet containing said remote vehicle data associated with the input vehicle identification data from said at least one remote information database, and

extract said remote vehicle data from said custom data packet;

utilize at least one of the set of said local vehicle data and said extracted remote vehicle data to provide the representation of vehicle alignment to the operator.

44. The vehicle wheel alignment system of claim 43 wherein said general purpose computer is further programmed to incorporate said extracted remote vehicle data into said at least one local information database for subsequent access thereto.