Method and system for capturing vehicle data using an RF transmitter

• US 6,778,888 B2
• Filed: 09/04/2002
• Issued: 08/17/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 08/24/2001
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Ford Motor Company, Zebra Technologies Corporation
• Original Assignee: Ford Motor Company
• Inventors: Ubik, Henry Thomas, Patel, Mona, Haggerty, Terry, Bacon, Tom, Wisherd, Dave, Cataldo, Anthony Joseph, Bowman, Doug, Harrington, Tim
• Primary Examiner(s): Beaulieu, Yonel
• Application Number:
  US10/064,961
• Publication Number:
  US 20040044451A1
• Time in Patent Office: 713 Days
• Field of Search: 701/29, 701/32, 701/33, 701/35
• US Class Current: 701/29
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 5/008 communicating information to a remotely located station transmission systems for measured values G08C

Abstract

A system (100) and method (10) for automated collection of data from a transportation vehicle (14) having a wireless transmitter (12) connected to a diagnostic service bus (16). The wireless transmitter (12) is in communication with a server (22) for processing and displaying the collected data.

Claims

1. A system for collecting data from at least one transportation vehicle comprising:

a RF transmitter mounted to said at least one transportation vehicle;

a diagnostic service bus on said at least one transportation vehicle connected to said RF transmitter;

a server in wireless communication with said RF transmitter for initiating retrieval of data from said at least one transportation vehicle through said diagnostic service bus and for delivery of said retrieved data to said server, said server having commands for retrieving data having a predefined address corresponding to each of a vehicle identification number of said at least one transportation vehicle, a mileage of said at least one transportation vehicle, a battery charge level of said at least one transportation vehicle, a fuel level of said at least one transportation vehicle.

2. The system as claimed in claim 1 wherein said RF transmitter is a telemetry transmitter.

3. The system as claimed in claim 1 wherein said wireless communication is a wireless antenna network defining a predefined service area.

4. The system as claimed in claim 3 further comprising means for said server to determine a location of said at least one transportation vehicle within said predefined service area.

5. The system of claim 1 further comprising a handheld antenna that communicates with a specific transmitter for one of said at least one transportation vehicles on demand.

6. A method of collecting data from a transportation vehicle comprising the steps of:

mounting a RF transmitter to said vehicle;

connecting said RF transmitter to a diagnostic service bus on said vehicle;

accessing data representative of a vehicle identification number, a mileage, a battery charge level, and a fuel level by said transmitter through said diagnostic service bus;

transmitting said data to a server;

processing said data in said server to output as desired.

7. The method as claimed in claim 6 wherein said step of transmitting data to a server further comprises transmitting data to said server over a wireless antenna communication system.

8. The method as claimed in claim 7 wherein said wireless antenna communication system further defines a predefined service area.

9. The method as claimed in claim 8 wherein said step of transmitting said data further comprises transmitting a location of said vehicle within said predefined service area.

10. The method as claimed in claim 6 wherein said step of transmitting said data further comprises continuously transmitting data from said transmitter to said server for real time data.

11. The method as claimed in claim 6 wherein said step of transmitting said data further comprises forcing said transmitter to transmit data upon demand by way of a handheld antenna.

12. A method of collecting data from a transportation vehicle comprising the steps of:

mounting a RF transmitter to said vehicle;

connecting said RF transmitter to a diagnostic service bus on said vehicle;

accessing a vehicle identification number, a mileage, a battery charge level, and a fuel level relevant to said vehicle by said transmitter through said diagnostic service bus;

transmitting said vehicle identification number, a mileage, a battery charge level and a fuel level to a server over a wireless communication network;

processing said vehicle identification number, mileage, battery charge level and fuel level in said server to output as desired.

13. The method as claimed in claim 12 further comprising the step of transmitting a location of said vehicle.

14. The method as claimed in claim 12 wherein said step of transmitting said data further comprises continuously transmitting data from said transmitter to said server for real time data.

15. The method as claimed in claim 12 wherein said step of transmitting said data further comprises forcing said transmitter to transmit data upon demand by way of a handheld antenna.