System and method for collecting vehicle data and diagnosing the vehicle, and method for automatically setting the vehicle convenience apparatus using smartcard

• US 6,819,986 B2
• Filed: 06/03/2002
• Issued: 11/16/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 08/10/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Smartplatforms Company Limited
• Original Assignee: Tellsyn Co. Ltd.
• Inventors: Hong, Seok-Woo, Lee, Myong-Shick, Jeong, Pyo-Lyul
• Primary Examiner(s): Black, Thomas G.
• Assistant Examiner(s): To, Tuan C
• Application Number:
  US10/162,271
• Publication Number:
  US 20030069673A1
• Time in Patent Office: 897 Days
• Field of Search: 701/33, 701/31, 701/35, 701/66, 701/29, 340/439, 340/459, 340/825.15, 340/825.69, 340/5.21, 340/5.2, 340/5.22, 340/5.51, 340/5.54, 340/5.74, 340/5.8, 340/5.85, 340/5.3, 340/426, 340/438, 370/313, 725/10, 725/11, 725/13, 725/25, 725/28, 725/30, 345/650, 345/661, 709/203
• US Class Current: 701/29
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 25/2081 combined with personal settings of other vehicle devices, e.g. mirrors, seats, steering wheels
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 25/307 using data concerning maintenance or configuration
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 5/0858 wherein the data carrier is removable

Abstract

The present invention provides a system and method for collecting vehicle data and diagnosing the vehicle, and method for automatically setting the vehicle convenience apparatus using smartcard so as to settle the problem of the existing arbitrary vehicle care and maintenance.

The system of the present invention comprises a smartcard which includes vehicle-related data comprising the vehicle basic information data and vehicle maintenance information data, a smartcard control unit (SCU) which is connected to an electronic controller, mechanical controller, and sensors inside the vehicle and collects information from the vehicle, reads the vehicle-related data from the smartcard, or records the information collected from the vehicle in smartcard, a terminal unit which reads the vehicle-related data from the smartcard and diagnoses the vehicle, and stores its result in the smartcard.

Claims

1. A system for collecting vehicle data and diagnosing a vehicle, comprising:

a smartcard having vehicle-related data containing basic vehicle information data and vehicle maintenance information data; and

a smartcard control unit (SCU) connected to electronic control units, mechanical control units, and sensors within the vehicle, and for collecting vehicular information, reading the vehicle-related data from the smartcard, or storing the collected vehicular information in the smartcard, wherein the smartcard control unit includes;

a vehicle interface for inputting data as to vehicle states from the mechanical control units, the electronic control units, and the sensors inside the vehicle;

a first memory for storing data indicating vehicle states collected from the control units and sensors through the vehicle interface;

a second memory for storing data transferred from the smartcard as to vehicle diagnosis and maintenance items;

a third memory for storing vehicle-inherent information data;

a card interface for interfacing the smartcard and the smartcard control unit;

a processor for controlling the vehicle interface, first memory, second memory, third memory, and card interface, and performing calculation; and

a memory part including a program for controlling the processor.

2. The system as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a terminal for reading the vehicle-related data from the smartcard, carrying out diagnoses, and storing results in the smartcard.

3. The system as claimed in claim 1 or 2, wherein the basic vehicle information data of the smartcard includes information data as to vehicle-inherent information data and information data as to an owner of the vehicle, and the vehicle maintenance information data of the smartcard includes information data outputted from various vehicular control units and sensors and data inputted from exterior as to vehicle diagnoses and maintenance.

4. The system as claimed in claim 3, wherein the vehicle-inherent information data is stored in a memory part included in the smartcard control unit upon vehicle delivery, and stored from the smartcard control unit to the smartcard upon resetting the smartcard.

5. The system as claimed in claim 4, wherein the vehicle-inherent information data includes more than one out of a vehicle delivery date, frame number, engine number, vehicle kind, year, and displacement volume as to the vehicle.

6. The system as claimed in claim 3, wherein the information data as to the vehicle owner includes more than one out of purchase date, vehicle owner'"'"'s name, resident registration number, driver'"'"'s license number, password, and email address.

7. The system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the smartcard control unit includes an exterior display device for displaying present states of the smartcard control unit or displaying communication states between the smartcard and the smartcard control unit and vehicle trouble messages.

8. The system as claimed in claim 7, wherein the exterior display device is implemented in connection with an audio display, navigation system, or an auto PC which are mounted in the vehicle.

9. The system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the first memory includes more than one out of information as to vehicular normal or abnormal state which is inputted from a self diagnosis connector mounted in the vehicle, and represented as error codes of the vehicle, a vehicle speed on the run detected from sensors attached in the vehicle, an average RPM obtained by an injector driving signal while driving, and an engine state.

10. The system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the second memory includes more than one out of A/S dates, A/S items, maintenance contents, replacement parts, and maintenance shop records as data as to vehicle maintenance.

11. The system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the vehicle interface includes:

a connector interface connecting plural self diagnosis connectors and the smartcard control unit;

a sensor interface for transferring vehicle sensor output values to the smartcard control unit; and

an interrupt interface for decoding interrupts for changing convenience apparatus setting values stored in the smartcard control unit, when convenience apparatus setting values are changed on the run, and for transferring convenience apparatus change signals.

12. The system as claimed in claim 11, wherein the sensor interface includes an A/D converter for converting signals inputted from vehicle speed sensors, injector driving signals, throttle valve position sensors, air volume sensors, temperature sensors, and intake air sensors, and for transferring the signals to a CPU.

13. The system as claimed in claim 2, wherein the terminal includes:

a card terminal for reading the vehicle-related data from the smartcard and for storing processed vehicle-related data in the smartcard; and

a data processing means for outputting the to the card terminal the diagnosis results and maintenance items as to the data read from the smartcard and for storing the diagnosis results and maintenance items in the smartcard.

14. The system as claimed in claim 13, wherein the data processing means includes a personal computer (PC) for executing a vehicle diagnosis program as to the vehicle-related data read from the smartcard, diagnosing the vehicle, and displaying maintenance items based on diagnosis results.

15. The system as claimed in claim 13, further comprising a central A/S center main server connected to the card terminal through a network, and for checking the vehicle diagnoses and maintenance items as to the data of the smartcard received from the card terminal, and transferring to the card terminal and storing in the smartcard the diagnosis results and required maintenance items.

16. The system as claimed in claim 15, wherein the data processing means is a mobile communication terminal or a PC connectable to the network.

17. The system as claimed in claim 15, wherein the central A/S center main server includes:

a knowledge database containing error codes and combined error codes occurrable as to vehicle trouble states, and diagnosis rules and procedures as to the codes; and

an inference means for diagnosing the vehicle by applying to the data received from the smartcard the vehicle diagnosis rules and diagnosis determination procedures received from the knowledge database.

18. The system as claimed in claim 17, wherein the central A/S center main server further comprises a vehicle diagnosis result database for receiving and storing the vehicle diagnosis results from the inference means, and storing through a web interface consumers'"'"' complaints and vehicle problems as to the diagnosis results.

19. The system as claimed in claim 18, wherein the central A/S center main server further comprises a knowledge acquisition system for converting the diagnosis results stored in the vehicle diagnosis result database to a format storable in the knowledge database,

and the inference means diagnoses the vehicle by applying to the data received from the smartcard the vehicle diagnosis rules and diagnosis determination procedures received from the knowledge database.

20. A method for collecting vehicle data by using a smartcard and a smartcard control unit reading vehicle-related information from the smartcard and storing in the smartcard the data collected from control units and sensors inside a vehicle, comprising steps of:

(a) transferring self diagnosis commands to the respective control units inside the vehicle and receiving responses to the self diagnosis commands;

(b) determining whether the received responses are normal ones and, if not normal, storing in the smartcard control unit error codes received as the responses;

(c) determining whether the smartcard is inserted and authenticating the inserted smartcard;

(d) storing in the authenticated smartcard the error codes stored in the smartcard control unit; and

(e) comparing the smartcard control unit data and the smartcard data and, if different, updating the data stored in the smartcard control unit and the smartcard.

21. The method as claimed in claim 20, wherein the step(b) determines if a certain setting time has lapsed, and, if the setting time has lapsed, collects output signals from vehicle speed sensors, injector driving signals, and electronic sensors and analyzes vehicle driving states/driver'"'"'s characteristics, stores the analysis results and the collected output values in the smartcard control unit, and, if the setting time has not lapsed, performs the step(a).

22. The method as claimed in claim 20, wherein the step(c) and the step(e) are performed preceding the step(a).

23. The method as claimed in claim 22, wherein the step(e) compares the values such as the latest updated dates, mileages, accumulated update number of times and the like and updates old data based on the latest updated data.

24. The method as claimed in any of claims 20 to 23, wherein the step for authenticating the smartcard is performed by comparing vehicle-inherent information containing more than one out of a vehicle delivery date, frame number, engine number, vehicle kind, year, displacement volume stored in the smartcard control unit and the information stored in the smartcard.

25. A method for diagnosing a vehicle by using the smartcard including the information collected through any of claims 20 to 23, comprising steps of:

executing a vehicle diagnosis program in a terminal;

inserting the smartcard in the terminal and authenticating whether diagnosing the smartcard by the program is available;

reading the vehicle-related data stored in the authenticated smartcard;

executing the diagnosis program as to the read vehicle-related data and performing vehicle diagnosis; and

displaying the diagnosis results on the terminal.

26. The method as claimed in claim 25, wherein the step for performing the vehicle diagnosis is performed by an inference engine diagnosing the vehicle by applying to the data received from the smartcard vehicle diagnosis rules and diagnosis determination procedures received from a knowledge database including error codes and combined error codes occurrable as to vehicle trouble states, and the diagnosis rules and procedures as to the codes.

27. The method as claimed in claim 26, further comprising a step for storing in the smartcard data as to the diagnosis results and maintenance items processed based on the diagnosis results.

28. The method as claimed in claim 27, further comprising a step for transferring the diagnosis results and the data as to the maintenance items processed based on the diagnosis results to a central A/S center connected with the terminal through a network and storing the diagnosis results and the data in a vehicle diagnosis result database of the central A/S center.

29. A method for diagnosing a vehicle by using the smartcard including the information collected through any of claims 20 to 23, comprising steps of:

inserting the smartcard in a terminal;

connecting the terminal to a main server of a central A/S center through a network and authenticating whether the smartcard is available for services by the main server of the central A/S center;

transferring the collected vehicle-related data from the smartcard to the main server of the central A/S center if the smartcard is authenticated;

diagnosing the vehicle based on the collected vehicle-related data and storing the diagnosis results; and

transferring the diagnosis results to the terminal, displaying the results on the terminal, and storing the results in the smartcard.

30. The method as claimed in claim 29, wherein the step for diagnosing the vehicle is performed by a knowledge database including error codes and combined error codes occurrable as to vehicle trouble states and the diagnosis rules and procedures to the codes, and an inference means diagnosing the vehicle by applying to the data received from the smartcard the vehicle diagnosis rules and diagnosis determination procedures received from a knowledge acquisition system for converting into a format storable in the knowledge database the data from a vehicle diagnosis result database for receiving and recording the vehicle diagnosis results and storing consumers'"'"' complaints and problems as to the vehicle diagnosis results.

31. A method for automatically setting convenience apparatus inside a vehicle by using a smartcard including convenience apparatus setting information data of a user, comprising steps of:

(a) checking if the vehicle is in operation after a vehicle key is inserted and, in case that the vehicle is not in operation, checking if the smartcard is inserted in a smartcard control unit;

(b) reading the convenience apparatus setting data from the smartcard and loading the convenience apparatus setting values stored in the smartcard control unit by the smartcard control unit;

(c) comparing the convenience apparatus setting values stored in the smartcard and the setting values loaded from the smartcard control unit, and, if the both values are different, changing the convenience apparatus settings into the smartcard setting values;

(d) monitoring the convenience apparatus setting changes, and, if the convenience apparatus settings are changed, detecting the change items and displacement values, and calculating absolute displacement values; and

(e) updating new convenience apparatus setting values to the smartcard control unit, checking if the smartcard is inserted, and updating the change items from the smartcard control unit to the inserted smartcard.

32. The method as claimed in claim 31, wherein the step(a) and the step(e) further comprise a step for authenticating whether the inserted smartcard is a smartcard belonging to a vehicle in which a driver rides at present.

33. The method as claimed in claim 32, wherein the step for authenticating the smartcard is performed by comparing whether an authentication key of the smartcard generated by using vehicle-inherent number and the like such as vehicle frame number, engine block number, and the like, and an authentication key of the smartcard control unit are coincident with each other.

34. The method as claimed in claim 31, wherein the step(c) comprises steps of:

moving the convenience apparatus in a negative(−

) direction if the present convenience apparatus setting values stored in the smartcard control unit are larger than the convenience apparatus setting values read from the smartoard, or in a positive(+) direction if the present convenience apparatus setting values stored in the smartcard control unit are smaller than the convenience apparatus setting values read from the smartcard; and

storing setting values of the moved convenience apparatus in the smartcard control unit and comparing the setting values with the convenience apparatus setting values read from the smartcard.

35. The method as claimed in claim 31, wherein the step(d) adds the changed displacement values to the displacement values stored in the smartcard control unit and calculates absolute displacement values.