Vehicle information-communication method, vehicle information-communication system, vehicle and control center

• US 7,471,999 B2
• Filed: 07/16/2004
• Issued: 12/30/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 07/25/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Inventors: Taki, Naoki
• Primary Examiner(s): NGUYEN, TAN QUANG
• Application Number:
  US10/892,325
• Publication Number:
  US 20050021200A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,628 Days
• Field of Search: 701/33, 701/1, 701/29, 701/31, 701/32, 701/35, 701/2, 701/200, 340/458, 340/459
• US Class Current: 701/33
• 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: G08G 1/20 Monitoring the location of vehicles belonging to a group, e.g. fleet of vehicles, countable or determined number of vehicles

Abstract

A control center transmits failure information transmission request information to a vehicle. The vehicle receives the failure information transmission request information transmitted from the control center. A navigation ECU and a gateway ECU obtain failure information from each ECU in cooperation with each other. At this time, the gateway ECU determines whether a data volume of the failure information is larger than a predetermined information volume. When it is determined that the data volume of the failure information is larger than the predetermined information volume, the gateway ECU divides the failure information into plural pieces, and outputs each piece of information. Also, the ECU does not output the failure information, which is output to a network built in the vehicle, to the navigation ECU, while a failure information obtaining device is connected. Meanwhile, the control center does not receive the failure information while the failure information obtaining device is connected.

Claims

1. A vehicle information-communication method, comprising the steps of:

in the vehicle;

obtaining, from an in-vehicle unit mounted in a vehicle, first information regarding a failure of the in-vehicle unit;

transmitting the first information to a contact center adapted to communicate with the vehicle;

outputting the first information to a failure diagnostic device connected to the vehicle at a vehicle dealer, said vehicle dealer adapted to sell vehicles and perform services; and

prohibiting transmission of the first information to the control center, while the first information is being output to the failure diagnostic device.

2. A vehicle information-communication method, comprising the steps of:

transmitting second information, from a control center to an in-vehicle unit mounted in a vehicle, said second information requesting transmission of first information regarding a failure of the in-vehicle unit;

determining whether the first information corresponds to the second information;

prohibiting reception of the first information, when it is determined that the first information does not correspond to the second information; and

when it is determined that the second information transmitted from the control center cannot be recognized, transmitting status information, which indicates that the second information cannot be recognized, and prohibiting reception of the first information.

3. The vehicle information-communication method according to claim 2, wherein the first information is information which is transmitted due to connection of a failure diagnostic device, that obtains the first information and that diagnoses the failure, to the vehicle.

4. A vehicle information-communication system comprising:

a vehicle comprising;

an in-vehicle communication network built in the vehicle;

an in-vehicle unit connected to the in-vehicle communication network;

a communication device which is connected to the in-vehicle communication network so as to receive second information for requesting transmission of first information regarding a failure in the in-vehicle unit,

a connection device which is connected to the in-vehicle communication network, and which is connected to a failure diagnostic device that obtains the first information and diagnoses the failure;

a connection determining device which determines whether the failure diagnostic device is connected to the connection device; and

a prohibiting device which prohibits the communication device from transmitting the first information, when the connection determining device determines that the failure diagnostic device is connected to the connection device; and

a control center comprising;

a transmission requesting device which transmits the second information to the vehicle requesting the first information;

a receiving device for receiving the first information;

a determining device which determines whether the first information corresponds to the second information; and

a reception prohibiting device which prohibits reception of the first information, when the determining device determines that the first information does not correspond to the second information;

wherein the failure diagnostic device is connected to the vehicle at a vehicle dealer, said vehicle dealer adapted to sell vehicles and perform services.

5. A vehicle comprising:

an in-vehicle communication network built in the vehicle;

an in-vehicle unit connected to the in-vehicle communication network;

a communication device which is connected to the in-vehicle communication network so as to receive second information for requesting transmission of first information regarding a failure in the in-vehicle unit, the second information being transmitted from an external element that can communicate with the vehicle, and so as to transmit the first information to the external element;

a connection device which is connected to the in-vehicle communication network, and which is connected to a failure diagnostic device that obtains the first information and that diagnoses the failure;

a connection determining device which determines whether the failure diagnostic device is connected to the connection device; and

a transmission prohibiting device which prohibits the communication device from transmitting the first information to the external element, when the connection determining device determines that the failure diagnostic device is connected to the connection device;

wherein the failure diagnostic device is connected to the vehicle at a vehicle dealer, said vehicle dealer adapted to sell vehicles and perform services.

6. The vehicle according to claim 5, wherein the communication device communicates with a control center as the external element which can receive the first information.

7. A control center which is adapted to communicate with a vehicle so as to receive first information regarding a failure in an in-vehicle unit, the first information being transmitted from the vehicle, comprising:

a transmission requesting device which transmits second information, that is used for requesting the vehicle to transmit the first information, to the vehicle;

a determining device which determines whether the first information corresponds to the second information; and

a reception prohibiting device which prohibits reception of the first information, when the determining device determines that the first information does not correspond to the second information;

wherein when it is determined that the second information cannot be recognized, transmitting status information, which indicates that the second information cannot be recognized, and prohibiting reception of the first information.

8. A vehicle information-communication system comprising:

an in-vehicle communication network built into a vehicle;

an in-vehicle unit connected to the in-vehicle communication network;

communication means for receiving second information for requesting transmission of the first information regarding the failure in the in-vehicle unit, the second information being transmitted from a control center, and for transmitting the first information, the communication means being connected to the in-vehicle communication network;

connection means connected to the in-vehicle communication network, and connected to a failure diagnostic device that obtains the first information and diagnoses the failure;

connection determining means for determining whether the failure diagnostic device is connected to the connection means; and

prohibiting means for prohibiting the communication means from transmitting the first information to the control center, when the connection determining means determines that the failure diagnostic device is connected to the connection means;

transmission requesting means in the control center for transmitting the second information to the vehicle;

receiving means in the control center for receiving the first information;

determining means in the control center for determining whether the first information corresponds to the second information; and

reception prohibiting means in the control center for prohibiting reception of the first information, when the determining means determines that the first information does not correspond to the second information;

wherein the failure diagnostic device is connected to the vehicle at a vehicle dealer, said vehicle dealer adapted to sell vehicles and perform services.

9. A vehicle, comprising:

an in-vehicle communication network built in the vehicle;

an in-vehicle unit connected to the in-vehicle communication network;

communication means for receiving second information for requesting transmission of first information regarding a failure in the in-vehicle unit, the second information being transmitted from an external element that can communicate with the vehicle, and for transmitting the first information to the external element, the communication means being connected to the in-vehicle communication network;

connection means connected to the in-vehicle communication network, and connected to a failure diagnostic device that obtains the first information and that diagnoses the failure;

connection determining means for determining whether the failure diagnostic device is connected to the connection means; and

prohibiting means for prohibiting the communication means from transmitting the first information to the external element, when the connection determining means determines that the failure diagnostic device is connected to the connection means;

wherein the failure diagnostic device is connected to the vehicle at a vehicle dealer, said vehicle dealer adapted to sell vehicles and perform services.

10. A control center which is adapted to communicate with a vehicle, and which receives first information regarding a failure in an in-vehicle unit transmitted from the vehicle, comprising:

transmission requesting means for transmitting second information, which is used for requesting the vehicle to transmit the first information, to the vehicle;

determining means for determining whether the first information corresponds to the second information; and

reception prohibiting means for prohibiting reception of the first information, when the determining means determines that the first information does not correspond to the second information;

wherein when it is determined that the second information cannot be recognized, transmitting status information, which indicates that the second information cannot be recognized, and prohibiting reception of the first information.