Method and system for diagnosing, collecting information and servicing a remote system

• US 7,516,193 B2
• Filed: 10/10/2006
• Issued: 04/07/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 11/17/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Ricoh Company Limited
• Original Assignee: Ricoh Company Limited
• Inventors: Motoyama, Tetsuro, Fong, Avery
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen; Quang N.
• Application Number:
  US11/544,688
• Publication Number:
  US 20070033268A1
• Time in Patent Office: 910 Days
• Field of Search: 709/203, 709/224, 709/217, 709/218, 709/244, 701/1, 701/29, 701/33, 340/988, 340/438, 455/420
• US Class Current: 709/217
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/0817 by checking functioning
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/125 involving control of end-device applications over a network

Abstract

A monitoring system, method, and computer-program product tracks events and device states in a device and sends those events and states to a remote central service center using an Internet access module. The remote central service center monitors the received events and states for errors or warnings. The monitoring software (e.g., a dynamic link library) supports multiple data formats and multiple protocols to more effectively communicate the event and state information.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

obtaining a unique identification of a motor vehicle of a vendor and dynamic state information regarding an operating condition of the motor vehicle from a memory in the motor vehicle, wherein the dynamic state information indicates the operating condition of the motor vehicle;

automatically initiating, at the motor vehicle, a regular interval internet transmission of the unique identification and the dynamic state information from the motor vehicle to a service center computer of the vendor which is at a location remote from the motor vehicle;

receiving the unique identification at the service center computer of the vendor at the location which is remote from the motor vehicle, wherein the service center computer of the vendor is a central computer that receives messages that include dynamic state information only from a plurality of motor vehicles of the vendor regardless of their proximity to the service center computer;

analyzing, at the service center of the vendor at the location remote from the motor vehicle, the dynamic state information to diagnose a malfunction in the motor vehicle; and

transmitting, by the service center of the vendor through the internet, a message identifying the malfunction in the motor vehicle to a computer at a repair center of the vendor remote from the motor vehicle and the service center of the vendor.

2. A method according to claim 1, wherein the obtaining, initiating, and receiving operate on the unique identification which is the serial number of the motor vehicle.

3. A method according to claim 2, wherein the obtaining, initiating, and receiving operate on the unique identification which further indicates characteristics of the motor vehicle.

4. A method according to claim 3, wherein the obtaining, initiating, and receiving operate on the unique identification which further indicates a model of the motor vehicle.

5. A method according to claim 2, wherein the obtaining, initiating, and receiving operate on the unique identification which further indicates the model of the motor vehicle.

6. A method according to claim 1, wherein the initiating comprises:

transmitting the unique identification and the dynamic state information from the motor vehicle using wireless communication.

7. A method according to claim 1, further comprising:

communicating a message from the service center of the vendor to an owner of the motor vehicle indicating the malfunction.

8. A method according to claim 1, wherein:

the obtaining, initiating, and receiving operate using information from the motor vehicle which is an automobile.

9. A method according to claim 1, wherein:

the obtaining, initiating, and receiving operate using information from the motor vehicle which is one of a train, an airplane, a motorcycle, and a boat.

10. A system, comprising:

means for obtaining a unique identification of a motor vehicle of a vendor and dynamic state information regarding an operating condition of the motor vehicle from a memory in the motor vehicle, wherein the dynamic state information indicates the operating condition of the motor vehicle;

means for automatically initiating, at the motor vehicle, a regular interval internet transmission of the unique identification and the dynamic state information from the motor vehicle to a service center computer of the vendor which is at a location remote from the motor vehicle;

means for receiving the unique identification at the service center computer of the vendor at the location which is remote from the motor vehicle, wherein the service center computer of the vendor is a central computer that receives messages that include dynamic state information only from a plurality of motor vehicles of the vendor regardless of their proximity to the service center computer; and

means for analyzing, at the service center of the vendor at the location remote from the motor vehicle, the dynamic state information to diagnose a malfunction in the motor vehicle; and

means for transmitting, by the service center of the vendor through the internet, a message identifying the malfunction in the motor vehicle to a computer at a repair center of the vendor remote from the motor vehicle and the service center of the vendor.

11. A system according to claim 10, wherein the means for obtaining, means for initiating, and means for receiving operate on the unique identification which is the serial number of the motor vehicle.

12. A system according to claim 11, wherein the means for obtaining, means for initiating, and means for receiving operate on the unique identification which further indicates characteristics of the motor vehicle.

13. A system according to claim 12, wherein the means for obtaining, means for initiating, and means for receiving operate on the unique identification which further indicates the model of the motor vehicle.

14. A system according to claim 11, wherein the means for obtaining, means for initiating, and means for receiving operate on the unique identification which further indicates the model of the motor vehicle.

15. A system according to claim 10, wherein the means for initiating comprises:

means for transmitting the unique identification and the dynamic state information from the motor vehicle using wireless communication.

16. A system according to claim 10, further comprising:

means for communicating a message from the service center of the vendor to an owner of the motor vehicle indicating the malfunction.

17. A system according to claim 10, wherein:

the motor vehicle is an automobile.

18. A system according to claim 10, wherein:

the motor vehicle is one of a train, an airplane, a motorcycle, and a boat.

19. A computer readable storage medium encoded with instructions, which when executed on a computer, causes the computer to implement a method comprising:

obtaining a unique identification of a motor vehicle of a vendor and dynamic state information regarding an operating condition of the motor vehicle from a memory in the motor vehicle, wherein the dynamic state information indicates the operating condition of the motor vehicle;

automatically initiating, at the motor vehicle, a regular interval internet transmission of the unique identification and the dynamic state information from the motor vehicle to a service center computer of the vendor which is at a location remote from the motor vehicle;

receiving the unique identification at the service center computer of the vendor at the location which is remote from the motor vehicle, wherein the service center computer of the vendor is a central computer that receives messages that include dynamic state information only from a plurality of motor vehicles of the vendor regardless of their proximity to the service center computer;

analyzing, at the service center of the vendor at the location remote from the motor vehicle, the dynamic state information to diagnose a malfunction in the motor vehicle; and

transmitting, by the service center of the vendor through the internet, a message identifying the malfunction in the motor vehicle to a computer at a repair center of the vendor remote from the motor vehicle and the service center of the vendor.

20. The computer readable storage medium according to claim 19, wherein the obtaining and initiating obtain and transmit the unique identification which is the serial number of the motor vehicle.

21. The computer readable storage medium according to claim 20, wherein the obtaining and initiating obtain and transmit the unique identification which further indicates characteristics of the motor vehicle.

22. The computer readable storage medium according to claim 21, wherein the obtaining and initiating obtain and transmit the unique identification which further indicates a model of the motor vehicle.

23. The computer readable storage medium according to claim 20, wherein the obtaining and initiating obtain and transmit the unique identification which further indicates a model of the motor vehicle.

24. The computer readable storage medium according to claim 19, wherein the initiating transmits the unique identification from the motor vehicle using wireless communication.