Vehicle communication system and method with mobile data collection
First Claim
1. A vehicle communication system, comprising:
- a plurality of vehicles, each having a vehicle diagnostic system;
a plurality of vehicle units each positioned in one of said vehicles, each of said vehicle units comprising an interface that is configured to connect with the vehicle diagnostic system, a vehicle wireless communication transceiver and a control for controlling said wireless communication transceiver, said control including memory for storing data, wherein said control retrieves vehicle data from the vehicle diagnostic system and stores the vehicle data in said memory;
another vehicle;
a communication system for two-way wireless communication with said vehicle units, said communication system made up of a mobile unit positioned in said another vehicle, said mobile unit comprising a data storage unit and a mobile wireless communication transceiver, wherein said mobile wireless communication transceiver activates said vehicle wireless communication transceiver of one of said vehicle units to communicate vehicle data in said memory to said mobile wireless communication transceiver in response to said mobile wireless communication transceiver being transported by said another vehicle to a vicinity of said one of said vehicle units in order to increase geographic coverage for data transfer from the vehicle diagnostic systems of said vehicles.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A vehicle communication system and method of communicating data from a vehicle, such as for inspecting or diagnosing a vehicle, includes providing a plurality of vehicle units each including a vehicle wireless communication transceiver and a memory. Data, such as vehicle data from a vehicle diagnostic system, is stored in the memory. A communication system is provided for two-way wireless communication with the vehicle units. The communication system is made up of one or more mobile wireless communication transceivers. Vehicle data is communicated from the memory to one of the mobile wireless communication transceivers that is in the vicinity of that vehicle unit. The transporting of the mobile wireless communication transceiver increases interaction between the communication system and the vehicle units.
53 Citations
22 Claims
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1. A vehicle communication system, comprising:
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a plurality of vehicles, each having a vehicle diagnostic system; a plurality of vehicle units each positioned in one of said vehicles, each of said vehicle units comprising an interface that is configured to connect with the vehicle diagnostic system, a vehicle wireless communication transceiver and a control for controlling said wireless communication transceiver, said control including memory for storing data, wherein said control retrieves vehicle data from the vehicle diagnostic system and stores the vehicle data in said memory; another vehicle; a communication system for two-way wireless communication with said vehicle units, said communication system made up of a mobile unit positioned in said another vehicle, said mobile unit comprising a data storage unit and a mobile wireless communication transceiver, wherein said mobile wireless communication transceiver activates said vehicle wireless communication transceiver of one of said vehicle units to communicate vehicle data in said memory to said mobile wireless communication transceiver in response to said mobile wireless communication transceiver being transported by said another vehicle to a vicinity of said one of said vehicle units in order to increase geographic coverage for data transfer from the vehicle diagnostic systems of said vehicles. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
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12. A method of collecting data from a plurality of vehicles, comprising:
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providing a plurality of vehicles, each having a vehicle diagnostic system; providing a plurality of vehicle units and positioning each of said vehicle units in one of said vehicles, each of said vehicle units comprising an interface that is configured to connect with the vehicle diagnostic system, a vehicle wireless communication transceiver and a memory; retrieving data from the vehicle diagnostic system of each of the vehicles using the vehicle unit installed in that vehicle and storing the retrieved data in said memory; providing another vehicle; providing a communication system for two-way communication with said vehicle unit, said communication system made up of a mobile unit comprising a data storage unit and a mobile wireless communication transceiver; positioning said mobile wireless communication transceiver in another vehicle; activating the vehicle wireless communication transceiver of one of said vehicle units with said mobile wireless communication transceiver thereby communicating vehicle data in said memory to said at least one mobile wireless communication transceiver in response to said mobile wireless communication transceiver being transported by said another vehicle to a vicinity of said vehicle unit in order to increase geographic coverage for data transfer from the diagnostic systems of said vehicles. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22)
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Specification