Vehicle help system and method

• US 7,711,462 B2
• Filed: 12/15/2006
• Issued: 05/04/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 12/15/2006
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Duthil, Deirdre H., Johnson, Sandra K., Daniels, Fonda, Lyle, Ruthie D., Malone, Kelly, Ramseur, Demethria Johnson
• Primary Examiner(s): NGUYEN, TAN QUANG
• Application Number:
  US11/611,421
• Publication Number:
  US 20080147262A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,236 Days
• Field of Search: 701/35, 701/2, 701/33, 701/29, 701/32, 455/423, 455/426.2, 340/426.14, 340/539.24, 340/539.25, 705/14, 705/400
• US Class Current: 701/35
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/00 Commerce
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0265 Vehicular advertisement
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 5/0808 Diagnosing performance data testing of vehicles G01M17/00; testing of electrical installation on vehicles G01R31/005

Abstract

A system and method for providing customized help to a vehicle user when a vehicle problem is detected. The method includes detecting vehicle data that indicates a condition of a vehicle and obtaining profile data comprising an estimated mechanical skill level of a user. The method further includes providing instructions, based upon the profile data and the vehicle data, to the user for addressing the condition.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

detecting vehicle data that indicates a condition of a vehicle;

obtaining profile data comprising an estimated mechanical skill level of a user;

transmitting the vehicle data and the profile data from the vehicle over a wireless communication link; and

providing instructions, based upon the profile data and the vehicle data, to the user for addressing the condition.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising receiving the transmitted profile data and vehicle data.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising identifying a database entry that is associated with the profile data and the vehicle data.

4. The method of claim 3, further comprising transmitting content of the database entry to the vehicle over the wireless communication link.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the providing instructions comprises communicating content of a database entry to the user.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the communicating the content of the database entry to the user comprises at least one of:

presenting the content on a video display of the vehicle, and presenting the content by way of audio played on a speaker of the vehicle.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the detecting, obtaining, and providing are performed by an electronics system comprised in the vehicle.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising automatically communicating at least one of the vehicle data and the condition of the vehicle to a third party.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the third party comprises at least one of:

a roadside assistance provider and a dealership service department.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein at least one of the detecting, the obtaining, and the providing is performed on a subscription, advertising, or fee basis.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein at least one of the detecting, the obtaining, and the providing is performed by a service provider.

12. The method of claim 1, further comprising at least one of creating, maintaining, and supporting a computer infrastructure that performs the steps of claim 1.

13. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

automatically communicating at least one of the vehicle data and the condition of the vehicle to a third party, wherein the third party comprises at least one of;

a roadside assistance provider and a dealership service department; and

receiving the instructions at the vehicle;

wherein the providing the instructions comprises playing content on at least one of a video screen comprised in the vehicle and audio speakers comprised in the vehicle;

the detecting, obtaining, and providing are performed by an electronics system comprised in the vehicle;

the obtaining the profile data comprises receiving identification information from the user;

the receiving identification information from the user comprises at least one of;

detecting a radio frequency identification device, receiving a code that is entered by the user, and receiving a code that is spoken by the user; and

the profile data is stored in a memory of a controller that is part of the electronics system comprised in the vehicle.

14. A system, comprising a computing device that operates to:

receive vehicle data from sensors of a vehicle;

transmit the vehicle data and profile data of a user across a communication network;

receive instructions based upon the transmitted vehicle data and profile data; and

communicate the instructions to the user.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein the profile data comprises an estimated mechanical skill level of a user.

16. The system of claim 14, wherein the computing device includes a computer processor that is comprised in the vehicle.

17. The system of claim 14, wherein the computing device stores the profile data.

18. The system of claim 17, wherein the computing device receives identification information from the user and accesses the stored profile data based upon the identification information.

19. The system of claim 14, wherein the system further comprises an interface device through which the instructions are communicated to the user.

20. The system of claim 19, wherein the interface device comprises a video screen that is part of the vehicle.

21. A method, comprising:

receiving operational data of a vehicle;

determining a condition of the vehicle based upon the operational data;

acquiring profile data of a user;

transmitting the profile data and at least one of the operational data and the condition of the vehicle to a location that is remote from the vehicle;

based upon the transmitting, receiving instructions for addressing the condition of the vehicle; and

communicating the instructions to the user.

22. The method of claim 21, wherein the profile data comprises at least one of:

an estimated level of user mechanical skill, and an estimated level of user vehicle familiarity.

23. The method of claim 21, wherein the steps of claim 21 are performed by a computing device that is comprised in the vehicle.

24. The method of claim 21, further comprising automatically communicating at least one of the vehicle data and the condition of the vehicle to a third party.

25. The method of claim 24, wherein the third party comprises at least one of:

a roadside assistance provider and a dealership service department.

26. The method of claim 21, wherein the steps of claim 21 are performed on a subscription, advertising, or fee basis.

27. The method of claim 21, further comprising at least one of creating, maintaining, and supporting a computer infrastructure that performs the steps of claim 21.

28. The method of claim 21, further comprising obtaining the instructions based upon the profile data and the at least one of the operational data and the condition of the vehicle.

29. The method of claim 28, wherein the obtaining comprises accessing a database.

30. The method of claim 29, wherein the accessing is performed by a computing device.

31. The method of claim 29, wherein the accessing is performed at least in part by a human operator.

32. The method of claim 21, wherein the acquiring profile data of a user comprises receiving identification information from the user.

33. The method of claim 32, wherein the receiving identification information from the user comprises at least one of:

detecting a radio frequency identification device, receiving a code that is entered by the user, and receiving a code that is spoken by the user.

34. The method of claim 21, wherein the acquiring profile data of a user comprises receiving the profile data from a data storage device.

35. A computer program product comprising a computer readable medium having a computer readable program, wherein the computer readable program when executed on a computer causes the computer to:

receive operational data of a vehicle;

determine a condition of the vehicle based upon the operational data;

acquire profile data of a user;

transmit the profile data and at least one of the operational data and the condition of the vehicle to a location that is remote from the vehicle;

based upon the transmitting, receive instructions for addressing the condition of the vehicle; and

communicate the instructions to the user.

36. A system comprising at least one of a hardware and software component for providing customized instructions to a user of a vehicle, the at least one of a hardware and software component configured to:

receive profile data of the user;

receive at least one of operational data of the vehicle and a determined condition of the vehicle;

access a database of instruction sets;

retrieve an instruction set that is associated with the profile data of the user and the at least one of operational data of the vehicle and a determined condition of the vehicle; and

transmit the instruction set to the vehicle.