Method and system for broadcasting safety messages to a vehicle

• US 7,818,380 B2
• Filed: 06/30/2006
• Issued: 10/19/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 12/15/2003
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd. (Honda Motor Company)
• Original Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd. (Honda Motor Company)
• Inventors: Harris, Harry, Tamura, Kazuya
• Primary Examiner(s): Harrell; Robert B
• Application Number:
  US11/479,407
• Publication Number:
  US 20070022173A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,572 Days
• Field of Search: 709/206, 709/207, 701 29- 35
• US Class Current: 709/206
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 50/0205 Diagnosing or detecting failures; Failure detection models
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/1895 for short real-time information, e.g. alarms, notifications, alerts, updates
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/125 involving control of end-device applications over a network

Abstract

A method and system is provided for broadcasting vehicle safety messages to one or more vehicles. In an embodiment, the system comprises an input device, processor, transmitter, receiver, memory module, display, and user interface. The input device is used for generating a vehicle safety message. The processor is coupled to the input device and is programmed to identify vehicles within a geographic region affected by the safety message. The transmitter is coupled to the processor for broadcasting the safety messages to the identified vehicles. The receiver is located on the vehicles for receiving the broadcasted safety message. The memory module is coupled to the receiver for storing the safety message. The display is operatively coupled to the memory module for indicating the receipt of the safety message to the vehicle driver. The user interface is coupled to the display for selecting the safety message to be communicated to the user.

Claims

1. A system in a vehicle for receiving a vehicle safety message broadcasted from a remote location, comprising:

a receiver on the vehicle for receiving the vehicle safety message, wherein the vehicle safety message identifies;

(i) a part associated with the vehicle for replacement, and (ii) a service center located in a geographic region that includes the vehicle and has the part in stock;

a memory module operatively coupled to the receiver for storing the vehicle safety message in a manner that the vehicle safety message cannot be deleted by an owner of the vehicle;

a display operatively coupled to the memory module for indicating the receipt of the vehicle safety message to the owner;

a user interface operatively coupled to the display for selecting the vehicle safety message to be communicated to the owner; and

a processor operatively coupled to at least the memory module, the receiver, and the user interface, and programmed to receive a vehicle safety cancellation message from one of the remote location and the service center and to delete the vehicle safety message from the memory module in response to the vehicle safety cancellation message.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the receiver receives the broadcast from a satellite radio broadcast system.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the vehicle safety message further comprises a plurality of one-to-one portions corresponding to each vehicle of a set of vehicles that are subject to the vehicle safety message.

4. The system of claim 3, wherein the processor is programmed to compare a filter code section of each of the plurality of one-to-one portions to determine if the vehicle is a member of the set of vehicles that are subject to the vehicle safety message.

5. The system of claim 4, wherein the processor is further programmed to store the vehicle safety message to the memory module if the filter code section includes a vehicle identification number corresponding to the vehicle.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the vehicle safety message is communicated to the owner graphically on the display.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the vehicle safety message is communicated to the owner audibly.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the vehicle safety cancellation message is configured to be sent to the vehicle in response to a notification from the service center that the part has been replaced on the vehicle.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein the geographic region that includes the vehicle is identified by referencing a database with a vehicle identification number corresponding to the vehicle.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein the service center that has the part in stock is identified by searching a dealer parts inventory associated with the service center for the part.

11. A system for broadcasting vehicle safety messages, comprising:

an input device for generating a vehicle safety message for replacing a part;

a first processor that is operatively coupled to the input device and programmed to identify a service center that has the part in stock, the service center being located in a first geographic region, and identify a vehicle within the first geographic region that is subject to the vehicle safety message;

a transmitter that is operatively coupled to the first processor for broadcasting the vehicle safety message to the vehicle via a one-to-many communications network, wherein the vehicle safety message is configured to be received by the vehicle and stored in a protected memory on the vehicle, the protected memory preventing the vehicle safety message from deletion by an owner of the vehicle; and

wherein the first processor is further programmed to receive a notification from the service center that the part has been replaced on the vehicle and to remove the vehicle from a list of vehicles subject to the vehicle safety message.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein the transmitter broadcasts the vehicle safety message via a satellite radio broadcast system.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein the transmitter broadcasts the vehicle safety message to a plurality of vehicles within the first geographic region that are subject to the vehicle safety message;

and

wherein the vehicle safety message further comprises a plurality of one-to-one portions corresponding to each of the plurality of vehicles that are subject to the vehicle safety message.

14. The system of claim 11, wherein the first processor is further programmed to identify the vehicle in the first geographic region by referencing a database with a vehicle identification number corresponding to the vehicle that is subject to the vehicle safety message.

15. The system of claim 11, wherein the first processor is further programmed to broadcast, via the transmitter, a vehicle safety cancellation message to the vehicle in response to the notification;

wherein the vehicle safety cancellation message is configured to delete the vehicle safety message stored in the protected memory on the vehicle.

16. The system of claim 11, wherein the first processor is further programmed to identify the service center that has the part in stock by receiving a dealer parts inventory from the service center and searching the dealer parts inventory for the part.

17. A method for broadcasting vehicle safety messages from a remote location, comprising:

generating a vehicle safety message for replacing a part;

identifying at least one service center that has access to the part, the at least one service center being located in a first geographic region;

identifying at least one vehicle within the first geographic region that is subject to the vehicle safety message;

broadcasting the vehicle safety message to the at least one vehicle via a one-to-many communications network, wherein the vehicle safety message is configured to be received by the at least one vehicle, communicated to a driver of the at least one vehicle, and stored in a protected memory on the at least one vehicle, the protected memory preventing the vehicle safety message from deletion by the driver, and wherein the vehicle safety message is further configured to be deleted after the part has been replaced by the at least one service center;

receiving a notification that the part has been replaced on the at least one vehicle; and

removing the at least one vehicle from a list of vehicles subject to the vehicle safety message in response to receiving the notification.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein broadcasting the vehicle safety message comprises broadcasting the vehicle safety message to the at least one vehicle via a satellite radio broadcast system.

19. The method of claim 17, wherein identifying the at least one vehicle in the first geographic region comprises referencing a database with vehicle identification numbers for vehicles subject to the vehicle safety message.

20. The method of claim 17, further comprising:

broadcasting a vehicle safety cancellation message to the at least one vehicle in response to receiving the notification; and

wherein the vehicle safety cancellation message is configured to delete the vehicle safety message stored in the protected memory on the at least one vehicle.

21. The method of claim 17, wherein the step of identifying at least one service center that has access to the part further comprises identifying at least one service center in the first geographic region that has the part in stock.

22. The method of claim 17, wherein the step of identifying at least one service center that has access to the part further comprises:

receiving a dealer parts inventory from the at least one service center at the remote location; and

searching the dealer parts inventory for the part.