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

• US 7,865,279 B2
• Filed: 11/03/2008
• Issued: 01/04/2011
• 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; Cuong H
• Application Number:
  US12/289,731
• Publication Number:
  US 20090228170A1
• Time in Patent Office: 792 Days
• Field of Search: 701 29- 33, 701/35, 701/200, 340/505, 340/425.5, 340458-459, 702/188
• US Class Current: 701/29
• 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 system in which a vehicle and a control center are adapted to communicate with each other, and first information and second information regarding a failure in an in-vehicle unit mounted in the vehicle is exchanged, wherein:

the vehicle includes;

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 the second information for requesting transmission of the first information regarding the failure in the in-vehicle unit, the second information being transmitted from the control center, and so as to transmit the first information to the control center;

a connection device which is connected to the in-vehicle communication network, and which is connected to a failure diagnostic device, which is provided in an automobile dealer selling vehicles and performing servicing, 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 prohibiting device which prohibits the communication device from transmitting the first information to the control center, when the connection determining device determines that the failure diagnostic device is connected to the connection device; and

the control center includes;

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

a determining device which determines whether the first information coincides with the second information when the failure diagnostic device is connected to the vehicle in the automobile dealer; and

a reception prohibiting device which prohibits reception of the first information by transmitting a command for canceling the transmission of the first information to the vehicle when the determining device determines that the first information does not coincide with the second information.

2. 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 coincides with the second information when a failure diagnostic device which obtains the first information and which diagnoses the failure is connected to the vehicle in an automobile dealer selling vehicles and performing servicing; and

a reception prohibiting device which prohibits reception of the first information by transmitting a command for canceling the transmission of the first information to the vehicle when the determining device determines that the first information does not coincide with the second information.

3. A vehicle information-communication system comprising:

the control center of claim 2; and

the vehicle;

wherein the control center and the vehicle are adapted to communicate with each other, and the first information and the second information are exchanged; and

wherein the vehicle includes;

an in-vehicle communication network built in the vehicle;

the 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 the second information for requesting the first information regarding the failure of the in-vehicle unit, and so as to transmit the first information to the control center;

a connection device which is connected to the in-vehicle communication network, and which is connected to the failure diagnostic device;

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 to the control center, when the connection determining device determines that the failure diagnostic device is connected to the connection device.

4. A vehicle information-communication method in which a vehicle and a control center are adapted to communicate with each other, the control center transmitting second information, which is used for requesting transmission of first information regarding a failure in an in-vehicle unit mounted in the vehicle, to the vehicle, and obtains the first information, the method comprising:

in the control center;

determining whether the first information coincides with the second information when a failure diagnostic device which obtains the first information and which diagnoses the failure is connected to the vehicle in an automobile dealer selling vehicles and performing servicing; and

prohibiting reception of the first information by transmitting a command for canceling the transmission of the first information to the vehicle when it is determined that the first information does not coincide with the second information.