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Tracking vehicle maintenance using sensor detection

  • US 8,311,698 B2
  • Filed: 05/09/2012
  • Issued: 11/13/2012
  • Est. Priority Date: 10/06/2008
  • Status: Expired due to Fees
First Claim
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1. A system, comprising:

  • a processing unit that is in communication with a computer readable memory, a tangible computer-readable storage medium, and a radio frequency reader;

    wherein the radio frequency reader is installed upon a motor vehicle within a proximity to a first radio frequency tag that is associated with a first serviceable component that is installed upon the motor vehicle, and within a proximity to a third radio frequency tag that is associated with a third serviceable component installed upon the motor vehicle, wherein the proximities to the first and third frequency tags are within a preset threshold distance of a field of range of said radio frequency reader to capture a signal from said first and third radio frequency tags; and

    wherein the processing unit, when executing program instructions stored on the tangible computer-readable storage medium via the computer readable memory;

    in response to the radio frequency reader communicating a detected movement of the first radio frequency tag a distance beyond a preset threshold distance from the radio frequency reader, observes a first time of the detected movement and updates a repair maintenance schedule data table for the motor vehicle that is stored in a storage device in communication with the processing unit by creating a first table entry reporting a removal of the first serviceable component from the motor vehicle at the observed first time, wherein the first table entry comprises a component description and a first unique identification of the first serviceable component and indicates at least one of an onset and a completion of a scheduled maintenance of the vehicle at the observed time and that is associated with the component description;

    in response to the radio frequency reader communicating a detected introduction of a second radio frequency tag to a proximity to the radio frequency reader within the preset threshold distance, observes a second time of the detected movement of the second radio frequency tag and updates the repair maintenance schedule data table for the motor vehicle in a storage device by creating a second table entry that reports an installation of the second serviceable component onto the motor vehicle at the observed second time and comprises a component description and a unique identification of the second serviceable component, wherein the second table entry is separate from and in addition to the first table entry in the table and also indicates the completion of the scheduled maintenance of the vehicle at the observed second time and in association with the component description of the second serviceable component; and

    warns a vehicle user of a failure to remove or replace the third serviceable component if the radio frequency reader communicates that the third serviceable component remains proximate to the radio frequency reader within the preset threshold distance throughout the observed first time of the removal of the first serviceable component and the observed second time of the installation of the second serviceable component, wherein the repair maintenance schedule requires that the third serviceable component be replaced when the first serviceable component is removed.

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