Methods and apparatus for initiating service sessions between vehicles and service providers

• US 8,352,115 B2
• Filed: 06/30/2009
• Issued: 01/08/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 06/30/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC (General Motors Company)
• Original Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC (General Motors Company)
• Inventors: Mathieson, Kier M., Flood, John J. IV, York, Jason D.
• Primary Examiner(s): Beaulieu, Yonel
• Application Number:
  US12/495,232
• Publication Number:
  US 20100332073A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,288 Days
• Field of Search: 701/29.4, 701/29.6, 701 314- 318, 701/29.1, 701/36, 340/425.5, 340438-439, 702182-185
• US Class Current: 701/29.1
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 5/008 communicating information to a remotely located station transmission systems for measured values G08C

Abstract

A method for initiating a service session with a vehicle includes the steps of receiving a first wireless signal transmitted by the vehicle, establishing an identity of the vehicle from the first wireless signal, associating a privilege with the vehicle based at least in part on the identity, transmitting a second wireless signal to the vehicle with a request for service data of the vehicle if the privilege includes an ability to request the service data from the vehicle, and receiving the service data of the vehicle.

Claims

1. A method for initiating a service session with a vehicle in proximity to a service provider, comprising the steps of:

transmitting a first wireless signal from the service provider to the vehicle, the first wireless signal including information as to an identity of the service provider;

receiving, at the service provider, a second wireless signal transmitted by the vehicle in response to the first wireless signal, the second wireless signal including information as to an identity of the vehicle;

transmitting, in response to the second wireless signal, a third wireless signal from the service provider to the vehicle with a request from the service provider for service data of the; and

receiving the service data of the vehicle.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the transmission of the first wireless signal, the second wireless signal, and the third wireless signal each have a transmission range of less than about one hundred meters.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the service data comprises state of health data for the vehicle.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of:

transmitting a request to display a welcome message for an occupant of the vehicle along with the third wireless signal.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of:

transmitting a request to override a default behavior of an actuator or device of the vehicle along with the third wireless signal.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of:

transmitting, in response to the third wireless signal, a fifth wireless signal from the vehicle to the service provider with a service history for the vehicle.

20. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of:

determining, at the vehicle, a privilege associated with the service provider based on the identity of the service provider as obtained via the first wireless signal;

wherein the requested service data is provided from the vehicle to the service provider via a fourth wireless signal transmitted from the vehicle to the service provider, provided that the privilege associated with the service provider corresponds to the service data requested via the third data signal.

7. A method for a vehicle to initiate a service session with a service provider in proximity to the vehicle, comprising the steps of:

receiving, at the vehicle, a first wireless signal transmitted by the service provider, the first wireless signal including information as to an identity of the service provider;

establishing, on the vehicle, the identity of the service provider from the first wireless signal;

associating, on the vehicle, a privilege with the service provider based at least in part on the identity;

transmitting, from the vehicle to the service provider, a second wireless signal in response to the first wireless signal, the second wireless signal including information as to an identity of the vehicle;

accepting a third wireless signal transmitted from the service provider to the vehicle in response to the second wireless signal, the third wireless signal including a request for service data of the vehicle if the privilege includes an ability of the service provider to access the service data;

gathering the service data on the vehicle if the third wireless signal is accepted; and

transmitting a fourth wireless signal from the vehicle to the service provider with the service data gathered by the vehicle in response to the third wireless signal.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein:

the step of gathering the service data comprises the step of gathering the service data on a condition that the third wireless signal is accepted; and

the step of transmitting the fourth wireless signal comprises the step of transmitting the fourth wireless signal to the service provider with the service data gathered by the vehicle on the condition that the third wireless signal is accepted.

9. The method of claim 7, wherein the service data comprises state of health data for the vehicle.

10. The method of claim 7, further comprising the step of:

displaying a welcome message for an occupant of the vehicle after establishing the identity of the service provider.

11. The method of claim 7, further comprising the step of:

allowing the service provider to override a default behavior of an actuator or device of the vehicle along with the third wireless signal.

12. The method of claim 7, further comprising the step of:

receiving a fifth wireless signal from the service provider with a service history for the vehicle.

13. An embedded apparatus of a vehicle for initiating a service session with a service provider in proximity to the vehicle, the embedded apparatus comprising:

a receiver embedded within the vehicle and adapted to receive a first wireless signal transmitted from the service provider, the first wireless signal including information as to an identity of the service provider;

a processor within the vehicle and adapted to;

establish an identity of the service provider from the first wireless signal;

associate a privilege with the service provider based at least in part on the identity; and

gather service data of the vehicle if the privilege includes an ability of the service provider to access the service data of the vehicle; and

a transmitter embedded within the vehicle and adapted to transmit a second wireless signal to the service provider in response to the first wireless signal with information as to an identity of the vehicle, wherein;

the receiver is further configured to receive a third wireless signal transmitted from the service provider to the vehicle in response to the second wireless signal, the third wireless signal including a request for service data of the vehicle if the privilege includes an ability of the service provider to access the service data gathering the service data; and

the transmitter is further configured to transmit a fourth wireless signal from the vehicle to the service provider with the service data gathered by the processor in response to the third wireless signal.

14. The embedded apparatus of claim 13, further comprising:

a housing;

wherein the receiver, the processor, and the transmitter are each disposed within the housing.

15. The embedded apparatus of claim 14, wherein the vehicle comprises a plurality of modules, and the embedded apparatus further comprises:

a sensor array and an actuator array disposed within the housing and adapted to obtain state of health information from the plurality of modules of the vehicle and to provide the state of health information to the processor;

wherein the processor is adapted to gather the service data using the state of health information.

16. The embedded apparatus of claim 15, further comprising:

a plurality of communication buses disposed within the housing and adapted to facilitate transport of the state of health information from the sensor array and the actuator array to the processor.

17. The embedded apparatus of claim 13, further comprising:

a display, an audio system, or both, coupled to the processor and adapted to provide a textual welcome message and audio message for an occupant of the vehicle after the identity of the service provider is established.

18. The embedded apparatus of claim 13, wherein the processor is adapted to allow the service provider to override a default behavior of an actuator or device of the vehicle upon request from the service provider after the identity of the service provider is established.

19. The embedded apparatus of claim 13, wherein the receiver is adapted to receive a fifth wireless signal from the service provider with a service history for the vehicle, and the embedded apparatus further comprises a memory configured to store the service history for the vehicle.