Tracking vehicle maintenance using sensor detection
First Claim
1. A method for maintaining a record of service maintenance of a motor vehicle, comprising:
- providing a radio frequency reader within a proximity to a first radio frequency tag that is associated with a first serviceable component installed upon a motor vehicle, wherein the proximity is within a field of range of said radio frequency reader to capture a signal from said first radio frequency tag;
in response to the radio frequency reader detecting movement of the first radio frequency tag a distance beyond a preset threshold distance from the radio frequency reader,updating a repair maintenance schedule data table for the motor vehicle that is stored in a storage device by creating a first table entry reporting a state of the first serviceable component as removed from the motor vehicle and comprising a component description and a first unique identification of the first serviceable component, the first table entry indicating at least one of a date in service and a due date for completion of a scheduled maintenance of the vehicle that is associated with the component description;
in response to the radio frequency reader detecting introduction of a second radio frequency tag to a proximity to the radio frequency reader within the preset threshold distance, observing a time of the detected movement of the second radio frequency tag and updating the repair maintenance schedule data table for the motor vehicle by creating a second table entry reporting a state of the second serviceable component as in service on the motor vehicle at the observed time and comprising the component description, a second unique identification of the second serviceable component and a due date for replacement of the second serviceable component that is associated with the second 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
wherein the creating the second table entry comprises using an original due date for replacement of the second serviceable component from a previous table entry for a previous installation of the second serviceable component on the motor vehicle in response to an indication that the installation is a reuse or a relocation of the second serviceable component on the motor vehicle from the previous installation on the vehicle.
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Accused Products
Abstract
Radio frequency identification is used in cooperation with the computer system aboard a motor vehicle to track service and maintenance activities relating to the vehicle. Each component or part of the vehicle that may require maintenance is provided with a unique passive identification tag. The output data from the tag is read by a reader placed in proximity to the tag, and the data is transmitted to an on-board computer module where it is processed, and the service record is updated. A data stream converter may be used to process the information read by the reader into a format that is acceptable to the on-board computer. The data from the on-board computer is stored in a device external to the computer. Provisions are included for notification to the user, the auto dealer or service other agency as needed.
28 Citations
17 Claims
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1. A method for maintaining a record of service maintenance of a motor vehicle, comprising:
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providing a radio frequency reader within a proximity to a first radio frequency tag that is associated with a first serviceable component installed upon a motor vehicle, wherein the proximity is within a field of range of said radio frequency reader to capture a signal from said first radio frequency tag; in response to the radio frequency reader detecting movement of the first radio frequency tag a distance beyond a preset threshold distance from the radio frequency reader, updating a repair maintenance schedule data table for the motor vehicle that is stored in a storage device by creating a first table entry reporting a state of the first serviceable component as removed from the motor vehicle and comprising a component description and a first unique identification of the first serviceable component, the first table entry indicating at least one of a date in service and a due date for completion of a scheduled maintenance of the vehicle that is associated with the component description; in response to the radio frequency reader detecting introduction of a second radio frequency tag to a proximity to the radio frequency reader within the preset threshold distance, observing a time of the detected movement of the second radio frequency tag and updating the repair maintenance schedule data table for the motor vehicle by creating a second table entry reporting a state of the second serviceable component as in service on the motor vehicle at the observed time and comprising the component description, a second unique identification of the second serviceable component and a due date for replacement of the second serviceable component that is associated with the second 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 wherein the creating the second table entry comprises using an original due date for replacement of the second serviceable component from a previous table entry for a previous installation of the second serviceable component on the motor vehicle in response to an indication that the installation is a reuse or a relocation of the second serviceable component on the motor vehicle from the previous installation on the vehicle. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4)
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5. A method for deploying an application for tracking maintenance of a motor vehicle, comprising:
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providing a computer infrastructure comprising a processing unit, a computer readable memory and a computer-readable storage medium, that; in response to a radio frequency reader within a proximity to a first radio frequency tag that is associated with a first serviceable component installed upon a motor vehicle detecting movement of the first radio frequency tag a distance beyond a preset threshold distance from the radio frequency reader, wherein the proximity is within a field of range of said radio frequency reader to capture a signal from said first radio frequency tag, updates a repair maintenance schedule data table for the motor vehicle that is stored in a storage device by creating a first table entry reporting a state of the first serviceable component as removed from the motor vehicle and comprising a component description and a first unique identification of the first serviceable component, the first table entry indicating at least one of a date in service and a due date for completion of a scheduled maintenance of the vehicle that is associated with the component description; in response to the radio frequency reader detecting introduction of a second radio frequency tag to a proximity to the radio frequency reader within the preset threshold distance, observes a time of the detected movement of the second radio frequency tag and updates the repair maintenance schedule data table for the motor vehicle by creating a second table entry reporting a state of the second serviceable component as in service on the motor vehicle at the observed time and comprising the component description, a second unique identification of the second serviceable component and a due date for replacement of the second serviceable component that is associated with the second 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 creates the second table entry by using an original due date for replacement of the second serviceable component from a previous table entry for a previous installation of the second serviceable component on the motor vehicle in response to an indication that the installation is a reuse or a relocation of the second serviceable component on the motor vehicle from the previous installation on the vehicle. - View Dependent Claims (6, 7, 8)
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9. An article of manufacture, comprising:
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a computer readable tangible storage medium having computer readable program code embodied therewith, the computer readable program code comprising instructions that, when executed by a computer processor, cause the computer processor to; in response to a radio frequency reader within a proximity to a first radio frequency tag that is associated with a first serviceable component installed upon a motor vehicle detecting movement of the first radio frequency tag a distance beyond a preset threshold distance from the radio frequency reader, wherein the proximity is within a field of range of said radio frequency reader to capture a signal from said first radio frequency tag, update a repair maintenance schedule data table for the motor vehicle that is stored in a storage device by creating a first table entry reporting a state of the first serviceable component as removed from the motor vehicle and comprising a component description and a first unique identification of the first serviceable component, the first table entry indicating at least one of a date in service and a due date for completion of a scheduled maintenance of the vehicle that is associated with the component description; in response to the radio frequency reader detecting introduction of a second radio frequency tag to a proximity to the radio frequency reader within the preset threshold distance, observe a time of the detected movement of the second radio frequency tag and update the repair maintenance schedule data table for the motor vehicle by creating a second table entry reporting a state of the second serviceable component as in service on the motor vehicle at the observed time and comprising the component description, a second unique identification of the second serviceable component and a due date for replacement of the second serviceable component that is associated with the second 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 create the second table entry by using an original due date for replacement of the second serviceable component from a previous table entry for a previous installation of the second serviceable component on the motor vehicle in response to an indication that the installation is a reuse or a relocation of the second serviceable component on the motor vehicle from the previous installation on the vehicle. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12)
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13. A system, comprising:
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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 wherein the proximity to the first frequency tag is within a preset threshold distance of a field of range of said radio frequency reader to capture a signal from said first radio frequency tag; 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, 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 state of the first serviceable component as removed from the motor vehicle, 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 a date in service and a due date for completion of a scheduled maintenance of the vehicle that is associated with the component description; in response to the radio frequency reader detecting introduction of a second radio frequency tag to a proximity to the radio frequency reader within the preset threshold distance, observes a time of the detected movement of the second radio frequency tag and updates the repair maintenance schedule data table for the motor vehicle by creating a second table entry reporting a state of the second serviceable component as in service on the motor vehicle at the observed time and comprising the component description, a second unique identification of the second serviceable component and a due date for replacement of the second serviceable component that is associated with the second 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 creates the second table entry by using an original due date for replacement of the second serviceable component from a previous table entry for a previous installation of the second serviceable component on the motor vehicle in response to an indication that the installation is a reuse or a relocation of the second serviceable component on the motor vehicle from the previous installation on the vehicle. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16, 17)
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Specification