Hardware reconfigurable vehicle on-board diagnostic interface and telematic system

• US 8,700,254 B2
• Filed: 10/25/2010
• Issued: 04/15/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 10/23/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Appy Risk Technologies Limited (Trak Global Group Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Intelligent Mechatronic Systems Inc. (Trak Global Group Ltd.)
• Inventors: Basir, Otman A., Miners, William Ben, Krivtsov, Sergey M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Tran, Khoi
• Assistant Examiner(s): Figueroa, Jaime
• Application Number:
  US12/910,991
• Publication Number:
  US 20110098879A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,268 Days
• Field of Search: 701/31.4, 701/32.7, 701/36, 709/201, 709/217, 709/218
• US Class Current: 701/31.4
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 2205/02 using a vehicle scan tool
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 5/008 communicating information to a remotely located station transmission systems for measured values G08C

Abstract

A telematic system interfaces with a vehicle diagnostic interface to provide access to vehicle health and performance related information. The telematic system includes a primary gateway connector and various subsystem modules that connect to the primary gateway connector to provide functions in addition to those provided by the primary gateway connector.

Claims

1. A vehicle telematic system comprising:

a primary gateway including an enclosure defining a first connector for forming a primary communication connection with an on-board diagnostic interface of a vehicle and a second connector with at least one circuit board disposed within the enclosure and in communication with the on-board diagnostic interface of the vehicle, the second connector defining a secondary communication interface; and

at least one secondary system housed within a module separate from the primary gateway and mounted to the second connector and in communication with the on-board diagnostic interface of the vehicle through the secondary communication interface of the primary gateway.

2. The vehicle telematic system as recited in claim 1, wherein the second connector includes a mechanical and electrical connection that is selectively connectable to a corresponding secondary connector included with the secondary system.

3. The vehicle telematic system as recited in claim 2, wherein the second connector includes a plurality of electrical connectors and a slot for receiving a corresponding tab formed on the secondary system.

4. The vehicle telematic system as recited in claim 2, including a linking cable connectable at a first end to the second connector and at a second end to the secondary connector of the secondary system.

5. The vehicle telematic system as recited in claim 1, wherein the primary gateway includes a wireless communication device for forming a wireless communication link with the secondary system.

6. The vehicle telematic system as recited in claim 1, wherein the primary gateway includes a logic interface for analyzing information indicative of vehicle operation.

7. The vehicle telematic system as recited in claim 1, wherein the secondary system comprises a device capable of communication with a global network.

8. The vehicle telematic system as recited in claim 7, wherein the secondary system includes a radio frequency transmitter capable of both sending and receiving information.

9. A vehicle telematic system comprising:

a primary gateway module disposed within an enclosure, wherein the enclosure defines a first connector connectable to an on-board diagnostics interface for holding the primary gateway module in place and engaged to the on-board diagnostic interface, the primary gateway module including a logic interface for receiving information through the on-board diagnostics interface indicative of vehicle operation and a secondary communications link; and

at least one subsystem module selectively engageable to the primary gateway through the secondary communications link, the subsystem module forming a communications link with the on-board diagnostics interface through engagement with the primary gateway module.

10. The vehicle telematic system as recited in claim 9, wherein the subsystem module comprises elements providing communications with a global network.

11. The vehicle telematic system as recited in claim 9, wherein the enclosure includes a second connector integrally formed in the housing that includes a plurality of electrical connectors and a first mating part that receives a corresponding mating part formed on the subsystem module.

12. The vehicle telematic system as recited in claim 11, including a cable having a first end engageable with the first mating part formed by the housing and a second end including a second mating part engageable with the subsystem module.

13. The vehicle telematic system as recited in claim 11, wherein the primary gateway module includes a transceiver for forming a wireless link with at least one subsystem module.

14. The vehicle telematic system as recited in claim 9, wherein the at least one subsystem comprises at least one of an accelerometer, a gyro and a global positioning device.

15. A method of linking vehicle telemetric system to a vehicle comprising:

connecting a first connector defined by an enclosure supporting a primary gateway module to an on-board diagnostics interface of a vehicle, wherein the enclosure defines a first connector for physically and electrically connecting to the on-board diagnostics interface; and

establishing a communication link with the on-board diagnostics interface through a second connector defined by the enclosure of the primary gateway module with a subsystem module supported on the vehicle.

16. The method as recited in claim 15, wherein establishing the communication link comprises connecting the subsystem module to the second connector of the primary gateway module.

17. The method as recited in claim 15, wherein the primary gateway includes a transceiver and establishing the communication link comprises communicating between the subsystem module and the transceiver over a wireless link.

18. The method as recited in claim 15, including communicating with a global network with the subsystem module.