Method and system of vehicle tracking portal

• US 8,965,624 B2
• Filed: 07/31/2013
• Issued: 02/24/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 08/14/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: eBay Inc.
• Original Assignee: eBay Inc.
• Inventors: Hosein, Marc Peter, Yankovich, Steve, Romero, Steve, Lam, Selina, Higgins, Krystal Rose
• Primary Examiner(s): Elchanti, Hussein A.
• Application Number:
  US13/955,885
• Publication Number:
  US 20140052327A1
• Time in Patent Office: 573 Days
• Field of Search: 701/29.1, 701/29.6, 701/33.1
• US Class Current: 701/29.1
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/36 Input/output arrangements for on-board computers
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/24 Querying
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/248 Presentation of query results
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/951 Indexing; Web crawling techniques
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/953 Querying, e.g. by the use of web search engines
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/9535 Search customisation based on user profiles and personalisation
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06 Resources, workflows, human or project management; Enterprise or organisation planning; Enterprise or organisation modelling
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/08 Auctions
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 2205/02 using a vehicle scan tool
• 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: H04W 88/02 Terminal devices

Abstract

An apparatus is provided including a processor, a memory, and a vehicle tracking portal. The vehicle tracking portal is configured to obtain vehicle identification information regarding a vehicle. Then diagnostic information regarding the vehicle can be obtained. Then, based on the vehicle identification and the diagnostic information, a recommended service for the vehicle can be determined. A user can then be alerted to the recommended service.

Claims

1. An apparatus comprising:

a processor;

a memory;

a vehicle tracking portal executable on the processor and configured to use the memory to;

obtain vehicle identification information regarding a vehicle;

obtain diagnostic information regarding the vehicle;

determine, based on the vehicle identification and the diagnostic information, a recommended service for the vehicle;

alert a user to the recommended service;

retrieve step-by-step instructions as to how to perform the recommended service; and

present the step-by-step instructions to the user in the form of an interactive augmented reality function executable by a mobile device of the user, the augmented reality function, when executed by the mobile device, utilizing real-time imagery gathered by a camera on the mobile device and displaying the real-time imagery on a display of the mobile device such that when the user aims the camera at the vehicle, parts of the vehicle relevant to the recommended service are highlighted as an overlay on the real-time imagery on the display along with additional information on how the parts of the vehicle should be acted upon by the user.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the diagnostic information is an odometer reading for the vehicle, and wherein the vehicle tracking portal is further configured to obtain a maintenance schedule for the vehicle based on the vehicle identification information, wherein the determining of the recommended service for the vehicle includes comparing the odometer reading to the maintenance schedule.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the apparatus is an application server and the vehicle identification and diagnostic information are obtained from a mobile device in communication with the application server.

4. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein the application server is coupled to an application program interface server configured to coordinate communications between the vehicle tracking portal and a dedicated application running on the mobile device.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the vehicle tracking portal is further configured to:

locate one or more service centers capable of performing the recommended service within proximity to the user;

obtain appointment times available at the one or more service centers for the recommended service; and

present the user with the one or more service centers and appointment times for selection.

6. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein proximity to the user is determined based on a location of the user as obtained from a global positioning module operating on a mobile device of the user.

7. A method of providing a vehicle tracking portal, the method comprising:

obtaining vehicle identification information regarding a vehicle;

obtaining diagnostic information regarding the vehicle;

determining, based on the vehicle identification and the diagnostic information, a recommended service for the vehicle;

alerting a user to the recommended service;

retrieving step-by-step instructions as to how to perform the recommended service; and

presenting the step-by-step instructions to the user in the form of an interactive augmented reality function executable by a mobile device of the user, the augmented reality function, when executed by the mobile device, utilizing real-time imagery gathered by a camera on the mobile device and displaying the real-time imagery on a display of the mobile device such that when the user aims the camera at the vehicle, parts of the vehicle relevant to the recommended service are highlighted as an overlay on the real-time imagery on the display along with additional information on how the parts of the vehicle should be acted upon by the user.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the diagnostic information is an odometer reading for the vehicle, and wherein the method further comprises obtaining a maintenance schedule for the vehicle based on the vehicle identification information, wherein the determining of the recommended service for the vehicle includes comparing the odometer reading to the maintenance schedule.

9. The method of claim 7, wherein the vehicle identification and diagnostic information are obtained from a mobile device in communication with a server.

10. The method of claim 7, further comprising:

locating one or more service centers capable of performing the recommended service within proximity to the user;

obtaining appointment times available at the one or more service centers for the recommended service; and

presenting the user with the one or more service centers and appointment times for selection.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein proximity to the user is determined based on a location of the user as obtained from a global positioning module operating on a mobile device of the user.

12. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium comprising instructions that, when executed by at least one processor of a machine, cause the machine to perform operations of providing a vehicle tracking portal, the operations including:

obtaining vehicle identification information regarding a vehicle;

obtaining diagnostic information regarding the vehicle;

determining, based on the vehicle identification and the diagnostic information, a recommended service for the vehicle;

alerting a user to the recommended service;

retrieving step-by-step instructions as to how to perform the recommended service; and

presenting the step-by-step instructions to the user in the form of an interactive augmented reality function executable by a mobile device of the user, the augmented reality function, when executed by the mobile device, utilizing real-time imagery gathered by a camera on the mobile device and displaying the real-time imagery on a display of the mobile device such that when the user aims the camera at the vehicle, parts of the vehicle relevant to the recommended service are highlighted as an overlay on the real-time imagery on the display along with additional information on how the parts of the vehicle should be acted upon by the user.

13. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 12, wherein the diagnostic information is an odometer reading for the vehicle, and wherein the operations further include obtaining a maintenance schedule for the vehicle based on the vehicle identification information, wherein the determining of the recommended service for the vehicle includes comparing the odometer reading to the maintenance schedule.

14. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 12, wherein the vehicle identification and diagnostic information are obtained from a mobile device in communication with a server.

15. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 12, wherein the operations further include:

locating one or more service centers capable of performing the recommended service within proximity to the user;

obtaining appointment times available at the one or more service centers for the recommended service; and

presenting the user with the one or more service centers and appointment times for selection.

16. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 15, wherein proximity to the user is determined based on a location of the user as obtained from a global positioning module operating on a mobile device of the user.